I tried 22 of Trader Joe’s ice creams and frozen desserts, and I’d buy almost all of them again

Like true horchata, this ice cream derives its flavor from a sweet-rice and cinnamon base.

It reminded me of leftover cereal milk with cinnamon, and I was absolutely here for it. It was sweet and tasty, yet incredibly light on the tongue.

There were also tiny pieces of horchata-flavored cookies mixed in throughout that added a pop of cinnamon.

VERDICT: This was a perfect 10. I hope Trader Joe's keeps it around so I can buy it again and again.

It may seem silly to review vanilla ice cream, especially when Trader Joe's has so many inspired flavors, but this one deserves a shout-out.

I was impressed by the quality right off the bat. The authentic vanilla flavor struck the right balance of sweet and creamy without being overwhelming.

This would be great with baked goods or other sweet toppings, like chocolate or caramel sauce.

VERDICT: I don't usually reach for vanilla ice cream, but this will be my go-to for birthday parties and other gatherings.

Trader Joe's Coffee Bean Blast was delicious. It was as smooth as gelato and even had finely ground espresso mixed in for an artisan flair.

This ice cream tasted more like coffee than the average java-flavored version — which is a good thing.

It was incredible on its own, but if I wanted to elevate the dessert, I'd pile it on one of Trader Joe's chocolate lava cakes.

VERDICT: This delicious ice cream sported just the right balance of roasted-coffee flavor and sweetness.

These sandwiches have a lot going for them. They're portable, sport a tasty center of coffee ice cream, and use brownies in place of wafers. 

Plus the chocolate chips on top made every bite satisfyingly chewy. However, even though the texture was on point, I thought the flavor of the brownies was underwhelming.

That said, I probably wouldn't have noticed the brownies — or cared as much — if the coffee ice cream wasn't so good. The difference was stark.

VERDICT: These were still pretty tasty, but I wouldn't choose them over other ice cream sandwiches.

These chocolate fudge oat bars satisfied my craving for a sweet, chocolaty treat that didn't leave me feeling heavy.

The oat base offered a smooth mouthfeel and subtle sweetness without an obvious aftertaste.

The chocolaty flavor wasn't as bold as a traditional Fudgsicle and tasted slightly less sweet, but for a dairy-free option, it was pretty good.

VERDICT: I'd definitely buy these again and recommend them to anyone looking for a vegan treat.

Ube is a purple yam native to the Philippines. The flavor was extracted into a puree for this ice cream and gives the treat its gorgeous lilac color.

There's been so much buzz around this flavor ever since it dropped in 2019. For over a week, I checked my Trader Joe's to find a carton, and when I finally did, this was the last one.

Luckily, it totally lived up to the hype and offered a unique flavor experience. It tasted like a cross between pistachio and toasted coconut, with notes of white chocolate.

I particularly liked that the sweetness was quite mellow, which allowed the flavor to seem more nutty than sugary.

VERDICT: Two thumbs up from me.

This ice cream was packed with semi-solidified chunks of actual cookie butter, so every bite was caramelly and buttery, with the inviting hint of cinnamon and ginger spice.

As expected, this flavor was unmistakably sweet and tasty. However, some of the cookie butter pieces had a slightly waxy texture that left an odd taste on the sides of my mouth.

This wasn't off-putting enough to ruin the whole thing, but it definitely kept me from wanting more than a scoop or two at a time.

VERDICT: If you're like me and obsess over the Speculoos cookie butter, this would be right up your alley.

Made with a coconut milk base, this frozen dessert was flavored like cold brew and sported the small tapioca pearls you can find at some beverage shops. 

It had more of a sweet, milky taste than an intense coffee flavor, but it was still quite yummy.

However, I wasn't sold on the texture, which was more icy than creamy. Granted, this isn't technically ice cream, just a frozen dessert.

There were plenty of chewy tapioca pearls, which would be great for boba fans, but folks who've never had bubble tea may find them a bit overwhelming.

VERDICT: I wouldn't reach for this again, but it was a decent vegan option.

