I Tried All Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Table Frozen Foods And Ranked Them Worst To Best

I am not one to pick up decorating magazines or watch television shows on crafting or flipping houses. I grew up in the country and learned to cook, bake, sew, garden, embroider, and do various other things from my grandparents, family members, and people in my community. I had no idea who Joanna Gaines was until just a few months ago. And it was in my lack of knowing her that I have learned so much.

Friends and coworkers alike were somewhat surprised that I was unaware of the Magnolia Table empire, and were quick to send me articles and posts, and point out both Joanna and Chip on their posters in the home section of Target. And while I do like her taste in some things and appreciate her talents, I still have no real opinion of her, either positive or negative. So, I was a very neutral party when comparing her new Magnolia Table frozen foods that became available exclusively at Target in early October 2025.

Said to highlight Gaines' most beloved family favorite recipes, I went looking for traditional Southern fare. I wanted comforting flavors, rich textures, and ample ingredients delivered by easily baking them in my oven following the package instructions. Based on those aforementioned tenets, I also expected something worth what I considered an above-average cost — at the time of writing this, the regular cost for all items, except the biscuits ($9.99), was $11.99. And with those criteria in mind, I embarked on this ranking.

Sugar cookies are pretty easy to come by at the grocery, whether they're from a mix or in the refrigerated section in rolls or break-apart. But for the price of a dozen of these, I expected something special about them in looks, taste, size, or all three. But my expectations on looks and size were quickly dashed. 

The cookies were a generic break-apart form that was pale and looked exceedingly plain. After baking them, I was surprised at the lack of heft of the cookies. Additionally, the majority of the cookies had retained the blockish shape of their frozen form and left strange structures on the tops of the cookies that resembled craters. When taking the first bite, I immediately noticed the texture was overly soft and underbaked. And the taste itself, while subdued, had an odd, blunt aspect that could possibly have been from too much baking soda or flour. The overall flavor was not that of a normal sugar cookie, including the aftertaste, which left something even stranger on the palate.

I will say that the bottoms crisped nicely, and the cookies were easy to transfer from the baking stone to the rack. But that is sadly where my praise ends, which easily puts these last on this list. I would go with another brand at the store if you're looking for easy, ready-to-bake cookies. I'm sure you will be able to find cheaper ones that taste better.

These silo cookies are supposed to be made with walnuts, oatmeal, chocolate, and peanut butter chips, which sounds like what I know as a monster cookie. And while the package reads that Jo likes them slightly golden with a soft center, the baking time left them more than just soft. Even after setting, several fell apart while moving them to a plate. And they each had a very visible soggy bottom.

The first thing I tasted was peanut butter, but not from a chip. These tasted like a peanut butter cookie, which was not what I was expecting. I tasted no oatmeal at all, and the walnuts and chocolate were spread sporadically. The cookie was sweet but not sugary, which I appreciated. But the soggy part in the middle had more of a grainy texture than a gooey one, and I wondered if a longer bake in the oven would have solved this issue.

Peanut butter was the most prominent flavor of these cookies, which would have been okay if that is how they had been labeled. But they were not! These cookies should have been packed with the multiple flavors listed, visible oats creating a hearty foundation, chunks of chips and nuts, and an array of textures. Even if these had only been a peanut butter cookie, it would have been a very elementary one.  But since the flavor was better than the sugar cookies, this option lands here.

Out of all the cookie options, these looked the most normal out of the package and out of the oven. After baking, the chocolate chip cookies were crispy, had no strange visual features of the frozen dough, and the bottoms looked evenly cooked. Also, out of all the cookies, these were by far the hardest to transfer from the parchment to the cooling rack. But I believe that was due to the ample amount of melted chocolate that had them stuck in place.

Unlike the sugar and silo cookies, these delivered more on what was expected. The flavor was very sweet and chocolatey, which wasn't bad, but it was a lot and almost to the point of being too much. And there seemed to be something missing. The side of the package reads that these cookies are balanced with sea salt, but I did not get that at all, and wish I had. A sprinkle of sea salt on the top may have evened things out a bit. Although I feel a darker chocolate chip would have done even better. 

Jo recommends pairing these with a cup of coffee, and I completely concur. Hot, black coffee could cut through the sweetness and possibly elevate the level of cocoa. While it did bake and taste better than the options ranked lower, I still feel like the price tag for a dozen is more about buying the label than the cookie.

