I Taste-Tested All The New Trader Joe’s Holiday Desserts, And 1 Was Genuinely Life-Changing

I’ve never attempted making it at home (it’s on the list!), so when I spotted this version in the freezer section, especially at a price comparable to that of a single fancy bakery pastry, I knew I must try it.

I was surprised (or shall I say, impatient) to see that it needed to rise overnight and then bake for 23–25 minutes, which initially made me shlep it off as “high maintenance.” But once baked, wow, these came out beautifully golden with crisp caramelized edges and soft, buttery layers inside. The flaky texture paired with the caramelized sugar felt so special and indulgent.

I love the idea of serving them warm with coffee as part of a holiday spread, and I’ll definitely be grabbing a couple more boxes before they’re gone. There are four in a box, but you can easily cut them in half for a smaller-sized treat.

Overall Rating: 9.5/10 — Buttery, flaky, and absolutely worth the freezer space if you love kouign amann without the work.