​​6 Trader Joe's Muffins, Ranked

Trader Joe's has a pretty vast bakery section, but items can be easy to miss because they're so crammed together. Breads and bakery treats, while tasty, seem to be piled on top of each other on the shelves. Perhaps you didn't even know it had a selection of muffins; I certainly didn't for quite some time.

Each comes in a pack of four in a plastic clamshell. At the time of writing, there were six options, so I snagged one of each to put them to the ultimate taste test. I wanted to find the best option from TJ's, so I ranked them by taste and texture. I was looking for a flavorful muffin that was neither too dry nor too moist, with a firmer top to add contrast. I found some good hits and some misses, too. If you're searching for a good muffin to enjoy with coffee or merely have as an afternoon snack or quick brekkie, I'll give you all the details on how these taste so you can judge for yourself. You may be surprised to see which one takes first place.

Growing up, chocolate chip was my favorite muffin flavor. It was always the first thing I'd get at grocery store bakeries or even request my mom to make — now she makes it for my toddler! They hold a bit of nostalgia, but at the same time, I know what I'm looking for in a muffin. And these Trader Joe's Chocolate Chip Muffins don't really hit the spot. Something about this just isn't very flavorful, even though TJ's didn't skimp on the chocolate chips.

It boils down to the cake base and the chocolate chips providing nominal flavor. It's a little drier than some of the others on this list and particularly crumbly. The top isn't especially firm either, so it all feels like the same consistency (whereas other muffins have a distinct and compelling textural contrast). That said, they're not bad; my toddler seemed to like them and asked for more than the sliver I offered. I think they could be a safe bet, but they simply aren't as enticing as the other offerings on this list. You'd be better off just making chocolate chip muffins from scratch.

Despite being near the bottom of the ranking, I actually really enjoy the flavor of the Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins. They have a cakey taste and a moist, tender crumb. There are plenty of blueberries that make it taste fruit-forward, but it has enough muffin batter to feel like a filling baked good. However, it has a couple of major flaws that keep it from ranking any higher. First of all, the top of the muffin almost seems wet. This is not a one-time issue; I have purchased these before, and they had a similar consistency where they are very tacky to the touch. 

You can even see that in the photo where some of the topping is stuck to the top of the container. The oat streusel, which would typically offer a bit of added texture, is also wet and just kind of gets mashed into the rest of the muffin. I think it must be the moisture from the blueberries, as well as the gluten-free batter, which uses white and brown rice flours as the base. Additionally, cutting it into quarters effectively squashed the entire muffin, and the bottom portion almost turned into pure crumbs. If you are gluten-free or want a blueberry gluten-free baked good, try toasting these in a toaster oven for a couple of minutes, until the exterior is slightly firmer. Generally, I still like the flavor a little bit more than the chocolate chip, even with all the textural issues.

We've reached the portion of the ranking where everything is pretty good, and I would gladly get it again. The Strawberry Muffins are quite delicious and perfectly fruity in a unique way. I feel like blueberries are a common fruit option in baked goods, but I don't see strawberries quite as much. It seems like the perfect summertime treat, which is why it is, in fact, a limited offering. If you can grab it while it's in season, I highly recommend doing so. You could even buy a few packs and freeze them to last you throughout the year.

I like that the strawberry flavor (and aroma) tastes authentic. It uses real strawberries and natural flavors to achieve the flavor, so it doesn't have a funky aftertaste. I think the real fruit pieces establish a genuine fruit foundation that sets the muffins up for success. It could use a touch more strawberries in the batter, though. The sugar on top, as well as the berry bits, offer a touch of texture to keep it from feeling too soft. These are worth buying when you want something tasty yet memorable, if not slightly novel.

Trader Joe's Double Chocolate Muffins are perfect for those seeking a richer pastry experience. They are deeply pigmented thanks to the cocoa powder in the recipe. Additionally, they have an excellent crumb that's moist and fluffy, yet still holds together as I cut into it. Oh, and did I mention they are gluten-free? These are delicious, solid muffins, regardless of the gluten-free base made of rice flour, potato starch, cornstarch, and tapioca starch; that is only a bonus for those seeking a gluten-free treat. 

Even so, you don't have to eat gluten-free to appreciate these as they are tasty in their own right. The one thing that keeps this from getting second place is the lightness of chocolate chips; I'd like to see, feel, and taste more throughout. Without them, this leans a little too bittersweet and cocoa-forward. I enjoy the earthy notes of dark chocolate, but that flavor profile isn't as successful in this muffin format, where it needs something (semi-sweet chocolate chips) to balance it.

The Blueberry Muffins get everything right where the gluten-free ones failed. Their texture is impeccable, with a moist crumb that holds up to cutting. I'd like to see more blueberries, but this clearly varies by the muffin and per batch; other muffins in the batch had more evenly distributed berries. Even if it had more bluebs, it's still second place because the next baked treat can't be beat. 

This TJ's muffin (and the gluten-free one, actually) made it onto our list of customer favorite grocery store blueberry muffins, which are beloved for their flavor, texture, and versatility. You could add a bit of butter or perhaps a nice helping of tangy, sweet lemon curd to complement the sweetened lemon zest in the recipe. The muffin's base is airy yet somewhat cakey, so it feels satisfying and holds up well as you bite into it. The blueberries provide contrast, keeping it from feeling like a vanilla cake slice. I enjoy the fruity element and think it better delivers the titular flavor compared to the Double Chocolate, securing its second-place spot on the lineup.

Trader Joe's does gluten-free treats well. The Gluten-Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins came in first place in my list of 15 gluten-free desserts from the chain, and they solidified why they're such a fierce competitor here. I've eaten a lot of gluten-free items, whether that's sweets, pizzas, or everything in between, and one major pain point they tend to have is the poor texture. I don't think the average consumer would know that these are gluten-free by taste and texture alone. 

They just taste like a richly spiced cinnamon, cakey muffin. The firmer top provides a bit of textural balance that makes it so enticing to eat; the coarse sugar adorned on top adds a slight crunch, while the inside of the muffin has delectable little cinnamon pockets. If this were being sold at a coffee shop, it would be at least $5 per muffin, and given that it's gluten-free, it would probably bump up the price to $7 a pop. 

This is the perfect treat to bring to brunch with friends, as a work treat, or just to enjoy at home. Another writer considered it among the best breakfast items from the chain grocery store, too. It's made even better knowing it's gluten-free, so more people can enjoy it without sacrificing flavor or texture. It's the perfect middle spot texturally without suffering from the extreme moistness of the gluten-free blueberry or the dryness of the chocolate chip. This would be the muffin I'd come to again and again. Add this to the list of amazing Trader Joe's desserts and treats!

I bought a pack of each muffin available at my Trader Joe's. Everything is a permanent option, except for the Strawberry Muffins. I bought packs with the furthest-out best-by date, as TJ's baked goods tend to have a very limited shelf life. I have experience with the muffins, so after my taste test I quartered each one, left it in its paper wrapper, and froze them in a large airtight plastic bag — which I would recommend to anyone if you cannot finish the pack within 24 hours (both of the blueberry ones mold quickly). They reheat well in the toaster oven and, in some cases, the moister muffins are better that way. Each muffin was judged by flavor: Did it deliver the advertised notes and were they enticing enough to buy? Texture is a major factor as well, since some are dry, others are so moist they're nearly wet; I was looking for middle ground and wanted something with a firmer top portion.