The 5 Best Seasonal Trader Joe's Items Of 2026 So Far

Trader Joe's biggest asset is its shopping experience. While the chain carries a nice assortment of affordable grocery staples, its the quirky, store-exclusive products that are the real draw for customers. This includes seasonal products that are only available for a short time but leave a big impression while they're there. Fall at Trader Joe's is especially cozy, so we checked out some of the latest seasonal releases in 2026. 

As required by autumnal law there are a couple of pumpkin-flavored items featured here, but we made sure to highlight other fall flavors as well, including apple-inspired goodies and a unique snack featuring butternut squash. Our list was curated based on customer response to each item, and we focused on products with positive buzz. Trader Joe's shoppers are particularly passionate and aren't afraid to heap praise (or criticism) on items. If you're new to the store and want to learn more about the selection, we ranked Trader Joe's Hall of Fame products from worst to first. 

Let's get this out of the way: Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter isn't actually butter. This rich spread consists mostly of pumpkin puree, to which sugar, honey, lemon juice concentrate, and spices are added. The resulting flavor is essentially pumpkin pie in a jar, which nicely pairs with tons of other ingredients and recipes. If you want a quick fix, try spreading the pumpkin butter on one of TJ's Cinnamon Raisin Bagels. It would also make a neat topping for the store's Brioche Style Liège Waffles. 

You don't need to limit yourself to sweet recipes, however. There were some enticing savory preparations featuring Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter shared on Reddit. One commenter said, "Adding just a little bit to the mashed sweet potatoes is the best thing I've eaten." Another Redditor explained, "I put a very thin layer of it on a melt that included: sourdough bread, ham, gruyere cheese, and caramelized onions." If you want to replicate this decadent sandwich, our ultimate grilled cheese recipe is an excellent foundation for pumpkin butter exploration. 

We appreciate Greek yogurt for its healthful attributes, but it isn't exactly a food to get excited about. Fortunately, Trader Joe's has graced us with Honey Crisp Apple Cinnamon Greek Yogurt, a seasonal treat that regularly puts shoppers in a tizzy when it returns to shelves. "Everyday I think about this ... yogurt because it's so freaking good," said a Redditor. "It haunts me that it's not part of the permanent flavors." Elsewhere on the platform, a commenter exclaimed, "I look forward to this yogurt all year!"

This Greek yogurt gets its flavor from honeycrisp apples, a tasty variety carefully cultivated over three decades for optimal flavor and juiciness. It contains small pieces of dried honeycrisp apples as well as cinnamon, in keeping with the fall flavor theme. If you don't want to miss out we recommend that you look for it at your local TJ's soon, otherwise you'll need to wait until next year.

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese Bites are a spin on Trader Joe's regular Mac and Cheese Bites, which are available all year and plenty popular in their own right (a Redditor once dubbed them "The Single Greatest Item to Live at TJ's"). The seasonal version of this comfy snack is a battered, breaded appetizer filled with roasted butternut squash, macaroni, two types of cheese (cheddar and gouda), and béchamel.

In case you can't imagine how these disparate ingredients might work together, a Trader Joe's fan on Reddit broke it down: "The butternut squash creaminess adds some great slightly spiced 'pumpkin' like sweetness to the already bold Mac and cheese/ noodle texture and flavorings." As for sauce and condiment pairings, combining them with the Fall Harvest Salsa would keep your snacking session seasonally appropriate. These bites would also go well with the chain's creamy Jalapeño Sauce. For optimal crispiness, whip them up in an air fryer (it's not the only Trader Joe's food you should be air frying).

Gnocchi technically isn't a type of pasta but rather a potato based dumpling. No matter how you categorize it, this cozy food is made even cozier thanks to Trader Joe's ingenuity. The store's Pumpkin Gnocchi combines the expected gnocchi ingredients (potato, flour, cornstarch) with pumpkin puree. According to a Reddit commenter, "It's kind of like sweet potato fries — you get both a sweetness and a salty flavor." Another person admitted, "I don't frequently have gnocchi but I really enjoyed these." 

The package instructions recommend boiling the gnocchi for two minutes, but you can also pan sear them for a crispy exterior and soft, pillowy interior. Though they have lots of flavor on their own, they can be combined with other ingredients for maximum satisfaction. We think Pumpkin Gnocchi would pair nicely with a mélange of roasted fall vegetables, such as winter squash, carrots, and mushrooms. You can also dress them up with TJ's Rosatella Pasta Sauce, which is an enticing combo of marinara and alfredo. 

Trader Joe's Apple Crisp Milk Chocolate Caramels merge two delectable treats into one sweet snack. Courtesy of an Irish chocolatier which partnered with the chain, these chocolate caramel candies are inspired by the flavor and texture of an apple crisp, which is a pie-like dessert consisting of tender baked apple and a crunchy topping. We fully understand if this flavor combo has you scratching your head. It's not every day you find apple and chocolate paired together. However, you can rest assured that TJ's shoppers have lots of good things to say about the treat. 

"OMG, it's everything I like in one candy," declared one Redditor. In a thread elsewhere on the social media platform, another fan said, "I was shocked by how much it tastes like you took a bite of an actual apple ... reminiscent of apple pie." The only real downside to this treat is that you only get 10 caramels in a box, which means they will probably go fast. That being the case, you might want to snag a few boxes before the season is over.