The Reviews Are In: Trader Joe’s Newest Chocolate Bark Rocks

Trader Joe’s is continually dropping new sweet items for its customers to sink their teeth into – and every time it does, I breathe a sigh of envy from this side of the Atlantic (“this side” being “the UK side”) that I won’t get to try them. I’ve checked flight prices. It’s not feasible. And of all the sweet treats it makes, its chocolate bark is the one I want to try most. Trader Joe’s selection of chocolate bark is just fun: With unexpected mix-ins, varied textures, and gooood old flavors, it’s no wonder they’ve become fan favorites. 

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And its newest chocolate bark is no different. The store has just released a pistachio, salt, and chili-inflected bark, and customers are falling head over heels. Let’s discuss.

Bark, Bark!

A few days ago, fellow Sporked writer Rachel Jones wrote about Trader Joe’s new Dark Chocolate Bark with Pistachios, Dried Jalapeños & Sea Salt, picking it out as a must-try this August, and specifically mentioning how this flavor manages to steer clear of using pistachios in a Dubai chocolate way (and I think we all need a break from that). Well, now that customers have had a chance to try it, we can confirm that it’s as good as suspected. In the last week or so, a couple of threads on Reddit have appeared discussing the chocolate bark, and the consensus is that Trader Joe’s has nailed it. 

According to Trader Joe’s fans, this bark isn’t as fiery as it sounds: The jalapeño comes in at the end, and while it definitely has a kick, the spice gives all the other flavors a bit of space before it starts taking names. That sweet-spicy (we’re gonna say it one more time…swicy) flavor profile works well here, and more generally, people feel that the bark has a chocolatier-like quality to it. 

So No Criticisms?

There is one: That it isn’t vegan. The fact that the bark contains dairy is a bit of a bugbear for some customers, and we get it. “This would have been so easy for them to make vegan. Dark chocolate doesn’t need milk in it,” said one person on Reddit, before concluding, “That’s too bad, I would have liked to try it.”

It’s a fair critique, and while we’d imagine Trader Joe’s has added milk to smooth out the dark chocolate’s bitterness, it’s still an understandable disappointment for some. If you’re not vegan, though, and you like your bark with a bit of heat, you’ll probably like this one.