Ethan Choi
Palmer
Block B
The 5 Best Trader Joe’s Desserts, According to a Superfan Who's Tried Them All
2 days ago
Ting
EC news
When the inevitable craving for a sweet treat strikes, nothing beats the relief of remembering you have dessert options in your freezer or pantry. While baking from scratch will yield the freshest results, we don’t always have the time or energy to assemble ingredients and bake on a whim.
Luckily for dessert aficionados out there, Trader Joe’s is the perfect source for stocking sweet bites that will be ready to enjoy as soon as you need them.
Los Angeles-based content creator Paige Desjardins (@paigeeatsgood) is an expert at navigating the aisles of this popular supermarket chain, regularly tasting and ranking Trader Joe’s foods across categories like frozen pasta, appetizers, dips, potato chips, and more. She has also evaluated dozens of Trader Joe’s desserts, including frozen treats, ice cream sandwiches, and baked goods.
Out of all of Desjardins’ top-ranked Trader Joe’s desserts, five stand out as the best. Each of these top picks has earned its place by winning her taste tests and definitely deserves a spot in your next grocery shopping list.
1. Japanese Soufflé Cheesecakes
2. Gluten-Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins
3. Brookie
Click on your favorite to skip to that part
Made by a supplier in Japan, these single-serve, crustless Japanese Soufflé Cheesecakes are made with sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese, with a hint of lemony flavor to offset their richness.
What really sets this cheesecake apart, according to Desjardins, is that “it tastes just like cheesecake but is so much lighter” and also has a bit of a tang and “mellow sweetness.” These pillowy confections require thawing in the refrigerator for three hours before you can enjoy them, so be sure to plan accordingly.
Japanese Souffle Cheesecake
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins
“As soon as I opened [the box], the whole room smelled like cinnamon sugar,” Desjardins notes while reviewing the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins. The content creator was gluten-free for nine years, so she knows what to look for and is pleasantly surprised by how soft these muffins are. “I cannot believe that this is gluten-free,” she emphasizes.
Brookie
You’ll get the best of both worlds in this treat, which features a layer of fudge brownie baked with chocolate chip cookie dough on top. Desjardins mentions that the Brookie from Trader Joe’s bakery selection was highly recommended by her followers and earned the top spot in her ranking of bakery items.
After her first bite, the creator observes that “[The] brownie is so moist, and the cookie is moist too. Together, they just make this insane flavor combination.” If you’re someone who dislikes cakey brownies, Desjardin says that these have “just the right amount of fudginess.”
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Although she doesn’t love the standard Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Trader Joe’s — giving them a negative review in a previous clip — the creator is a big fan of the gluten-free version and praises them for their soft texture. She exclaims, “Trader Joe’s! This is an incredible gluten-free cookie,” and describes the treat as a “fancy version” of the chewy Chips Ahoy! cookies.
Madeleine Cookies
Desjardins details that Trader Joe’s version of these handheld French cakes are spongy and soft on the bottom, and she compares them to a pound cake in the shape and size of a cookie. “It’s so buttery and tasty,” she proclaims. While a Francophile might point out that these aren’t technically cookies, they are a similar size and would be perfect for anyone who wants a small treat that's soft and tender.