17 Trader Joe's Fall 2023 Items, Ranked

It's the most wonderful time of the year: Kringle time! Luckily, Trader Joe's presents these massive, gorgeous rings of pastry a few times per year. In the fall, store aficionados keep their eyes open for the Pumpkin Caramel Kringle, the seasonal offering until the winds shift towards the holidays. Our team has previously tasted the Raspberry Kringle, and was seriously impressed, so the bar was high going into the Pumpkin version. Structurally, everything was just as good. The ring as a whole is quite flat, but there are lovely layers of flavor despite the diminutive size. 

The flaky, not-too-sweet pastry wraps around a smooth, flavored filling and gets topped with a simple, sugary glaze. But the pumpkiny filling wasn't as delicious as the raspberry was. It's dense, lacking in spice, and the caramel is undetectable. It basically tasted like a bland grocery-store pumpkin pie someone brought to Thanksgiving dinner because they don't like cooking. Even though the filling wasn't as great as we had hoped, lessening the overall value, the Kringle is still a solid pick for a fall treat.

Almost inarguably, fall is a time for baked goods. Christmas is for cookies, and summer makes the best of ripe produce, but nothing tastes or smells better than a warm slice of pumpkin bread, apple crisp, or pecan pie on a cool day. So don't worry, Trader Joe's has more than just that Pumpkin Caramel Kringle. 

Apple is another member of the ruling class of autumn baking, and so the store has Apple Cinnamon Rolls. First and foremost, these buns are stunning to look at. Danish-style pastry weaved around a gooey, fruity core and drizzled with a light layer of icing. 

It's truly like someone carved out the center of a cinnamon roll and stuffed it with apple pie instead. But when the center of a cinnamon roll is the best part, is the swap really a good idea? Sure, the edges of the pastry are a little dry and overbaked, and the whole thing is rather dense. But warming it up in an oven helps all that; the filling is delicious, and the flavors meld together like a dream. If you're obsessed with everything fall and can't decide between all the apple products and the classic cinnamon buns, try this on for size. Trader Joe's really knows its audience, particularly in the fall.

Frequent travelers to Trader Joe's  — particularly, the cheese section – have likely tasted one of their flagship cheeses, the Toscano. These wedges are always available but always evolving, from Black Pepper to Merlot to this Cinnamon Dusted Toscano. The baseline cheese is mild and pleasant, maybe not quite as creamy as the label always claims. But that's not a bad thing; it just means there is more room for a little bit of bite and sharpness. It's a winsome cheese no matter how it shows up, but what about when it is covered in ... cinnamon? 

If that sounds automatically sweet, like a Starbucks cinnamon beverage, hold your horses. While cinnamon is indeed typically paired with sugary desserts or sweet fruits, that doesn't mean those without a sweet tooth should steer clear of this cheese. The Toscano draws out just as much of the spicier side of cinnamon as it does the sweet, and it all comes together here in a warming, yet surprisingly feisty slice of cheese. If you're still skeptical, try it with some fig jam on a savory cracker.

Right on the other side of the Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli are the Spicy Pumpkin Mini Samoas. Note, that says "Spicy Pumpkin", not "Pumpkin Spice." There's nothing latte-like here. 

Instead, just like the ravioli, this product is a creamy pumpkin filling wrapped up in dough. Obviously, these samosas are a little thicker and more substantial. The other main difference is that they are, in fact, spicy. Not too spicy; unless you have an extremely low tolerance, you will be just fine. But the slow burn of authentic Indian spices land differently, and really hits the spot. 

If you ordered these as takeout, you might be disappointed in the samosa shell; but since it's frozen food, it comes with the territory. Like the ravioli, some people might not accept the "pumpkin pie" label, because these samosas have an autumn sweetness that some love and some can do without. Our team falls in the first category.

