11 Trader Joe's Crackers, Ranked

I've never met a soul who doesn't appreciate a good cracker. The pantry staple is wildly versatile and, most likely, holds special meaning for each of us, whether you (like me) frequently feasted on Ritz and cream cheese in younger years, or regularly housed bowl after bowl of your favorite Goldfish flavor after getting home from school. Some are tasty enough to eat solo, while others beg to be placed on a fancy charcuterie board or used to top a crunchy casserole. The snack is so prolific that you're bound to find some version of it pretty much anywhere, but today, I'm focusing on the offerings at one retailer in particular: Trader Joe's.

As a mega-fan of the chain, I've tried a decent amount of its crackers, but I've never taken the opportunity to try and compare them side-by-side — before today, that is. I grabbed 11 different crackers from my local store and ranked the selection based on their flavor, versatility, and sturdiness. To be honest, I was surprised to find that I didn't love most of the crackers I tried. Now, that doesn't mean you wouldn't like some choices that I wasn't fond of, but still ... I felt that many selections fell short of the heights they were trying to reach. Here's my ranking of 11 crackers from Trader Joe's.

I had high hopes for these crackers, but I'll have to find someone else to pass along the rest of the box to. Sorry Trader Joe's, but I simply hated these crackers. They actually gave me a negative opinion of parsley, and now I'm convinced it should never be the main flavor profile in anything. I didn't set out on this cracker-tasting journey expecting to be wholly turned off toward a flavor I've historically been pretty in favor of, so that's somewhat of a feat on TJ's part.

These crackers tasted extraordinarily vegetal. Chewing them continually gave off a flavor akin to frozen spinach (which I hate), and I just found them wholly unappealing. Perhaps these aren't meant to be eaten solo, but I can't imagine what pairing would possibly offer enough to balance out the heavy dried parsley flavor. You could always crumble them up and use them to top a baked mac and cheese, I suppose, but that's far more trouble than they're worth. Does anyone swear by these crackers? If so, please tell me what I'm missing. After all, these were my least favorite crackers by far, and I can't recommend anything other than just leaving them on the store shelves.

Before diving into Trader Joe's Savory Squares, I recognize that I'm definitely not the target audience here. After all, I'm not a vegan consumer, so I'm not regularly looking for flavors that accurately mimic cheese (nor do I tend to like them that much). And while I'm sure these vegan and gluten-free crackers appeal to a certain customer base, that customer isn't me.

One of the biggest issues I had with these crackers was that they're clearly trying to be something they're not, rather than taking the opportunity to be their own product. These crackers want to mimic Cheez-Its and massively underdeliver. Now, maybe you're of a different opinion if you're used to cheese substitutes. I, however, didn't love the slightly bitter flavor that followed each bite of these. They also had an earthiness to them that I didn't appreciate.

There are plenty of vegan crackers out there that appeal to a wider audience, so I wouldn't recommend this box if you want to satisfy a diverse crowd. But if you tend to like these profiles, give them a try (or make your own gluten-free cheddar cheese crackers instead).

Another cracker trying to be something it's not ended up taking the ninth spot on this list. Trader Joe's Golden Rounds Crackers are obviously trying to mimic Ritz, which would be fine if they delivered, but I thought these fell pretty far short of what a box of Ritz crackers offers. Still, I liked these better than the aforementioned crackers and they're plenty versatile, so I couldn't justify giving them a lower spot.

Now, to be clear, these crackers do get close to copying the buttery, salty, mild flavors you'll get from Ritz crackers. However, I wasn't expecting the slight sweetness I got from them, which turned me off a little. I also didn't get as much of a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth experience as I typically get with Ritz, and they weren't as salty as the famous brand, either. Had these crackers been visually different (meaning, had I not been so inclined to compare them to their name-brand counterpart), I could have ranked them higher. As it is, they just don't deliver in the same capacity as does my favorite childhood snack.

I expect this will be a divisive take, and to be fair, my opinions of Trader Joe's Raisin Rosemary Crisps were incredibly mixed. Ultimately, their relatively low ranking here came down to their versatility, and the fact that I didn't love eating the crackers on their own. This could just be a hot take — I have no doubt that there are die-hard fans of these crackers out there. I'm just not one of them. 

First, the crackers are way sweeter than I was expecting. That's not automatically a bad thing, but it does mean that they need something to balance out the sweetness, and there was nothing in the cracker itself that acted as a worthy counterpart. On the plus side, all the elements came through clearly — raisins and rosemary were both apparent (though the latter was very subtle) and made for an interesting mix. But you'd have to pair these with something sharp or tangy, like a Trader Joe's goat cheese, to fully enjoy them. Because there's a little more involved to snacking on these crackers than just buying a box and calling it a day, I could only give them the eighth place here. 

Up next is a cracker (or, rather, crackers) that I generally have a positive opinion of. Trader Joe's Cracker Assortment has long been my go-to for parties — I like that you get four different crackers in one box (wheat, water, vegetable, and pepper and poppy seed), and they make for a good single-buy lineup for a snack board or charcuterie board. However, I only really like two of the four cracker selections in this box, which is why I could only rank it at number seven here.

My two preferred crackers were the pepper and poppy seed, and the vegetable crackers. The former was sharp, peppery, and even a bit spicy, with plenty of flavor to hold its own if you just need a quick bite, and enough versatility to pair well with a variety of accompaniments. I also loved the vegetable crackers. They were incredibly flavorful — I could actually taste the veggies used in them — and they had a light, buttery crunch that set my mouth watering. Had those been offered on their own, they would have easily made a top spot here. The water crackers were very plain (which, on the plus side, makes them a good crunchy base for pretty much anything), and the wheat crackers were marginally tastier but nothing to write home about. 

