7 Aldi Holiday Finds To Buy, And 3 To Avoid

I'm a regular shopper at my local Aldi; I've ranked its Fall products and compared its pizzas against competitors, all for the love of the game. Though it's not my closest grocery store, I often go out of my way for it, because it's just that much more preferable to just about anything else (though Trader Joe's is probably number one). And if you, like me, love shopping at Aldi, there's no better time of year than during the holidays.

Aldi's shelves are brimming with limited-edition holiday finds that only appear once per year and, sometimes, might not return. And with that in mind, you might be tempted to just throw everything that looks even remotely appealing into your cart. But I'm here to help you figure out what products are worth spending on, and what are better avoided. I picked up a variety of Aldi products you won't be able to find at any other time of year, and judged their taste, texture, freshness, and overall value. This way, you know what to buy and what to avoid on your next trip this holiday season.

These Belgian chocolates come in gorgeous wrapped gift boxes. They instantly caught my eye when I walked into what Aldi shoppers affectionately call "The Aisle Of Shame, where one can find all the bits and bobs that typically do not appear on a well-budgeted grocery list. But maybe you do actually need a gift for a chocolate-lover in your life? Well, there you go.

The box includes two sets of ten different chocolates, with 20 in total. But is it all bark and no bite? Not at all. The more basic chocolates, like Royale (vanilla-flavored cream), are lovely, but it's the unexpected chocolates that really shine. I especially appreciated Cupido (nutty and bright pistachio-flavored cream), Marron (decadent orange-flavored chocolate mousse), and Diamond (lush caramel-flavored ganache, but there was no chocolate that tasted boring or unpleasant. Also, it wasn't just the packaging that was pretty; each was artful enough that I wanted to really look at the molding before eating. So, for either treating others or yourself, I would highly recommend this chocolate box. I enjoyed every bite.

Truffles are polarizing and enigmatic in the food world. I can handle truffle in mild amounts, but this goat cheese was not at all mild. As soon as I so much as pierced the plastic, I was met with the pungent, absolutely undeniable smell of truffles. It was not appetizing to me at all, but maybe it would be to someone deeply in love with this flavor profile and eagerly anticipating the highest possible truffle impact.

I really like Aldi's basic goat cheese, and often buy it for myself on regular grocery trips. So the cheese itself is a nonissue; the texture is lovely, silky, and smooth, with a great tanginess. But I just couldn't get past the potent truffle flavor. It was strong before I ate the cheese, while I ate the cheese, and for at least ten minutes after I ate the cheese. That's how truffle-forward this product is. If that sounds perfect to you, then Godspeed to Aldi. But this cheese is not for me or anyone even a little hesitant about truffles.

Baked brie is a holiday party staple. You basically can't go to a pre-planned gathering in December and *not* see it; it might even be the centerpiece of the table. It's pretty easy to make a great baked brie, but if you want the process to be even easier, Aldi has a special Baking Brie kit. In this box, you get a wheel of Brie cheese, honey, pecans, and a special ceramic dish that perfectly fits said wheel of cheese for use while baking it in the oven.

The most important thing to consider when reviewing this product is, of course, the cheese itself. And though it's not the best brie I've ever tasted, it's certainly passable. The flavor is very mild and buttery, and it melts beautifully after the allotted oven time. The amount of honey and pecans, meant to be added on top during the final few minutes, is generous. It tastes great. But the best part might just be that definitely reusable ceramic brie-baking dish! It's kind of chic, in my humble opinion, and I'll be reusing it often. It's actually going to be the best excuse to buy more cheese, so that's a win in my book.

If you know me, you know I love baked goods, and none more than breakfast pastries. Croissants, scones, and cinnamon rolls — all are alright with me. Kringles, however, are a pastry I was unfamiliar with until a few years ago, and I was really missing out. Rings of flaky Danish pastry are filled with anything from custard to chocolate to fruit, and drizzled with a glaze. I tried my first Kringle when taste-testing baked goods at Trader Joe's and ranked it quite high, so I had high hopes for this Almond Kringle from Aldi.

The pastry is so light and delicate that there seem to be infinite layers even though each slice is only a few centimeters high. It's also nicely buttery. As a lover of all things almond, the filling appealed greatly to me: smooth, aromatic, and slightly nutty. But the pastry, plus the filling, plus the glaze did make for an exceedingly sugary product, so if you don't have much of a sweet tooth, beware. Otherwise? Definitely go for it. And it's even better warmed up than at room temperature!

Have you ever tried store-bought, bagged cinnamon swirl bread? I grew up on the stuff from Pepperidge Farm, often toasted and eaten with cream cheese. It was always so homey and comforting, a sweet twist on regular white or wheat bread. I was hoping that this Gingerbread Breakfast Bread from Aldi would do the same, but with extra holiday spirit.

Unfortunately, I thought this bread was underwhelming. It was soft and lightly spiced, but I wanted it to have a lot more gingery flavor than it did. Instead, it just tasted like a honey-wheat bread with a bit of cinnamon spice added. That's disappointing to me, because when I want gingerbread flavor, I need to really taste the spices. Those spices do come through better when the bread is toasted rather than fresh out of the bag, at least, and I do think it would make nice French toast or even an interesting sweet-savory grilled cheese. But if you want real gingerbread flavor, move along.

