It may still be a sunny 97° here in SoCal, but Trader Joe’s is providing all the delicious eats and festive treats we need to get excited for fall.
Though the phrase “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” is traditionally followed up by Andy Williams’ mention of “kids jingle belling” and “everyone telling you be of good cheer,” that’s not what comes to my mind. Instead, my year hits its peak when I walk into my local Trader Joe’s in mid-September and am met with nothing but pure bliss in the form of cinnamon apple scents and pumpkin-flavored everything.
So, what better way to spread some Trader Joe’s cheer than to share what new fall finds I picked up this year? I won’t lie, most of the products I purchased were ones I saw last year, which I am not complaining about, but the list below are the few new ones that I’ve tried and highly recommend you try too.
Pumpkin rolls with pumpkin spice icing
Seeing that it’s only fair I start off with a bang, let’s talk about one of the most delicious desserts I have ever tried. Cinnamon rolls are already one of the many mouth-watering treats that come to mind when I think of classic fall flavors; however, Trader Joe’s deciding to add a pinch of pumpkin spice to the pastry was pure genius. You do not lose any of the ooey-gooey cinnamon goodness, but just get some added hints of sweet pumpkin and nutmeg, creating a flavor that feels like a cinnamon roll and pumpkin pie had a baby — and what a beautiful baby it is.
As if it couldn’t get any better, the pumpkin rolls also come paired with a pumpkin spice icing that acts as the cherry on top of this to-die-for dessert. The recipe is identical to TJ’s traditional creamy cinnamon roll icing, but with some added pumpkin purée and warm spices to give the uber-sweet icing a little bit more fall flavor. If you’re looking for an audience-pleasing dessert for your next dinner party or need a Sunday Brunch staple this September, I would highly recommend you try these guys out.
Pumpkin overnight oats
If you’ve had the pleasure of trying Trader Joe’s almond butter chia or vanilla overnight oats that are in stock all-year long, chances are you were equally as excited to see that a fall edition has been stocked on shelves this year. These oats are perfect if you find yourself needing something fast in the morning and want to stay full until lunchtime — so the fact there’s a new flavor had me embarrassingly excited.
Here’s my verdict, I absolutely loved them. I put a bit of whipped cream on top and I felt like I was basically eating a socially-acceptable dessert for breakfast (which is always the goal). However, I must confess that I have a huge sweet tooth, so the words “this is way too sweet” simply aren’t in my vocabulary. But when my roommate gave the oats a try, she took two bites before declaring them far too sweet to finish. In conclusion, if you prefer savory flavors to wake you up in the morning, this may not be your favorite. Still, I highly encourage you to try them, whether it be as a breakfast, a mid-afternoon pick me up or a late night snack.
Vanilla pumpkin candles
Any candle I can buy for under $5 ($3.99 for this one, to be exact) that I can actually smell when I burn receives an instant 8/10 in my book. So the fact that this one is well priced, smells like everything I love about fall and comes in a cute little tin makes it easy for me to give it an A+ rating. If you’re like me and love a fall candle that isn’t too overpowering but is still fragrant enough to make your room extra warm and cozy, this one does the trick. It isn’t headache inducing, but still gives off enough scent to make its presence known in my home. My only complaint would have to be how tiny it is, but again, if I am only paying $3.99, I am not mad about it.
Pumpkin alfredo sauce
Rounding out our list is a new savory sauce I was very intrigued by from the second I saw it on the shelf. My first thought was that these two flavors couldn’t possibly be good together, but despite my hesitancy, I gave it a try anyway.
Hear me out — when I tried it with normal pasta, I wasn’t sure what to think because I genuinely hadn’t tasted anything like it before. It felt like I had mixed an alfredo and marinara sauce together to make a Frankenstein pasta topping. I could definitely taste the cheeses in the alfredo which is always a win, but because the flavors were so new, I felt indifferent about it. That was until I tried this with TJ’s pumpkin ravioli, one of my all-time favorite fall foods. The two were a match made in heaven. Their subtle hints of pumpkin worked together perfectly and I can’t imagine eating either food without the other again. So, the pumpkin alfredo sauce with normal noodles? A questionable 6.5/10. Pumpkin alfredo sauce with pumpkin ravioli? Stole my heart with a 10/10.
A few other honorable mentions that didn’t make my list but still score high on my Trader Joe’s must-try meter include the apple cider donuts, maple sea salt popcorn and pumpkin toaster waffles (oh, and if you haven’t checked out my fall recommendation list from last year, you should do that too). So, now it’s your turn! Go try out some of Trader Joe’s festive treats and let me know what you think—I hope they make your day as much as they made mine.