Every year at the start of September, Trader Joe’s rolls out its fall snacks. This year the fall line came out on Sept. 5 ranging from all sorts of cookies, to pumpkin tortilla chips. Some of the flavors are surprising but fitting for the season and Trader Joe’s tries to fit them all together to make some interesting new foods. Some of the foods are cult classics and some are brand new, but the Trader Joe’s fall line is always highly anticipated and praised. By the end of November, the fall snacks will be pulled out of stores to prepare for the winter line, but there are many good snacks to grab before they are gone.
Pumpkin Spice Batons: These crispy wafer cookies are filled with spiced creme, replicating the taste of pumpkin pie. The hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove bring a visual of pumpkin pie, and the wafers could be paired with a cup of coffee or just by themselves. They contain milk, soy, and wheat, sold in a five ounce container for $1.99.
Rating: 🍁🍁🍁🍁(4/5)
Why? These are great but do not stand out in any way, they could be put out in any season. They have good portions and flavor overall.
Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies: These petite pumpkin spice cookies are shortbread cookies covered with pumpkin spice, yogurt coating, and orange and white sprinkles. They are shaped like small pumpkins mostly colored with white coating, but has an occasional orange coated cookie in the mix. The recurring theme of pumpkin spice among the products reappears here once again, tasting much like the other pumpkin spice flavors, but modified with the shortbread cookies to compliment it. Containing milk, soy, wheat, and possibly containing traces of egg and coconut, the 10 ounce box is sold for $2.99.
Rating: 🍁🍁🍁🍁(4/5)
Why? These cookies are very sweet and the pumpkin flavor is not too strong. The soft yogurt coating and hard cookie seem like almost the perfect balance. The sprinkles are a fun touch and they really fit in with the season.
Maple Leaf Cookies: These large maple leaf shaped cookies are two cookies sandwiched with rich maple creme in the center. Flavored with real maple syrup, the creme is generously placed between the cookies to be eaten plain or with a hot drink. These cookies contain soy and wheat and may contain milk, egg, and tree nuts. This 11 ounce product has been sold for $3.29 in the Trader Joe’s fall line since 2011.
Rating: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁(5/5)
Why? These cookies are great sandwiches, but they are a little big. The maple taste is great for the season and a nice break from the normal pumpkin spice flavoring.
Pumpkin Flavored Joe-Joe’s: This is a different take on the classic Trader Joe’s cookie, the Joe-Joe. The light colored cookies are pumpkin flavored, sandwiching an orange pumpkin creme. Just like the regular cookie, they can be used in many recipes, as an afternoon snack, or a cookie to dunk in your morning coffee. They are kosher and contain soy and wheat. The 10.5 ounce box of cookies is sold for $2.49.
Rating:🍁🍁🍁(3/5)
Why? A seasonal take on a Joe-Joe is not a new concept, but this pumpkin take is a good way to celebrate the fall. They are a little plain but the design is nice.
Pumpkin Waffles: Just like the regular Trader Joe’s frozen waffles, these pumpkin waffles are made for the toaster. Bringing a hint of pumpkin spice to a quick breakfast, they’re easy to pair with maple syrup and complete a truly fall themed meal. Containing egg, milk, soy, and wheat, this 9.9 ounce package containing eight waffles is $1.99.
Rating: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁(5/5)
Why? These are an interesting item in the collection and a great addition. They have a normal counterpart, but still seem to outdo them. A pumpkin waffle paired with maple syrup is the perfect fall breakfast.
Protein Maple Muffin: This easy to make, microwave muffin is a gluten free option in the fall line. A new take on the mug cake in the form of a protein muffin, made in just 60 seconds. Made with a base of cassava flour and almond meal, the maple flavor comes from syrup powder and ground vanilla beans. This muffin contains milk, egg, almond, and coconut, and the 1.87 ounce product is sold for $1.99.
Rating: 🍁🍁(2/5)
Why? The ability to make a single muffin quickly in a microwave is great, but the texture was a little too spongy and the flavor a little too lacking. It was a nice addition, but was not executed the best.
Harvest Spice Trek Mix: As a mix of roasted almonds, holiday spiced cashews and pecans, candied ginger, and dried apples, this trek mix is different from the others at Trader Joe’s. The ginger taste is strong and gives this fall snack a nostalgic feeling. Great for a midday snack or a picnic staple. This mix contains milk, almond, cashews, and pecan, and may contain egg, soy, wheat, peanut, and other tree nuts. The 12 ounce bag with a harvest farm on the logo is sold for $5.99.
Rating: 🍁(1/5)
Why? The main problem with this product is that the ginger is overpowering. Every different component tastes like ginger and it takes away from everything else. It does fit seasonally but the lack of variety in flavor ruins the attempt at making a diverse mix.
Maple and Sea Salt Kettle Corn: This kettle corn flavored with maple syrup encompasses a balance of flavors. A sweet maple, and salty sea salt with a delicately crunchy bite. A snack for after school, work, or just anytime. Containing coconut, this orange and fall leaf decorated seven ounce bag is sold for $2.49.
Rating: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁(5/5)
Why? This take on kettle corn is nice because it does not try too hard to involve fall flavors and stays classic. The flavor is not too overpowering and the kettle corn is a good balance of salty and sweet.
Pumpkin Tortilla Chips: An exciting twist on a regular tortilla chip, is made with pumpkin puree, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, and nutmeg. These chips can be paired with any type of salsa, and are sweet with a little bit of a kick. A signature taste of autumn all wrapped up into one chip. These gluten free chips are sold in a seven ounce bag for $2.99.
Rating: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁(5/5)
Why? This product sounds very strange on the shelf, but the actual taste is surprisingly good. It encompasses a slightly sweet flavor paired with a taste of salt and pumpkin. Just like an average tortilla chip, but tweaked to bring a taste of the season to a normal snack.
Apple Cider Cookies: These crisp oat cookies, flavored with apple cider and fall spices, are made to be paired with a morning drink, or as a dessert. Sweet with the hints of spice give these cookies a fall feeling. They are sold in a plastic container with an image of an apple on the front. The product contains milk, egg, and wheat. The 14 ounce container is sold for $3.49.
Rating: 🍁🍁🍁(3/5)
Why? The idea of apple cider cookies is new and exciting, but they are nothing more than average. There is not a strong taste of apple and instead a stronger cinnamon taste. The cookies have a nice texture but are not spectacular.
San Marin Pony Express 