Ube Pretzels Have Hit Shelves at Trader Joe's

You guys. I love ube. I love pretzels covered in basically anything. And y’all KNOW I love Trader Joe’s. If I could marry Trader Joe I would, but, unfortunately, he’s no longer with us and also I’m not ready for marriage. POINT IS, Trader Joe’s introduced Ube Pretzels this week and I don’t know what to do with these feelings.

What is ube? In a word: Heaven. In a few more words: A vibrantly purple yam used in desserts all over Asia but especially in the Philippines. According to Trader Joe’s (and many people’s tastebuds), ube tastes like a cross between pistachio and vanilla with the slightest hint of a coconutty flavor. It also happens to dye whatever food it’s in a nice pastel purple color, giving it an 11/10 in terms of Instagrammability.

While ube is nothing new in many parts of the world, the ube craze didn’t go mainstream in the U.S. until a few years ago, which could have something to do with the release of Trader Joe’s ube ice cream in 2019. TJ’s creamy take on the classic Filipino flavor positively flew off the shelves, ran out by mid-summer, and has been back for the summer each year since—while supplies last. Trader Joe’s has tried to build off the success of the ube ice cream by introducing other ube products (namely, Ube Tea Cookies and Ube Mochi Pancakes), but for my money, neither of them really hit the way the ice cream does. Still, they apparently sold out extremely quickly because, well, ube.

But these pretzels. These pretzels have promise. TJ’s describes them as “teeny tiny pretzels covered in ube yogurt candy coating” Um, yes please. It’s giving sweet, it’s giving salty, it’s giving purple, and it’s giving me serious FOMO. You bet your booty these are on my list the next time I hit Trader Joe’s, and I cannot adequately articulate how ube-r excited I am to try them.

H/T Mashed

About the Author

Jessica Block is a freelance contributor to Sporked, a comedian, a baker, a food writer, and a firm believer that Trader Joe's may just be the happiest place on earth. She loves spicy snacks, Oreos, baking bread, teeny tiny avocados, and trying new foods whenever she can. Also, if you give her a bag of Takis she will be your best friend.