I have a habit of finding snacks at Trader Joe’s that I didn’t know I needed until they’re suddenly gone, and their Teeny Tiny Maple Butter Tarts fit squarely into that category. These little guys are imported from Canada, which already feels correct, because if anyone knows what to do with maple syrup, it’s our neighbors to the north.
Flavor-wise, these tarts absolutely deliver. The filling is sweet, rich, and unapologetically maple-forward. If you’ve ever had pecan pie and thought, “I love this, but what if we ditched the nuts and focused entirely on the gooey part?”—congratulations, this is basically that. The maple flavor is warm and buttery without tipping into artificial or cloying, which is impressive considering how small these things are.
The crust deserves its own shout-out. It’s flaky, buttery, and legitimately delicious, not just a structural necessity to keep the filling from escaping. Even better, there’s a generous amount of maple filling inside each tart, so you’re not biting into a hollow pastry with a sad smear of sweetness. The crust and filling feel well-balanced, which is not always a given with miniature desserts.
Preparation couldn’t be easier. Trader Joe's Teeny Tiny Maple Butter Tarts come frozen, and I tossed a few into the air fryer for about seven minutes. That’s it. No thawing, no fuss, no “rotate halfway through while chanting under a full moon.” They came out hot, crisp, and smelling like a Canadian bakery had briefly moved into our kitchen.
At $4.49 for a dozen, the value is solid. You get twelve bite-sized tarts for the price of one fancy coffee drink, and they feel a little more special than your average freezer dessert. Are they health food? Absolutely not. But the beautiful wifey and I could very realistically eat the entire box in one sitting without much resistance, which tells you everything you need to know.
Would we buy Trader Joe's Teeny Tiny Maple Butter Tarts again? Without hesitation. They're listed as "limited time" on TJ's website, so get 'em while you still can. Final score: eight out of ten stars from both Sonia and me.
Trader Joe’s Everything But the Pizza Whipped Cream Cheese Spread is one of those products where the name does a lot of heavy lifting. It promises pizza vibes without actually being pizza, which is… ambitious. After spending some quality time with it, the best way to describe it is this: it’s basically sun-dried tomato–flavored cream cheese, with a supporting cast of garlic and Italian herbs trying their best to sell the illusion.
To get this out of the way: it doesn’t really belong on pizza. If you’re thinking of slathering it over a slice, maybe pause and reconsider your life choices. That said, where it unexpectedly shines is as a pizza crust dunking sauce. Once you’ve eaten all the sauce and cheese and you’re left holding a sad, naked crust, this spread swoops in and saves the day. Suddenly, the crust feels intentional.
Trader Joe's Everything But the Pizza Cream Cheese also works surprisingly well as a chip dip. The whipped texture makes it easy to scoop, and the tangy tomato flavor pairs nicely with plain chips. It’s bold enough to be interesting without being so intense that you regret your decisions halfway through the bag.
Bagel-wise, it’s kosher, spreads easily, and does the job. Is it a classic bagel flavor? No. But if you like savory spreads and are open to a Mediterranean-adjacent breakfast moment, it’s perfectly respectable.
As a sandwich spread, it’s actually pretty decent. We liked it on sourdough with chicken and arugula, where the acidity of the tomato flavor cut through the richness and kept things from feeling heavy. It adds moisture and personality without completely hijacking the sandwich. It's also weirdly good when mixed in with a bowl of piping hot chili.
At $2.79 for 8 ounces, it’s a fair deal for a whipped cream cheese that feels a little more “specialty” than plain. Is it my favorite Trader Joe’s cream cheese flavor? No. Will I buy it every time? Also no. But it’s interesting, different, and worth trying at least once—if only to confirm that “everything but the pizza” is, in fact, a very Joesian idea.
Seven and a half stars from the beautiful wifey. Seven out of ten stars from me for Trader Joe's Everything But the Pizza Whipped Cream Cheese Spread. Check out our video review embedded below where we try it with everything from pizza to chicken wings to Trader Joe's Ridge Cut Horseradish & Chives Potato Chips.