Between the fresh berry purée, sweet cream ice cream, and cheesecake pieces, every spoonful of this treat screamed perfection. 

The blueberries and raspberries added a brightness that really popped against the rich ice cream.

Even though the cheesecake pieces were quite small, they made each bite all the more exciting.

VERDICT: This ice cream doesn't need toppings to be worth your while. I wish it came by the gallon, but for my sake, it's best that it doesn't.

I haven't eaten a creamsicle in about 20 years, so seeing these ice pops brought me back to my childhood.

Instead of a traditional orange sherbet coating, this used a tangerine shell, so the color was more of a natural yellow. 

It was more tart than I anticipated, but this made the sweet vanilla ice cream at the center all the more satisfying.

VERDICT: I'd gladly buy these every summer, just for the nostalgic taste.

Trader Joe's strawberry nondairy frozen treat was light, fluffy, and almost mousse-like. The flavor reminded me of yogurt, with a candied sweetness that was mellow enough to avoid being overly sweet.

However, I thought the advertised almond brittle was more like candied nuts. I appreciated the attempt to cut through the fruity sweetness and add some dimension, but its overall presence seemed unnecessary.

Not all ice creams need texture, and the brittle makes this product unfriendly to those with nut allergies.

VERDICT: I'm not rushing to buy this again, but I wouldn't turn it away if I were offered some. 

If you love Trader Joe's dark-chocolate peanut-butter cups, this ice cream was made for you.

It had a super rich, chocolate ice cream base with ribbons of actual peanut butter and soft pieces of peanut butter Joe-Joe's. 

However, the mix-ins seemed inconsistent, and some bites tasted like pure peanut butter, which caught me off guard. It also could've used more Joe-Joe's chunks.

VERDICT: On the whole, this was passable — just not something I'm in a hurry to buy again.

In college, I'd buy cookie ice-cream sandwiches, so this box of four caught my eye.

Even better, they tasted just as yummy as the "fresh" ones. The chocolate chip cookies were soft and chewy, but stayed intact through every bite without crumbling or getting soggy.

The chocolate chips lining the outside of each sandwich added some texture that made this fun to eat. And, of course, the vanilla ice cream was the perfect complement to the notes of brown sugar.

VERDICT: I enjoyed these even more than the brownie crisp sandwiches.

Like a regular bonbon, these featured a yummy chocolate shell that gave way to a vanilla center. 

I was worried the coconut "ice cream" would make these taste like a frozen Mounds bar, but Trader Joe's expertly masked that flavor.

Despite this treat's impressive taste, the mixed-in cookie bits didn't offer much besides a vaguely chocolaty nuance, so it didn't quite achieve the cookies-and-creme flavor advertised on the box.

That wasn't a dealbreaker, though. For a vegan ice cream snack, these hit the spot.

VERDICT: I'd definitely buy these again for when I want to limit my dairy intake.

This gelato looked so pretty in the carton that I didn't want to scoop it up. It reminded me of the displays in Italian gelato shops.

Texture-wise, it was thicker than ice cream but softer on the palate (gelato is made with less milk fat than ice cream, which might explain this).

It wasn't as icy as traditional ice cream, but was closer to smooth frozen yogurt or soft serve.

I usually go for exciting gelato flavors, like pistachio or salted caramel, so the chocolate and vanilla were a bit underwhelming to me. But that doesn't make this bad. It's just something I'm unlikely to reach for again in the future.

VERDICT: I thought the flavors were sort of boring, so I'll likely skip this in the future. However, it's worth trying if you're new to gelato.

These ice pops, which come in cherry-limeade, berry, and orange flavors, seemed like a modern twist on the ones I enjoyed as a kid.

The packaging notes that this take on handheld ice pops is made with 100% juice. However, I don't know if that makes much of a difference as far as flavor goes, since most ice pops taste just like juice to me.

By far, my favorite flavor was the cherry limeade. The combination of citrusy and tart flavors tasted so grown-up. On that note, I'd gladly stick one of these pops into a cranberry cocktail for an added punch of flavor.

VERDICT: It's worth having a bag of these ice pops in the freezer for hot summer days.

