If you’ve never had brioche, you’re in for a massive treat. This traditional French-style bread is made with rich, decadent ingredients like sour cream, sugar, and butter to create an indulgent, moist, pastry-like bread that feels more like a dessert than a lunch ingredient.
I had no idea Trader Joe’s sold brioche until recently, so I was very excited when I found out.
In fact, they sell at least four different types of brioche–their classic Braided & Sliced Brioche, a Vegan Brioche Loaf, as well as Brioche Hot Dog Buns and hamburger-style Brioche Buns.
The classic and vegan brioche loaves are both available for $3.99 while the hot dog buns are priced at $2.99. The hamburger-style brioche buns are priced at $3.99 as well.
All four products can be found in the baked goods section, typically located towards the back of the store near the wine and beer.
If you’re looking for something other than bread, Trader Joe’s also sells a popular brioche cracker, their Trader Joe’s Brioche Toasts. These delectable, buttery crackers are infamous for going in and out of stock as they tend to fly off the shelves when they’re available. They are technically a year-round product though, so if you can’t find them at your local store, try asking an employee when they might come back in stock.
This week, I decided to try out the classic Braided & Sliced Brioche.
Ingredients and Nutrition
First, let’s be clear–brioche is not healthy.
It’s full of sugar, dairy, and butter. But that’s exactly why it’s so good.
As long as you think of brioche as a dessert and not as a dietary staple, you won’t be too shocked by the nutritional value (or lack thereof).
As you can see, this brioche loaf contains a ton of rich ingredients, including flour, water, sugar, eggs, unsalted butter, pasteurized cream, canola oil, and sour cream.
Needless to say, this loaf is not vegan or gluten free. In 2020, Trader Joe’s did release a Gluten Free Brioche Bread. However, as of January 2023, it’s unclear whether this product is still available in stores. It’s possible that it has been discontinued.
Brace yourself… in just one slice of Trader Joe’s Brioche, you’ll be eating 160 calories. These calories come primarily from fat and carbs, including 7 grams of sugar per serving. You’ll also be eating 20 mg of cholesterol per slice, along with 180 mg of sodium.
Truly, each slice of this bread is the equivalent of a nice pastry. So, I decided to just enjoy it for what it is–a treat!
The Taste Test
I won’t lie–I was so excited to try this bread. I absolutely love brioche, and I’m honestly just a sucker for anything decadent and sweet.
Luckily, this delicious brioche did not let me down.
Before I even put it in my mouth, I could tell from the smell that it would be amazing. Straight out of the bag, this bread smells like a fresh, buttery croissant (probably because they share a lot of the same ingredients).
When toasted, this bread literally melts in your mouth. It’s soft, pillowy, sweet, and just plain dangerously good.
The first time I ate it, I made avocado toast with a couple of fried eggs on top. The sweetness wasn’t overwhelming, so it didn’t conflict with the savoriness of the meal, which I was happy with.
Then, I tried it simply toasted with a little organic raspberry jam on top. Delicious!
I can imagine this bread making some killer French toast, and it would also be perfect as the backbone of a fancy grilled cheese.
Whatever you decide to do with this Braided & Sliced Brioche, I doubt you will be disappointed.
