As the holiday season approaches, so do holiday foods. What’s better than your average snack though? That’s right: Trader Joe’s holiday snacks. The holiday cheer that some of these snacks bring to people helps them get into the holiday mindset. Some others though think there’s too much cheer, too much maple syrup, and far too much pumpkin spice. Slick Magazine previously ranked everyday snacks from the popular store, however, this did not include any holiday snacks. So here are the top 7 fall favorites presented by the Slick staff.

Seven: “Mini Maple Flavored Marshmallows” ($2.99)

At the bottom of the list are the “Mini Maple Flavored Marshmallows.” These small, soft pillows held a distasteful flavor that no one enjoyed. When popping them into their mouths and expecting the sweet, light, fluffiness of sugar, most of the staff found it to be quite bland. In the end, no one had anything positive to say about the punch that these marshmallows held.   

Maddy York, Slick’s managing editor, said, “[They have] no flavor and the texture was horrible.”     

Another slick Staff member Alani Browning also said “Honestly, I think marshmallows should be left to their original flavor, and these support my belief. I’m not sure if it was the texture of the taste, but I could only eat one before I gave up on trying to enjoy them.”

The flavor was a big turn-off when it came to these, but for others, it was the smell. Izzy Vosper, one of Slick’s social media managers said “Initially, the smell of these were appealing. It reminded me of a chemical factory if they started producing thousands of tons of sugar by the second.” 

It’s quite clear that the “Mini Maple Flavored Marshmallows” were not a class favorite.

Six: “Pumpkin Spiced Teeny Tiny Pretzels” ($3.49) 

The “Pumpkin Spice Teeny Tiny Pretzels” were not a group favorite as well. The pretzels were covered in some sort of pumpkin spice yogurt that did not taste like how they were described. Although, some people found them enjoyable in small amounts. 

Slick staff writer Eli Harrison said, “I love pretzels, they’re a nice crunch with whatever they’re covered in. I wouldn’t be able to eat too many of them being they’re kind of ‘eh’ though.”

Others found them dreadful, the pretzels being stale and not worthy of seconds. 

Slick team leader Sienna Schoales said, “I thought that the pretzels were a bit too fragrant. The aftertaste was, like, incredibly bitter maple syrup, and the pretzels felt a bit stale to me. It didn’t have a satisfying crunch or taste for that matter.”

The “Pumpkin Spiced Teeny Tiny Pretzels” were a hit for some but for others, not so much.  

Five: “Spooky Bats and Cats Sour Gummy Candies” ($3.49)

The reviews of this Halloween-inspired candy were the most mixed compared to other snacks. For some, the sourness of these gummies was their favorite part, with flavors including sour apple, grape, and orange.

Lila Concepcion said, “The Halloween Gummies are perfectly sweet and sour. They’re super cute, yummy, and perfect for the spooky season because they’re shaped like cats and bats and have Halloween colors. My favorite flavor was the sour green apple, but I also saw orange and grape there.” 

These gummies also had some negative reviews. Some thought that the sourness overpowered the flavor of the gummies. 

Harrison said, “I usually don’t mind sour candy, but this is sour and honestly made me cringe. The sour stuff on the gummy isn’t just lightly dusted on it or anything, it’s like a bucket of it was dumped on there. Once you get past the sour taste, they also don’t have a good flavor, just a ‘blah’ taste.”

These gummies give a sour kick to the mouth, if you despise sourness, these may not be for you.

Four: “Halloween Joe Joe’s Cookie”s ($3.99)

These Joe Joe’s were a favorite for some. The cookie had a slight dark chocolate taste and the filling was the same as the original Joe Joe’s, just colored orange. 

Harrison said, “I didn’t think I would like the cookie, however, it tasted pretty good and creamy. It didn’t overly taste like pumpkin.”

Others thought that this holiday spin-off of the Joe Joe’s cookie was not a good combo.

August Berrios, a Slick staff member, said “They’re gross [and] the flavors don’t mix…”

At the middle of this list, the “Halloween Joe Joe’s Cookies” swung both ways. Some certainly didn’t favor the flavor palette, while others rather enjoyed it.

Three: “Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies” ($3.99)

“Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies” made it as one of the top three fall snacks. These little cookies are the holiday version of the pink & and white shortbread cookies that Trader Joe’s offers. They come in two different flavors and are coated in a lustrous frosting. 

They weren’t a fan favorite for the whole group, however. A few staff found them to be repulsing and did not want to go back for more. 

Concepcion said, “The ‘Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies’ are disgusting. If you have ever wondered what a seasonal candle tastes like, just have one of these. I’ve never tasted a cookie comparable to taking a bite out of a hunk of wax.”

However, a majority of staff members shared a more positive sentiment. “These cookies were scrumptious. The buttery shortbread had a melt-in-your-mouth quality, and the creamy frosting has a subtle, yet delicious, sugary-pumpkin taste,” said Vosper.

Similarly, Schoales said, “[These cookies are] a gorgeous, gorgeous combination of pumpkin, crunch, and sprinkles. The frosting on top was delightful.”

Despite the affliction of a few, a majority of staff favored the “Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies,” so they made number 3 on the list. 

Two: “Pumpkin Spice Batons” ($2.29)

Coming in at number two are the “Pumpkin Spice Batons.” These batons were a fan favorite and had many people returning for more. For a flavor profile, these wafers had a pumpkin spice taste to them. 

A staff member, Tegenn Jeffery, had a very passionate feeling about them, stating, “Funnily enough, I didn’t love them upon first nibble but soon that all changed. The flaky goodness of the outer wafer contrasted with the creamy pumpkin filling was perfection.”

Browning also talked about them saying “The pumpkin spice sticks were incredible. They reminded me of fall and big, comfy sweaters. I want to eat them again with chai tea and frozen yogurt and then go on a hayride.”

While some people strongly liked this treat, others were not in favor of the batons. 

Sydney Hart expressed these feelings by saying, “They had no flavor, but also too much at the same time. It was bland and somewhat tasted like a bar of pumpkin spice soap.”

Ultimately, the “Pumpkin Spice Batons” had more positive things said about them than negative.   

One: “Pumpkin Flavored Joe-Joe’s” ($2.99)

Being crowned the Best fall snack, according to the Slick Staff is the “Pumpkin Flavored Joe-Joe’s.” These “Oreo-like” cookies were a class favorite, receiving very few negative responses and tasting like the classic Joe-Joe’s but with a pumpkin taste to them. 

Schoales talked about them saying “I loved the pumpkin Oreos. They are the quintessential falltime snack for me—everything from the crunch and taste to the smell of them radiates comfort for me!”

Grace Bumgarner also talked about them in a positive light saying, “…they were so flavorful and the taste just melted in my mouth, the texture reminded me of the circus animal cookies.” 

York also said, “It tasted like a slice of pumpkin pie and it was sweet but not overpowering.”

This being the best-ranked fall snack is shown by the amount of positive reviews that were received over this product. 

The Trader Joe’s Fall selection expands every year, much to the excitement of avid TJ’s fans. Hopefully, These Slick Staff reviews summarize what fall snacks they have in store and can be the guide to what food you should reach for on your next trip to Trader Joe’s.