Trader Joe’s Just Leaked Info on a Totally Top-Secret Frozen Pastry — And It Might Be Even Better than the Beloved Chocolate Croissants

Mara Weinraub
Mara WeinraubSenior Editor of Groceries at The Kitchn
I nudged my way into writing about food after a too-long stint working in advertising. At first, I freelanced for several digital food media outlets, and then worked at Hearst Magazines as the Senior Food & Drink Editor across nearly all titles, including Delish, Good Housekeeping, and Pioneer Woman. I’ve been at The Kitchn since August 2021, and one of my proudest accomplishments is my feature detailing the fascinating grocer solutions to America’s food waste problem. (If you haven’t read it, now’s the time!) I nerd out over groceries. One of the best parts of my job is sharing little-known or untold stories that help shoppers navigate the aisles — and their budget — like the “two-finger” rule on how to pick out the perfect watermelon, our editors' favorite hot cocoa mix, or a corner of our country's food system. I’m always looking for new ways to expand the groceries conversation at The Kitchn.
Follow
published Oct 4, 2022
pinterest
comments
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
trader joe's shopping cart
Credit: Lauren Masur

The folks at Trader Joe’s are notoriously tight-lipped about product launches. But it appears one “totally top-secret” item is just too good to keep under wraps. In the latest episode of the Inside Trader Joe’s podcast, which dropped earlier this week, hosts Tara Miller and Matt Sloan broke news about some limited-edition Chocolate Chocolate Croissants coming to stores soon-ish. And while there’s a lot to still uncover, I already cannot wait to get my hands on one.

What We Know About Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chocolate Croissants 

These frozen pastries are so fresh they were only “recently approved for a limited run,” says Tara (in fact, she went on to say this news probably wouldn’t make the podcast … ). The podcast host revealed that the croissants will be made with a chocolate dough and filled with chocolate — hence the name. 

I imagine they’re going to be similar to the beloved chocolate croissants currently in the store’s freezer cases — but, you know, with twice the chocolate. (If you’re not familiar with the wonder that is the TJ’s frozen chocolate croissants, allow me to explain: These flaky pastries are buttery, filled with chocolate, and, according to many, the closest to true Parisian croissants. Bonus: They’re incredibly easy to make.)

When Will the New TJ’s Croissants Hit Stores? 

Unfortunately, and much to my mother’s disappointment, I do not have a direct line to either Matt or Tara. So to find out just how soon we could expect to find boxes of these flaky pastries in stores, I did the next best thing I could think of: I called my local Trader Joe’s and spoke with an employee (several, actually). 

At the time we spoke, the croissants weren’t in the store. After checking what I imagined is a computer to see when they would arrive, one employee told me, “It’s not popping up in the system.” The croissants are nowhere to be found? What does that mean? I asked a second employee the same question! 

As it turns out, the case of the missing croissants could mean one of two things. The chocolate chocolate croissants are currently not available anywhere and will be hitting shelves at a yet-to-be-determined date. Or, and this was harder to hear, the frozen pastries are a regional item and won’t be available in my area at all. I’m feeling relatively confident it’s the former, given the continued popularity of the current chocolate croissants, but only time (and regularly calling TJ’s) will tell.

While I wait, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed, my eyes peeled, and a freezer shelf clear — just in case.

Have you spotted these new TJ’s chocolate chocolate croissants in stores? Tell us about it in the comments below!