15 Popular Trader Joe's Desserts That Are Worth The Hype

Trader Joe's is a golden land of unique snacks, meals, and, of course, desserts. Many sweet treats have cycled through Trader Joe's over the years, including a variety of ice cream flavors, mochi treats, cookies, and much more. But some of them are here to stay because they're just that tasty. Whether it's to cap your meal, pair with a cup of coffee, or savor on its own, Trader Joe's knows what it's doing when it comes to sweet treats and has you covered.

I scoured the internet, consulted with friends and family, and took my personal experiences into account to uncover which Trader Joe's desserts are actually worth the purchase — and then I sampled them for good measure. It's worth noting that some TJ's favorites are seasonal and didn't make this list due to unavailability, but these TJ's stalwarts are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. From classics you've definitely heard of to sweet newcomers, these desserts are absolutely deserving of your time, money, and taste buds. 

Nobody's surprised, right? If you are, then that probably means you've never tried these ice cream sandwiches before. And let me say, they are named aptly. These are — say it with me — truly sublime.

Trader Joe's Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches have been a staple at the grocery store for so many years now that it's almost hard to keep track of. There hasn't been a day that I've shopped there where I haven't seen them, and personally I hope that day never comes. They're that good. These ice cream sandwiches are refreshing, contain just the right amount of chocolate chips in both cookie bookends and swirled on the outside of the vanilla ice cream. They're also individually packaged within the box which makes them extra portable (as if a cookie ice cream sandwich wasn't already). These are a total classic for a reason, but if you are hesitant, you can sample almost any product at Trader Joe's to see if you like it first.

People who put M&Ms in popcorn, dip french fries in milkshakes, and die for anything salted caramel, I present to you your dream snack. Trader Joe's Snacky Clusters are everything sweet and salty rolled into one. Seriously, the inventors of these need a raise. If you constantly find yourself wishing there was more salt than chocolate in that salted chocolate chip cookie, Snacky Clusters answer your call.

The idea to take bits of sea salt potato chips, mini pretzel nuggets, and corn chip dippers, and cover them in milk chocolate is almost too silly to work, and yet it does — brilliantly. I cannot emphasize how unearthly good these taste. They form the perfect bite, and the perfect bite is always worth the hype. You won't be sorry picking up a bag of these during your next Trader Joe's run.

If Snacky Clusters were a bit too salty for you, you can always go for the Cookies and Creme Pretzel Slims. When Trader Joe's say "slims," it means it, because I feel like these are even thinner than the brand Pretzel Thins. But it just works for them. The slimness of the actual pretzel allows the sweeter flavors to stand out more. The result is the right balance of cookies and creme melted chocolate to salty pretzel flavor, and that's what makes these a fan favorite.

While there sadly aren't many cookies and creme-flavored dessert offers at Trader Joe's at the moment, these at least satisfy that customer base looking for it. I know they did the trick for me. Now if TJ's could just take that cookies and creme melted chocolate and put it over the Snacky Clusters ...

"Oh! That's a play on words of Swedish Fish," is probably the first thing most of us thought when we first encountered these candies. Trader Joe's Scandinavian Swimmers are, sorry name brand, better than those aforementioned fishes. I remember these being one of the first products that went viral at Trader Joe's, long before the Chili and Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips. The sweetness is what puts these fish over the top, albeit not in a cloying, childish way.

And, apparently, they are the dessert for every gummy candy lover out there, as they are mega viral, mega tasty, and worth every penny (though at the moment you only have to shell out $3.79 for them). These are gummier than the Fruit Gummy Candies from TJ's (more on those in a bit), and I think they serve a different purpose. When you're really craving something sweet but don't want chocolate, reach for Scandinavian Swimmers. Plus, each little swimmer is a different flavor, so try them all and see what you like best.

This is one of the newcomers I mentioned earlier, but don't let that deter you. The Passion Fruit Sorbet (currently a seasonal flavor, but I can see that changing after so many people have sung its praises) is bright, tart, creamy, and everything you want in a sorbet.

