16 Trader Joe's Products Every Baker Should Have On-Hand

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Trader Joe's has made a name for itself with its private-label products that customers buy every time, frenzied seasonal releases, and fancy frozen finds. The Hawaiian-clad cult-favorite grocer has also quietly become a goldmine for bakers of all skill levels. Its shelves are filled with high-quality baking products that every baker should keep stocked, all at budget-friendly prices. And the store's selection goes far beyond all-purpose flour, baking soda, sugar, and yeast.

We're talking indulgent spreads, imported European goodies, and limited-release items you will want to hoard for your baking creations for the next year. Somehow, Trader Joe's has managed to blur the line between everyday pantry staples and affordable, gourmet ingredients that punch above their price point. Baking will start to feel less like a task and more like putting your imagination to work. Whether you're a seasoned baker, just starting out, or a casual cravings baker that goes off vibes, these products will help you whip up something delicious that will be the envy of anyone who tries them.

A seasonal item that pops up around the fall and the holidays, Trader Joe's Cinnamon Bun Spread is a favorite among Redditors. "But this stuff? Holy crap is absolutely delish — like 'eat it with a spoon and nothing else' delish," says one Redditor in a Trader Joe's thread. "Thinner than a cookie or peanut butter; its base is honey, so it's less dense but more rich. Just buy it, you guys. It's incredible." The spread has a gooey, honey-butter base and is made with brown sugar, cream, honey, cinnamon, and salt. Use it to top fresh-from-the-oven cinnamon rolls, bake it into crescent rolls, or use it as a gooey filling in cookies. It's not currently available in stores, but you can buy it for $3.99 when it rolls out in the fall.

Vanilla extract brings a touch of sweetness and depth to baked goods and should be a staple in any baker's arsenal. Vanilla bean paste is a bit different and is much richer and thicker than its baking counterpart, and you should know when to use each. The Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste from Trader Joe's definitely delivers on that and then some. Made with 100 percent bourbon, vanilla beans, and sugar syrup, this paste will shine in French toast batter, your favorite cookie recipe, or this classic baked cheesecake. The 4-ounce jar costs $4.99.

Another classic in any baker's pantry, semi-sweet chocolate chips are a year-round staple at Trader Joe's. The baking chips are perfect for brownies, bread pudding, or pancakes. The 12-ounce bag costs $3.99.

While a homemade flaky pie crust recipe will always be top-tier, sometimes, you're in a pinch, or you just don't feel like doing that extra step. That's where Trader Joe's Frozen Pie Crusts come in handy. The box comes with two crusts that just need to be thawed overnight in the fridge and rolled out, then they're ready for baking. Pie crusts from their store are a little larger than most others, so you have an extra wiggle room if you mess up, or you can save the leftover dough for decorations. The 22-ounce box costs $4.49.

Nothing is worse than when you have all the ingredients to make a baked treat, and you go to smell your heavy whipping cream, and it's soured. You don't have to worry about that with this shelf-stable whipping cream from Trader Joe's. It is only seasonal, appearing around the holidays, but you can keep it in your pantry, and it won't go bad for at least a year if left unopened. It comes in a one-cup container and costs $1.99.

These cinnamon graham crackers are a sweet and convenient foundation for any cheesecake, savory-and-sweet pies, or topping an old-fashioned apple crisp. They come in a 16-ounce container, are extremely crunchy, and can easily be crushed or broken. The cinnamon graham crackers cost $4.79.

This spread, which debuted in 2011, combines a creamy nut butter, California almonds, and Belgian cocoa. Redditors have recommended it for filling baked croissants, spreading on muffins, or using in crepes. "I love this so much! I'm a big Nutella fan, and could never get behind any other chocolatey spreads til I discovered this, and now it's my absolute favorite!" one Redditor said on the thread. A 13-ounce jar of the cocoa almond spread costs $4.49.

Much like its name-brand counterpart, Lotus Biscoff Cookie Butter, this spread is a must-have for any baker. The Speculoos cookie butter is made with crushed Belgian biscuits, caramelized sugar, and warm spices. The $4.49 spread is regularly sold out at stores, and it's one of those treats you can eat with a spoon right from the jar, in my opinion. However, if you're baking, Trader Joe's has a cookie butter and coffee ice cream cake recipe utilizing the Speculoos spread, or you could use it to elevate your next batch of brownies.

Combine savory and sweet notes to your baked goods with these caramel sea salt baking chips, which cost $3.49. Since it's another holiday item, make sure you stock up so you can bake with it year-round. The sweet, buttery, and lightly salted chips are begging to be thrown into gooey caramel cookies, and many Redditors on this thread used them in blondie recipes. "I made caramel blondies with them," one commenter on Reddit said. "They were a 10/10, and my family hasn't stopped asking for them again."

Imported from England, this lemon curd will add an authentic, traditional touch to your scones and other baked goods. Made with eggs, butter, cane sugar, lemon juice concentrate, lemon oil, and pectin, the curd is slow-cooked in small batches and overseen by a kettlemaster to ensure every jar is perfectly flavored. This lemon curd will dazzle in a lemon meringue pie or lemon bars, or sandwiched between a traditional teatime sponge cake. A 10.5-ounce jar is $3.99.

While there are a few things to keep in mind when cooking and baking with cultured butter, it adds a luxuriously creamy texture and deeper flavor. Trader Joe's cultured salted butter is made in Brittany, France, and after a brief hiatus, it reappeared on shelves permanently in 2024. I prefer to slather a heaping portion atop a French baguette, but the butter also shines in cakes and croissants. An 8.8-ounce package is $4.99.

Typically recommended with cheese or toast, the seasonal green tea & yuzu spread from Trader Joe's could also be used to create a variety of baked goods. The slightly sweet, citrusy spread is made in Belgium and mixes green tea infused with ginger, lemongrass, and orange peel with apple, lemon, and yuzu juices. Spread it on freshly baked bread, fill puff pastry, or top a Japanese soufflé cheesecake. The jar is a little less than 8 ounces and costs $3.99.

The 16-ounce package of Trader Joe's dark chocolate peanut butter cups doesn't last long in my house. It's either a handful in one sitting or baked up into something to satisfy my sweet tooth. The peanut butter is made with slow-roasted Virginia peanuts, and the dark chocolate is made from high-quality cacao beans. Obsessed over constantly on the Trader Joe's Reddit thread, and at $5.99, they are hard to resist. There are plenty of possibilities for these when it comes to baking, but you can't go wrong with cookies, brownies, or chocolate peanut butter pie.

As its name suggests, the massive bar offers one pound of chocolatey goodness and is worth its $8.99 price tag. Imported from Belgium, Trader Joe's has carried the confection for over 20 years. Use it to make decadent truffles or the 1960s dessert, chocolate fondue. The high-end chain also offers a variety of other pound-plus bar flavors, including milk chocolate, an almond bar, and a bar with caramel, pretzels, and sea salt.

Candied fruit might not be the first item you reach for when it comes to baking, but if you get creative, you can come up with some delicious treats. Trader Joe's sells packages of sweet-and-spicy crystallized ginger, orange slices, mandarin oranges, and mangoes. They are a limited item, meaning they cycle in and out of stock year-round. Add them to your cakes, scones, or cannoli filling. The package usually costs around $1.99. 

Made in Texas, these sweet-and-spicy pecans are roasted in canola oil and tossed with sugar, salt, cayenne, ancho chile, and paprika. Kick your baked goods up a notch by adding these to Mexican hot chocolate brownies, a spicy pecan brittle, or scones. The sweet and spicy pecans cost $4.99 for a 5-ounce package.