Okay, so the Truffle Goat Cheese did not go over well. But Aldi's cheese section really thrives during the holiday season, so I had two more on the docket. This Cheddar with Cracked Black Pepper, in a ridiculously cute sweater-shaped wax seal, raised my expectations again.

I'm a big fan of black pepper; if a table doesn't have a salt and pepper shaker on it, I don't trust it. But this particular cheddar cheese needs no more, and also no less, black pepper. The cheese sans pepper is a hard cheese and nearly crumbly, with a sharp bite. With pepper, it's even sharper, with specks of ground peppercorns significant enough to add texture, too. It's punchy and vibrant, the pepper really elevating the intensity of the cheese. I loved it and will be picking up many more on my next trip to Aldi. Imagine this with a creamy tomato soup? Exquisite.

This product combines two things that I have often found to be the subject of controversy in the food and beverage space: eggnog and Keurigs. Many dislike or even are actively disgusted by eggnog, that thick and potent holiday drink. Many also turn their noses up at Keurigs as a means of brewing your morning coffee. But I'm here to defend both eggnog and Keurig appreciators, and to say that if you're in the middle of that Venn diagram, you'll want to try this product.

The packaging simply says "Natural and artificial flavors," so I don't know if that hint of warmth is real rum or not, nor if the zest of nutmeg was actually shaved from a nutmeg seed. But either way, it tastes very festive and unique. There is much more flavor than I was expecting, and it was instantly recognizable as eggnog. It could have gone very wrong, but instead is a bright and lively brew perfect for anyone who's looking for every last ounce of holiday cheer.

Gourmet holiday pretzels sounded very intriguing to me, especially when in a variety box including Milk Chocolate with Red Drizzle, White Chocolate with Crushed Peppermint Pieces, and Dark Chocolate with Sprinkles. Something for everyone! Well, these were better in theory than in practice.

My favorite of these pretzels was the White Chocolate with Peppermint, because they had the best chocolate-to-pretzel ratio and an amazing, brisk, minty flavor. The Dark Chocolate ones were pretty good, too, but the underlying issue is that the pretzels themselves were dry and bland. Without the strong taste of peppermint covering a multitude of sins, these are pretty unappealing. The pretzels almost tasted stale. I'd consider purchasing a box of just the white chocolate pretzels, but both the milk and dark chocolate pretzels needed more salt and flavor to pull their weight. Avoid these particular treats and go for a different gift box this holiday season. And if you want a good pretzel, you know where to look; we've tasted and ranked them for you already.

Out of every Aldi holiday product I tried for this ranking, these Choceur Candy Cane Chocolate Covered Almonds were my favorite. To me, at least, they are the perfect holiday snack. Almonds are already a pretty perfect snack, whether plain or dressed up, but these almonds get coated in a thick, velvety shell of sweet (but not too sweet) white chocolate and flecked with peppermint. You might not immediately think of candy canes and almonds as a snack pairing, but let me tell you, it works.

Almonds are very mild nuts, and peppermint is a very strong flavor, so I was scared that these would be like little toothpaste pellets. Instead, the flavor is spot-on. These taste remarkably like candy canes, but even better, because you can really sink your teeth into them. The coating is just so smooth, really refreshing, and — best of all — not even remotely toothpastey. White chocolate can be cloying, but the slight savoriness of the almonds prevents the sweetness from being too much. Overall, these almonds are incredibly flavorful and incredibly delightful. A few go a long way, but I also think I'd be snacking on these all day long if I kept a bag at my desk. If you like peppermint, buy these!

Stollen is a traditional German yeast bread packed with dried fruit. The loaves are fairly flat with a dusting of powdered sugar, and in many cases, marzipan baked into it. Considering the fact that Aldi is a German company and offers many great seasonal German products in their U.S. stores, it's no surprise that it offers stollen for the holidays.

Though I don't think this stollen is perfect, I did really enjoy it. It is absolutely packed with dried fruit, including raisins and candied lemon and orange peel, which imparts much of the flavor and sweetness; the bread itself is not too sugary or cakelike. Meanwhile, the texture is not at all cakelike. Instead, it's soft, yes, but also dense and almost a bit chewy. When warmed, the log of marzipan gets slightly gooey and helps further moisten the bread, which already barely needs butter or another spread to be enjoyed. Overall, it's not going to beat a fresh loaf from a specialty bakery, but this stollen is lovely with coffee on a chilly morning.

When writing up a list of recommendations for mostly dissimilar products, I'll admit that opinions can be subjective. Whether you should buy or avoid Candy Cane Chocolate Covered Almonds depends on many factors, such as, are you allergic to nuts? Do you hate the flavor of peppermint? Those questions, I cannot help you with. But I can help you if you can and typically don't mind the product listed. In that case, you might be considering the same factors as I did when recommending or not recommending them: taste, texture, freshness, and whether or not they're really worth your money this holiday season. When I took those factors into consideration, I was able to judge each product and see how it stacked up.