Today's He Said/She Said review is of Trader Joe's Caramel Coffee Almonds. I've seen these before, but I didn't purchase until last week when I shopped hungry and bought ALL THE THINGS! (Stay tuned.)
The bright pink bag really jumps out at you in the nut section! An 8-ounce, resealable bag costs $4.99.
The ingredients are simple: almonds, butter, coffee powder, salt, and natural flavors. I'm guessing this might be something like vanilla to bring forward the caramel notes.
Let's review Trader Joe's Caramel Coffee Almonds.
He (Mark) says: These looked and sounded like a great treat as I regularly snack on almonds and other nuts. I also might have an espresso habit. The almond crunch was just right, and the coating was not too sticky. Both the coffee and caramel flavors were noticeable and balanced. Maybe I was spoiled by some Trader Joe's candied pecans a friend shared at a recent baseball game. These don't live up to that standard. I felt like this snack from TJ's was good but not great. Maybe it needed the coating kicked up a notch?
Overall rating: 3 of 5 stars
She (Bridget) says: These grew on me. The almonds are very crunchy and have a pronounced nutty flavor. At first, I was hit by bitter notes, which reminded me a little of that "burnt caramel" Cracker Jack flavor, of which I am not a fan. But, after a few more pieces, I realized that the bitter notes were actually the coffee...and I started to really enjoy it. The caramel is more subtle. The nuts aren't overly sweet - they'd make a great addition to a cheese platter or an ice cream topping. After testing these, I chopped them up and stirred them into Greek yogurt with diced Honeycrisp apple. SO good.
Overall rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I buy them again? Bridget: Yes! Mark: No.
Trader Joe's Caramel Coffee Almonds: A bit of a split decision. I'd say give them a try See if they grow on you as they did me.
Caramel + Coffee lovers, these recipes are for you:
- espresso caramel shortbread bars (the whole bite)
- salted caramel mocha cookies (kevin and amanda)
- chocolate hazelnut caramel ice cream pie (bake at 350)
Suggestion: Add some to ice cream. The coldness hardens the caramel and makes these delightfully crispy.
ReplyDeleteTJ's coffee caramel almonds are a must try. Not too sweet with coffee taste. Made me addicted to these. Very crispy and nutty.
ReplyDelete