13 Best Trader Joe's Snacks For Lovers Of Spice

If there are two things that Trader Joe's is known for, it is delicious snacks and tiny, Tetris-like parking lots. (If you're wondering about the last one, here's the reason Trader Joe's parking lots are so small.) And while TJ's has more than enough sweet and salty treats to make us wonder if there's anything they can't cover in dark chocolate or sprinkle with sea salt, they certainly don't skimp on the spice, either. In fact, every Trader Joe's has aisles and aisles stocked with tempting snacks that feature red-hot ingredients like cinnamon, chili powder, and ghost peppers. But if you're either a spice-fan or a masochist, you've got to be asking one question: which red-hot snacks burn the brightest?

That's why we've put together this list of the best spicy snacks that Trader Joe's has to offer, so you can easily pick and choose which four-alarm favorites you have to take home. After all, you can't try them all. And even if you're dedicated to decimating your mouth, that doesn't mean you want to also decimate your grocery budget.

1. Chile Lime Flavored Fried Pork Rinds

While pork rinds don't exactly scream "healthy," it's hard to deny that these deep-fried pork skins are "heavenly." Especially these particular rinds, which are covered with chili pepper, paprika, and garlic, that give you plenty of heat to go with their crispy goodness. But they've also got plenty of lemon and lime flavor to add in some sour and tangy notes, too, creating a delicious blend of spicy and sour that really makes you forget you're eating deep-fried skin.

And the combination of all of those flavors can be addicting. Or as one Redditor put it, "Just a warning, if you sit down with this bag, you will finish it in one go. They are seriously that good." And at 9 grams of protein and 0 carbs per bag, they're not exactly the worst snack in the world, especially if you're doing keto. Just try not to think about annoying things like "calories" or "saturated fat." Oh, and if you want to know more about the process behind them, here's a guide to how pork rinds are made.

2. Sweet & Spicy Pecans

If you're looking for some sweet to go with your spicy, these pecans will give you plenty of both. The sweetness comes from being covered in a mixture of cane sugar and powdered sugar, while the spice comes from being mixed with a blend of ancho chili, cayenne, and paprika. It's a combination that gives you plenty of sweet and heat, leaving you with a snack that goes great on its own or as a topping for desserts or even entrees. As one Redditor wrote, "Great to eat by the handful, add to salads, chop on top of butternut squash ravioli, throw on an ice cream sundae ... just, great no matter what I do with them!"

But honestly, all that sprinkling just sounds like too much effort to me, and I tend to just devour them on my own, as a solo snack. And my only complaint about them is that their 5-ounce bags are a little small. And I think we can all agree that there's nothing sadder than reaching for that last, final pecan and realizing you have nothing left but the sweet and spicy dust at the bottom of the bag ... until I can reach over and grab another bag from the pile.

3. Ghost Pepper Potato Chips

As one of the hottest peppers in the world, with a rating of over a million Scoville units (for comparison, the jalapeño pepper rates only 10,000 Scovilles), you'd think these lattice-cut potato chips would be pretty hot. And you'd be right, especially since they not only include ghost peppers, but green chili peppers, and jalapeños, too. And as addicting as potato chips are, imagine how addictive they can be with such blazing hot pepper taste to them.

The only problem is that you never quite know how much heat you'll get from each sample, as some customers complain about the spice levels varying from bag to bag. As one Redditor wrote, "They're inconsistent with the spice level. It's kind of a surprise every time you buy a bag. Sometimes they barely have any heat and other times they make my eyes water and I cough! Never ghost pepper level, but they are spicy on occasion! But it's a gamble!" But honestly, that sounds like a pretty good gamble to me.

What's the best way to ensure a spicy bag? Open the bag from the bottom, to make sure the spice hasn't settled. In fact, that's the reason we included these chips on our list of Trader Joe's chips you should open from the bottom.

