1 review for Trader Joe’s Country Pumpkin Spice Granola Reviews
Rated 2 out of 5
Spoon Mouse! –
From Cerealously 2015
“As I examined my heavy bag of orange oat clusters, I was a bit confused and slightly overwhelmed. The typically minimalistic Trader Joe’s really went with the kitchen sink approach here. Not only do the clusters contain dried pumpkin and a pumpkin spice blend (which actually includes cardamom—the rarest of the pumpkin spices), they also contain coconut, honey, puffed corn, fennel seeds, raisins, and more.
Man, they really took the “cornucopia of flavor” idea to the literal extreme. I’m surprised there’s no actual “herb of kitchen sink” in it.
The granola clusters are mostly teeny tiny in size, with the occasional girthy puffed corn cluster dwarfing the rest like Jupiter in a field of crunchy stardust.
I take a bite, and the granola’s flavor immediately bites me back: this stuff is spicy. Throw any memory of sweet pumpkin spiced cookies or cupcakes out the window, because the many spices and herbs here take “Pumpkin Spice” down a much more literal avenue. The most notable tastes are the semi-burning sensations of cinnamon and ginger. This is coupled with an unpleasant, licorice-like burst of fennel, which is a bit bitter, too. Also present are faint notes of citrusy cardamom.
After chewing awhile (and you will chew awhile, since these are more chewy than crunchy), the spice dissipates, and I’m left with a very earthy oat base that has a slight sweetness from the honey and coconut. The corn has an occasional pop, but little contribution in the way of taste.
And because, when it comes to cereal, raisins are my raison d’être, the most welcome addition is actually the raisins. Though they are super chewy and not as sweet as those in, say, Raisin Bran Crunch, the raisins act like delayed-release land mines: after chewing them, they release an addictive, puckering tang that mixes well with the more neutral oats.
Notice something missing here? I certainly did: there’s not gosh darn pumpkin flavor!
So while I can’t recommend this granola on its own, my suggestion to Trader Joe’s and its shoppers is to try mixing this stuff with TJ’s other pumpkin cereal to make “Pumpkin O’s Crunch.””
Spoon Mouse! –
From Cerealously 2015
“As I examined my heavy bag of orange oat clusters, I was a bit confused and slightly overwhelmed. The typically minimalistic Trader Joe’s really went with the kitchen sink approach here. Not only do the clusters contain dried pumpkin and a pumpkin spice blend (which actually includes cardamom—the rarest of the pumpkin spices), they also contain coconut, honey, puffed corn, fennel seeds, raisins, and more.
Man, they really took the “cornucopia of flavor” idea to the literal extreme. I’m surprised there’s no actual “herb of kitchen sink” in it.
The granola clusters are mostly teeny tiny in size, with the occasional girthy puffed corn cluster dwarfing the rest like Jupiter in a field of crunchy stardust.
I take a bite, and the granola’s flavor immediately bites me back: this stuff is spicy. Throw any memory of sweet pumpkin spiced cookies or cupcakes out the window, because the many spices and herbs here take “Pumpkin Spice” down a much more literal avenue. The most notable tastes are the semi-burning sensations of cinnamon and ginger. This is coupled with an unpleasant, licorice-like burst of fennel, which is a bit bitter, too. Also present are faint notes of citrusy cardamom.
After chewing awhile (and you will chew awhile, since these are more chewy than crunchy), the spice dissipates, and I’m left with a very earthy oat base that has a slight sweetness from the honey and coconut. The corn has an occasional pop, but little contribution in the way of taste.
And because, when it comes to cereal, raisins are my raison d’être, the most welcome addition is actually the raisins. Though they are super chewy and not as sweet as those in, say, Raisin Bran Crunch, the raisins act like delayed-release land mines: after chewing them, they release an addictive, puckering tang that mixes well with the more neutral oats.
Notice something missing here? I certainly did: there’s not gosh darn pumpkin flavor!
So while I can’t recommend this granola on its own, my suggestion to Trader Joe’s and its shoppers is to try mixing this stuff with TJ’s other pumpkin cereal to make “Pumpkin O’s Crunch.””