Any good cheese (shout out to the Cinnamon Dusted Toscano) needs a great cracker. A perfectly crafted charcuterie board is all in the details. When all the effort goes into the cheese, and partakers are left facing the same boring crackers they see on every other charcuterie board, you're short-shrifting yourself. If you're really on the ball, you might be centering the board around an autumn theme. Hey, even if your "board" is only one block of cheese and a box of crackers standing up and snacking, you still deserve something special. 

Trader Joe's offers some delicious artisanal crisps, like their amazing Fig and Olive Crisps, but in the fall you're better off switching over to the Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps. Light, delicate and a tad chewy, these crisps are the ideal vehicle for all your fall cheeses, sweet or savory. The hearty, rustic flavors and sophisticated structure combine to create a unicorn of a cracker. Now, any snack is instantly fancy and ready for fall.

Chocolate fudge has long been a staple in cookies, ice cream, cake layers, and all by itself in toothsome old-fashioned squares. There's nothing like going into a small, old-timey shop filled with knicknacks, homemade preserves, and giant wedges of handmade fudge. But shops like this aren't easy to find. If you live closer to a Trader Joe's, you're in luck now that the store offers a sweet autumnal Maple Flavored Fudge. 

These squares are thick, sticky, rich, and get stuck in your teeth like all fudge should before melting in your mouth. It's not quite what you'd get in a place where you're literally able to watch it made right in front of you, but for a grocery store product, it tastes homey and nostalgic, like a chunk of edible maple syrup. Considering how incredibly — perhaps overly for some people — sweet this treat is, a little goes a long way.

Fall is the perfect time of year to have warm, relaxing foods, full of seasonal flavors like cinnamon and apple before going for a long walk and enjoying the colorful leaves. Trader Joe's is doing the most when it comes to brunch items, perfect for such autumn mornings. Case in point: Pumpkin Brioche Twist. 

A regular, plain French brioche is already designed to serve as a plush, custardy base for butter and jam, even before getting the French Toast treatment. French Toast, additionally, is the perfect vehicle for something like Trader Joe's Pumpkin Cream Cheese, Cinnamon Bun Spread, or maple syrup. But adding a swirl of pumpkin spiced filling to this bread is just maximum fall content. The cakelike slices of this unusual brioche bread border on dessert, and are decidedly sweet. If you prefer savory breakfasts, another great idea would be to turn this loaf into some bread pudding.

Pumpkin Butter, at first glance, might appear to be a Bougie spread that doesn't make a lot of sense or have much of a practical purpose. You might want to stick to your fruit jams. But if you do, you're going to be missing out on one of the sneakiest great Trader Joe's fall finds. "It's like a jar of spreadable pumpkin pie filling!" one taste tester said with joy. It's true. This silky-smooth spread is extremely multifunctional, however, unlike an actual pumpkin pie. 

Use it as a fall-inspired swap for the usual strawberry jelly in a PB&J, spread it on a buttery cracker and top with a good cheese like the Cinnamon Toscano, stir it into oatmeal or yogurt, or even add some to a marinade. Buy more than one jar, because you'll find that this stuff goes suspiciously fast; a single spoonful turns anything into a fall food.

One of the hardest autumnal items to find at Trader Joe's every year is the Pumpkin Cream Cheese. The reason is not that it's the fanciest, trendiest, or most creative food on the shelves; cream cheese is decidedly kid-friendly, and making it pumpkin-spiced is pretty as easy as mixing a shake of a spice blend into plain cream cheese before calling it good. Nope, the reason is simple: It's just delicious. 

Obviously, this cream cheese is lush and creamy, ready to spread from the fridge onto ... well, anything. Neither plain cream cheese nor plain pumpkin are inherently sweet, and neither is this fall twist on a bagel staple. The addition of warm fall spices makes it seem a little sweeter, sure, but it's not too dessert-like to go on a savory cracker or alongside prosciutto. Of course, it's still best on a bagel, slice of toast, or waffle — particularly if those items happen to be similarly pumpkin-amplified.