We’ve been going wild over Trader Joe’s seasonal frozen food lately. For example, we loved the Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole, and the Harvest Chili really hit the spot. Both of these items are part of Trader Joe’s fall lineup, but now we’re moving into the winter items. We’ve very recently reviewed the Trader Joe’s Turkey Cranberry Meatballs, but today we’re going with something a little sweeter: the Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Roll Wreath.
Most of the frozen food we review here at Freezer Meal Frenzy is quite simple to make. Simply pop it into the microwave for a few minutes, then let it cool and eat it. The Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Roll Wreath is a different story entirely — this one takes some prep work.
See, this item needs to proof before it’s ready to be heated. First, you need to grease up a cookie sheet — or line it with parchment paper, which we recommend because the bottom of the wreath is soaked in relentlessly sticky caramel (we actually used aluminum foil). Then, get rid of all the wrapping and stick the wreath on the greased (or papered, or foiled) cookie sheet. Now, you’ll either let it sit in a warm spot for six to eight hours, or you’ll leave it in the refrigerator overnight, then let it sit on the counter for an hour or two.
Once it’s done proofing, you can simply preheat your oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit, then pop in the wreath for 18-22 minutes. We ended up leaving this in for 23 minutes to make sure it was golden brown around the edges. If you want to, you can add a glaze to it once it’s out of the oven. Trader Joe’s gives you instructions on how to make a suitable glaze, but they do not include any of it with this wreath.
So after all that work, you’ll have a toasty warm cinnamon roll in the shape of a holiday wreath. Though the whole thing is fused together, there are places where you can tear the thing into nine separate pieces. Each piece is considered a serving.
Now, the instructions advise you to let the wreath cool to room temperature before serving, but we find this to be ridiculous. Obviously, we don’t want anyone to burn themselves, but there are few pleasures in this world like that of eating a cinnamon roll that’s still warm in the center.
The outer layer of the wreath tends to get dry and flakey, like a croissant, while the inside stays moist and soft. This is exactly what we were hoping for when we first spotted the Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Roll Wreath, so we’re very happy with the results of our labor.
The center is filled with gooey caramel, and there’s a sprinkling of cinnamon inside as well, so most of the sweetness gravitates toward the center and the bottom of each piece. While the whole thing is tasty, it’s tempting to tear away the outer edge and go straight for the stuff in the middle.
As we mentioned earlier, this wreath contains nine servings. A single serving is worth 130 calories (50 from fat), and 115 mg of sodium. That’s not bad at all, though we’re pretty sure you’re going to start with two, then end up sneaking a third one a little later on. These are quite tasty.
Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Roll Wreath takes some prep work, but it’s a very tasty holiday treat. If you don’t mind all the proofing and waiting around, this is the sort of dessert that will really wow your guests at a holiday party or potluck.
To learn more about the nutrition content or ingredients in this Trader Joe’s cinnamon roll, check out our package scan below.