Talk about the perfect summer treat — this sorbet is both refreshing and light. I especially appreciate that it's passion fruit, which is a flavor you don't see too often in the frozen treats section of the grocery store. It's pint-sized and portable, perfect for hot days and nights, and, in my opinion (and the opinion of many customers online), is more than worth the hype. Buy it while you can before it disappears (though if it does, I'm confident it'll make a comeback).

Step aside Reese's, there's a new boss in town. You think you've tasted chocolate and peanut butter together before, but you haven't, really, until you try these Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. Let's start with the chocolate. There is the perfect amount of bitter in this dark chocolate while still being sweet enough to eat, and I totally understand why people rave about these. Popping one in your mouth and closing your eyes is like taking a mini vacation; it's that good.

As for the peanut butter filling, this is unlike any you've ever had before. It's not as sugary and clumpy and formed as a Reese's cup. Instead, it almost flows out of the cup when you take a bite. Forget Halloween candy — these need to be stocked in your pantry at all times.

Imagine one of those hot, mini apple pies from McDonald's, and then make it even better with a brown sugar crumble, a cuter shape, and the fact you can have it at home. That basically sums up the Apple Blossoms from Trader Joe's. Like the Chocolate Lava Cakes, they come in the frozen section in a pack of two, which is perfect for date night. And also like the lava cakes, you only need to heat them up one at a time for just a minute in the microwave. How perfect is that?

There were so many things I adored about these Apple Blossoms. First, the size of the cut up apples in here was just perfect — not so big I couldn't take a bite, but not too small I couldn't appreciate the apple's texture and flavor. The cinnamon filling was gooey and sweet, and the flakiness on the pastry dough on the outside made it all come together beautifully. And who could forget about that brown sugar crumble on top? That really sent it over the edge for me, as I'm sure it did for everyone who's ever had the pleasure of trying one.

As someone who is not historically the biggest fan of gummy candies, I can say with full confidence that these are the best ones I've ever had. Texture wise, taste wise, shape wise, these checked every box for me — and for the general Trader Joe's public. The Fruity Gummy Candies are exactly what their name says they are. I really appreciate that the flavor is very fruit-forward and you don't get any of that gross artificial tinge. I also love the variety of fruit flavors in here that you don't always see from other fruit gummy brands, including mango, grapefruit, and pineapple. They are tropical little morsels perfect for popping in your mouth.

Additionally, the texture of these isn't as gummy as the packaging may lead you to believe. At least, they don't possess that sticky, stringy gummy quality many others have. You can take a bite out of these and it rips clean off, instead of pulling almost like a piece of gum. I totally understand why these are so popular. In fact, I think they deserve even more praise.

When you think of a Trader Joe's classic, the Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies must come to mind, along with the Everything But The Bagel seasoning and the Orange Chicken (while that's one of the Trader Joe's products you should buy, we're only here to talk dessert today). At first glance, the size of this tub that holds the mini cookies may seem excessive, both of which are qualities not usually associated with Trader Joe's. But once you buy these and open the container, you'll discover that it's size is appropriate. They're one of the best chocolate chip cookies you can find at the grocery store.

The bottom line: I can't get enough of these sneaky little cookies. They're perfect for putting out at a party, or, let's be real, an fun night in with friends or family. Since they're so small easy to tackle so many of them at a time, which makes this yet another TJ's dessert worth the hype.

I know, I know. A normal flavor of ice cream is making this list? Even when there are so many unique desserts to compare it to? Well, if you've tasted Trader Joe's Coffee Bean Blast Ice Cream, you would know that the answer is unequivocally yes. And though you should probably think twice before purchasing coffee from the grocery store, you shouldn't before buying this product. This is the best coffee ice cream I have ever had from a grocery store, period.

And my feeling isn't unfounded: The fine Trader Joe's customers took to Instagram to express their opinions on the matter, and they agree with me. You can see the little flakes of the coffee beans without being off put by its texture, and the flavor is the ideal amount of sweet and bitter. Plus, the size of this ice cream is bigger than a pint, which is really needed, considering the fact that we would all blaze (or should I say blast?) through simply a pint of this too quickly.

