We tasted the new Trader Joe’s snickerdoodles everyone is raving about! Read on to find out if these new Trader Joe’s cookies are dupes for homemade treats or a simply another supermarket sweet.
I love snickerdoodles. But I didn’t grow up with them as a staple household cookie. We were more of a peanut butter blossom or classic chocolate chip cookie house. I think that made snickerdoodles all the more craveworthy. (If you’re unfamiliar with snickerdoodles, we did a bit of a deep-dive into what gives snickerdoodles their signature flavor; have a read.) Plus, you just don’t see snickerdoodles that often. They’re not the go-to grocery store cookie. So, I was psyched when Trader Joe’s released a $5 box of snickerdoodles in their bakery section. Finally, I had an excuse to eat a whole box of snickerdoodles because it was my damn job. But should you spend your hard-earned cash on a Trader Joe’s snickerdoodle? Here’s my review so you can make up your own mind.
Let me start by saying that the internet really hyped up these snickerdoodles. I opened this box of Trader Joe’s soft baked snickerdoodles expecting to be wowed. I expected to fight over who got to take the leftovers home. And while I did finish a full cookie, the box remained unclaimed at the end of the day. I guess what I’m saying is, don’t get caught up in the hype. Let’s break down the Trader Joe’s snickerdoodle.
Pros: The package advertises these cookies as being “soft, chewy, and dusted with cinnamon and sugar.” It doesn’t lie. These cookies are seriously soft and chewy—the perfect snickerdoodle texture. And they are covered in cinnamon and crunchy sugar crystals. They’re pretty darn good cinnamon-sugar cookies. And they cost just $5 for a dozen.
Cons: Did you catch how I called them cinnamon-sugar cookies and not snickerdoodles? That’s because they don’t really taste like snickerdoodles. There’s not enough of that tangy cream of tartar flavor. There is a touch of a sour aftertaste—but that’s definitely not the layer of extra flavor I’m looking for in a snickerdoodle. It’s a bit unpleasant if you really focus on it, and the only way to fix it is to take another bite of the cookie. But eventually you’re out of cookie and all you’re left with is that aftertaste.
In conclusion, you won’t be able to pass Trader Joe’s snickerdoodles off as homemade, but no one is going to complain about them, either. For someone who prizes a soft texture over everything else, this is the TJ’s cookie for you. But if you’re a snickerdoodle stickler, you won’t be satisfied.
Justine Sterling is the editor-in-chief of Sporked. She has been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and is an avid at-home cook and snacker. Don’t worry, she’s not a food snob. Sure, she loves a fresh-shucked oyster. But she also will leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and loves a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!