If you want to make this for after school, be prepared to start thawing it around lunchtime, as this banana bread needs to sit out 3-4 hours before baking. When I took this step, I was shocked that the bread smelled deliciously of banana straight out of the freezer, which made me excited. The special baking pan it came in was cute, but the bread sadly stuck to it. I had to rip the sides away and cut the bread from the bottom to get it out post-bake.

On the first bite, I was happy to taste a rich vanilla and browned butter flavor and a moist and chewy texture. The banana was easy to taste, but it wasn't overpowering or artificial. It tasted subtly natural with just a sparse amount of spicing. I understood why this would be a great after-school snack, as it doesn't seem to be an overly sweet treat. I wouldn't feel guilty about giving this to my children to tide them over until dinner.

This is a decent loaf of homemade banana bread, in flavor and texture, and one I think would be hard to find premade or from a mix. The size was a bit on the small side. And while I will still stick to homemade loaves that include nuts, this option took things up a notch for the Magnolia Table frozen brand, which places it higher on the list.

When I pulled these rolls out of the box, I knew immediately I was in for a treat. After they thawed for around an hour, they looked ready to inflate in the oven. Once baked, they were pushing the limits of the sides of the tray they came in. They were puffy and tall — a proper Southern-sized roll — and looked absolutely delectable. I quickly dolloped them with the buttery-looking cream cheese icing and let it melt across.

It was easy to transfer these from their tray to a plate. I cut one of the rolls in half, and the cinnamon inside oozed out, incredibly tantalizing. The roll itself tasted like a hearty, homemade, yeasted bread. It was firm on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside, and nearly succulent to eat. The cinnamon was prominent, and the sugar took a step back, which I highly enjoyed. The icing didn't even overpower with sweetness. These were savory with notes of sweetness, allowing the full flavor of the bread to be enjoyed.

These were much less sweet than other retail cinnamon rolls I've had, which was refreshing. The bread was delightful and deserved its moment to shine. These rolls tasted like they had come from a starter and had taken time to make. I would happily pay for them over making them from scratch or even getting them from a bakery. If the next item had not been even better, these would easily have garnered first place.

Jo's Buttermilk Biscuits come as a pack of six, and I felt as if they were small, especially considering the price tag. However, they did resemble my grandmother's angel biscuits, which I'm quite fond of. They are time-consuming biscuits that I rarely ever make and have even rarer occasions to eat. So, that allowed me to maintain hope for this product. 

Pulling them from the oven, they remained on the pale side, which I have also found to be a trait of angel biscuits, so I wasn't alarmed. They were properly baked and, when pulled apart, emitted a nice puff of steam. Pillowy layers were visible as well, making these biscuits almost seemingly laminated. And with just one bite, I knew — I would definitely pay any day for just one of these remarkable, heavenly, Southern biscuits.

They tasted like something that came out of a great Southern restaurant's kitchen and straight to my table. They were fluffy, just buttery enough, had a semi-crisp outer layer, and were filled with layers of pillowy softness. While Jo's recommendation is to top these with melted butter and sea salt, I don't think you need anything at all. While I will be smearing strawberry jam on the leftovers and keeping in mind that these would make a great foundation for strawberry shortcake, they are absolutely perfect just as they are. If Joanna Gaines were not famous for anything other than these biscuits, it would still be well deserved.

All of these items were baked at my home following the package instructions to the letter, including thawing and baking times. I let the cookies rest as I would my own and followed the package instructions on the ones that called for resting. Each one was given at least three tastes, and my palate was cleansed between each item. And all Magnolia Table offerings that were available at the time of this ranking were considered. 

None of these items is difficult for a seasoned baker to create, but I expected them to taste as if they had been made by a master Southern baker. The bar was high when searching for perfect spice levels, proper baking, execution of traditional flavor, and a standard in taste, quality, and quantity that was worth the price tag. Southern kitchens are known for their large portions, especially in Texas! So, I wanted Joanna to give me that. 

Lower-ranking items tasted as if the ingredients were off, too sweet, or needed more salt or darker chocolate. These are pretty basic mistakes for a pro. The banana bread started feeling more homemade in taste and texture. And the top two really nailed what I went in looking for — the texture and flavor of a well-executed, time-honored Southern recipe. While I would purchase them again, I will most likely reserve those for special occasions, special guests, sales, or when I feel like treating myself. But the top two are indeed a treat.