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Trader Joe’s is selling a limited-time French pastry that’s notoriously difficult to find.The frozen treats bake up with a crisp, caramelized exterior and a soft, custardy center in about 15 minutes.At just $5.49 for four, they’re an affordable shortcut to a classic Bordeaux bakery experience—but only available through May.
Trader Joe’s has once again exceeded my expectations, this time by sourcing an often hard-to-find French-style sweet treat and boxing it up in the freezer section for everyone to discover. Cannelés [pronounced KAH-nuh-ley] originated in the Bordeaux region of France, and these classic caramelized pastry bites have a custardy center, a dark, crisp-chewy exterior, and a pronounced vanilla flavor. They’re notoriously labor-intensive and tricky to perfect, so few U.S. bakeries attempt them.
A $5 shortcut to France
At TJ’s, the individual, fluted bites come in a pack of four for just $5.49. Heat them in the oven and you’re transported to Bordeaux in about 15 minutes. They’re only available for a limited time (through May), so I stocked my freezer with these compact tea-time treats.
Good Housekeeping / Lisa Futterman
A short ingredient list, a surprisingly luxe payoff
I love that the ingredient list on the package reads like a classic baking pantry list: butter, eggs, milk, flour, sugar, and vanilla extract. The addition of rum—true to tradition—adds depth and warmth.
Good Housekeeping / Lisa Futterman
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The recipe for cannelés is deceptively simple. What the ingredient list doesn’t reveal is the specialized fluted molds (traditionally copper), the need to strain and rest the batter, and the challenge of achieving that perfect contrast between a deeply caramelized crust and a tender, custardy interior.
They’re also notorious for sticking to the molds. (French bakers often use a beeswax-butter coating to help create that signature crust—so that can of cooking spray might not cut it.) Many pastry chefs season their molds over time rather than washing them.
Thank you, TJ’s, for bringing these limited-time pastries to the freezer case.
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Good Housekeeping / Lisa Futterman
How to serve them (and why you’ll want more)
These delicious TJ’s treats can be heated up one at a time or all at once. Just let them cool for a minute or two before eating to allow the crust to firm up, then serve them as an elegant accompaniment to coffee or tea. Would I eat these for breakfast? Only if I wanted to spend the rest of the day dreaming of southwest France…
Good Housekeeping / Lisa Futterman
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Lisa Futterman is a Chicago-based chef who writes about travel, beverages, dining, and cooking for multiple outlets like Food & Wine, Chicago Magazine, Thrillist, WTTW, MSN, and Eating Well. She is a contributing editor for Alcohol Professor, covering trends in gin, tequila, and ready-to-drink cocktails. Her love of cheese, wine, and spirits has taken her all over the world—from the Comté aging rooms in Fort St. Antoine in the Jura to the wild agave fields in the desert outside of Oaxaca.
Dining and Cooking