10 Trader Joe's Seasonal Fall Snacks To Stock Up On Before They Run Out

Fall is an exciting time of the year for so many reasons. The weather is finally cooling off, serving up crisp autumn mornings when you can sip your hot coffee outside without sweating. The leaves start changing colors, making every drive down a tree-lined street feel like a show. But, perhaps most importantly, it's also the time of year when some of the best seasonal snacks start hitting store shelves. That can be exciting no matter where you shop, but Trader Joe's is indisputably one of the best places to get your hands on some delicious seasonal treats. Whether you're looking for indulgent desserts or simply want to incorporate a few more seasonal ingredients into your savory dishes, TJ's has you covered.

As an avid Trader Joe's shopper myself — it's my nearest grocery store, and I'm there at least a few times a week, if not most days — I've tried more than a few of the store's fall seasonal products. And even though I love summer, I'm always eagerly awaiting autumn so I can start whipping up my favorite fall foods (including these scrumptious fall dessert recipes) ... and shop at Trader Joe's for the most delicious treats they roll out every year. These are the seasonal fall snacks I'll be munching on, and if you want to enjoy the flavors of fall right alongside me, they're the products you might want to consider picking up on your next Trader Joe's run.

Trader Joe's has no shortage of delicious frozen desserts to choose from at any time of the year. But if you visit at the right time during the fall, you might be able to get your hands on one of the chain grocer's best ice cream products of all time: the Maple Leaf Ice Cream Sandwiches. First of all, they just look festive. The cookies that make up either end of the ice cream sandwiches are designed to look like maple leaves. But it's the maple-flavored ice cream inside, though, that shines and creates a unique flavor.

Most seasonal fall sweets and desserts fall into two main flavor categories: pumpkin spice and apple cinnamon. Sure, I can get down with these flavor combos sometimes, but they're also really heavy and specific flavors, which can sometimes feel like too much. I love these ice cream sandwiches because they still feel festive while offering a different, lighter, and subtler sweetness that provides a nice alternative to all of us pumpkin spice skeptics out there. If you're looking for a sweet treat from Trader Joe's that bridges the summer and fall seasons, these ice cream sandwiches should be on your must-try list.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Although I can handle some pumpkin spiced treats during the fall, I don't get especially excited about it every year. However, I actually enjoy that pumpkin-forward flavor in Trader Joe's Nonfat Pumpkin Yogurt. I think that's because this yogurt embraces those beloved pumpkin spice flavors, but it doesn't go overboard with sweetness. Yes, you're getting some sugar there, but this yogurt is on the tarter, more acidic end of the spectrum, which I enjoy. Plus, the yogurt itself is quite creamy and rich considering it is a nonfat variety.

I love that Trader Joe's provides some healthier fall-themed options in its seasonal lineup. For those who may not be able to indulge in sweeter or richer fall treats for health reasons, capturing those same beloved flavors in a potentially healthier package is a nice touch. If you like this Greek yogurt from TJ's, there are plenty of other types of yogurt to seek out at the grocery chain that are available all year round.

For all the true pumpkin lovers out there, there are few pumpkin-flavored Trader Joe's products that you need to try as much as the Pumpkin Brioche Twist. In fact, we here at Tasting Table consider it one of the best Trader Joe's pumpkin products of all time. Admittedly, it does look a bit cake-like. The prevalence of so many ultra-sweet pumpkin items on store shelves makes it easy to assume that you'd be getting more of a cake-like situation here. However, with its subtle (but still present) sweetness, you get a product that tastes like a true brioche, albeit with an extra layer of earthy flavor there.

I think that this pumpkin brioche makes an excellent slice of toast, which you can enjoy all on its own or pair with your other favorite breakfast foods. Because the sweetness is pretty toned down here, the bread can even work in more savory contexts (as long as you like a good mix of sweet and savory flavors coming together in one bite). On the other hand, if you want to play up that sweetness even more, consider drizzling your pumpkin brioche twist toast with some honey or maple syrup.

I love a crunchy, crispy snack. But most of the time, I'm going after the savory stuff when I'm searching for a snack in this textural category. That's not the case when it comes to Trader Joe's Maple Pancake Flavored Puffs, though. This might just be one of the brand's best seasonal items of all time. It's no secret that I like maple-flavored treats for fall — they're so much easier to enjoy than the ultra-heavy flavors you often find in autumnal sweets. The flavor coating on these puffs isn't too strong. Yes, you can clearly taste the maple syrup, but it's not heavy or overly sweet, offering the perfect touch of sugariness for a snack that maybe doesn't totally constitute a dessert on its own.

The crispy texture of these puffs is also solid, compelling me to want to finish the bag in a single sitting. They're made with both corn and rice, so there's some natural but subtle sweetness from the grain itself before the maple flavor is even introduced into the equation. If you're sick of all the pumpkin and caramel treats but still want to indulge in fun fall foods anyway, this snack is a great place to start. And yes, it really does taste like pancakes.

There are some seasonal treats on this list that you'll probably only want during the early months of fall. But the brand's Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps are an exception. This is one of my favorite snacky items to have on hand well into the winter because it captures such lovely holiday flavors in a single bite. These crisps have a nice, complex bitterness, so introducing sweet flavors only makes things more interesting. The cranberry is doing some heavy lifting here, providing both acidity and a slight chewiness to the crackers in addition to that hint of sweetness. The pumpkin seems to play a more savory role, but still echoes that sweeter note.

