11 New Trader Joe’s Items, Ranked & Reviewed by a Food Editor

I like how homestyle these chocolates look; their macaroon-like shape and cocoa coating make them feel like a rustic DIY gift. The outside tames the sweet, creamy interior with a powdery bitterness. The inside is very sweet, although balanced with a hint of salt. The maple gets a bit lost in the sauce though, if you ask me.

They're certainly tasty—the almonds are thick and crunchy, and the coating is generous and sweet with a pancake syrup-like edge. But I wish the salty/caramelized notes of the brown butter came through more prominently. I'd probably serve these on yogurt or salad, so something acidic or salty can give their complexity a boost and make them less one-note.

If you don't like blue cheese, you will not enjoy this newbie to the Trader Joe's lineup. If you do, you will *love* it. The sharp, aged edge of the cheddar makes for a savory, complex base. There's no actual blue cheese in it (just flavor), but the funk is strong with this one. That said, I'd add more hot sauce to the mix to bring the Buffalo home; it's not spicy as it is.

Visually, this cheese made me think of what it would be like to solidify tomato soup. In terms of flavor though, the tomato was way tamer than expected, with the oregano dominating most of the taste profile. The garlic comes next. I love the creamy, buttery texture of the gouda, but I wish its flavor wasn't so buried under the add-ins. I wonder why they wouldn't choose mozzarella or provolone instead?

Whether it's an affogato, Americano or latte you're after, this ready-to-pour espresso is a lifesaver if you don't have an espresso machine (or don't feel like going to a cafe). It's on the acidic side, but still bold and roasty. If you like lightly sweetened coffee drinks, this is the perfect companion for your go-to syrup. Homemade PSL, anyone?

Man, they weren't kidding! This mac is extremely saucy, and its flavor is way more nuanced than the average alternative. The trio of Parm, cheddar and TJ's famous Unexpected Cheddar gives it a grassy, sharp edge that I enjoy. The pasta is perfectly bite-size and al dente. However, I'd suggest having it with bread or another carb to soak up all the excess sauce.

This tastes exactly like its namesake, only it's smoother and more spreadable with fewer bits and pieces of fruit. The apples are stunningly tart and bright, while the base brings all the brown sugar and butter you crave this time of year. The salt level is just right and the cinnamon is very tame. Have it on toast, pancakes or even vanilla ice cream.

I don't know why I doubted Trader Joe, but I didn't expect these to actually rival the O.G. Uncrustables we all know and love. The peanut butter is super rich and smooth (like, glue-your-mouth-shut creamy), and the strawberry jam is bright and just a touch sour. I really love the light-as-clouds bread, and how chewy the little seam around the edge is. I'm pretty sure these are smaller than the big-brand name, but as long as you're not a grape-only PB&J person, they're definitely worth a try.

Think of these as teeny-tiny snickerdoodles that lean crispy instead of traditionally chewy. The cookies are way more plentiful than expected (I thought there'd be five in the mini bag, but there were at least a dozen!), and the divide between cinnamon and sugar is an even 50/50. They also have a great balance of salt, which brings the crystalline texture and taste of the sugar coating to life.

I'm so happy to report that these are everything you hope they'd be. The ice cream transported me back to being in Burlington, Vermont, where I savored my first maple creemee (basically soft serve, for the uninitiated). It offers vanilla-kissed pancake energy without any of that artificial syrup flavor. The cookie is also deeply maple-y and has a bit more crispness than most ice cream sandwich ends. However, they're sturdy enough that the ice cream may escape out the side when you take a bite—you've been warned!

This snack mix is literally incredible, full stop. It checks nearly every box flavor-wise (salty! savory! sweet! spicy! umami!) and offers a wide range of crunchy items that you won't want to put down. The mochi crisps are sort of like Pirate's Booty meets caramel corn, while the sesame sticks are very bready and nutty. The corn chips offer a more fragile crunch, and the wasabi peas bring a creeping-yet-tame heat to the bag. But wow, the waffle crisps?! They taste identical to the cereal you loved as a kid, but with a thicker sweet coating and hardier crunch.