Aldi's 2026 Fall Products, Ranked From Worst To Best

For many years, the go-to store for fall goodies was Trader Joe's. The store was heralded as the place to go for pumpkin everything, and it still uses holiday products as a way to drive traffic through its crowded aisles today. However, it appears that another chain has added its hat to the seasonal grocery store product ring, and I, for one, couldn't be happier about it.

I am, of course, talking about Aldi — my favorite grocery store. I take pride in knowing that I was a fan of it before it became popular and have witnessed its seasonal evolution of products. Now, the store sells an array of pastas, sauces, spreads, ice creams, and more products that are bound to get you into the fall season — and all for a pretty low price.

Even as an Aldi shopper, I tend not to buy a lot of seasonal products because they usually end up being either passable or disgusting. But I wanted to see how some of the members of Aldi's 2026 fall lineup would fare. So, I took a trip to my local store in Rhode Island, tasted a bunch of different offerings, and ranked them from worst to best based on their taste, texture, and seasonality. I should note here that this list is far from exhaustive, and for the sake of comparison, I decided to exclude dry goods, sauces, beverages, and items that were not ready-to-eat (e.g., pasta).

When I tried the 2026 Trader Joe's lineup, I was surprised that the Maple Brown Butter Almonds did so well (well, actually, not really; Trader Joe's nuts are impeccable). While Trader Joe's is clearly the boss in this seasonal nut department, Aldi's showed its inferiority with its Pumpkin Spice Almonds.

First off: Why do the almonds taste citrusy? I don't entirely know. The nut underneath the cloying, dusty coating was not snappy and fresh and tasted more like it had been sitting rancid on the store shelves before a sorry chap (aka me) bought a bag. The nut splintered and turned mealy after a few bites, which isn't helped by the stale-tasting spice coating. It's a little heavy on the nutmeg, and while I like eggnog, I can't say it's a compatible flavor for almonds. These nuts are a gimmick (and a bad one at that). 

These Apple Pie Sandwich Crèmes fail both conceptually and in terms of execution. You simply can't simmer the complexities and flavor nuances of an apple pie down into a cookie, let alone a poorly made cookie. When I opened the container, I was hit with an aroma of molten plastic — like the smell of someone drilling teeth at a dentist's office. 

Eating the cookies was about as unpleasant as sitting in said dentist's chair; the apple flavor was so overdone and artificial that it was hard to tell it was trying to get at the apple in the first place. I couldn't tell whether the flavor was in the cookie or in the crème, but at this point, I don't want to find out. Texturally, they're not as unpleasant as the Pumpkin Spice Almonds, but I can't say they're the apple of my eye. 

I am of the belief that seasonal chocolates are not for eating; they're for gifting. I've had so few seasonal chocolates in my life that I've enjoyed, and I can confirm that Choceur's selection is in the same boat as the Russell Stover and Whitman's of the world. 

While cute, these chocolate "pies" were not something I would buy with the intent of eating again. The "pumpkin" slice tasted like I was eating a chocolate- and pumpkin-flavored wax melt, whereas the salted caramel pecan, disappointingly, didn't appear to have any actual nuts in it. The chocolate cream was passable (I mean, it's a chocolate-on-chocolate truffle; it's not rocket science), and the wild card, lemon meringue — which is not seasonally appropriate nor a good pairing for chocolate — was the only one that I came back for a second bite of. How? I don't entirely know.

I think there is a point where we need to stop trying to make seasonal chocolates taste good and just embrace their gimmicking. If you gave a pack of these to me, I would just re-gift them to someone else. 

I have tried all of Aldi's trail mixes before, and I can't say that this Caramel Apple Trail Mix is one of its best and brightest. It toes the line between being a snack mix and a trail mix, as it has very few nutty components aside from a couple of errant almonds and yogurt-covered raisins. The rest of the mix is made of caramel apple-flavored mini candy cups and cinnamon cookie pieces (read: sad graham crackers).

"Caramel apple-flavored mini candy cups" are words that should never be strung together. The green apple flavor is as fake as fake can be, and it's only made worse by the yogurt-covered raisins, which have the consistency of gumdrops. The almonds are supposed to be cinnamon-apple flavored, though I don't know why Aldi would do that, and the little cookie squares are stale. I wish I had something positive to say here — maybe just that the mix as a whole wasn't as poorly textured as the lower-ranked Pumpkin Spice Almonds? Even that seems generous. 

These mini biscotti have fully convinced me that all biscotti should be tiny (I mean, can you get any cuter than this?). However, they did not convince me that they are worth eating. 

