Trader Joe's Exciting New Dessert Is Here

Trader Joe’s does good desserts. Fun desserts. EXCITING desserts. It has a knack for dropping new sweet treats that don’t necessarily reinvent the wheel when it comes to flavors, but which feel distinct from the kinds of things you’d find at other retailers, and slightly more elevated, too. This year, we’ve seen the return of its passion fruit meringue tartelettes, the arrival of its Italian Mascarpone & Mixed Berries Gelato Style Frozen Dessert, and now…we’re getting mango sticky rice, once again.

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God, I want to try this one. And customers do too. Luckily, they’ll get plenty of opportunity, ‘cos it looks like it’s sticking around.

Trader Joe’s Mango Sticky Rice

A few days ago, we started hearing rumblings that Trader Joe’s Mango Sticky Rice was coming, and imminently – and lo, those rumblings were proved true. Now, it’s arrived: On Instagram, @traderjoesaficionado confirmed that the dessert is now in stores. “Each package includes two individual servings of perfectly ripe Mango, cubed and set atop sweet, coconut-infused Glutinous Sticky Rice, along with two packets of fried mung beans for sprinkling on top—the traditional finishing touch for this classic dessert,” says Trader Joe’s on its website. Just heat in the microwave for 50 seconds, sprinkle the mung beans to add a satisfying crunch, and enjoy!”

Anyone who’s tried, and failed, to find good mango sticky rice anywhere but Thailand will likely be punching the air in celebration over this one. My brother, incidentally, live in Bangkok, and seeing pictures of him eating this dish over there brings me consistent pain. But now, Trader Joe’s fans will be cured of this heartache – well, that’s what it hopes, at least. Trader Joe’s used to stock a version of this dessert a while back, in a egg roll version – but clearly there’s enough demand now to make the classic version permanent.

And…How Is It?

If any reviews are anything to go by, Trader Joe’s has done a pretty good job here (although not a flawless one). A Reddit thread discussing the mango sticky rice has mostly positive responses from customers, with people saying the store’s executed this dish fairly well, and some folks absolutely raving about it. That said, there have been a few standout criticisms so far. The first is that these desserts are small: Multiple people have commented on the tiny portion sizes, saying how ungenerous they feel. The mango, meanwhile, has caught a bit of fire for being too mushy.

So…you could maybe do better. BUT, you could also probably do worse. Unless you’re heading to Thailand any time soon, this might be your best option.