Sarah Griesemer|Asbury Park Press
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When it comes to pumpkin-flavored foods, there are two kinds of people.
Some people embrace the addition of pumpkin spice to everything, no matter how strange (pumpkin hot dogs and pumpkin spice gum, we're looking at you). Othershate it, and no amount of cinnamon and nutmeg will change their minds.
More: Pumpkin picking in New Jersey: 30 places to go
While some of these products are...interesting...plenty are actuallypretty tasty. And with so many seasonal items popping up on grocery store shelves, we wanted to find out which ones are best.
We sampled 10pumpkin and pumpkin spice-flavored foods from Trader Joe's, which offers dozens of pumpkin products, and larger chain grocery stores and ranked them, from the ones we enjoyed most to those we liked theleast.
1. Pumpkin waffles
Who knew something so simple would take the top spot inour taste test? These pumpkin waffles from Trader Joe's contain actual pumpkin but not so much that you feel like you are eating pumpkin pie (a common problem among pumpkin-flavored foods). They are made with organic cane sugar but aren't noticeably sweet, and they taste great plain, with a swipe of cream cheese or a drizzle of pure maple syrup. ($1.99 for a box of eight)
2. Chobani Limited Batch pumpkin yogurt
Creamy andpumpkin-y– what more can you ask for in pumpkin yogurt? This one from Chobani, which triple strains its yogurt so its super creamy, is made with pumpkin puree, cinnamon and nutmeg and tastes how we imagine a slice of pumpkin pie would if whirled in the blender. "This pumpkin yogurt is really good," one taster said. "It tastes exactly like pumpkins." (Price varies by grocer.)
3. Pumpkin almond beverage
We weren't sure what to expect from this one, but this almond "milk" is delicious. At first sip, we thought of egg nog, thanks to the cinnamon andGolden Delicious pumpkin puree, which makes the drink a bit thicker than traditional almond beverages. Made with California almonds, it is great over ice and in coffee,and Trader Joe's suggests heating it. One taster said it would be great in baked goods.($1.99 for a 32-ounce container)
4. NITRO Beverage Co. pumpkin cold brew
This is a great drink for people who love coffee and enjoy a hint of pumpkin flavor. The beverageis a limited seasonal release from NITRO Beverage Co., an Asbury Park-based companythatspecializes in nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee. Never had nitro brew? The addition of nitrogen creates a foamy head atop a super-smooth cold brew. (A case of a dozen 12-ounce cans costs $48;https://nitrobeverageco.com.)
5. Pumpkin pie spice butter spread
We picked this up from our local grocery store thinking it would probably taste OK but not be anything special. Then we spread it over a pumpkin waffle– wow. This spread doesn't contain any pumpkin – it is made with cream, brown sugarand spices– but the flavors of fall are definitely there. Next: diced apples sauteed in a pat of this spread and tumbled over pancakes. (Price varies by grocer.)
6. Pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds
We picked these up after overhearing another Trader Joe's shopper mention them. Pumpkin-spiced pumpkin seeds? That is like air-flavored air popcorn, a co-worker said.And while this product may seem like gimmicky overkill, these tasty little seeds deliver. They are essentially candied pumpkin seeds flavored with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, which cling to the seeds thanks to butter. They are great plain and wouldbe a sweet additionto a bowl of plain yogurt. "These I could eat," said a taste tester who doesn't particularly care for pumpkin. "I like these the best." ($2.99 for an 8-ounce bag)
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7. Pumpkin caramel Kringle
What's a Kringle, you say? If you have to ask, get to Trader Joe's immediately and pick up one of these delightful (and huge) desserts. Originally from Denmark, the Kringle is a Danish-like buttery pastry with many delicate layers of dough formed into a big circle, filled with fruit or nuts then baked and drizzled with thick white icing. In the fall, O&H Danish Bakery in Racine, Wisconsin, makes a pumpkin caramel Kringle: The filling is very pumpkin forward – if you don't like pumpkin, stay away – and the top is draped with caramel frosting and chopped pecans. ($7.99)
8. Pumpkin ravioli
Squash-filled pastas havealways confused me: Are they dinner? Are they dessert? Are they both? After trying these, I still don't know. The orange-and-white ravioli are filled with ricotta, mozzarella and pumpkin that is roasted with honey, brown sugar and molasses, so the taste is on the sweet side. They are spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, too. We tossed them with a pat of butter, but if time allotted, a nutty browned butter would have been a better match.($3.49 for a 9-ounce package)
9. Spiced pumpkin madelines
These delicate little sponge cakes, a classic French sweet, are pleasant enough for a fall treat but didn't leave us craving more. "If you like pumpkin, they're fine," one taster said. The madelines would be nice with a cup of tea or coffee. ($2.99 for a package of six)
10. Pumpkin tortilla chips
At first whiff, these chips have the corn-like smell of regular tortilla chips, and the flavor was much the same. They are made with pumpkin and seeds, plus cinnamon and nutmeg, but if we had not seen the bag, we wouldnot have guessed whatwas in them, besides corn. One taster said these would be good with a bean dip or cranberry chutney; Trader Joe's suggests pumpkin cream cheese or a salsa of pumpkin, apples and butternut squash. ($1.99 for a 7-ounce bag)