These crisps are actually excellent on their own, and while I wouldn't always encourage you to eat plain crackers with no other accompanying ingredients, I think this variety is an exception. However, they also play well with a wide variety of cheeses — and there are so many amazing cheese options to select from at Trader Joe's. Going for a simpler, creamier, more subtle cheese allows the flavors in the crisps to shine, or you can opt for a fruity or spicy cheese if you want to up the flavor ante even more.

Wondering what the very best fall food item at Trader Joe's is? After ranking 22 different products from the store, one Tasting Table writer declared the store's apple cider donuts the most delicious fall treat of them all. I have to agree that this is one of TJ's better fall selections. While these apple cider donuts certainly aren't as good as the fresh variety you'd find at a local farm stand somewhere out in the country, they're actually pretty great for a grocery store donut option. They're nice and moist, with that signature sweet apple cider flavor. You might think that would mean they're not good for dunking, but I've found that these donuts actually pair especially well with black coffee. They're sweet enough that they can stand up to the bitterness of the beverage, and the coffee helps balance out those brighter, fruitier notes.

The best time to enjoy these donuts is on a chilly fall weekend morning when you have fun plans for the day and want to get them started off on a sweet note. But, technically, you could also enjoy them as a dessert if you're not the sweets-for-breakfast type.

Just because you want to enjoy an autumnal, seasonal treat from Trader Joe's doesn't mean that you have to select something sweet. You don't even have to lean into the flavors most commonly associated with the season, like pumpkin. Instead, you can simply choose a product that looks festive but gives you the same classic flavor you enjoy at every other time of year. That's exactly what Trader Joe's Fall Leaf Corn Tortilla Chips promise. No, they're not sprinkled with some sort of earthy spice blend, and they're not secretly sweeter than any other kind of corn chip you'd buy from the grocery store. They just have a simple sprinkling of salt that enhances the corn's flavor and adds a nice touch of savoriness to whatever you decide to pair the chips with. However, they are cut into little leaf shapes, and they come in several fun, autumnal colors.

Pair these leaf-shaped tortilla chips with one of Trader Joe's many prepared dips, or make a colorful Halloween-themed hummus from scratch if you really want to lean into the spirit of fall. Either way, your fall snacking is about to get a lot more exciting with these chips.

This is another fall-themed treat that's perfect for those times when you want to celebrate the fall festivities without indulging in those typical autumnal flavors. It's TJ's Halloween Joe-Joe's Cookies, and taste-wise, they're indistinguishable from the original. You still get that Oreo-like flavor you know and love, with the chocolate cookies sandwiching the creamy filling in the middle. The only thing that's different about these cookies is the way they look. Instead of the standard cookie, you get a cookie that looks like it's been carved like a jack-o'-lantern. To make things even more fun, the color of the filling is bright Halloween-y orange instead of white. (But don't worry — it's just beta carotene!)

These cookies taste just as good as the original, but they're way cuter to put out for all of your Halloween celebrations. I think they're also a great option for kids, who might want more of that classic Joe-Joe's flavor instead of a pumpkin flavor that may be more geared toward adults. Although Trader Joe's Halloween Joe-Joe's Cookies might not offer something new and novel on the flavor front, I consider them an absolute fall snacking staple.

Whether you like to eat your toast as breakfast or a snack, the quality of the bread is probably the most important factor in determining whether you get a delicious or subpar slice. Trader Joe's has a ton of bread varieties to choose from that are available all year round, but if you're someone who likes apple and cinnamon flavors, you should keep an especially close eye on the store's bread section during the season. That's when you can get your hands on some of the Sliced Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Bread, which may just be one of the greatest loaves to ever grace Trader Joe's shelves.

There are small pieces of apple in the bread, which give the loaf a succulent, moist texture that's a huge step up from most store-bought fruit-infused breads. You also get the warming flavor of cinnamon, which helps to give this bread a cozy, comforting feel. It definitely has some sweetness, but it isn't overpowering. In fact, I think you get a perfectly balanced slice of toast when you butter this bread with salted butter. It may be one of the less flashy fall products on offer from Trader Joe's, but that's a part of its appeal — it's just pure seasonal deliciousness in the simplest possible form.

There are definitely more sweet than savory seasonal fall snacks on this list, but if you're looking for something to munch on that doesn't lean so far into dessert territory, turn to Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. I love this frozen TJ's item because it starts off by embracing a comfort food classic. Who doesn't love mac and cheese? But this isn't your average mac — instead of sticking to that plain, creamy sauce, they also add some butternut squash puree into the mix. 

This is a nice touch because it really upgrades the flavor of the cheese sauce, giving it a savory earthiness and a slight touch of sweetness that adds complexity without totally sacrificing the base cheesiness. The presence of sage and nutmeg in the mix makes this feel like a seasonal offering without playing into seasonal flavor stereotypes too much.

Admittedly, there are probably a lot of people out there who will treat this frozen item like an entree and not a snack. However, the serving size isn't huge, and I don't think even the tastiest mac and cheese on its own constitutes a meal, so it's safe to say that this butternut squash mac is safely in snack territory.

I chose these seasonal fall snacks from Trader Joe's based on my own experiences with these products. I haven't tried every single fall item in the store's lineup, but I shop at Trader Joe's multiple times a week (and have for years). Therefore, I've tried a wide range of the store's seasonal products. 

I tried to pick a relatively wide range of options, so as not to weigh this list down with only one or two flavor profiles (like pumpkin, apple cinnamon, etc.). I considered flavor, texture, seasonality, and novelty when deciding which items should appear on this list.