4. Chile Seasoned Dried Mango

If you're looking for a snack that blends spicy and sweet, check out these mango strips, which are inspired by the Mexican street food "mango en palo" (literally "mango on a stick"). The original snack consists of freshly cut mango, which is drizzled with lime juice and covered in chili powder or Tajín seasoning, and also, as you probably guessed, put on a stick. However, these Trader Joe's strips are made from dried Mexican Kent mangoes, which are then coated in a mixture of chili powder, cane sugar, salt, and citric acid to create a treat that's, as it says on the bag, "sweet, tart, salty, and spicy." Plus, you get all the deliciousness of mango, but without the mess that comes from its juices, or from sprinkling Tajín all over the place. Although, if you eat these, you're definitely getting that spice on your fingers.

Oh, and if you're thinking that a "Kent mango" doesn't sound particularly Mexican, that's because it's a type of mango that originated in Florida, but is now mainly grown in Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru. Isn't it nice to see it come back and visit?

5. Spicy Tempura Seaweed Snack

This Spicy Tempura Seaweed Snack is exactly what its name implies: sheets of spiced seaweed covered in tempura batter and fried, leaving it with a rich, crunchy coating. It's great to see so much accuracy on food packaging for once.

As for the spice, it's inspired by Togarashi, a spicy and savory Japanese spice mix often used on ramen and soups. These crunchy seaweed bites are covered in a mix of chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, red chili powder, and black pepper. All of this gives you a salty, yet savory, treat that's also popular as a crumbled topping. Or as some customers have posted on Reddit, "I make rice bowls with spicy tuna and avocado, and I crumble these over the top. So good!" and "I'm obsessed with these! They're seriously so good. When I make poke bowls I crumble them on top."

But they're also delicious as a snack on their own, with the bag making an especially great self-contained snack when you're traveling. Which is definitely why they ended up on our list of the 10 best snacks for holiday travel.

6. Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips

If these rolled tortilla chips look familiar, that's probably because they're remarkably similar to Takis rolled tortilla chips, which I'm sure is completely coincidental. It even has a very similar flavor profile to the Takis Fuego flavor, with a chili pepper and lime mix that combines spice and citrusy zest. And customers have certainly picked up on the similarities, although at least one Reddit thread suggested that these were actually better than Takis, with one Redditor writing, "I'm 100% with you on this!! TJ's 'takis' have actual flavor and actual takis are reeeally salty. Even done a side by side and I like TJ's waaaay better!"

And while these are great on their own, the rolled shape also makes them perfect for dipping in mashed avocado or, of course, dips. And if you're looking for another way to use them, this feels like the perfect time to mention that tortilla chips are a crunchy snack that doubles as the perfect chili thickener. After all, you can never have too much chili in your chili, right?

7. Garlic & Black Pepper Almonds

While most of the items on this list lean towards the "mouth-on-fire" area of spice, these roasted almonds are more on the "keep your mouth happy" area. Because sometimes you want some spicy taste, but you also want to be able to enjoy having a tongue. And with a simple spice profile of black pepper, sea salt, dehydrated garlic, and onion, these almonds have a traditional, savory taste that definitely won't destroy your taste buds. And that makes them equally great for solo snacking or piling into a party bowl. (I prefer the former, as I'm not a fan of parties or sharing).

And while you get plenty of garlic powder taste from these, you also get a lot of salt, as they were definitely saltier than I expected. But that's certainly not a deal-breaker for me. And I have to confess that every time I get a bag of these, I finish the whole thing in one sitting. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who does that, so when are they gonna wise up and just change the serving size to "the whole thing?"

8. Chile Crackers

If you're looking to add some heat to your charcuterie board, these crackers boast a good amount of crushed chili pepper which gives them some extra kick and a nice, spicy aftertaste. That said, they don't have a whole lot of flavor beyond that heat, apart from a mild tomato flavor, so you probably won't be snacking on them alone. As one Reddit poster described them, "These crackers aren't 'hot' but they have a kick to them. You do taste the spice on the back end. I'd describe them as a mild to lower moderate spicy cracker."

Our advice? These are best suited to adding a little spice to something else, like rounding out some dips or pairing with a cheese like Trader Joe's sliced black truffle Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese with Scotch bonnet peppers. And while they may not be best suited for a solo act, you can definitely make some good duets with them.

