Trader Joe’s desserts are a form of self-care. It’s true that they are extremely high in sugar content and unhealthy if eaten in large quantities — but in moderation? They are pure perfection.
Nothing says motivation more than being able to reward yourself with your pick of either freezing cold or piping hot dessert after finishing your work. Being able to sit down, relax, and take as many bites as you want out of your favorite treat is pretty much the closest you can get to heaven on earth.
After going through a sizable amount of desserts, I was able to round up some of my favorite ones, in no particular order. On some days, I prefer one over the other, but overall, they are all delicious in their own right.
Sea Salt Brownie Bites
Have you ever heard about how sprinkling salt on sweet foods enhances the taste? At first, I didn’t believe it. But it works wonders, especially on chocolatey goodness. It’s rich in taste, just the right amount of soft and crispy, and moist enough so it doesn’t dry out your mouth. Just be careful not to inhale near it. I accidentally inhaled a chunk of sea salt and that harrowing experience made me keep my distance from these brownies for several days. I couldn’t really keep away for too long, though.
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
These muffins never disappoint. It’s soft, sweet, and moist! Have you ever had dry muffins? They’re like biting into stale bread. But these goods are far from tasting like bread that’s been left to oxidize by some careless mistake. The banana flavor melds well with the hint of chocolate (courtesy of the generously sized chocolate chips) and is by no means overwhelming. A lot of banana-flavored foods overwhelm the other flavors it’s mixed with, but these muffins know the perfect ratio of banana to chocolate.
Cold Brew Coffee and Boba Ice Cream
Coffee ice cream is one of my guilty pleasures. So is boba. So the both of them combined was admittedly an odd, yet exciting product to test out. Surprisingly, the boba stayed chewy and sweet despite being frozen, and the coffee flavor was mild. So much so that I was able to take a nap after eating half the tub. But this was a good thing since I enjoy eating ice cream at any time of day, not just in the morning as a pick-me-up.
Tiramisu Torte
I went through a phase of eating just. This. Cake. For. Months. Affordable, yet big enough to last you a week of munching, this tiramisu feels like a birthday celebration. The cream is dense enough to savor on your tongue but fluffy enough so that it melts away to leave you with a sweet, mild vanilla aftertaste. The tiny chocolate chunks embedded in the cream are strategically placed so that you don’t get tired of the cream even after a hefty slice. Just don’t breathe when opening it. The cocoa dust gets everywhere, and I truly, regrettably mean it.
Chocolate Lava Cake
These are a bit tricky to enjoy. But when done right, they are divine. You can opt to microwave these bad boys, which I do all the time, but this makes it so that you run the risk of having the melty fudge grow hard while the cake becomes dry. You have to know your microwave well enough to know if the 2 minutes advertised on the box matches your wattage. Unlike the tiramisu that you have to thaw out for over an hour just to eat, this is a quick and enjoyable treat to have when you’re in a rush (or too impatient like me).
I have a fairly sweet preference for foods, so it’s possible that these are too sugary for some people. It’s possible that I’ll even grow tired of these desserts as my taste buds mature, although I can’t imagine that happening any time soon. But in the end, discovering new food to enjoy is one of the best feelings in life and I can’t wait to find more!