Holiday scratch-baking can be merry and bright. But if you’re short on time (or patience), delicious store-bought treats come in handy — like these fan-favorite French pastries that have returned to Trader Joe’s in time for the season’s festivities. Trader Joe’s recently re-released its limited-time frozen kouign amann, and customers are rejoicing. “It’s an amazing day to be me,” one fan wrote on Reddit after seeing the exciting news. Another said the kouign amann was one of their “all-time favorite” products from the grocer. “I have a good French bakery near me now, but I’ll still be stocking up on these,” they declared.
Anyone who’s tried an authentic French kouign amann will affirm the goodness of the cylindrical pastry’s flaky layers of butter-laminated dough and caramelized sugar. Though the pastry is traditionally specific to Brittany, France, it had a heyday in the States in the early to mid-2010s, when culinary legends like New York’s Dominique Ansel Bakery popularized it. Trader Joe’s was on top of the trend, and soon launched its frozen, ready-to-proof-and-bake kouign amann.
Trader Joe’s original kouign amann (like many of Trader Joe’s best frozen pastries) was a hit, but to the dismay of many customers, it eventually disappeared from shelves. But ahead of the 2025 holiday season, it is back. This reimagined item still contains four buttery pastries, which go for $5.49 per 11.2-ounce package — a price Trader Joe’s states on its website as “about the same as what you might pay for a single pastry at a bakery or café.” The packaging looks slightly different, and the original kouign amann was a bit larger. But other than that, TJ’s latest version of this decadent treat appears to be quite similar to its last.
Read more: 22 Best Trader Joe’s Frozen Foods Under $5
Trader’s Joe’s kouign amann left a lasting impression
Trader Joe’s frozen kouign amann – Trader Joe’s
It’s not every day you find an affordable and tasty store-bought pastry. But the kouign amann of yesteryear left a lasting impression on customers — so much that fans have reported requesting the store bring them back, giving the new release a lot to live up to. Many customers are pleased to have the product back within their reach. On the aforementioned Reddit post, some people were skeptical as to whether they would be as good as the old ones. But others confirmed they were delicious. One person commented that the “ingredients look legit,” referencing the use of real butter in the pastries — something that can be hard to come by, even in bakeries.
Perhaps part of the allure of Trader Joe’s kouign amann is that they require a little baking finesse. As the package says, you need to let the pastries proof so they can rise before baking them. The product definitely saves you the effort of making your own laminated dough at home, so don’t cut corners and skip the proofing step, or else your pastry could come out flat. Some customers even suggest letting them proof a bit longer than suggested, up to eight hours or more, for optimal rise and flaky layers — just like in your favorite artisan bakery or French cafe.
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Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Dining and Cooking