Turn A Trader Joe's Comforting Snack Into Sweet Rolls In Minutes

Among all the hidden gems in Trader Joe's freezer aisle, like the brand's small baguettes and miniature cake bites, Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants are significantly larger in size. Sure enough, as some of the best Trader Joe's breakfast items to choose from, these traditional chocolate pastries are often revered for being extra-large and perfectly flaky. 

However, you may not always be in the mood to down an extra large croissant at 8 o'clock in the morning. In that case, you can easily transform these jumbo baked goods into a lighter, easy-to-eat snack-sized rolls. Not to mention, considering a standard box of TJ's frozen croissants contains only four croissants, turning each uncooked, chocolate-filled treat into a smaller portion inevitably gives you more food to share and enjoy. 

To create your own batch of these bite-sized delights, first cut each frozen croissant into four equal pieces from one end of each pastry to the other. Then place all portions in one or two round baking pans evenly spaced, and allow all the dough to thaw overnight as directed. Come morning, once baked, you're faced with a perfectly enjoyable pan of individual, chocolate-filled croissant bites. Better yet, the most amazing part about turning Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants into miniature snack rolls is that you can easily enhance these treats with a number of tasty toppings and unique extras.

Given the fact that there are many ingredients you can use to make canned cinnamon rolls taste like they were made from scratch, there are just as many ways to upgrade Trader Joe's chocolate croissant rolls. For starters, since chocolate and cinnamon are complementary ingredients, why not sprinkle each roll with a light streusel topping composed of both white and light brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter? 

During baking, the butter melts evenly into the flour and sugars, leaving your rolls with added texture and sweetness. Better yet, to create a butter crumb topping that has even more crunch, mix a small amount of egg whites into your streusel topping before applying it to your rolls. Or, for a no-fuss alternative, sprinkle each roll with crushed pistachios, almonds, or pecans. Then, for added chocolatey goodness, include a small amount of mini chocolate chips. 

Conversely, you can skip the pre-baking upgrades and simply cover your rolls in a visually appealing topping. If you can't get enough chocolate, adorn each baked roll in a thin layer of chocolate ganache composed of heated cream and melted solid chocolate. Alternatively, for a more dessert-friendly upgrade, make vanilla or chocolate buttercream frosting. Or, for a milder amount of sweetness, combine powdered sugar and milk for a simple sugar glaze. Then, top each roll with a dusting of cocoa powder and cinnamon for an extra special finishing touch.