Trader Joe's Panzerotti Pizza Bites

Four bucks gets you "about 4 servings" of panzerotti. There were 11 little pizza pouches, like mini calzones, in our bag. It's another Italian import, and it's another disappointment, unfortunately.

On the plus side, there's absolutely nothing offensive about these little doughy doodads. They're made of soft flour on the outside and they're filled with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. 

Straight out of the air fryer, there are wisps of cheese just starting to ooze from the seams on the little pizza pockets. The only hint I had that these wouldn't be perfectly scrumptious was the curious absence of a fresh-baked pizza smell. There wasn't much odor at all, save for the scent of slightly toasty reheated wheat bread.

And the taste? The same. Remarkably bland for Italian food. You can tell there's cheese and sauce, but it's like they forgot all the spices. I see them listed in the ingredients, but I guess I just want more—more garlic, more oregano, more basil, more pepper.

The texture is pleasant. The shell is soft and fluffy, slightly crispy on the outside, depending on how long you air fry them. The cheese and sauce are nice and gooey, although most specimens could have used a lot more of both. It's mostly just empty space on the inside of the pockets.

You could salvage these by dipping them in tomato bisque or some other kind of creamy, thick soup. Or maybe you could add your own cheese and spices. Again, they're not awful, they just didn't live up to their potential and are far too bland in our opinions.

Seven out of ten stars from Sonia. Six out of ten stars from me for Trader Joe's Panzerotti Pizza Bites.

Bottom line: 6.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Pink Lady Apple Chips

Seems like red delicious and golden delicious were en vogue when I was a kid. Now, it's Honeycrisp and Pink Lady that seem to get all the attention in the red department. Granny Smith is pretty decent if you want a tart green flavor, but Pink Lady is a fine choice for a sweet chip kinda snack.

Let's go ahead and get the negatives out of the way first since there really aren't many of them. First, there's canola oil in the ingredients. I maintain that I don't consume enough canola oil for it to do me much harm, but it seems like it's popping up more and more in Trader Joe's offerings, and canola oil is literally engine lubricant.

Second, there aren't enough chips in the bag. It's deceptively large and not even close to being filled with the chips. I'd say it's shrinkflation or whatever, but it just seems like a cruel trick.

But now that we've gotten the unpleasantries out of the way, it's all smooth sailing from here on out...because these chips are delicious. There's a pleasant crispy crunch to each chip. They're not too hard and not chewy or weird at all.

Flavor-wise, there's a good bit of cinnamon and sugar, but it's mostly just a sweet juicy apple taste. It's very pleasant. Not too oily, not too tart. These chips are stellar in both taste and texture.

$2.29 for the 2.5 oz bag. Would buy again. Gluten free. Kosher. Eight and a half stars from me for Trader Joe's Cinnamon Sugar Pink Lady Apple Chips. Nine out of ten stars from Sonia.

Bottom line: 8.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Cocoa Berry Black Tea Blend

At the time I'm composing this post, the high today will be nearly double digits below zero here in the Upper Midwest. It'll be something like forty degrees warmer by the time this review goes live. So if you're reading these words, that means we likely survived the polar vortex in order to publish this article on the interwebs. Yay.

I'm virtually never in the mood for hot beverages. I'm generally chugging a Red Bull rather than coffee even if we're talking literal freezing temps outside. But when you're looking at early morning weather in the ballpark of minus fifteen...well, then even I might reach for a steaming mug of java, hot chocolate, or in this case tea—what appears to be a very unique tea, just looking at the description on the box anyway.

And unique it is. It's not as indulgent or as rich as the name "cocoa berry" might make it sound. It is, indeed, a tea, so all the flavors are subtle. It smells more like cocoa than it tastes. There's a faint berry essence and an even fainter chocolatey one. It's a tea blend that very much favors the addition of sugar and cream in my humble opinion. Or, like Sonia, you can turn it into a latte.

It's a black tea so it's got some caffeine. There's a mild invigorating quality to the taste. I'd have this for breakfast or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. It's nothing to write home about, nor is it anything to complain about.

