I tried 18 of Trader Joe's ice creams and frozen desserts, and I'd buy almost all of them again

Savanna Swain-WilsonJun 28, 2024, 23:00 IST

I compared several frozen treats from Trader Joe's.Trader Joe's; BI

I tried every Trader Joe's ice-cream flavor and frozen dessert I could find and reviewed them.
The chain's horchata-inspired and ube-flavored ice creams were both unique, delicious options.

From ice-cream sandwiches to uniquely flavored cartons, Trader Joe's sells an array of frozen desserts.

Step into Trader Joe's, and you'll find an impressive selection of ice cream year-round.

So, I tried as many of the chain's frozen treats as I could get my hands on to figure out which ones are worth buying.

Here's how each treat stacked up.

Editor's Note: This story was originally published in August 2022, and most recently updated on June 28, 2024. Product availability may vary from year to year.

The horchata-inspired ice cream was a creative take on a Spanish and Mexican drink.

Horchata is a drink made with rice and cinnamon.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Its taste captured the beverage's yummy flavor.

This Trader Joe's ice cream included chunks of horchata-flavored cookies.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's premium French-vanilla ice cream would make a great sundae base.

Trader Joe's French-vanilla ice cream was good quality for the price.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The consistency was smooth and rich, plus it tasted luxurious.

Trader Joe's French-vanilla ice cream would be great with baked goods.Savanna Swain-Wilson

I could see real espresso in Trader Joe's Coffee Bean Blast.

The texture of Trader Joe's Coffee Bean Blast was like that of gelato.Savanna Swain-Wilson

It tasted like a delicious cup of dark roast.

Trader Joe's Coffee Bean Blast really leaned into the coffee flavor.Savanna Swain-Wilson

These sandwiches made with brownie crisps and coffee ice cream upgraded an iconic treat.

There's coffee ice cream at the center of Trader Joe's brownie-crisp sandwiches.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The chocolate flavor was a bit disappointing.

The coffee ice cream was delicious, but I wanted a stronger chocolate flavor.Savanna Swain-Wilson

I didn't miss the dairy in these chocolate-fudge oat bars.

Trader Joe's nondairy chocolate-fudge bars are made with an oat base.Savanna Swain-Wilson

These bars are a great pick if you want a dairy-free frozen treat.

Trader Joe's chocolate-fudge oat bars didn't have a super-strong flavor.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The ube ice cream would be an Instagrammable treat.

This ice cream was supposed to taste like ube, a sweet, purple yam.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The hype was absolutely worth it.

I'd definitely buy Trader Joe's ube ice cream again.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's signature sweet spread and vanilla ice cream come together in this Speculoos cookie-butter carton.

This Trader Joe's carton had chunks of Speculoos cookie butter.Savanna Swain-Wilson

It tasted delicious, but the texture wasn't my favorite.

I thought that some of the cookie-butter chunks were a bit waxy.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's cold-brew-coffee and boba nondairy frozen dessert was unique.

This carton of cold-brew ice cream contained boba pearls.Savanna Swain-Wilson

This ice cream didn't quite taste like cold brew.

Trader Joe's cold-brew-coffee and boba frozen dessert had plenty of tapioca beads.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's wildberry-cheesecake ice cream was more berry than cake.

Trader Joe's wildberry-cheesecake ice cream contained pieces of cake.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The taste lived up to my expectations.

The berry flavor was delicious.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's tangerine cream bars were an elevated take on a childhood classic.

I loved orange creamsicles as a kid.Savanna Swain-Wilson

These tangy pops were both tart and sweet.

Trader Joe's tangerine cream bars were refreshing and tasty.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The oat-milk strawberry frozen dessert would be a vegan ice-cream lover's dream.

Trader Joe's strawberry frozen dessert contained an oat-milk base.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Even though the mix-ins were disappointing, the flavor was incredible.

I wish Trader Joe's oat-milk strawberry frozen dessert didn't include the almond brittle.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The Peanuts for Chocolate ice cream was seemingly made for fans of peanut-butter cups.

Trader Joe's Peanuts for Chocolate ice cream contained peanut-butter Joe-Joe's.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The combination was as tasty as I expected.

Some bites of Trader Joe's Peanuts for Chocolate ice cream tasted like pure peanut butter.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's ice-cream sandwiches made with chocolate-chip cookies were the best I've ever had.

I'm a big fan of ice-cream sandwiches.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Everything about this treat hit the mark.

The cookies were fantastic.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The vegan cookies-and-creme coconut bonbons are a convenient, dairy-free treat.

I couldn't taste the coconut base.Savanna Swain-Wilson

In my opinion, the flavor didn't quite live up to its description.

Trader Joe's nondairy bonbons didn't taste like cookies and creme to me.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's chocolate-and-vanilla-bean gelato looked tasty in its container.

Trader Joe's chocolate-and-vanilla-bean gelato was swirled with fudge, which looked delicious.Savanna Swain-Wilson

This gelato tasted like it came from a café.

I enjoyed Trader Joe's chocolate-and-vanilla-bean gelato.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's organic freezer pops looked like an adult take on a classic summertime treat.

Trader Joe's organic freezer pops came in three tasty-looking flavors.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The colorful freezer pops made me feel like a little kid again.

Trader Joe's organic freezer pops were delicious, but the cherry-limeade flavor was my favorite.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's fudgy cookie-dough ice cream was full of sweet, delicious morsels.

This ice cream had chocolate chips and cookie-dough pieces in it.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The fudgy cookie-dough ice cream will be a movie night go-to.

Trader Joe's fudgy cookie-dough ice cream was delicious.Savanna Swain-Wilson

Trader Joe's s'mores bars seemed like an easy-to-serve version of the campfire classic.

I wondered how Trader Joe's s'mores bars would compare to the traditional treat.Savanna Swain-Wilson

The s'mores bars were a hit, though I wish the graham-cracker layer was thicker.

I liked Trader Joe's s'mores bars, but had a few notes.Savanna Swain-Wilson

I made hot dogs on the grill and in my air fryer, and one appliance took less than half the time

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