13 Trader Joe's 2025 Winter Holiday Items, Ranked

I am a huge Trader Joe's fan, having frequented it for upwards of 15 years. One thing the brand truly excels at is bringing seasonal and unique items into the fold — whether that's summery Trader Joe's snacks or autumnal Trader Joe's hits. I love the wintery holiday season because it's known for cheer, giving, and some flavor profiles that I'm already quite fond of such as peppermint, gingerbread, and cranberry orange. I went through the aisles of my local Trader Joe's to find limited-time winter holiday-specific items that fall into those flavor categories or at least have some sort of festive packaging to indicate seasonality — I also consulted the TJ's website to confirm if something was limited or seasonal.

Although I didn't pick up everything available, this is a good chunk of items on the store's shelves. I put them together for a taste test, judging them on the taste, the delivery of the promised flavors, the balance of ingredients, texture, packaging, and if it is something I would not only finish but also want to purchase again. Let's see which are my worst and top picks.

When I was vegan, I would've been stoked to find a vegan, oat-based eggnog in the fridge aisle, so I won't discredit the attempt. However, when compared to actual eggnog, the O' Nog Non-Dairy Oat Beverage simply won't do. The texture is strangely thick — much thicker than TJ's standard eggnog — but not in a lush way that indicates the creaminess of an oat-based drink (I typically love an oat latte for this reason).

The flavor is muted and doesn't offer notes that I'd associate with eggnog. I mean, how close can you really get without the egg yolk component?  While it has nutmeg as a listed ingredient, the spiced notes are barely there; the oat comes to the forefront the most. Turmeric and annatto extract give it that notable yellow hue, but ultimately, the oat nog doesn't deliver on flavor or texture. This is a skip for me. I prefer the smoother texture and nuanced spiced notes of MALK's Holiday Nog (almond-based), something I've purchased multiple times.

To test Trader Joe's eggnog, I first had to shake it before pouring it into a glass. The color is lighter than what you'd expect from regular eggnog, and the aroma seemed dubiously strong, as if there is alcohol in it, though it only features classic ingredients like milk, cream, sugar, and egg yolks. It's difficult to say where the strength comes from because nothing on the ingredients list stands out. It truly tastes and smells like there are a few shots of alcohol in there. Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks it has a strange flavor. 

While more spiced and certainly more memorable than the oat version, I would not want to purchase this again. There are plenty of other store-bought eggnog brands to pick instead. I'm also not a big fan of the packaging; it has a fold lid, so it's just kind of sitting in your fridge, hoping you accidentally knock it over so it can leak everywhere. I haven't seen a dairy product with the fold in quite some time; they usually have a twist cap these days. I'm not sure this is any better than the oat nog, but at least it had (way) more flavor.

While the taste is okay, nothing in the Jingle Jangle Pretzel Twists screams winter to me. It's a blend of crunchy large pretzels and a peanut butter candy coating. It's then topped with candy-coated dark chocolate gems and bits (mostly crumbs) of Joe-Joe's cookies. These are mediocre and seem like something that would be on the shelves all year long. The packaging and the flavors don't indicate seasonality, other than the Jingle Jangle moniker, of course. The peanut butter candy coating isn't too interesting. And yes, the wording on the packaging is specific — candy coating — as it's made with peanut flour, peanut oil, and other ingredients. I don't get that rich mouthfeel I'd associate with peanut butter.

Plus, the delivery of the toppings needs some work. A lot of the larger cookie pieces had already fallen off into the packaging, leaving you with smaller crumbs fixed to your pretzel. The packaging is wonky, too; it comes in a plastic sleeve, and the pretzels are loose enough within the plastic to get tossed and jostled inside. If you like the ever-so-epic chocolate peanut butter combination, don't be fooled by these. While much better than the eggnog, I wouldn't recommend these pretzels.

Cookie fans might immediately snag the Sleigh Ride Cookies because of the whimsical packaging and advertised flavors. It's a mishmash of all the holiday goodies: crushed peppermint, chocolate sandwich cookies, and pieces of candy cane. I, too, was quite thrilled to get my hands on them, but for some reason, these are incredibly hard. They are so crunchy, they remind me of biscotti. I wasn't expecting the crispness, and the box doesn't indicate what kind of cookie it's supposed to be, either. The product listing on the website says it's buttery, and while I can pick up on that tasting note, it still doesn't explain the crouton-like texture.

That means your best bet for eating a cookie or two is to serve them with a beverage, be it coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. It somewhat delivers on its promised notes, and without them, the cookie base would be pretty dull. While interesting in its components that are better delivered than the Jingle Jangle Pretzel Twists, the Sleigh Ride Cookies are not the knockout I was hoping they'd be. Nay, it is a ride I would not go on again.