I was just about to say I wouldn't buy it again, but when I looked up the price, I had to reconsider. Two bucks for ten tea bags. The cute little box and fancy presentation make it something that might be nice to have on hand to offer to guests on cold winter days. Seven out of ten stars from me. Eight out of ten stars from Sonia for Trader Joe's Cocoa Berry Black Tea Blend.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Garlic Gondolas

I've said it many times: I'm a carbivore. Not necessarily proud of that. It's just a fact I love breads, pastries, cereals, and all manner of grains. I'm also oddly fond of garlic. I wasn't particularly enamored with it as a kid, but as I've grown old, I've come to appreciate its essence not only baked into Italian style dishes but also raw garlic for its potent medicinal properties and pungency.

Garlic bread? Of course I love garlic bread. We've seen our share of it from Trader Joe's. We've reviewed garlic bread with shrimp, bake at home garlic bread, garlic monkey bread, garlic cheese bread, and even garlic bread cheese. Can't say TJ's garlic bread track record has been particularly stellar. In fact, I think we're still on the hunt for a real winner.

If anybody knows how to make garlic bread, it's the Italians. And not only do we have a uniquely Italian product title with this item, but it is, in fact, an Italian import. So far, so good.

Bake at 425°F for 12 minutes on parchment. Done. The verdict? It's garlicky. It might even be too garlicky for some. Obviously, it's not raw garlic since it's been baking in the oven for the past dozen minutes or so. It's a decent roasted garlic flavor that I can appreciate. No, the garlic flavor isn't the problem here.

The cheese flavor is so subtle I wasn't even sure it had cheese until I looked at the ingredients. It's more like a thin layer of an oily garlic paste on a stiff slab of wheat bread. It's not crispy like Texas toast, but nor is it super soft. It's almost like the slightly chewy dough from a slice of New York style pizza but without any tomato sauce and practically no cheese.

It's not a terrible product, but it seems like it's missing an ingredient or two. Paired with a pasta dish, some marinara sauce, or a bowl of cherry tomatoes, it would be passable. The presentation is unique and interesting, but if you're playing the odds, you'll get better garlic bread from the local mom and pop's Italian restaurant.

Probably would not repurchase. Four bucks for two of Trader Joe's Garlic Gondolas, found in the frozen section. Six out of ten stars from me. Six and a half from the beautiful wifey.

Bottom line: 6.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Can you believe that despite reviewing more than 2,250 Trader Joe's brand food products that we've never looked at their classic peanut butter cups? We've reviewed multiple types of almond butter cups and even sunflower seed butter cups but never their tried and true milk chocolate or dark chocolate peanut butter offerings.

Time to change that. I know I've purchased their milk chocolate peanut butter cups at least once or twice many years ago, but I don't think I've ever even tried this product. I've heard nothing but good things. Let's dive in.

Sonia loves that the layer of chocolate surrounding the peanut butter isn't very thick. She loves dark chocolate but thinks a lot of peanut butter cups are ruined by drowning out the flavor of the peanut butter with too much chocolate. I love that the peanut butter is super creamy and sweet. There's even a hint of vanilla in the mix which works to balance out the rich dark chocolate.

The texture and firmness of the shell is just about perfect, and the flavor combo couldn't be better. We can see why this product has been around for so long. It's a big tub with 35 or 36 peanut butter cups. It'll last you a good long time I would think, although that depends on how big your family is I guess.

$4.99 for 16 ounces of dark chocolate and peanut butter bliss. Kosher. I definitely want to try the milk chocolate peanut butter cups again next time, but we would repurchase this product at some point. Eight and a half out of ten stars from Sonia. Eight out of ten from me.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.

Hardywood Joe-Joe's Chocolate Vanilla Creme Stout

Mind you, I'm no expert, but I've had a handful of chocolate stouts and porters in my day, and none really stood out to me in a big way. Can't say this one is much different except for the fancy packaging. I think I've enjoyed coffee and peanut butter porters at least as much as the chocolate ones. Then there was that beer that was both coffee and peanut butter that we found at Trader Joe's a few years back. That post was scribed by my erstwhile Pittsburgh-based colleague, but I can't say I disagree with his sentiments about that particular brew in any case.