I'm sure Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoned Bite Sized Crackers are the go-to snack of some consumers, and I'd agree that they taste quite good. However, they didn't fully deliver for me. Moreover, I don't see them as being a very versatile offering. You could dip them in a whipped cream cheese, but they wouldn't go with everything on your charcuterie board — not to mention, they're too small to pair with many accompaniments.

So, because their applications are relatively few (namely, they're just meant to be snacked on), I could only give them as high as spot six here. If you're a fan of everything bagel seasoning, you'll probably like these, as the classic flavor profile was abundant in this snack. Again, though, I found a slight sweetness here that I didn't wholly love, given that I was expecting the cracker to be purely savory. That could just be me, though — admittedly, I'm also not a fan of Trader Joe's cream cheese because of its similar subtle sweetness. Personally, I wouldn't call these a snack shelf staple, but I'm sure they are for some consumers.

We've reached the top five — aka, the crackers on this list that are yummy, versatile, and deserve a spot in every pantry. I really liked all of the following crackers, and which you choose will just depend on what appeals to you. Personally, I was a big fan of Trader Joe's Multigrain Crackers. They make for a good snack on their own, but do lack some of the sturdiness that the following crackers had, which resulted in their fifth-place ranking. 

These crackers are really quite tasty. They're full of flavor, very well-salted, and not too dry. They also give a good, light crunch when you're eating them, which I generally consider to be a plus — but here, it meant that these wouldn't be the best choice to pair with thick dips or heavy accoutrements. They'd break pretty easily. However, if you just want to line a charcuterie board with them, they'd go with salami and a slice of cheese just fine. Or, grab a few whenever you feel like you need a quick munch. 

I'm a long-time fan of Trader Joe's Garlic Naan Crackers, and that hasn't changed, even though they weren't my top choice. Again, their placement here came down purely to structure. These crackers are soft and rather flimsy, which works to their advantage when you're eating them solo — however, it doesn't quite lend to sturdiness here, and because I really want to pair these crackers with dips, that doesn't really work in their favor. 

That said, these crackers are certainly very yummy, even if I do think Trader Joe's could lean into the garlic profile a little more (but, hey, I'm a huge garlic lover, so that could just be a hot take). These taste great on their own, and I loved them paired with Trader Joe's Cranberry Chevre Goat Cheese log, but again, the fact that they continually broke made them somewhat of a nuisance and prevented them from earning a higher spot here. 

I really struggled with where to put Trader Joe's Pane Guttiau in this ranking. Admittedly, this product initially took my top spot because it tastes so darn good — I ate a whole ginormous cracker in one go. But unfortunately, I simply couldn't justify giving it higher than third place because of one major criterion. Though sturdiness wasn't the most important factor in play when ranking these crackers, the Pane Guttiau was so lacking in structural stability that I couldn't place it any higher. 

These crackers are incredibly hard to separate, and many were broken even upon opening the box for the first time. That said, biting into one was a great experience. The flavor of the semolina comes through well, they're amply salted, and the olive oil gives plenty of savory appeal. I just don't know how to eat them, especially given that they're so flimsy. I'd like to pair them with a labneh-style dip, but there's no way these crackers would scoop it up without breaking. Because I'd be hard-pressed to figure out how to enjoy them except by eating them solo, they were bumped down to third place. 

I hope this isn't a surprising second-place pick. This sleeve was the cheapest buy of all the crackers on this list, and I absolutely adored them. This is also coming from someone who loves the gluten-free crackers from Crunchmaster, of which these are a great dupe. They checked all the boxes for me — I consider the fact that they're gluten-free a mere bonus, and think everyone who munches on these will love them. 

These crackers are crispy, salty, and plenty hardy, and I ate more than my fair share during this tasting (in fact, I'm snacking on more right now). Their flavor is savory and nutty while remaining neutral enough to accompany a variety of pairings; moreover, though they're pretty thin, they're sturdy enough to be able to scoop up plenty of different dips. My only complaint about these crackers is that they come in such a small package. Guess I'll just have to buy multiple. 

One cracker stood out among the rest and made for an obvious number one choice: Trader Joe's Pita Bite Crackers. They may look plain on the surface, but they're really not, and any lovers of pita bread will find particular appeal in these. Further, they're probably the most versatile crackers on this list.

Why did they beat out the aforementioned crackers? Their neutral palate is the main reason, as it means they'll pair with anything under the sun. These crackers were also incredibly sturdy without sacrificing that light, easy crunch. So like the previous crackers, I'd happily snack on these solo or with any manner of pairings (though I'd probably go for hummus, labneh, or goat cheese first). Their flavor, though neutral, is true to form, and I really did feel like I was eating bite-sized pitas when munching on these. They're plenty salted and very savory. Because of their stellar flavors, versatility with pairings, and sturdy texture, these pita bite crackers were an easy pick for my number one Trader Joe's cracker.

When ranking these crackers, I paid attention to a few factors. First and foremost was flavor — to get a high ranking on this list, the cracker had to taste good enough to not mar whatever you may pair it with, and it had to be flavorful enough to be enjoyed solo. The second most important factor was versatility. Higher-ranked crackers could be enjoyed both solo or with a variety of accompaniments, thus lending themselves to more uses for various occasions.

Lastly, I took structure into account. Part of why the pita crackers ranked so high is because, though they're relatively plain, they're still flavorful and very structurally sound. You could use these to scoop up a variety of dips or cheeses without suffering too much breakage.