I have to say the Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies are a little better than I was expecting. Based on the messy piles of icing in the middle of the sandwich and the large sugar granules atop the cookie, I thought these might be incredibly sweet, but they paired well with the spiced nature of the cookies. That said, these still rank toward the lower end of the list because, as a lover of all things ginger, they are not as potent as I would like them to be. There's certainly an audience for those who want a light gingery essence, but I feel the gingerbread qualities are lacking. The light ginger and still-there sweetness of the mix make it all a bit one-note. 

The cookies themselves are quite soft, and the frosting is weirdly crumbly, which threw me off texture-wise. These are good and perfectly edible — more so than the previous cookies — but I wouldn't repurchase and definitely would not eat this entire container. I happily gifted most of it to my family. The image on the TJ's website also looks much better and uniform, so I'm not sure what occurred with the frosting during transit.

The Cranberry Orange Dip is where we start to see the light and better delivery of Trader Joe's seasonal items. Now, the ranking boils down to smaller preferences rather than big, glaring issues. The dip delivers on both its flavors: You get that uplifting citrusy orange (in the form of orange juice concentrate, orange oil, and orange peel) as well as the mild tartness of the cranberry. It also has cream cheese and ricotta as its cheese base. 

The dip, while still sweet, has the tanginess of cranberries and cream cheese to give it dimension. Although it's a blend of sugary and tart, it leans more toward sweet. It has a whipped-like texture that makes it easy to slather on toast or an English muffin. While the flavor profile might not appeal to the masses, it gets the notes right for those who like a cran-orange combo. While I wouldn't repurchase this purely because there are so many other amazing items (and others I've yet to try), the dip is a fun choice for the holidays.

I don't usually use pre-made cake or cookie mixes in my baking, so I was happy to give this a try. I followed the instructions, adding an egg, oil, and water, and combining it all together. At first, I was perplexed why chunks were not incorporating; only after digging my fingers in to break apart what I thought were flour clumps, did I find out they were bits of ginger. Hooray! The final bake was pretty good. The Gingerbread Cake & Cookie Mix delivers a stronger gingerbread flavor than the sandwich cookies, mainly because of the crystallized ginger pieces speckled throughout. Plus, there's complexity from the addition of molasses powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It has a soft, moist texture with a delicate crumb. 

While these are decent and good with a cup of coffee, I'd happily swap them for my beloved Pumpkin Ginger Scones that TJ's discontinued; it, too, had crystallized ginger to give it a zesty burst. But as it stands, these are more interesting than the cranberry dip and certainly more flavorful than the gingerbread cookies — establishing itself as my seventh-place pick.

Considering I'm a long-time Trader Joe's fan, I'm surprised I have never purchased this cult favorite before. Jingle Jangle has milk chocolate candies, Joe-Joe's cookie pieces dunked in dark chocolate, milk and dark chocolate mini peanut butter cups, milk and dark chocolate pretzels, and then dark chocolate-covered caramel popcorn. Maybe my definition of candy is different, but this is clearly a tin of chocolate-coated items.

At first glance, I was pretty impressed with the contents. You get 22.7 ounces of product, but it's mainly a bunch of chocolate-covered pretzels when you open it. This is on our list of overrated Trader Joe's items for a reason — it needs an upgrade in flavor and contents. It's mainly just sweet, thickly coated chocolate (and that's coming from a huge dark chocolate lover). A bit of sea salt could elevate the taste, or perhaps a semi-sweet, slightly more bitter dark chocolate.

I'd also like to point out that my tin of Jingle Jangle looks like it was beaten up, as virtually all the chocolate is covered in marks (potentially sugar bloom), compared to the beautifully smooth version pictured on TJ's website. It's jovial, novel, and does a great job of mixing both milk and dark chocolate, which you don't find too frequently. I'll rank it above the cake mix because I think this is a captivating item that I may repurchase solely as a gift, but the flavors aren't dimensional enough for me to go any higher.

The Dark Chocolate Dipped Candy Cane Marshmallows deliver on all core elements. There is a generous coating of dark chocolate, a soft marshmallow center, and then those crunchy pieces of candy cane affixed to the chocolate exterior. It comes with eight pieces that are nicely and safely secured in the packaging. Although it's difficult to put my finger on it, this isn't as chewy as your standard marshmallow, where you have to really bite into it to rip off a piece. This makes it easy to chew and results in a softer overall mouthfeel, but the candy cane pieces give it a mild crunch to mix things up.