Hardywood Joe-Joe's Chocolate Vanilla Creme Stout has a nice rich dark beer flavor with some mild sweetness and chocolate essence. It's a good bit milky, too. As far as anything cookie-esque, you really have to use your imagination. I didn't find the alcohol flavor to be particularly harsh despite a relatively high ABV for beer: 9.2%.

I didn't do the pro bartender pour in the video since I was recording with my other hand, but the beer still managed to fill my pint glass without an excessive head—just a nice layer of light tan on top of the deep dark brown body. No major complaints. The chocolate beer paired well with peanut butter pretzels and yielded a vaguely Reese's-esque flavor combo.

Not sure how we wound up with the moniker "Joe-Joe's" on the can but not the Trader Joe's logo. I imagine the Hardywood boss guy was like, "If we're gonna brew this stuff for you, how many times do you really need your name on the package? You get two instances of 'Joe' and then 'Hardywood' gets top billing, and that's my final offer."

Big Joe liked the product well enough that he shook hands on the deal. We like the brew well enough, too. $3.75 for a single pint or fifteen bucks for a four pack. Seven and a half stars from both Sonia and me for Hardywood Joe-Joe's Chocolate Vanilla Creme Stout.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Chao Tôm

If you've been reading this blog for any significant amount of time, you'll know I'm a sucker for appetizers and a lover of seafood. Appetizers made with seafood? It's a done deal. You know we're gonna try them and there's a good chance we'll enjoy them.

That's exactly what happened with this product. Scrump-dilly. After 10 minutes in the air fryer, the skewers came out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The bulk of the skewer is shrimp meat, water chestnut, spring onion, green beans, and lemongrass. It's a delightfully savory combo, full of flavor and noshable textures.

Drawbacks? There are a few, unfortunately. The product doesn't come with its own dipping sauce. The pic on the box is merely a "serving suggestion." Boo. Fortunately, we had our own sweet Thai chili sauce to use. The chao tom is good on its own, but it's great when served with sweet Thai chili sauce, Trader Joe's brand or otherwise.

The shrimp and veggies want to slide off the skewer pretty easily. I found myself holding the little shrimp patty in place with one finger so I could pull a bite-sized chunk off the end with my teeth. Otherwise, the whole thing wanted to slide off. Certain specimens were small enough to be eaten in a single large bite, but others were easily three or four bites.

Also, I wasn't a huge fan of the sugar cane skewers. They were much fatter than typical wooden skewers and they didn't really add a ton in the flavor department. I guess it's cool that you can chew on them after you've eaten the appetizer and get that sweet sugar cane taste, but they're a tad mushy after being dipped in sauce and gnawed on numerous times.

Still, this is a unique and tasty product imported all the way from Vietnam. I can't vouch for its authenticity, but Sonia and I will both tell you that it's quite yummy and worth a purchase if you're looking for some Southeast Asian flavors that won't break the bank. 

$5.49 for 8 shrimp skewers. Would buy again. Nine out of ten stars from Sonia and eight out of ten from me for Trader Joe's Chao Tôm.

Bottom line: 8.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Syrah Soaked Toscano Cheese Spread

At this point, we're still kind of recapping a lot of the foods we were munching on throughout the holidays. This is another fancy cheese dip you might serve with fancy hors d'oeuvres or a charcuterie platter. "Soaked in syrah," you say? Yes, please.

Sonia and I went through a syrah/shiraz phase a few years back. It's generally a punchy, earthy red with peppery notes underneath. It's not a flavor you'd think would easily disappear in a tub of Toscano, but I was surprised how subtle it was in this instance. It's definitely there, but this is cheese with a whisper of wine and not the other way around.

It's tangy and herbaceous, creamy and savory. Sonia threw it into her omelets and sandwiches noting that it made them taste a lot more interesting than more common selections like Swiss or mozzarella. Truth be told, she liked it a lot more than I did.

Call me boring, but I don't think anything will ever dethrone the Unexpected Cheddar in terms of Trader Joe's spreadable cheeses for me. While we're on the topic, though, I should mention we bought the Holiday Cheer version again this year and both felt that the recipe had changed—like it was overloaded with cinnamon and wasn't nearly as good as the batch from 2023. Anybody else?