Trader Joe's fudgy cookie dough ice cream was creamy and chock full of slightly crumbly chocolate chip cookie dough nuggets.

I intended to sample just a spoonful but ended up returning for a full bowl.

The swirls of fudge made this ice cream an absolute standout that's worth buying. The faintest hint of sea salt from the fudge swirl enhanced the vanilla ice cream and made the chocolate chips pop.

If Trader Joe's threw brownies into the mix, this could give Ben & Jerry's popular Half Baked ice cream a run for its money.

VERDICT: This flavor only comes around during the summer, so I plan to stock up every June.

Per the package instructions, you can either thaw these bars at room temperature for two hours or heat them in a conventional oven or air fryer.

I chose the first option because I didn't want to turn on either appliance on a hot summer day. Looking back, though, I'd go with the oven option to get the full s'mores experience.

After two hours, the bars were still sort of cold, but I indulged anyway. Lucky for me, they were quite tasty.

The brownie layer was satisfyingly chewy and fudgy, with an intense, chocolaty flavor. The marshmallow component was fluffy, like the jarred stuff you get in the store, and tasted exactly as I'd expected.

The graham cracker layer held together decently under the marshmallow, but I wished it were a bit thicker or had a standout cinnamony flavor.

VERDICT: It's hard to say this truly delivers the vibe of the campfire classic, but I think of it as more of a marshmallow brownie instead.

However, they're worth every penny and I'd definitely buy them again.

There's a yummy, citrusy, vanilla sweetness to this mochi that reminded me of a creamsicle. However, it had more of a zingy tartness that made my lips instantly perk into a smile.

It reminded me of a creamier version of a fruity sherbet. The doughy portion also had a slight sweetness that did a nice job counteracting the tartness.

I'd serve this alongside an Aperol Spritz or other citrus-forward drink.

VERDICT: A food that is bite-sized, tasty, and aesthetically satisfying? Yes please.

The pronounced, bitter, green-tea note in this mochi caught me slightly off guard. However, this is likely because my palate is used to extra sweet treats, which is no fault of Trader Joe's.

Overall, this dessert captures the taste of a typical matcha drink from a coffee shop, without any of that green powdery residue.

Similar to the other mochi, though, this one loses points for me because the package isn't resealable. Although I'm not opposed to devouring all six in one evening, I'd prefer to buy something I don't have to constantly rebuy to keep fresh.

VERDICT: Although these weren't my favorite, I'd recommend them to anyone who appreciates a good matcha.

Thankfully, the strawberry flavoring here is far from candied, making each bite taste incredibly light and cool. I thought the strawberry mochi tasted more fruity than sweet, making them all too easy to eat.

VERDICT: I'd definitely buy these again. However, it's worth noting that this is a seasonal product, so if you like lighter flavors, I'd definitely recommend grabbing a box soon.

As soon as I realized the banana pudding ice cream contained bits of vanilla wafer cookies, I knew it was a keeper.

Those bits of texture — combined with swirls of salted caramel, banana puree, and the ultra-smooth base — tasted like pure comfort.

Overall, it was rich, creamy, and delicious without veering into awkward artificial tastes. I paired mine with chocolate shell topping and I'm not sure I'll be able to enjoy it any other way.

VERDICT: Give me 10 more cartons immediately.

Each one of these macarons features a sugary cream-like filling that acts as the glue holding each cookie together. Unfortunately though, I thought the cookies tasted pretty dry.

That said, these were pretty tasty for something that came out of the frozen section at Trader Joe's.

Between the two flavor choices, I thought the chocolate was far superior. To me, the vanilla one tasted too much like extract.

The biggest downside of these, though is that the package says to consume them within two days. Though that's normally not a problem for someone with a sweet tooth like me, this fact makes them challenging to justify buying again.

VERDICT: I'm not an expert baker, but I've purchased macarons from multiple bakeries and can confirm these are a pretty solid for being frozen. Although I probably wouldn't purchase them again for myself, I'd totally buy them if I had guests coming over.

Click to keep reading other Trader Joe's taste tests in this series.