No one does pumpkin season like Trader Joe’s. The autumnal array of products, which seems to have arrived earlier than ever, includes a sizable number of returning bestsellers and a few new options. We bought two grocery bags’ worth of snacks and treats and put them to the test. Here are the results:
Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps ($3.99) and Pumpkin Cream Cheese ($2.49): This duo scored the highest in our informal tasting. The crackers, which are a seasonal variation on Trader Joe’s Raisin Rosemary Crisps and Fig & Olive Crisps, are a sophisticated snack, and would be terrific for a Thanksgiving appetizer tray. “Crisp, munchable, good texture” — with a nice pop from the cranberry — summed up the views. We served them with the seasonal cream cheese, but as one taster noted, “They could pair well with a soft cheese like a mascarpone or a goat.” All our tasters thought the cream cheese was a winner too. “Nice, with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor.”
Fall Harvest Salsa ($3.49) and Fall Leaf Corn Tortilla Chips ($3.99): “Nice and savory,” one taster said. Put this zippy salsa — a perennial TJ’s favorite — on the coffee table for the football fans, and they won’t realize they’re getting a serving of veggies. Pumpkin and tomatoes are the primary ingredients. Another taster described it as “somewhere between a salsa and a soup” — and that’s occurred to the folks at TJ’s too. On the website, they suggest making a fall soup by heating up a jar of this combined with Organic Vegetable Broth.
Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Cakes ($3.99): “Decadent” doesn’t begin to describe this dessert. Read the label and you’ll see that the first two ingredients are brown sugar and butter, followed by pumpkin and dates. Nothing not to like about that, right? One taster described it as “pull-at-your-cheeks sweet … and quite delicious!”
Pumpkin Kringle ($9.99): TJ’s popular Kringle, a family-size Danish that changes seasonally, comes in a pumpkin version that customers say is yummy when heated. We were divided. Some loved it, with one calling it “addictive.” Another said, “Edging on oversweet, but I could see it pairing well with coffee or tea.”
Pumpkin Brioche Twist ($4.99): This colorful bread is nicely flavored with pumpkin and cinnamon, but our loaf was on the dry side. One taster thought it could work if toasted and served with butter or cream cheese. Even better ideas: How about making French toast?
Organic Pumpkin Spiced Granola Bark ($4.99): This seed-heavy bark wasn’t bad, but it didn’t garner any raves, either. “More granola bar than bark. Could be a nice hiking snack,” one said. Overall, it feels too health-foody to “scratch the itch of cozy indulgence.”
Pumpkin Spiced Teeny Tiny Pretzels ($3.49): Some of our samplers thought these pretzels needed more pumpkin flavor. But they’re tasty enough. “This sweet treat is balanced enough by the saltiness to be snackable,” one said.
Pumpkin Spice Batons ($2.29): These rolled wafers with a “light and satisfying crunch” are nice alongside coffee or another dessert. We’d like them more if the pumpkin filling were bolder. As one taster said, “Light, pleasant pumpkin seed flavor but not strong enough to draw me in.”
Greek Nonfat Yogurt, Pumpkin (99 cents): Another mixed assessment. One taster said it was a non-starter because the pumpkin flavor “clashes with the tanginess of the yogurt.” Others who appreciate a nonfat 130-calorie breakfast or afternoon snack thought this would do in a pinch.
Pumpkin Tortilla Chips ($2.49): Rarely do hungry reporters pass up tortilla chips. “Tastes kind of funky. Would not buy,” one said.
Pumpkin Bisque ($4.99): We normally adore pumpkin soup, but not this one. There’s an intense, unpleasant aftertaste. One of our samplers said the taste is simply “off.”
Finally, A Nightcap …
Pumpkin Spice Cream Liqueur ($8.99): If you like Irish cream liqueurs like Bailey’s, you’ll enjoy this. Same flavor profile, with pumpkin spice subbing for the chocolate/caramel/vanilla notes. At 25 proof, or 12.5 percent alcohol, it’s no boozier than wine. There’s a harsh edge to this liqueur, but what do you expect for nine bucks?