Trader Joe's Syrah Soaked Toscano Cheese Spread & Dip will run you five bucks for the 7.5 oz tub. Sonia will give it eight out of ten stars and a thumbs up. I don't give it a thumbs down exactly, but I wouldn't repurchase for just myself. Six out of ten from me.

Sonia's score: 8 out of 10.

Nathan's score: 6 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate Honeycomb Candy

So...actual honeycomb is perfectly safe to eat and some say delicious, so I was hoping this was, you know, actual honeycomb covered in chocolate. It's not. It's more like that Sponge Candy in terms of texture and maybe like the Honey Toffee Pecans in terms of packaging and beehive-themed allure.

It's a crispy, wafery crystallized sugar kinda situation here. The candies are much harder to bite into than I'd want them to be. Visually, the insides greatly resemble the filling of a Butterfinger bar but a tad more rigid in terms of texture.

Flavor-wise, there's a rich honey essence but also something unexpectedly buttery. I'd say chocolate plays second fiddle to the crunchy honey candy underneath, but it's definitely there, and it's definitely a sweet milk chocolate flavor rather than anything darker with rich, earthy cacao undertones.

I found sucking on the candies for a minute made them much more easy to chew. I really can't stand the texture of toffee for the same reason, but these candies get much more malleable after a spell in your mouth.

$3.99 for the 4.6 oz resealable bag. Product of Thailand. I like the flavor of these unique candies a lot, but I don't know if I'd buy it very often because I don't like dentists. Sonia feels similarly. We'll go with seven and a half out of ten stars each for Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate Covered Honeycomb Candy.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Cassata Baked Ricotta Cheese

As others rave about this product as well as the Baked Lemon Ricotta, I'm starting to think "dessert cheeses" just aren't my thing. I gave them both a whirl and while I'm still intrigued and wanting to love them, I can only muster a "that was neat to try" attitude rather than full-fledged enthusiasm.

As the label says, this one is filled with chocolate chips and candied fruit bits including citrus peels, pumpkin, and pear. The product was neither as sweet nor as creamy as I was wanting it to be. The texture of whey hit my tongue and palate more heavily than anything else when I bit into this cheese.

The fruit bits and chocolate chunks weren't nearly as intrusive as I assumed they'd be texture-wise or flavor-wise. They added a hint of complexity that was both enjoyable and unique. Sonia's glad the chocolate flavor wasn't overbearing, but she still wishes the ricotta itself were more dominant in the overall flavor profile.

Maybe it's because we don't charcuterie like the pros, but we were at a bit of a loss as to how to eat this cheese. We both enjoyed it baked into pancakes and waffles much more than we did when it was room temperature or refrigerated, but it's still not something we'd care to purchase with any kind of regularity.

$4.99 for the 6.35 oz package. It's worth a try for the adventurous eater if it comes back next year. Lots of folks are vastly more passionate about this selection than we are. Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Sonia will give Trader Joe's Cassata Baked Ricotta Cheese seven and a half out of ten stars. I'll go with six and a half.

Bottom line: 7 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Challah Braided Egg Bread

This was my first time trying challah bread. I've heard about it many times but never had occasion to actually taste it. First impressions? Very good!

It's a soft egg-based bread. In this case, it comes in a pull-apart style loaf all braided and twisted around itself. Each little lump can be separated from the main section and treated as a dinner roll. I'm not sure if that's how it's done traditionally, but that's how the beautiful wifey and I had it, and it worked out beautifully.

It's not a far cry from the delicious milk breads we've sampled from Trader Joe's in recent memory, although there's no milk or cream in this product. The texture of the bread is velvety and smooth, and there's also a decent amount of sweetness thanks to both sugar and honey in the ingredients.

The loaf was about four bucks in the baked goods section. Certified kosher. Would buy again. Trader Joe's Challah Braided Egg Bread will get a solid eight out of ten stars from both Sonia and me.

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Olive Tapenade Hummus

This is about the tenth style of hummus we've reviewed from Trader Joe's throughout the years. I won't bore you with a recap of each one. Just head to our blog and type "hummus" into the search bar if you're interested.

I'd say this variety falls squarely in the middle of the pack for me, personally. I like the hummus element. Pretty standard. Whirled chickpeas and tahini for the win.

