Trader Joe’s Latest Treat Might Just Be 'By Far the Best Thing I Have Eaten. Ever.'

When fall comes around, it’s a safe bet that we can expect some intriguing and delicious seasonal items to appear on the shelves at Trader Joe’s. This is especially true when it comes to the baking aisle! This year, the first item that caught my eye and landed directly in my cart was the new Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bar Baking Mix.

This mix brings together two rich, sweet treats: spiced, gooey cinnamon rolls and buttery, chewy blondies. How could a mix that combines these two nostalgic, comforting, and delicious baked goods possibly be bad? The obvious answer is, it can’t. You heard it here first: this baking mix does not disappoint! It's a super sweet, cinnamon-y, buttery, chewy, moist, and decadent blend of breakfast and dessert, and Trader Joe’s shoppers everywhere (myself included) are going crazy for it. We’ve got all the tea—and even some tips—for making the most of this seasonal, festive fall treat from Trader Joe’s. 

Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bar Baking Mix

I am totally sold on this mix, and I’m not alone! The moment I began mixing the ingredients, I could smell the flavors coming together. The consistency of the cake batter in the mixer was identical to coffee cake, in all its voluptuous gluten strand glory, and the cinnamon swirl may as well have been taken straight from the center of a Cinnabon. A Reddit user who used the baking mix said, “This is by far the best thing I have eaten. Ever.”

Once in the oven, the aroma of cinnamon, vanilla, butter, and sugar began wafting through my house, and after just 25 minutes, I swung the oven door open to be greeted by sweet, spiced, heavenly golden brown goodness. One customer’s husband couldn’t stop going back into the kitchen to snack on these, asking his wife, “This a new recipe or something? These are my new favorite.” He couldn’t believe they were made from a box, just like another TJ's boxed mix we love.

I sliced the dense, rich, decadent cake into bars after the dish had cooled down completely and drizzled the glaze on top. They tasted even better than they looked. You must try this baking mix before it disappears from shelves, and be sure to grab more than one box for the future. One Reddit user said it perfectly: “Run, don’t walk, to get the Cinnamon Roll Blondie Mix.”

Tips for Making Trader Joe's Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bar Baking Mix Even Better

• Add vanilla extract. When it comes to boxed baking mix, vanilla extract is always a good idea. To enhance the flavors of these cinnamon roll blondie bars, add an extra 1 teaspoon vanilla to the cake batter, and 1/2 teaspoon to the glaze. It will add some depth to the cake batter, bring out the warm cinnamon aroma, and give the glaze a flavor profile that is more than just “sweet.”
• Microwave the cinnamon swirl mix. The instructions require you to scoop and drop dollops of the cinnamon swirl mix onto the cake before swirling. I found it a little difficult to do this at room temperature because it was sticking to the spoon. A quick 10-second zap in the microwave was just the trick to make this step easier, neater, and more enjoyable.
• Use a skewer or popsicle stick to swirl. Rather than a knife, which I think is a bit wide for performing this delicate step, I used a bamboo skewer. It was easier to swirl the mix throughout the cake and made for a prettier, more even design than dragging a knife throughout the batter. You can also use a metal barbecue skewer, a popsicle stick, or even a toothpick if that’s all you have on hand. If a knife is your only option, try using one with a sharper tip, as opposed to a butter knife.
• Use milk instead of water for the glaze. Milk will add a rich flavor and creaminess to the glaze, giving it more of a flavor profile than just being extremely sweet. Regular milk, half and half, heavy cream, or a dairy alternative like oat, almond, or soy all work perfectly for this switch.
• Add a few extra drops of milk to the glaze. If you add vanilla extract to the glaze mix as recommended above, it will provide some additional liquid. In addition to this, a few extra drops of milk, about half a teaspoon, will give the glaze a better consistency for drizzling over the cooled cake. It will still harden nicely for slicing into bars and serving.
• Start with a shorter baking time. This baking mix says to bake for 25-30 minutes. I’ve tried both, and I found 25 minutes to be preferable. The cake was evenly and completely baked through but with a gooey center that, once cooled and set, more closely resembles the warm, rich, and gooey center of a cinnamon bun. Once completely cooled, it sliced beautifully into bars. If you don’t prefer that texture, bake this for 30 minutes to reach a more cake-like consistency throughout.
• Consider omitting the glaze. Many Reddit reviewers say that after baking this mix a few times, they generally omit the glaze altogether, noting that the cake is perfectly sweet on its own. A lot of shoppers feel that the glaze can push the cake over to the side of being too sweet, taking away from the flavors throughout each bite. It all depends on your personal preference. We guess you’ll have to do a few trial rounds and taste tests to find out what you like best. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it!