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The best Trader Joe’s Valentine’s Day goodies are worth braving the parking lot. See, Trader Joe’s seasonal items are often pretty good (we’re big fans of Trader Joe’s holiday goodies)—and there’s a lot to love among their Valentine’s Day offerings.

When we stopped by in early February, we were excited to find a bunch of new Trader Joe’s Valentine’s Day cookies and other treats, but also pleased to see that a lot of our faves from last year had returned. They really own this holiday. Everything is so cute and the misses are few and far between. Whether you’re treating your sweetie or practicing self-love, we recommend picking up these Trader Joe’s Valentine’s Day items before February 14 rolls around.

Most Mature

If you’re trying to up your Valentine’s Day game, do it with these Trader Joe’s Cocoa Truffles. The flavor is out of control. They’re rich, sweet, and a tad salty. The chocolate is dark and deep. The creamy texture is probably my favorite thing about them. They literally melt in your mouth. And the packaging is nice because it’s not corny. You can stock up on boxes of these Trader Joe’s Valentine’s Day cocoa truffles (because you’ll want to) and enjoy them all year long. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Liv Averett

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Candy

These jelly beans taste good. I’m starting with that because most jelly beans do not. Trader Joe’s Jelly Bean Hearts don’t have that weird, thick, waxy outer coating that lots of other jelly beans have. They taste like actual fruit and about as natural as a jelly bean could possibly taste. Plus, there’s no gelatin in them! This means more people can enjoy them. If your valentine is vegan, grab them a bag of these beans. They’re one of the best Trader Joe’s seasonal items. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best DIY

I absolutely love this dipping chocolate kit. It comes with two packets of melting wafers, one milk chocolate and one dark chocolate. You also get two adorable sprinkle options, one heart shaped and the other like regular ice cream jimmies but itty-bitty. We heated the chocolate in the microwave and it came out smooth and luscious after just a minute or so. Your first impulse will be to dip strawberries in the chocolate, but I recommend you go nuts and pick up some Trader Joe’s Valentine’s Day cookies to dunk. —Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Baked Good

Upon first glance, I thought I had these Trader Joe’s Valentine’s Day cookies all figured out. I assumed they’d be kind of dry, mildly sweet, and pretty boring. Lucky for me, I was wrong! These are actually delicious. The thick, heart-shaped cookies are shockingly moist. The jam is sweet and a little tangy. I would happily put these out on a platter of sweets for my sweet this Valentine’s Day. They seem like they could be homemade by a really good baker. This is one of those Trader Joe’s seasonal items we wish we could have all year. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Fancy

I’ve had other versions of these tiny Trader Joe’s cake bites, and these are by far the best. They are light and packed with vanilla flavor, but the raspberry is what really shines. The tartness cuts through the sweetness of the cake and creates a wonderful flavor contrast. If you gave these to someone as a gift, they would think you got them from a local bakery (if you removed them from the TJ’s packaging, of course). The Halloween chocolate mousse pumpkins could never. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Buttery

Do these officially count as Trader Joe’s Valentine’s Day cookies? I’m not totally sure, but they were released in February and they’re shaped like hearts, so they’re making the cut. Another reason they’re making an appearance on this list of the best Trader Joe’s Valentine’s Day items? They’re so f**king good! These thin, delicate puff pastry biscuits are crispy—thanks in part to the layer of delicious caramelized sugar on top—but they absolutely melt in your mouth. They’re incredibly buttery—you get it from both the pastry and the caramel, and it just fills your mouth with flavor. I walked around the office handing these to everyone I could find just so I could watch them have the same reaction I did. I’d say this is one of the best Trader Joe’s seasonal items I’ve ever had, but I guess I’m holding out hope that these stick around all year long. —Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

These cookies are described on the box as dark chocolate-covered shortbread, but they are so much more than that. They are dark chocolate cookies enrobed in chocolate with tiny sprinkles. They are perfect. The cookie itself is crisp but soft. The layer of chocolate coating is the ideal thickness. The sprinkles add a nice little crunch. Managing editor Gwynedd Stuart described these as being like Thin Mints minus the mint. If you buy one Trader Joe’s Valentine’s Day item, buy these Dark Chocolate Mini Heart Cookies. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Liv Averett

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other Products We Tried: Rabitos Royale Ruby Cacao Figs, Dark Chocolate Caramel Hearts, Hot Cocoa Heart Melts, Heart-Shaped Macarons, Gummy Xs and Os, Chocolate Mousse Cake

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