9. Cinna-Dragons Gummy Candy

If cinnamon's the spice you're after, these dragon-shaped gummies will give you plenty of that, with a hot and spicy cinnamon taste that'll remind you of Hot Tamales or Red Hots. But while Trader Joe's describes them as "soft and chewy," some customers feel they're actually too chewy. Because, while you might expect them to have the chewy consistency of a gummy candy, customers describe them as more soft and sticky, with a tendency to get stuck in your teeth. Or as one Redditor put it: "I love cinnamon bears, but these are softer and wayyyyy hotter. I literally had red marks on the insides of my cheeks from where they were stuck in my teeth."

That said, they definitely deliver plenty of cinnamon goodness with every chew, and it's another one that's hard to stop from eating a whole bag at once. And personally, I don't see the downside to having a red mouth and fiery breath. Sounds pretty dragon-appropriate to me.

10. Thai Lime & Chili Cashews

As chili and lime leaves are two of the staple flavors of Thai cuisine, it's not surprising that they go well together. But what really gives these cashews the Thai flavor is the mix of seasonings inspired by Tom Yum (a traditional Thai hot and sour soup), with the cashews seasoned with sugar, garlic, lemongrass, chili powder, and lemon.

These are another snack that customers suggest using as a topping on other foods, with one Reddit thread suggesting: "Yup, I love these! I chop and add as a garnish on Thai food all the time (the frozen vegan Thai green curry from TJ is a good match too!)." And, "My absolute favorite cashews at TJ's! If you like the frozen veggie pad Thai, I recommend crushing some of these guys up and stirring it in the pad Thai. Adds a nice spice and light crunch!" Or you could be like me and simply devour them straight out of the bag, barely stopping before opening up another one.

11. Chile Spiced Pineapple

Pineapple's already one of the most delicious foods ever, but what if you combined it with chili spice, giving it a huge amount of heat to balance out its ridiculously sweet pineapple flavor? Well, you'd have these delicious treats, which are dried pineapple rings coated in spice in a similar way to the previously mentioned chili seasoned dried mangoes.

Here, the spice comes from coating the rings with chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and chamoy powder. (If you're unfamiliar with chamoy, it's a sweet and savory Mexican sauce that you should add to your condiment lineup). All this gives the pineapple some serious spice, although it's balanced with a healthy helping of cane sugar and salt, to make a sweet, spicy and salty treat. Or as one Reddit user wrote: "Chile Spiced Pineapple is every bit as good as the mango. I don't usually go for sweetened dried fruit but I love both of these."

12. Jerk-Style Plantain Chips

If you've never tried a plantain chip, they're a staple of Jamaican cuisine. And they're also like banana chips, only thicker, less sweet and more savory. But while regular plantain chips are still a little sweet, these chips definitely overpower that sweetness by being covered with a "jerk-style" seasoning made of allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander seed, nutmeg, red pepper, and thyme.

If you're not familiar with jerk cooking, it's a Jamaican style of seasoning, smoking, and grilling meat that uses plenty of spices, like peppers, garlic, ginger, pimento, thyme, and cinnamon. So, this mix isn't exactly authentic, which explains the description of "jerk-style." But these chips still give you plenty of spice, especially the red chili pepper, which gives it a real kick that'll linger after every bite. Or as one Redditor described them, "They're delicious! Didn't think I'd be a fan because I don't like plantain chips but the seasoning is so good I don't mind. They're a great alternative to chips but they're also pretty spicy."

13. Chile & Garlic Cashews

Unlike the Thai chili and lime cashews, these cashews use plenty of garlic and chili powder to give them a spicier flavor. And while they do have some lime and sugar to round out the heat, the lime powder is much less pronounced than their Thai counterparts.

And judging by customer reviews, these are some of the most popular of Trader Joe's nut offerings, with one Redditor writing, "The cashews are perfectly roasted and have that crunchy yet buttery texture that roasted cashews are known for. The seasoning consists of salt, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, lime powder, garlic oleoresin, and capsicum oleoresin; all of which perfectly complements the natural rich and creamy flavor of the cashew." While another customer wrote in the same thread, "These are one of the most addictive things Trader Joe's sells. They have such good flavor and the seasonings are balanced perfectly. I can't keep them in my house for more than a couple days. Like someone else said, they really should sell these in a bigger bag."

I think that's the real lesson from this list. Everything in Trader Joe's should be in bigger bags. And those bags should be in my kitchen.

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