The Giant Trader Joe's Dessert That Shoppers Stock Up On
The pleasure of discovering a delicious new snack from Trader Joe's is only matched by the burst of panicked FOMO you get when you learn that said snack is seasonal. There are plenty of treats, like the scrumptious Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups or this writer's beloved Snacky Clusters, that are in stock year-round. But, with seasonal items, once a location has run out of, say, Portuguese Custard Tarts (which are only available in spring), you'll just have to wait until next year. No wonder certain Trader Joe's devotees stock up on their favorites — including, and especially, those wonderful Danish Kringles.
Trader Joe's is a private label store, meaning that just about everything it sells has the brand name on it. For instance, you can't buy Takis at TJ's, but you can buy Trader Joe's Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips. (These chips, along with the peanut butter cups, are in Trader Joe's Hall of Fame.) One notable exception is the Kringles — basically, big rings of pastry with sweet fillings — which proudly declare that they come from O & H Danish Bakery in Racine, Wisconsin. It's an obvious vote of confidence from the supermarket chain; clearly, Trader Joe's knows what it's got.
Kringles come in seasonal flavors -- and shoppers are eager to get their hands on them
Most times of the year, you'll probably find some kind of kringle in the Bakery section of Trader Joe's. Exactly what flavor, however, depends on the season. In April and May, you may find a raspberry kringle; in June and July, it could be a cheesecake kringle; when Christmas rolls around, chances are the yuletide will be celebrated with an almond kringle. (There are also pecan kringles for January and February, and pumpkin kringles for — when else? — September and October.)
Whether you have a preferred flavor or if you like them all equally, you'll probably want to stock up on them. Kringles freeze well, meaning you can store them for a rainy day, and they're quite large, meaning they can last you a while once you thaw them out. Just be aware, though, that other people will probably have the same idea — in fact, some Trader Joe's limit kringles to two per customer, just so that stock doesn't deplete too quickly.