15 Most Exciting Trader Joe's Christmas Items Available Now
It's the most wonderful time of the year: the holiday season at Trader Joe's. Over the past few weeks, the popular grocery chain has been releasing all sorts of fun and creative seasonal products—and they're selling out quickly.
In preparation for upcoming holiday dinners, parties, and cozy winter nights, TJ's shoppers and employees have been buzzing about the launch and return of several limited-time items. As noted by Trader Joe's marketing exec Tara Miller in the latest episode of the "Inside Trader Joe's" podcast, 469 seasonal products are being sold this time of year across stores, and 86 of these are new. You'll want to act fast though, as these are unlikely to be on the shelves after New Year's, according to Miller.
While it would be impossible to discuss all of the holiday items hitting stores, you still have to start somewhere. From beauty products to festive desserts, here are the 15 most exciting holiday items you can find at Trader Joe's right now.
1. 12 Days of Beauty Curated Beauty Collection
Trader Joe's is making the countdown to Christmas even more exciting with its 12 Days of Beauty Curated Beauty Collection. By opening each window, shoppers will unlock various beauty products, 11 of which are new to this popular holiday collection. Item examples include lavender bath salts, a Brazil nut hair mask, gingerbread cookie moisturizing lip balm, and a brown sugar carob lip scrub.
2. Shimmering Candy Cane Body Butter
This new vibrantly packaged body butter smells good enough to eat, according to Trader Joe's. The holiday item is made with coconut oil, shea butter, and aloe, presenting a subtle shimmer that TJ's says "isn't garish or glittery."
"I find this similar to the Candy Cane Green Tea scent, which is, like, mint and a little softening vanilla. So, this is not aggressively minty," Matt Sloan, Trader Joe's marketing executive, said to Miller in the latest episode of "Inside Trader Joe's."
3. Chocolate Croissant Scented Candle
Turn your home into a bakery with this new Chocolate Croissant Scented Candle. Like the other candles at Trader Joe's, this chocolate croissant-scented variety is made with a natural soy wax, coconut oil, and beeswax blend, as well as a lead-free cotton wick.
"It's a subtle chocolate. It's not a hit you over the head chocolate, but it's definitely, like, chocolate that has been baking. Maybe that's it," Miller said. "And when you light the candle, it has that warming aroma as well."
4. Cinnamon Bun Inspired Pancake & Waffle Mix
Nothing hits the spot on a cold winter morning like a plate of hot pancakes or waffles. And this new mix takes these breakfast staples up notch by incorporating cinnamon and sugar confectionary bits. Designed with simplicity in mind, the Cinnamon Bun Inspired Pancake & Waffle Mix just requires the addition of an egg, melted butter, and milk. Then, combine, cook, and enjoy!
5. Astounding Multi-Flavor Mini Pretzels
Trader Joe's gets festive with its coated pretzels by grouping four enticing options together in one eye-catching box. Featuring individual packages of each flavor, the choices include peanut butter candy-covered pretzels topped with crumbled Joe-Joe's cookie bits and assorted chocolate gems, coffee candy-covered pretzels topped with a dark chocolatey drizzle, milk chocolate-covered pretzels topped with rainbow nonpareils, and dark chocolate-covered pretzels topped with peppermint candy pieces.
6. Pretzel Bread Pudding
Sweet and salty come together in this new dessert, which features pretzel pieces baked into a traditional egg custard. Simply heat the Pretzel Bread Pudding in the microwave or oven and flip the cup over onto a plate. "When you flip it and you remove that cup, it looks like an expertly plated thing at a high-end restaurant," Sloan said.
7. Chocolate Dipped Danish Cookies
Now available in the Trader Joe's bakery section are Chocolate Dipped Danish Cookies, which come in three different options. There are marzipan napoleon hats, almond triangles, and coconut macarons. And since chocolate makes everything better, the bottom of each cookie is dipped in rich chocolate.
8. Petit Fours Mousse Cakes
There are few things more adorable than a miniature dessert, and this Trader Joe's product gives shoppers three options to choose from. There's a chocolate cake with chocolate filling and a dark chocolate coating, vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream and a white chocolate coating, and a coffee coated cake with a coffee filling. Each package contains three of each flavor, so you can mix and match as you please.
9. Figgy Cheddar
Cheese and fruit are a beloved food pairing, and Trader Joe's brings the two together in its latest holiday cheese. The grocer's Figgy Cheddar, produced in Leicestershire, UK, is made with mini Spanish figs that have been marinated in a combination of white wine, rum, and spices like coriander, cinnamon, ginger, fennel, nutmeg, and cloves. Add it to your cheese board or opt for Miller's suggestion: use it for grilled cheese.
10. Shrimp Pouches of Many Colors
If you're looking for an easy-to-make appetizer for your upcoming holiday party, Trader Joe's recently dropped a new frozen option: Shrimp Pouches of Many Colors. These dim sum-inspired pouches are filled with shrimp, daikon radish, ginger, onion, garlic, and sesame oil. As depicted on the box, each one is enrobed in a vibrant dough, which gets its color from vegetables like spinach, beets, pumpkin, and turmeric.
11. Non-Dairy Cinnamon Bun Oat Creamer
For those looking to elevate their coffee, Trader Joe's is now selling a new Non-Dairy Cinnamon Bun Oat Creamer, which is made with the same base found in the Non-Dairy Brown Sugar Oat Creamer.
"This particular oat creamer really does make a cup of coffee taste like a cinnamon bun," Miller said. "It has that cinnamon, sugary deliciousness."
Beyond coffee, Trader Joe's recommends mixing this creamer with ground flax to make a custard soak for vegan brioche french toast, drizzling it over baked apple crisp, or whipping it into cream cheese with cinnamon for a dessert dip or frosting.
12. Hark and Holly Glühwein Mulled Wine
If your Trader Joe's sells alcohol, expect to see some holiday additions to the grocer's lineup of boozy beverages. Produced by a German supplier, this mulled wine is made with Sangiovese grapes that have been spiced with cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, and orange and lemon zest. Sloan likened this beverage to a "winter warm version of sangria." Just heat the wine on the stove (or the microwave), serve, and enjoy!
13. Old Fashioned Egg Nog Liqueur
Launched as Trader Joe's first holiday liqueur in 2017, the Old Fashioned Egg Nog variety features a base of pure cream blended with spiced rum, brandy, and cinnamon. The grocery chain notes that like its non-alcoholic counterpart, this pre-mixed liqueur can be served on its own, with coffee, or even blended into a milkshake.
14. Peppermint Cream Liqueur
Spiked peppermint mocha, anyone? Trader Joe's can turn this vision into a reality with its fan-favorite Peppermint Cream Liqueur. The holiday item is made with a neutral grain spirit, cream, sugar, peppermint extract, and natural cocoa flavor to imitate the flavor of the beloved Candy Cane Joe-Joe's.
15. Cocoa Cream Liqueur
Also returning to TJ's boozy beverage selection is the Cocoa Cream Liqueur. According to the chain, this sweet and creamy drink presents the flavor found in hot chocolate.
In an Instagram post, one shopper shared a cocktail recipe in the comments section. "1/2 cocoa cream with 1/2 baileys, put this mixture 45 seconds in the microwave, add whipped cream and caramel sauce on top. PERFECT," the Instagram user raved.
Sign up for our newsletter!
