I Taste Tested Every Pumpkin Spice Item At Trader Joe's And Ranked Them From "Ehh" To "Take My Money NOW"
Hi, my name is Angelica, and I'm a certified Pumpkin Spice Lover?? and Trader Joe's frequenter. So I decided to combine two of my favorite things and taste test every pumpkin spice item I could get my hands on at Trader Joe's and rank them from "ehh" to "oh my god, just take my money."
The CW
^ Actual footage of me the second fall items hit the shelves.
Trader Joe's carries a tonnnnn of fun fall and pumpkin-flavored goodies. So to narrow it down a little, I decided to only try the items that are specifically labeled "pumpkin spice" (with the exception of two items that seemed like dupes of popular pumpkin spice treats). Here's what I ended up getting:
If you're curious about some other fall or pumpkin-flavored Trader Joe's goodies, though, let me know. ??
Before we get into it, let me explain how I made my decisions. Each item received two ratings — a pumpkin spice rating and an overall rating — both out of a total of five ?????????? pumpkins.
The latter is what I thought of the overall product, and what determined the ranking of each item. The pumpkin spice rating was taken account into the overall ranking; however, it's more or less a gauge of how strong of a pumpkin spice flavor each food has. If you love alllll pumpkin spice alllll the time, you might enjoy an item with five pumpkins! However, if you prefer more of a subtle pumpkin spice flavor, something with two or three pumpkins might be more your speed.
And now, without further adieu, let's get to the rankings:
16.Organic Pumpkin Spice Creamy Cashew Yogurt Alternative
I tend to prefer non-dairy yogurts over dairy ones, but I wasn't a big fan of this one overall. It had kind of a sour aftertaste and didn't really taste of pumpkin spice aside from a strong cinnamon flavor.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??
Overall Rating: ??
15.Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Bagels
Trader Joe's classic bagels are only pumpkin flavored, but these gluten free bad boys were specifically pumpkin spice, so I gave them a go. The pumpkin spice flavor wasn't bad — not super sweet and pretty subtle overall. The texture was chewy and a little gummy, but TBH that was about what I expected from a gluten-free bagel.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??????
Overall Rating: ??
14.Pumpkin Spice Hummus
I'm gonna be honest — I love hummus, but I went into this taste test expecting to haaate this one. Well, it was better than I thought it would be! It definitely has a stronger pumpkin spice flavor and is pretty sweet. I could see this being tasty with a graham cracker or maybe on toast, but I don't think I would buy it again on my own.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ????????
Overall Rating: ??
13.Non-Dairy Pumpkin Oat Beverage
This isn't ~technically~ labeled as a pumpkin spice item, but it's the closest pumpkin spice latte-equivalent I've seen at Trader Joe's so far, so I figured it was worth giving a try here. I was expecting this to be more of a creamer situation, but the carton actually recommends enjoying it alone either hot or cold. I tried both and didn't like it hot, but I enjoyed it a lot more when it was cold. The pumpkin flavor is suuuuuper subtle, and it's not sweet at all. TBH, it was 10 times better when I mixed it with Trader Joe's cold brew, so do with that information what you will.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??
Overall Rating: ????
12.Lightly Spiced Pumpkin Spread
This is, basically, a super-sweet pumpkin spice jam. I liked it, but I found it just a tad too sweet to have more than just a few bites of on toast. I did give it an extra half a pumpkin, though, because I tried it on the gluten-free pumpkin spice bagel with a little vegan butter, and it definitely brought that from a one to at least a three in my book.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??????????
Overall Rating: ???? & a half
11.Pumpkin Spice Granola Bark
I'm not gonna lie — these sounded really good, and I was anticipating them being one of my top choices, but I was a little disappointed. I thought the granola would be crunchier, but it was softer than I expected. Not exactly chewy, but it almost felt a little stale? The pieces are also pretty thick, and I couldn't really taste the pumpkin spice flavor in the granola. I really enjoyed the dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds on top, though.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??
Overall Rating: ??????
10.Pumpkin Spice Coffee
I liked this coffee more than I liked most other pumpkin spice coffees I've tried before. It doesn't have that artificial pumpkin aftertaste a lot of others do, and you can definitely taste the spices and a little orange. All in all it was pretty good, but I think Trader Joe's has better pumpkin spice drinks than this one.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??????
Overall Rating: ??????
9.Spiced Pumpkin Madeleine Cookies
My Trader Joe's didn't have these in stock when I tested these items, but fear not! I, of course, got myself some of these a couple weeks ago because they sounded really good and — spoiler alert — they were! They don't come in sandwiches with frosting like they're pictured above, but they're a great, subtle pumpkin spice dessert. Personally, I would highly recommend them with the Pumpkin Spice Rooibos.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??????
Overall Rating: ??????
8.Pumpkin Spiced Teeny Tiny Pretzels
These little guys had a lot going on. Lots of pumpkin spice flavor, but just a little heavy on the ginger. The salt on top balanced it out pretty nicely though. Definitely a fun treat!
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ????????
Overall Rating: ??????
7.Pumpkin Spice Cream Liqueur
If you're someone who loves pumpkin spice lattes, this is for you. The bottle recommends enjoying it over ice or in coffee, so I gave the former a go. It's very sweet, but probably the closest of the drinks I've tried to a classic Starbucks PSL flavor. All in all, pretty good!
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??????????
Overall Rating: ??????
6.Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
Out of everything I tried, I think this is the most ~snackable~ one. I was a little scared the pumpkin spice flavor would be suuuuper overwhelming because they look pretty coated, but it's just right. Will probably (definitely) finish this bag.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ????????
Overall Rating: ??????
5.Pumpkin Spice Espresso Beans
If you're looking for a snack that tastes like a PSL, this is the one. They have a strong pumpkin spice flavor, but they're not overwhelming or anything. They're basically like pumpkin spice M&Ms with a little added bitterness from the coffee bean. Definitely would buy again.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??????????
Overall Rating: ?????? & a half
4.Pumpkin Joe-Joe's
This is the second item that isn't ~technically~ labeled as pumpkin spice, but they're a Trader Joe's fall classic, and I'd say they definitely have a pumpkin spice flavor. Out of all the snacks I tried, I think this is the safest option for pumpkin spice enthusiasts and casual enjoyers alike.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??????????
Overall Rating: ????????
3.Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies
I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed these! The pumpkin spice flavor isn't super overpowering, and it's a little stronger on the ginger than most of the other treats I tried. If you've ever had those pink and white circus animal cookies as a kid, these are pretty similar but a little less sweet and — obviously — more pumpkin spice-y.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??????
Overall Rating: ????????
2.Pumpkin Spice Rooibos
Personally, I think this is the best pumpkin spice drink at Trader Joe's. It basically feels like fall in a mug. The pumpkin spice flavor is just right, and it's got the perfect bit of sweetness. I've already had quite a few cups of it this fall, and I'm sure there'll be lotttttts more.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??????????
Overall Rating: ??????????
1.Pumpkin Rolls With Pumpkin Spice Frosting
These are, hands down, the best pumpkin spice treats at Trader Joe's. They are slightly more effort than everything else on the list because you have to bake them yourself, but they were super easy and 100% worth it. The rolls have a nice, slight pumpkin flavor, and the icing is a 10/10 for anyone who loves something sweet and pumpkin spice-y.
Pumpkin Spice Rating: ??????????
Overall Rating: ??????????