Trader Joe's New Affogato Dessert Has Customers Divided — 'This Is Blasphemy'

Have you ever had an idea that seemed great in theory, only to realize (too late!) that it might not actually work in execution? There may be a product buyer at Trader Joe's feeling that way right now. One of the chain's newest releases — a frozen, pre-packaged dairy-free affogato duo — is a cute concept, but it is getting mixed reactions from TJ's shoppers.

The box of desserts, which contains two affogatos for $4.49, features miniature cups of coconut milk-based non-dairy ice cream. Each cup comes with a packet of instant espresso. To make the affogato, Trader Joe's says to pour the instant coffee into a well in the ice cream and top it with hot water. Bam! Instant affogato! Or, at least, an approximation thereof?

As Trader Joe's fans across the internet were quick to point out, instant espresso prepared directly on top of non-dairy ice cream is a poor substitute for the luscious Italian dessert. Plus, commenters expressed doubt that the instant coffee granules would dissolve fast enough. "Was it grainy? I would think it might be better to make the espresso in a separate mug before combining," wrote a TikTok user. A Redditor was less diplomatic and expressed, " ... Instant coffee packets? In a traditional and traditionally Italian dessert? This is blasphemy."

Some reactions were enthusiastic, but most were as lukewarm as a half-melted instant-expresso affogato. "I am going to buy these for all my vegan family members for sure," wrote one Redditor, without mentioning whether they liked their family members or not. Though other TJ's shoppers with dairy restrictions expressed their desire to try it.

TikToker @​​nicoleeeemma was on team instant affogato, and captioned the video of her dessert with "this is so cute." Fellow TikTok users disagreed, though. "That looks awful," read the top comment. "Thank you for the video," wrote another. "Was curious about this item and now I know not to buy it."

People who've tried the affogato seem to agree that it's edible, but not a must-buy. "Ice cream is pretty good! The instant coffee was strong and bitter imo," wrote one Redditor, adding, "We also had hot chocolate to pair it with, and I added some to cut the bitterness." "I give it a five out of ten," TikToker @veganhackspod told followers. "Tasty, but honestly, just make it yourself."

The consensus seems clear. The Trader Joe's Affogatos aren't worth it. It's not hard to make an affogato with fresh espresso brewed at home. An added bonus? You can give your homemade affogato a boozy kick. As for cravings on the go, try a McAffogato — a McDonald's menu hack that combines a shake with a shot of espresso. It's not as decadent as the Italian dessert, but at least it won't be grainy.