Every Year, Trader Joe’s churns out the creme de la creme of seasonal, holiday goodies. From new takes on Christmas classics to festive remixes of year-round Trader Joe’s products to creative concoctions we’ve never seen before: Trader Joe’s holiday items can’t be beaten.
The best Trader Joe’s seasonal products sell out fast, so we grabbed everything we could find the moment we could find it, then sat down, tasted them all, and ranked our top ten. No matter what religion you are, we all belong to the church of loving delicious goodies. Run to TJ’s immediately and try to grab these Trader Joe’s holiday items before it’s January (ew).
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- Autumnal Pie Truffles
I could not walk past these in the grocery store without purchasing them. They are so unbelievably cute! They look exactly like real, tiny slices of pie. Each itty-bitty piece contains its own delicious, seasonal flavor. Cranberry ginger was the most interesting and caramel pecan was my personal favorite, but all the flavors were tasty. These would be wonderful to bring as a gift for a party, stuff into a stocking, or enjoy alone on the couch. I love these little chocolate truffle autumnal pies.
Credit: Liv Averett
- Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s
When it comes to Trader Joe’s seasonal cookies, Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s reign supreme. They are crunchy, pepperminty, and sweet. They have done a wonderful job replacing the now-discontinued peppermint Oreo, and they’re super affordable to boot. I wait all year for these to come out and then stockpile them when they do. Please don’t tell my girlfriend that boxes of these are hidden all over our house.
Credit: Liv Averett
- Belgian Cookie Trio
Don’t let the boring packaging fool you: These cookies taste great! The Belgian Cookie Trio contains three different types of cookies that are chocolaty, nutty, and crispy. That’s right, crispy. These are not crunchy. They’re crispy. And if you know you know that crispy cookies are an underrated kind of delicious. I would eat these with cold milk or hot coffee. Their versatility is great. Plus, I feel like I can eat a thousand of them and never get full. Score!
Credit: Liv Averett
- Baton Lover’s Quartet
I had a huge revelation during this taste test: I am a baton lover. I owe an immense amount of thanks to Trader Joe’s holiday items for giving me the Baton Lover’s Quartet. These cream-filled cylindrical cookies are so light and crispy and flavorful. And speaking of flavors, there are four: chocolate orange, hot cocoa, chocolate hazelnut, and classic. I love each one in its own special way, but obviously chocolate orange is the holiday GOAT.
Credit: Liv Averett
- Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe-Joe’s
If you eat more than one of these, you’ll need to go to the hospital. They are so rich and dense. Plus, if you store them in the fridge like regular Joe-Joe’s, your teeth might break when you go to enjoy them. All this said, they’re worth the danger. The Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe-Joe’s are phenomenal. They come in a sleek, festive sleeve and make the best host’s gift around the holidays. And if the host is me, maybe show up with two boxes just to be safe.
Credit: Liv Averett
- Peppermint Pretzel Slims
If seasonal sweets mean peppermint to you, grab a bag of the Peppermint Pretzel Thins. These are easily one of the best Trader Joe’s seasonal products in stores for the holiday season. They’re crunchy, creamy, and perfectly pepperminty. This is the kind of seasonal snack you could eat by the handful because they’re not too filling. And if like me, you love the combination of sweet and salty, these definitely hit the spot. It’s the chocolate-covered pretzel you know and love with a holiday twist.
Credit: Liv Averett
- Cookie Mug Hangers
These tiny gingerbread men that hang on the side of your mug are so aesthetically pleasing that I assumed they’d taste horrible. I assumed I couldn’t have it all. I assumed wrong. These look adorable and taste great! The way they hang on your mug turns any coffee into a Christmas coffee. If you adore Christmas, grab a box of these so you can feel festive every single morning. It feels like Santa himself would be a fan of these edible mug ornaments.
Credit: Liv Averett /
- Cinnamon Bun Inspired Kettle Corn
If you’re into caramel corn or kettle corn, this cinnamon bun rendition will definitely tickle your fancy! It’s sweet and also has a nice amount of salt. I don’t know if it’s 100% cinnamon bun, but it tastes really delicious. My favorite thing is that each kernel of popped corn is perfectly coated in the cinnamon bun glaze. In my opinion, this should not be a Trader Joe’s seasonal product. Have it year-round, you cowards!
Credit: Liv Averett
- Scandinavian Tidings
Trader Joe’s knows how to make a great gummy and the Scandinavian Tidings from their holiday line are no exception. Trader Joe’s has managed to perfect the ideal gummy texture without using gelatin, making these vegan and vegetarian-friendly. You might be saying, “Gummies are vegan? Duh!” But it’s actually difficult to find gummies that contain no gelatin whatsoever. Ingredients aside, these come in tasty, fresh fruit flavors and cute shapes, making Scandinavian Tidings a great holiday buy from Trader Joe’s.
Credit: Liv Averett
- Apple & Pumpkin Hand Pies
If you’re trying to trick the people in your life into thinking you’re good at baking, grab a box of these apple and pumpkin hand pies. These are one of the best Trader Joe’s holiday items we tried in our taste test. Pop these into the air fryer for a few minutes, top them with vanilla bean ice cream, and you’re set. You have beautiful hand pies filled with chunks of fresh apple and luscious pumpkin puree that would impress even the most annoying food critic in your life.
Credit: Liv Averett
Best of the Best
Best Cookie
Best Variety Pack
Most Surprising
Best for Gifting
Best Peppermint
Best Adorable
Best Sweet & Savory
Best Take on a TJ’s Classic
Best Like Homemade
Other Products We Tried: Salty Honey Toffee Milk Chocolate Covered Crackers, Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars, Minty Chocolate Covered Marshmallows, Gluten Free Joe-Joe’s, Maple Glazed Doughnuts, Mini Peppermint Meringues, Candy Cane Chocolate Covered Almonds, Jingle Jangle, French Apple Tart, Apple Crumble Pie
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