The Trader Joe's Snack That Tastes Just Like A Girl Scout Cookie

It's a beautiful day when a snack lover discovers Trader Joe's. The Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars are a holiday item that has secured a top spot amongst Trader Joe's snack lovers for tasting exactly like a Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie. However, as a self-proclaimed Trader Joe's connoisseur, I'd say the Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars knocks Thin Mints out of the park. 

Both Dark Chocolate Mint Stars and Thin Mints are wafer cookies coated in chocolate, which alone is enough to make them at least somewhat alike. However, the cookies share much more than that on the ingredients list. From the cocoa powder to the peppermint oil, the only thing about these two taste bud pleasers that isn't similar is how they look.

It's no wonder the taste of the chocolate mint stars is so coveted by those who discover them, Thin Mints reign supreme as the most popular Girl Scout cookie in almost every state. Of course, the pure bliss of being able to purchase Girl Scout cookies is reserved for specific times of the year, depending on your region. This means that the Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars are the perfect bite to fill the void left in your belly by Thin Mints — at least, for a short while.

Like many Trader Joe's products, the Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars are seasonal. It varies by store, but they're typically stocked from November through December before leaving the shelves. This means there's only a small timeframe in which you can head to your local TJ's to stock up and get that dark chocolate fix. And yes, you'll have to go into a physical store, as Trader Joe's doesn't sell their products online.

The Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars aren't the only Trader Joe's snack that has been compared to Girl Scout cookies. The Peanut Butter Joe-Joe's are strikingly similar in taste to the chocolate peanut butter Girl Scout cookies, Tagalongs. It's worth noting that if you find yourself craving cookies during a time when neither Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars nor Girl Scout Cookies are in season, the cookies in Trader Joe's baked goods section are delicious without needing any comparison to Girl Scout cookies.

Frequent shoppers come to know what food items are available at what times during the year at their local Trader Joe's, but crew members are always available to tell you if a favorite item will be around long. There's something about a seasonal sweet treat that makes it taste better. No doubt, Trader Joe's has that part figured out.