The Best Dessert In Trader Joe's Gluten-Free Line Is A Breakfast Delight

When Tasting Table ranked 15 Trader Joe's gluten-free desserts, we came across several options that were more than decent, including its chocolate chunk cookies with sea salt, its yellow mini sheet cake, and its Madeline cookies. But none were quite as impressive as the grocer's Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins. According to Trader Joe's website, these muffins are made from a mix of rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, and corn starch, filled with "cinnamon bits," and topped with a blend of cinnamon, brown sugar, and coarse sugar. 

They're also super moist and fluffy due to the buttermilk and sour cream in the batter. When we tasted them, we discovered that the cinnamon bits provided a lovely punch of spice in each bite, which paired nicely with this light, airy cake. We also appreciated the chunky-sweet topping, as it created a texture that perfectly complemented the delicate crumb of the baked good. Overall, we felt the Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins were totally delectable and not at all gritty, which can sometimes be the case with gluten-free recipes.

While Trader Joe's Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins aren't necessarily in need of upgrading, it certainly doesn't hurt to take them to the next level, as many netizens have. After a user on Reddit posted a photo of the gluten-free treats, describing them as "elite," several others weighed in with their clever upgrade ideas. "Slice in half and toast the sliced face with butter in a skillet," one such person advised. Another suggested putting them in the oven for a light toast. Meanwhile, a third shared that they had topped the muffins with some homemade cinnamon roll icing.

Several Redditors also revealed that they were fans of other gluten-free muffins also sold by Trader Joe's, including its pumpkin, strawberry, and double-chocolate muffins, which came in fifth in our ranking. One user even said that they top the chocolate muffins with ice cream. The only downside seems to be the high amount of sugar (31 grams per muffin).

If you'd like to stock up on this grocery store find, you should know that they freeze well too. And, for more gluten-free desserts, check out our list of 7 of the best store-bought gluten-free sweets, according to Reddit which, naturally, includes these great TJ muffins.