7 Boxed Mixes From Trader Joe's That Should Be In Every Pantry

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Trader Joe's has a reputation for excellence in the supermarket world. Famous for its large selection of beloved frozen foods and viral recipes like its dumpling bake, the grocery store's boxed mixes sometimes get overlooked. But that's not a mistake you'll make after trying one of its many savory and sweet pantry staples.

As many home cooks know, boxed mixes are a great way to make something that feels homemade without having to start from scratch. And these items from Trader Joe's are good enough to fool guests into thinking you've been working on them for hours. But luckily, none of them take nearly that long to bake.

These mixes have earned customer's praise for a variety of factors across social media posts, message boards, and other review sites. So, the next time you want something scrumptious and highly customizable in a hurry, give these boxed items a try. The hardest part will be smelling all the deliciousness while you wait for it to finish cooking.

Trader Joe's Cornbread Mix is a great example of how sweet and savory combine to become something both memorable and delicious. The mix is made with real dried corn kernels included to give it added texture and taste. And fans love the cornbread so much the supermarket has been carrying it for almost two decades.

Commenters online chime in with suggestions on additions to take the mix from a side dish to a main in just a few steps. And they're not the only ones who admire the cornbread for its taste and how versatile it is because the mix is incredibly easy to modify into muffins, casseroles, or the top of a chili bake in a flash.

If you'd like to try your own hacks at home, you can start by using a compound butter, like the Trader Joe's Parmesan, Garlic, & Herb Butter, on top of or in the mix for extra flavor. And Trader Joe's diverse seasoning mixes can add extra crunchiness, as well.

Trader Joe's Brownie Truffle Baking Mix has been a customer favorite for years. The mix has chocolate chips for pops of texture and is wonderfully soft and moist, thanks to the melted butter that replaces the vegetable oil many other boxed mixes call for. The brownies have earned praise from multiple professional reviewers for being intensely chocolatey. The mix can also be easily modified by adding cherries, nuts, or pieces of various chocolates, many of which you can find at Trader Joe's.

Numerous people adore the brownies, with many calling them a personal favorite. But there is still a small debate over whether to make them more fudgy or more cake-like. Fans suggest preparing the package according to the directions on the box and baking them in a pan for a lightly cake-like texture. But if you'd like them more fudgy, home bakers say to slightly underbake them. One person advised that using heavy cream in the mix will add more moisture, but if you can't decide between the different styles, there's another option. The box also includes instructions for chewy truffle brownie cookies, so you can have the best of both worlds without any extra hassle.

Banana bread is a classic way to use up overripe fruit and maybe an excuse to toast some walnuts. With Trader Joe's Banana Bread Mix, both of those things are optional. You can absolutely add bananas (and whatever else you like to the batter), but it isn't necessary if you don't already have those things in your kitchen. This bread is made with dried banana flakes, so the taste of the fruit will be present either way.

Fans say the keep a box at all times to be sure they'll have one when the craving strikes, and customers have said it tastes like it's entirely homemade. They report the mix bakes into a moist loaf or muffins that can be modified with various other fruits or chocolate chips. If you prefer darker chocolate to add a touch of rich bitterness to the sweet bread, you can pick up any of the three Trader Joe's dark chocolate bars on this list.

If you've never had the pleasure of trying a blondie bar, it's a wonderful concoction that combines the texture and taste of brownies and chocolate chip cookies into one delicious treat. Trader Joe's Blondie Bar Baking Mix just makes the entire baking process much easier. It only takes a few ingredients and a warm oven, and fans say you'll end up with a rich, soft, and decadent dessert in around one half-hour.

Customers have called this an incredible go-to mix, and they even advised folks to go to the store and buy it. A TikTok user gushed, "Trader Joe's blondies are possibly my favorite thing." Shoppers have suggested adding ingredients like a mashed banana to add more flavor and moisture to the batter, and while the mix comes with chocolate chips included, you can always add more.

To make a candy bar or caramel blondie, sweets such as the store's Apple Crisp Milk Chocolate Caramels, Milk Chocolate Covered Honeycomb Candy, or Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are easy to throw into the mix. This list of Trader Joe's candies has all those and more to give you ideas for your next batch.

Few things feel as homey as a warm blueberry muffin fresh from the oven, no matter the time of year. Add some pre-made cinnamon butter or a quick streusel topping, and you have got something truly decadent. And Trader Joe's Blueberry Muffin Mix will let you customize those treats however you like in no time at all. The muffins aren't overly sweet, bake up nice and moist, and the blueberries can get an extra flavor boost from being rehydrated before going in the mix. That's just what you want in a blueberry muffin.

The muffins are great, but some fans prefer to make a loaf out of the mix, which means it'll take a little longer in the oven. However, the wait and the taste is worth it. Whichever way you choose to make the mix, they'll be fluffy, soft, and oh so delicious, according to fans.

Those who are avoiding gluten don't have to worry about having dessert, thanks to Trader Joe's Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Brownie Mix. The 16-ounce box comes with everything included except for one egg, some oil, and a bit of water, making the baker's work simple and quick. It's made with brown rice flour to keep the taste as close to traditional brownies as possible. They're tasty, a little fudgy, and can be made more macro-friendly by using Greek yogurt instead of oil.

They come highly recommended, with people online saying they're the best gluten-free brownies out there. And just like the other items on this list, these brownies can be easily modified according to the baker's taste. One person replaced the egg with applesauce and used coconut oil to fit their household's needs. Others have added more chocolate chips and espresso, but feel free to add in a variety of dried nuts and fruit to give the treat a nice chewy or crunchy texture, too. This item's availability may vary by location.

A pancake mix might not seem like the most exciting thing in the world, but being able to have delicious waffles or pancakes in just minutes certainly makes finding a good one worth buying. Trader Joe's Buttermilk Pancake & All Purpose Baking Mix fits the bill. It can be made into a sweet morning treat, biscuits, or used in savory dishes as a dredge or batter for different meats.

Fans say it rises well, has good texture, and can be easily modified to up the flavor. Depending on your preference, you can add chocolate chips, various kinds of fruit, or warming spices to the batter for breakfast. Pouring a little of the store's vanilla paste into the mix seriously ups the flavor, too.

You can also use cheese and savory spices for dinner biscuits or in a quick bread, like focaccia(instructions are included on the box). If you're feeling particularly adventurous, try turning the pancakes or waffles into a bun for a hearty breakfast sandwich with your favorite meats, cheese, and an egg or two. All in all, this mix is a reliable go-to for any meal of the day. This item's availability may vary by location.

Trader Joe's has a great many boxed mixes to explore, but only a select few of them are available year round. To determine which of the mixes that stay on shelves throughout the year should be on this list, we began with a general search to find the most highly rated among them.

After narrowing that list down, we searched message boards, social media, user review sites, and professional reviews for specific instances of people enjoying the mixes for their taste, ease of preparation, versatility, and overall value. The final mixes were chosen only after finding multiple instances of people using them and rating them highly across multiple criteria on several platforms.