New this holiday season, Trader Joe’s Chocolate Lava Gnocchi are taking the internet by storm. Read on to see if you should buy a bag of your own.
Y’all.
Trader Joe’s has seemingly made it their mission to break the internet in 2019. They have come out with so many amazing products for the holiday season this year.
When I saw Trader Joe’s List’s Instagram post about the new Chocolate Lava Gnocchi, I knew I needed to try them NOW. I mean, what could possibly be bad about little chocolate flavored pillows of dough with melted chocolate inside?
As I was checking out, my cashier warned me that they do not look appetizing and when I opened the bag, I understood what he meant. They look like poo. But don’t let their looks deceive you – these gnocchi do not taste the way they look!
The package instructions say to pan fry these from frozen for 6 – 8 minutes, turning once. Unlike the Cauliflower Gnocchi, the instructions for the Chocolate Lava Gnocchi are correct. This cooking method resulted in lightly crispy exteriors and still gooey interiors.
A lot of people are getting hung up on the fact that these, like all gnocchi, are made with potatoes. I did not think these tasted like potatoes at all. All I picked up on was chocolate. The ingredient list also lists hazelnut paste, but I did not taste hazelnuts either.
The texture of the outer shell is similar to any gnocchi. The outer crispiness gives way to a dense, doughiness similar to a dumpling. The interior is thick and rich like you would expect from melted chocolate.
I served these with peanut butter and with a quick raspberry sauce made from warmed frozen raspberries that I mashed and sweetened with a bit of sugar. While the Chocolate Lava Gnocchi are absolutely delicious on their own, these two sauces took them to a new level. I recommend giving it a try.
I also recommend garnishing these with a bit of powdered sugar like on the front of the package. It helps make them look a little less poo-like.
Nutritional Information for Trader Joe’s Chocolate Lava Gnocchi
I consider these to be a dessert, and as such, they have the typical higher amounts of fat and sugar. I was happy to see that there was no wheat in the ingredients list and they did not seem to bother my wheat-sensitive system. They may contain traces of soy, wheat, peanut, almond, macadamia, pine nut, pistachio, and walnut, so if you have allergies to any of those items or have celiac disease, keep that in mind. The also contain milk, egg, and hazelnut, so avoid if you need to.
Verdict: Recommend!
When I saw these on Instagram, I had a feeling they would be magnificent and I was not wrong. I’ve been told that the Chocolate Lava Gnocchi are a seasonal item, though, so grab a bag while you still can!
Have you tried them? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.