Although I ate it by itself, this might be a festive item to pop in a hot, wintery beverage — hot chocolate, peppermint latte, or eggnog would all work. It's fantastic for entertaining or even to add as a stocking stuffer, just because it's whimsical and convenient. The packaging, presentation, and delivery of all advertising elements give this sweet and chewy candy a boost over the Jingle Jangle.

Fans of York Peppermint Patties will thoroughly enjoy these Trader Joe's treats. Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Cremes don't reinvent the wheel by any means — they have a soft, creamy peppermint creme center and a snappy dark chocolate outer layer. They are adorably bite-sized and picture-perfect, meaning they aren't dented and funky in appearance like some of the other treats on this list — they look just like they do on the box. These, too, would be a stellar option to place on a table for guests to enjoy.

I like the small size, which makes them ideal for an espresso pairing or a quick dessert. The peppermint center is potent, so you don't need a big patty to feel satisfied with the mint and chocolate flavor combination. The little candy cane coating offers a crunchy texture to provide a more complex feel to the otherwise melt-in-your-mouth creaminess. Just be careful popping them out of their plastic packaging; if you're too rough, you may just snap the bottom chocolate portion, but nobody would see that once they are plated. The cremes bring a wintery feel with their flavor notes and appearance. I very much enjoyed them!

Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches are a delightful option for winter because sometimes you're in the mood for something chilled on a cold day. It's a thing — at least in my family. Find the 4-pack of adorable ice cream sandwiches in the freezer section next to other ice cream options. The gingerbread cookies are pliable and easy to bite into, while the vanilla bean ice cream has lovely bean specks throughout. Like the rest of the gingerbread options from Trader Joe's, these lean on the lighter side of the spiced spectrum. 

Made with brown sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and other ingredients, these provide a warming feeling despite the chilled temps. The vanilla in the ice cream is prominent and only adds to the flavorful experience. They're interesting, look nice (just as lovely as they do on the box), and taste good. I'd likely purchase them for the novelty, too. While I could do with a bit more potency in the gingerbread aspect, these ice cream people hit all the markers I was looking for in a good TJ's item — the next two, though, beat them in all aspects.

Unlike some other Trader Joe's cheeses that are priced by the pound, the Ski Queen Creamy Caramel Cheese has a designated price, so you know the exact cost without fluctuation based on ounces. That said, it was a lot smaller than I had pictured, and I didn't even see it on the shelves until my second scan through all the cheeses. Essentially, this is a type of Norwegian cheese called brunost that has a unique flavor and texture giving it a leg up on a lot of the other items on this list. The cow and goat milk cheese blend is creamy and almost dissolves in the mouth under the heat.

The packaging says you can put it on bread or use it on anything from apple pie to waffles. I don't find it too sweet, and it is more delicate in its flavor than the packaging makes it seem — you have to search for those nuances on the tongue, so it's not like it's an inherently sugary cheese. And that subtlety works in its favor. While it doesn't seem all that wintery to me, the uncommon, limited-time factor enticed me to buy it, while the flavor and texture kept me captivated. The next pick, though, is a multi-year favorite of mine, and none of the items so far could even compete.

The Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars aren't trying to be anything fancy. It's literally all in the name; the star-shaped minty chocolate shortbread cookies are covered in dark chocolate and a dusting of nonpareils. In some ways, they are similar to Thin Mints. Therefore, these are an excellent pick if you're a fan of chocolate and mint flavor combination. They hit all the markers I was looking for in a good Trader Joe's winter holiday treat.

I have purchased these multiple years in a row and will continue to do so as long as TJ's stocks them. The star shape and hint of mint give them a festive aspect, while the little nonpareil sprinkles provide crunch for an added textural boost. I love the small size, the flavor, texture, and appearance. These are a delicious staple in my household, and yes, I have been known to purchase multiple boxes because — as with anything at Trader Joe's — once they're sold out for the season, you're out of luck. These are my top picks by a long shot.

I have tried a lot of Trader Joe's seasonal items over the years, so it was a joy to try out and evaluate. I ranked these based primarily on flavor, which can include the actual taste of the product, the delivery of what the packaging says it is going to taste like, and the balance of those said ingredients. For example, if something is supposed to have three main flavor components, those flavors should come to the forefront.

Texture and the item's packaging also come into play in a couple of instances. Generally, Trader Joe's pricing is pretty good, so I didn't judge it on quantity or value. It's really all about the taste buds, and if it is something I would want to finish a pack of and potentially purchase another. The highest ranked items hit all the markers on flavor, and they were so good that I would want to stock up on them

While I purchased everything on the same day, I tried them over three days, just so I wasn't overloaded on sugar. While there are other TJ's seasonal items, they weren't deemed wintery or holiday enough to be placed on this list – Handheld Chicken Pot Pies and Empanadas de Ropa Vieja are two examples.