Month after month, Trader Joe's rolls out new and exciting products. From smoked olive oil to a festive gingerbread bar, this December's lineup is no exception. Keep reading to get the lowdown on what's worth your time (and money) and what's best left on the store shelves.
Pick Up: Cocktail Stirrers ($4)
Pickle-lovers and hostesses alike will love these cocktail-ready skewers of cornichons, carrots, jalapeños, olives, bell peppers, and pearl onions [3]. Briny, crisp, and ready to dress up your drink, they're one of our favorite new items this month.
Pick Up: Pear and Persimmon Tarte ($5)
This almond, pear, and persimmon tarte [4] (or galette, if you will), is pretty darn good for a frozen dessert. Do note that it's a relatively small dessert (a blessing or a curse, depending on your perspective).
Pick Up: Soft-Baked Biscotti With Dried Figs ($4)
As their name suggests, these biscotti [5] have a different texture than what we've come to expect. Tender and relatively plain with sizeable chunks of dried fig, these not-too-sweet cookies would be nice with a cup of tea or coffee.
Pick Up: Crispy Crunchy Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies ($3)
Fans of Trader Joe's classic crunchy chocolate chip cookies will love this seasonal spin on the bite-size cookie [6]. Buttery with a mild peppermint flavor from chunks of peppermint candy, they're a crowd-pleasing treat.
Pick Up: Dried Fruit Bars ($1 each)
We're glad that Trader Joe's brought back these previously discontinued dried fruit bars [7]. Apple-based, these are a sweet, grab-and-go snack that'll remind you of the fruit leather of your youth. Our favorite flavors are the Apple Mango and Apple Raspberry, but all four are solid.
Pick Up: Organic Roasted Teriyaki Seaweed Snack ($3)
If you're keen on seaweed snacks, pick up this Organic Roasted Teriyaki Seaweed [8], a tangy take on the healthy snack.
Pick Up: Dukkah ($3)
Trader Joe's take on dukkah [9], an Egyptian seed, nut, and spice blend, is a winner. Anise-heavy, with plenty of coriander, sesame seeds, and finely chopped almonds, it makes for an easy, satisfying dip for pita bread or a baguette when mixed with extra-virgin olive oil. At $3, it's a steal.
Pick Up: Crispy Crunchy Mochi Rice Nuggets ($3)
As the name suggests, these Mochi Rice Nuggets [10] are pleasantly crisp, crunchy, and snackable and sort of like a thicker, rice-based pita chip texturally. Our only hangup: we wish they came in a bolder flavor, perhaps something more akin to Asian rice crackers (these are very mild, seasoned with salt and oil and nothing else).
Pick Up: Oh My Guava! ($3)
Neither too sweet nor too tannic, this black tea and guava juice blend [11] is just right. Refreshing served over ice, it'd take well to mixing with rum or vodka for an easy cocktail.
Pick Up: Avocado's Number Guacamole to Go ($4)
Is this premade guacamole [12] on par with a homemade version [13]? No, but it's a convenient option for use in recipes where it'll play an accent role, like nachos or huevos rancheros bowls [14]. Given the choice, we'd choose Sabra's take on individually portioned premade guac, but this is a solid second best.
Pick Up: Sponge Candy ($3)
Packaging aside, this airy honey-flavored candy bar [15] is virtually identical to Great Britain's beloved Crunchie bar [16]. Just salty enough to balance the sweet filling and milk chocolate, it's easily our favorite of Trader Joe's December lineup.
Pick Up: Soft Baked Drizzled Gingerbread Oat Bars ($2)
Dense and chewy with bits of dates and a drizzle of icing, these sweet and spicy gingerbread bars [17] are a bit tricky to classify: Are they dessert? A breakfast pastry? A snack? Confusing categorization aside, they're a winner. Plus, how cute is the packaging?
Pass: Strawberry Champagne Truffles ($4)
Shockingly sweet in both scent and flavor, these white chocolate truffles [18] are a hard pass.
Pass: Billionaire Shortbread Truffles ($4)
With packaging like a holiday popper and the promise of a sticky toffee filling, bits of buttery shortbread, and a dark chocolate shell, these cookie-filled truffles [19] sounded like a surefire hit. Unfortunately, the ratio is way off: the chocolate shell is too thick, which both overwhelms the cookie and caramel and makes the truffles uncomfortable to bite into. Save your money for a Twix bar.
Pass: Blackberry Spritzer ($3)
We were hoping that this sparkling Blackberry Spritzer [20] could be a fun, non-alcoholic way to toast the new year; unfortunately, it's too sweet, without enough acidity to balance everything out.
Pass: Smoked Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
While the concept of this smoke-infused olive oil [21] is interesting, the smoke flavor completely dominates and lingers unpleasantly.
Pass: Giant Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce ($2)
We had high hopes for these saucy braised gigante beans [22] — one of our favorite recipes [23] is similar in concept — but they fell mightily short of our expectations. While the beans have a pleasantly tender texture, the sauce is overpoweringly sweet and has an unpleasant, canned aftertaste; all in all, they reminded us of Chef Boyardee.