The tapenade portion of the product is very briny. I mean, yeah, many olives come packed in salt water, so a bit of brininess is to be expected, but this seemed a tad excessive to me. Not a dealbreaker. I like a good bit of sodium in my diet, and if you mix equal parts hummus with tapenade in every bite, you can effectively mitigate the brine factor.

Sonia is a fan of the combo. The saltiness didn't bother her much. She's very much into anything Mediterranean these days. I think it would be ideal with fresh bruschetta, but we enjoyed it with the random types of bread products we had lying around the house—pita, naan, and even just water crackers.

$3.49 in the refrigerated section. Kosher. Sonia would buy it again and I wouldn't stop her unless there were some newfangled hummus that looked more interesting on our next Trader Joe's run. Sonia will throw out seven and a half out of ten stars for Trader Joe's Olive Tapenade Hummus. I'll go with seven out of ten.

Bottom line: 7.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Teeny Tiny Pecan Pies

Let's kick the new year off right...by reviewing a seasonal product that's already done for the year! But seriously, this product was one of the highlights of our holiday goodies at the end of 2024, so let's cross our fingers this one comes back again for the fall/holiday season of 2025. 

This isn't the first pecan pie product we've looked at from Trader Joe's. In fact, these aren't even the first mini pecan pies we've seen. We've looked at chocolate pecan pie, pecan pie filling by itself, and even pecan pie ice cream. But this might be the very best pecan pie product we've ever had from Trader Joe's.

We've got built-in portion control with the tiny pies. While it's within the realm of possibility that you'd eat the whole box in one sitting, at least you're given a few chances to reconsider before you've polished off the entire package and left none for your friends and family and made yourself public enemy number one at those big holiday gatherings.

The brown sugar sweetness and nuttiness blend well with the wheat flour. There's just enough cinnamon and spices to keep it interesting. We really don't have much to say other than the fact that these are much more scrumptious than we expected them to be.

They tasted fresh and flavorful, especially after a few seconds in the microwave. A dollop of whipped cream didn't hurt, either. But consuming them at room temperature without fixings of any kind is perfectly viable as well.

We would absolutely buy again next year. You might get lucky and find a straggler at your local TJ's, but I'm pretty sure they're done for the season. $4.99 for four little pies. Nine out of ten stars from Sonia for Trader Joe's Teeny Tiny Pecan Pies. I'll go with eight and a half.

Bottom line: 8.75 out of 10.

The Art of Trader Joe's

It's hard to put my finger on all the things that drew me to Trader Joe's in the first place. Do they have delicious foods? Of course. Do they have reasonable prices? Yes. Are the employees enthusiastic and friendly? Check. Are there exotic choices from around the world that are hard to find in mainstream grocery stores? You know it.

But there's also an ambience to each location that draws in the quirkiest of customers, seekers of novel experiences, and appreciators of fine art. It's not just the product packaging. It's not just the signage in the stores. It's everything about the Trader Joe's experience that draws us back over and over again.

And this new book by Julie Averbach nails that intangible appeal with such depth and expertise that I might not have thought it possible prior to opening up my copy of The Art of Trader Joe's. It's written in such a manner that it's accessible to even casual Trader Joe's shoppers and fans of whimsical illustrations, but the mind-blowing insights the author weaves into each and every page put it on the same level as a doctoral thesis in art history.

Each chapter is laden not just with photographs of actual Trader Joe's art installations, package designs, and store signs, but also pictures of the famous artworks from around the world which may have inspired them in the first place. It's carefully curated into categories such as "Victorian Cartoons," "Famous Art References," and "Pop Culture."

Julie Averbach traveled to more 150 TJ's locations throughout 20 states as part of her research. Sonia and I have been to Trader Joe's in 26 states, but Julie's got us beat on total number of locations by a good bit. Add to that her general knowledge of art and art history, and she's got the credentials to pull this off—but honestly, I never thought I'd be quite as impressed with this publication as I am now that I've started reading it.

It would make an ideal gift for any art lover or Trader Joe's shopper, or it could function as a coffee table book that's sure to impress guests and start conversations. I'll be reading it from cover to cover. Sonia is a professional graphic designer and lifelong art buff—watch our video review to hear her reaction to this book.