I famously dislike biscotti, and this Aldi product is a prime example of why: They're just too dry. I made the mistake of biting into one — which was about half the length of my finger — with my front teeth and could hear my dentist practically screaming from across town. I couldn't bite through it, and instead had to gnaw at it with my molars like a starved raccoon to break off a piece. 

The sweetness was yet another issue, as I could barely taste the already-sweet pumpkin over all that sugar. There was also a clear strip in the middle, which suggested a baking issue of some sort. They might be fine if they were dipped into coffee, but I still wouldn't take the chance.

This Pumpkin Spice Kettle Corn looks like a children's art project — and not one you'd feel proud to hang up on the fridge. There is what looks like drizzled candy melts haphazardly coating each of the kernels. The coating itself is waxy, yet gritty, and tastes like an overly spiced white chocolate. When you combine that with a kettle corn that's already sweetened — though not quite kettled, as the pieces lack the signature crackliness and crispiness of kettle corn — you get a seasonal flop.

I could see someone serving this at a Halloween party, should there be no better options in the bakery section. Children would love them, but adults with a developed palate wouldn't feel the same. It's not as unpalatable as my lower-ranked selections, though it's far from a winner.

You know it's never good when I eat a cookie and say, "meh." But that's what happened with these premium-priced Specially Selected cookies, which come six to a container. They're large cookies — about the size of my palm — with massive pieces of white chocolate studding each one. White chocolate does absolutely nothing for me, and it doesn't do these cookies any favors, either. I couldn't tell that they were pumpkin-flavored, as they tasted like sugar cookies that had been stored next to a loaf of pumpkin bread. The flavor was too faint to be convincing. 

These cookies also toe the line between being soft and being stale. Like, if you're going to be a soft cookie, then be a soft cookie! Commit to it! These were just thick cookies that had been sitting on the shelf for too long (and after trying them, I can see why they're not popular). 

I really, really don't like sweet potatoes in any form, but I can see how someone could appreciate these Maple Sweet Potato Chips. They are much darker than the bag makes them seem, and the sweet potato flavor is quite strong. You can't possibly confuse them with regular potato chips. 

They're coated in what appears to be maple sugar, but I didn't get that oaky flavor when paired with the stronger-tasting sweet potato. There were more mustard undercurrents than maple ones, which left both me and my palate feeling confused. I also didn't like that I could taste them for a long time after I had finished them. These chips might have their appeal for some eaters, but I think they're better in concept than they are in real life.

Little Bites has some big competition. These Aldi muffins, which come five packs to a box, with each pouch containing four donut hole-sized bites, are pretty good by mini muffin standards. They're soft, sweet, and moist — so moist that there is no way they could have come out of someone's home kitchen. The sticky coating sticks to your molars and the roof of your mouth in a way only prepackaged mini muffins can.

But are they good pumpkin mini muffins? Hardly. You could have told me they were vanilla and I would have believed you. There's no pumpkin or spice to speak of, which is why I placed them toward the middle of this list. 

When I think of pecans in a shortbread, I think of Pecan Sandies. And these Benton's soft-baked cookies kind of have that vibe going on, but it's not enough. They look raw (the back of the container says to microwave them for 10 seconds, which I can confirm does not make a difference), and they taste about as doughy as they look. Pecan Sandies are good because they're snappy, buttery, and short, and these are as far from that as you can get. The flavor is also slightly oat-like, and the maple flavor wasn't front-and-center enough to make this a fall cookie. 

Could this format work for a, say, chocolate chip cookie? Sure, and it would probably be good. But the slightly rancid flavor of the cookie base and the pecans doesn't do it any favors. It's not an awful cookie, but it's not one I would reach for again, especially when the craving for a decidedly fall treat strikes.

These Apple Pie Bites were the first item I sampled. The store doesn't appear to sell full-sized apple pies, so I assumed this was its best attempt at offering something similar. I was a bit surprised to find them in the freezer case with the rest of the Aldi Finds, rather than with the other seasonal baked goods.

My Aldi must have run out of room in the back, because I doubt these were meant to be eaten frozen (nor did the package have instructions on how to heat them). The streusel on top lacks brown sugar flavor or any notes of cinnamon, and the oats were the only memorable thing about it (and not memorable in a good way, either). The apple filling was like a store-bought apple pie filling — and just about as special as one can be, too — while the bottom crust was way too thick and not buttery. These are passable for snacking, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy them. 