Thanks to the Chocolate Lava Cakes from Trader Joe's, I finally understand where the concept of death by chocolate comes from. This dessert takes the concept of rich to a whole new level, and I'm here for it. Take me out, lava cake.

You can find these in the frozen section, and they come with two individually wrapped cakes per box. And, get this, they only take a minute to cook in the microwave if you're looking to devour your lava cake as soon as possible. (You can also stick them in the oven for longer if you want.) This is the perfect dessert that can take your dinner up a notch with a final sweet course that is, dare I say, borderline restaurant-worthy. Plus, the cake itself isn't heavy, so you won't find yourself unable to stop after one bite — in fact, quite the opposite.

Take a peek at the little displays near the registers at Trader Joe's, because there are a lot of fun goodies hiding in there. The fruit leather wraps are among them, and while they may not look like much, people adore these. The individually wrapped snacks are organic and come in a few different flavors for you to choose from, though the one pictured above is the Organic Apple Strawberry flavor.

I think what people like about this product is how easy it is carry around and eat, its price point (currently just $0.49), and the fact that it's an organic sweet treat. It really is the perfect snack to throw in your bag for when you have a hankering for something sweet, but not sweet enough to send you into a sugar coma in the middle of the day. The fruit leather wrap is chewy but not stick-to-your-teeth aggressive, making it that much more pleasant. It's a Goldilocks dessert for many people.

For the uninitiated, "Aussie-style" in this dessert's name is referring to the classic Australian cookie Trader Joe's took inspiration from, the Tim Tam. I'm sure Australians who live stateside must appreciate that Trader Joe's offers a very comparable alternative to their beloved sandwich cookie, but it's not just Aussies who can't say "naur" to it.

It seems to me that the whole internet loves these cookies with a passion, and it's not hard to see — or taste — why. Coated in chocolate, the wafer cookies have a delightful crunch that reverberates with every bite, setting off the dopamine receptors in your brain at breathtaking speed (or so we imagine). They're also pretty light for a chocolate cookie, which means you can enjoy your sweet treat without feeling too heavy afterward. And, luckily, they're available all year round.

Chocolate chip cookies and brownies are probably two of the most popular desserts out there, so combining them just makes sense. Found in the bakery section of Trader Joe's, the Brookie is cut into easily-grababble pieces, with the cookie part sitting nicely on top of the brownie.

But what really puts these over the top for me (and for everyone else who's tried them) is that the cookie tastes the same as the cookie in the Sublime Ice Cream Sandwich. So if you've ever wanted to take a bite of that specific cookie without encountering something cold, you need to try the Brookie. I also have to give credit where credit is due to the brownie portion of this dessert — it carries itself against a strong, already-beloved cookie, and together they make the perfect treat. You don't have to think twice before buying this baked good at Trader Joe's. It's worth it.

If you've spotted these in the frozen section at TJ's before and never picked up a box, you have one of the tastiest little treats ahead of you, and in several different flavors. The Hold the Cone! Mini Ice Cream Cones are legendary for so many reasons.

First of all, who doesn't love something mini? I know I do. Because of their size, you get the perfect amount of cool ice cream, crunchy cone, and even chocolate on both ends. The ice cream top is dipped in chocolate (at least on the chocolate chip flavor), and there is a little surprise bit of chocolate hiding at the bottom of the cone, making every bite memorable. These treats are portable, easy to pass off to all your friends, and will hopefully stay in stock forever (mostly because it's so easy to go through a box in no time).

I approached this list by doing a lot of research on blogs, social media, Reddit, and more to uncover which desserts from Trader Joe's people actually love and re-buy, and I left the ones that weren't pretty universally loved off the list. I also considered my personal experience with the desserts I was previously familiar with, and consulted friends and family to get their opinions, too.

I took my own personal biases out of this and instead focused on the amazing quality of these desserts and the qualities people love about them. That's the thing about Trader Joe's: You can't get these products anywhere else, so they have to be good enough to make the trip there worth it. If it turns out you don't like one of the items, the store's return policy is pretty great (just one of many secrets you should know about Trader Joe's), but I don't see that happening with any of these treats.