The book retails for $29.70 in paperback or $42.45 in hardcover on Amazon. You can also pick up copies at the world famous Strand Book Store in NYC or various other retailers on the east coast. Please check out theartoftraderjoes.com for more details. It would be hard to give this book anything short of a perfect score. This is one of my favorite Christmas gifts this year. The Art of Trader Joe's gets ten out of ten stars from both Sonia and me.

Bottom line: 10 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Something Spritzy Sparkling Beverages

If you're here to read about the festive version of Something Spritzy, then happy holidays! If you're here at some point in the future to read our thoughts on the original beverage in the blue can, then welcome! Happy Easter or 4th of July or whatever magical time of year you happen to be reading this.

Once again, there's a video review at the bottom of this post with more info than I'll be writing here, but I'll still throw you a bone and drop some bullet points. First, neither beverage is super sweet. Neither one is bursting with flavor. They're both quite subtle. You'll note that they're relatively low in calories, the red can with 80 and the blue can with only 60, respectively.

They both have fruit juices and cane sugar. The blue version is a faint pineapple and orange flavor, with Sonia noting that there's a grapefruit-esque essence and slight aftertaste. The red can tastes like orange to her while I note more cranberry flavor and a faint blend of holiday spices—like Wassail Punch, but not quite as good or as flavorful.

Each can is $1.99. I give Trader Joe's Something Spritzy original and festive editions seven and a half out of ten...and that might be a feel-good holiday-style don't-wanna-be-a-Scrooge kinda score. Sonia gives the red can a generous eight out of ten and the blue can seven and a half.

Bottom line: Something Spritzy Original: 7.5 out of 10.

Bottom line: Something Spritzy Festive: 7.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Stars

For a dude who doesn't really like dark chocolate or crispy cookies all that much, I sure eat a lot of dark chocolate and crispy cookies. But shoot, I do it all in the name of intrepid food reviewing.

I try to be objective and informative enough that even if I don't thoroughly enjoy a product, I give you enough info that you can guess whether you'd like it or not.

Click to enlarge

In this case, if you like crispy, crumbly shortbread and dark chocolate, there's absolutely no reason these won't be your favorite Christmas cookies ever. Me? Yeah, they're kinda exactly what I expected.

And I wasn't expecting to be thrilled. But hey, it's the holiday season and we're going to accentuate the positive and all that. These cookies have been an end-of-the-year mainstay at Trader Joe's for many years.

$4.99 for the 16 oz box. Wouldn't buy again, personally, but I totally get it if you're a fan. More dark chocolate stars for you, I say. 

I give Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Stars six and a half out of ten stars. Sonia will go with seven and a half out of ten.

Bottom line: 7 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Crunchy Italian Amaretti Cookies

So the presentation of this product is pretty...pretty. Nice box. Each piece comes in a beautifully-printed wrapper. What else jumps out at me? The ingredients—there are only three. Sugar and egg whites are no surprise. The third ingredient? Apricot kernels, AKA apricot seeds...which are poisonous...and also cure cancer. Go figure. Please don't hold WG@TJ's accountable for any health-related claims. Do your own research. I digress.

These are good. They taste like amaretto. I assumed they'd have, you know, almonds in them. They don't. Just apricot pits or whatever. They really taste amazing. They're crunchy like they say on the box. I'd almost always prefer soft cookies, but at least you know what you're getting here. They're amazing dunked in coffee, warm milk, hot cocoa, or even tea. The hot liquids help wake up the vibrant flavor of these cookies even more than when you eat them dry.

Serving size is three cookies and there are "about three" servings in the box. I'm no math whiz, but I might have assumed there were nine in the box, but there were only eight in ours. I guess that's where the word "about" comes into play. Certain specimens seemed stiffer than others. But still, they're quite delicious and pleasant to eat. I'm sure the whole box will be gone by the time we post this review.

$2.99 for the 3.5 oz package. Product of Italy. Would make a nice stocking stuffer. Would buy again. Sonia gives Trader Joe's Crunchy Italian Amaretti Cookies nine out of ten stars. I'll go with eight and a half out of ten.

Bottom line: 8.75 out of 10.