Blueberry isn't a fall flavor, so I was surprised to see Aldi include it in its seasonal lineup alongside more classic autumnal flavors, including pumpkin, apple, and maple. However, it was indeed a seasonal product, and it was indeed something I would turn back to — though not for the blueberries. 

The texture of these bites was like a cross between crunchy granola and a healthy cereal. They're made with sorghum, cashews, walnuts, and pecans — and perhaps some blueberries in there, but I couldn't find them. They deftly balance a subtle maple sweetness with the flavor of the nuts, and the texture of the little cubes was quite satisfying. I could see myself sprinkling a few on a bowl of yogurt, but they still don't scream "fall" enough to compete with true seasonal products.

Pumpkin cake is one of life's most simple pleasures. And for the most part, Aldi does a good job with it in its Bake Shop Pumpkin Sliced Loaf Cake. If you want something seasonal but eschew cloying desserts, this is exactly where I'd direct you. It's not as "savory" as the package suggests, but unlike many of the other items on this list, the pumpkin is doing all of the talking. The cake is spongy and soft but still retains its slice shape and texture, and its sweetness only enhances its natural flavor.

Now ... is it exciting? It's about as exciting as an unfrosted loaf cake slice can be. You can eat it for breakfast or for dessert, but it may not wow someone who is on the hunt for the most outlandish fall treat Aldi sells. 

Well, I wanted more excitement, so I got more excitement. The Pumpkin Loaf Slices got an upgrade when Aldi decided to wrap them up with buttercream frosting. Swiss rolls are a pain to make because of the rolling technique required, but I was happy to say that Aldi put up a valiant effort here. There were no cracks or fissures in the roll, and the icing was tucked neatly inside. It was the same cake as the loaf slices, but with added sweetness from the buttercream.

The buttercream is where the issues start. It's a poor frosting choice because it doesn't keep well at room temperature. The icing sloshed out the sides of the roll when I cut into it and tried to eat it. A more stable cream cheese frosting would have made more sense and have offered a pleasant, complementary tang. The roll is passable — and seasonal — but it's not the best-executed treat of them all.

Wafer roll cookies deserve more positive press. They are snappy, sweet, vanilla-forward, and just really satisfying. And for the most part, these wafer cookies fit the bill. They have both a strong vanilla and strong spice flavor — a little too much nutmeg for me, but I'm not going to complain — and deliver on their pumpkin spice promise in a way that many of the items on this list didn't. I easily crunched on one stick and felt myself going back for more. 

If you order your pumpkin spice latte with as much pumpkin syrup as your Starbucks barista will allow, you will probably like these. Though folks who appreciate a more subtle (and what I call "shivery") pumpkin flavor may liken the taste of these wafers to pumpkin candles. If they were half the size and had a more toned-down flavor, I would have ranked them higher. 

I lived in Vermont for many years, so I'm no stranger to these maple cookies, which are sold by numerous brands. They all look the same: two massive cookies sandwiching a generous layer of filling. The filling itself is more like frosting than what you'd find in an Oreo cookie, and Benton's certainly delivers that. The cookies are practically overflowing with filling, which is just as maplely and sweet as the cookies that encase it.

Overall, these cookies are excellent: sweet, rife with maple flavor, and just the thing I want to crumble on a bowl of high-quality vanilla ice cream. However, just like every other version of them I've had, they're sweet — too sweet to eat more than half a cookie in a single sitting. Benton's cookies are an excellent pick for someone entering the maple creme cookie world, but they aren't the best seasonal find Aldi has to offer.

I'll be honest here: I only agreed to take on this project because I knew I would get to try Aldi's Apple Fritters. I've heard people raving about them on the internet for some time now, and I can confirm that they are indeed worth the hype. 

The clamshell comes with four fritters, which I audibly called "hefty" when I added it to my cart. Fritters are more dense than your classic donut, and these certainly fit the bill. The outside is crispy, covered in just enough glaze, and just sweet enough to counteract the inevitable greasiness of this state fair favorite. While I could have done with a few more apple pieces and perhaps a bit more spice, I wouldn't complain if someone plopped one on my plate. It's a triumph for any grocery store to make a good fritter, let alone one that doesn't have an in-store bakery. 

I tried each of these products on the day that I purchased it to ensure that they were at peak freshness. Since it's difficult to compare apples and oranges (err .... apple fritters to cashew clusters), I instead considered the overall taste, texture, and seasonal adherence. 

A product couldn't sacrifice its flavor and texture just to be more fall-like, since that would just make it gimmicky. The product had to be genuinely enjoyable to eat and be something that I would recommend people stock up on (they are Aldi Finds, after all, so they won't be here much longer).