The Beloved Trader Joe's Condiment You Can Snag For Less Than $5

It's no secret that Trader Joe's has some of the best snacks out there — and not only are they delicious, but they're well priced, too. In fact, there's a whole range of delicious T.J.'s foods that you can get for under five bucks, including one tasty condiment: Speculoos cookie butter.

If you're unfamiliar with the product, Speculoos cookie butter is a rich, creamy, sweet spread made from none other than Speculoos cookies, which Trader Joe's also sells. The spread is essentially the chain's version of Lotus Biscoff cookie butter, which can be found at retailers such as Target and Walmart. Speculoos is a cinnamon-y, crispy cookie with notes of caramelized sugar and warming spices like nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom.

Trader Joe's cookie butter is made with its Speculoos cookies — along with a vegetable oil blend, sugar, and an emulsifier. Fans on Reddit also find the flavor to be more balanced and the spice elements more pronounced than in the Lotus Biscoff version, which some have called too sweet. Additionally Trader Joe's cookie butter is priced at just $3.99 for a 14.1-ounce jar. Meanwhile, the Lotus Biscoff alternative sells for $6.99 at Target and $5.47 at Walmart, so you're saving money by choosing T.J.'s version — especially if you love it enough to buy it multiple times. 

Once you've tried Speculoos cookie butter, you'll want to spread it on everything — but some pairings are better than others. If you love a sweet breakfast in the morning, you can spread it over a stack of homemade pancakes, French toast, or waffles. You can also use it on a slice of toast if you want something different — and sweeter — than the typical jam or butter.

Similarly, one Reddit user suggests using it "on toast with a little Nutella too." Meanwhile, other Redditors recommend using it as a dip for apples or pretzels, spreading it over rice cakes or (when in doubt) eating it with a spoon. 

Alternatively, you could use it to dress your favorite baked goods. Spread it over a slice of classic pound cake to elevate the treat. It'd also pair well with a slice of banana bread or a muffin that you want to make a bit sweeter. You can use Trader Joe's cookie butter to improve your next batch of brownies, too, by swirling it into the batter for a taste and aesthetic upgrade. Plus, it works as a fun filling for cupcakes — perhaps to transform either classic chocolate or vanilla cupcakes into something new and exciting.