Trader Joe’s Gourmet Jelly Beans have earned a cult following among candy enthusiasts, and for good reason. These colorful little morsels offer a diverse palette of flavors that range from spot-on delicious to somewhat questionable. Unlike ordinary jelly beans, TJ’s version promises authentic flavors that actually taste like what they’re supposed to—most of the time, anyway.
After conducting an exhaustive (and admittedly sugar-fueled) taste test of all 18 flavors currently available, I’ve ranked them from the disappointing duds to the absolute must-haves. Whether you’re a selective bean eater who picks through the bag for your favorites or someone who grabs handfuls without discrimination, this definitive ranking will guide your next Trader Joe’s candy aisle adventure.
The Bottom Tier: Flavors to Avoid
Let’s start with the beans you might want to pass along to your less discerning friends. These flavors had me questioning the otherwise stellar reputation of Trader Joe’s candy department.
18. Licorice (Black)
Coming in dead last is the polarizing black licorice bean. Even among licorice fans, this one falls short with its medicinal, almost chemical aftertaste that lingers far longer than welcome. The initial anise flavor isn’t terrible, but the artificial sweetness that follows makes this bean a definite skip. If you’re one of the rare licorice enthusiasts, you’d be better served by actual licorice candy than this interpretation.
17. Buttered Popcorn (Yellow-White)
Buttered popcorn might work for Jelly Belly, but Trader Joe’s version misses the mark entirely. The artificial butter flavor comes across as rancid rather than rich, and the sweet base clashes with the savory notes they’re attempting. The texture somehow feels greasier than other beans, creating an unpleasant mouth-feel that mimics day-old movie theater popcorn. Hard pass.
16. Chocolate Pudding (Brown)
Chocolate and jelly beans simply don’t mix well. This brown bean attempts to capture the creamy essence of chocolate pudding but instead delivers a waxy, artificial cocoa flavor that lacks depth. The sweetness overwhelms any authentic chocolate notes, leaving you with something that tastes more like cheap chocolate-scented candle than actual pudding. If you’re craving chocolate, literally any other chocolate candy would be more satisfying.
The Mediocre Middle: Acceptable but Forgettable
These flavors won’t have you picking them out to avoid them, but they’re unlikely to be the ones you’re hunting for specifically. They’re the background dancers of the jelly bean world—necessary for the overall experience but not the stars of the show.
15. Cotton Candy (Light Blue)
The cotton candy bean certainly smells the part when you first open the bag, releasing a wave of carnival-like sweetness. Unfortunately, the flavor doesn’t quite deliver on that promising aroma. It’s one-dimensional, offering nothing but pure sugar without the caramelized complexity that makes real cotton candy special. It’s not offensive, just underwhelming and forgettable.
14. Green Apple (Light Green)
Trader Joe’s green apple bean suffers from the same problem as many green apple candies—it leans too heavily on tartness without capturing the fresh, crisp essence of an actual apple. The sourness hits immediately but fades quickly, leaving behind a generic sweetness. It’s not terrible, but it lacks the authentic apple character that would make it truly enjoyable.
13. Sour Cherry (Dark Red)
While the cherry flavor itself is reasonably accurate, the sourness feels artificial and harsh rather than the pleasant tanginess of real sour cherries. There’s also a slight medicinal quality reminiscent of cough drops that becomes more pronounced the longer you chew. Not the worst bean in the bag, but certainly not one you’ll find yourself reaching for specifically.
12. Coconut (White)
Coconut is another polarizing flavor, and Trader Joe’s version sits squarely in the middle of the quality spectrum. It captures the tropical essence reasonably well but suffers from the sunscreen-adjacent flavor that plagues many coconut candies. The texture works in its favor, as the chewiness pairs nicely with the flavor profile, but it still lacks the fresh, natural quality of real coconut.
The Solid Performers: Reliably Good
Now we’re getting to the beans that earn their place in the mix. These flavors deliver consistent satisfaction without quite reaching the heights of jelly bean perfection.
11. Blueberry (Dark Blue)
The blueberry bean offers a reasonable facsimile of its namesake fruit, with a pleasant balance of sweetness and subtle tanginess. What keeps it from ranking higher is its somewhat generic berry profile—in a blind taste test, you might struggle to identify it specifically as blueberry rather than a general “blue” flavor. Still, it’s enjoyable enough to make it a welcome addition to the mix.
10. Bubble Gum (Pink)
Nostalgia plays a big role in the appeal of the bubble gum bean. It perfectly captures the flavor of classic pink bubble gum, complete with that distinctive sweetness that doesn’t actually exist in nature. While it doesn’t try to be anything other than candy imitating candy (a meta concept if there ever was one), it succeeds admirably at what it sets out to do. The only downside is the slight disappointment when you realize you can’t actually blow bubbles with it.
9. Lemon (Yellow)
The lemon bean strikes a nice balance between tart citrus and sweetness, avoiding the furniture-polish quality that plagues lesser lemon candies. It offers a bright, clean flavor that refreshes the palate, especially after trying some of the heavier options. While not complex enough to break into the top tier, it’s a reliable palate cleanser that performs its role admirably in the jelly bean ecosystem.
The Upper Echelon: Genuinely Great Beans
These flavors demonstrate what makes Trader Joe’s Gourmet Jelly Beans special. They deliver authentic, satisfying experiences that keep you coming back for more.
8. Watermelon (Pink-Green)
Unlike many watermelon candies that taste nothing like the actual fruit, Trader Joe’s version captures both the sweetness and the subtle refreshing quality of a ripe watermelon. The flavor builds as you chew, revealing layers of complexity that mimic the experience of biting into the real thing—minus the seeds, of course. The only thing keeping it from ranking higher is a slightly artificial aftertaste that becomes noticeable at the end.
7. Strawberry (Pink-Red)
The strawberry bean manages to capture both the sweetness and slight tanginess of fresh strawberries. It avoids the artificial “strawberry shortcake” profile that many strawberry candies fall into, instead offering something closer to strawberry jam. The flavor develops nicely as you chew, with different notes emerging throughout the experience. It’s consistently satisfying and rarely left behind in the bag.
6. Orange (Orange)
Trader Joe’s orange jelly bean delivers exactly what you want: a bright, citrusy flavor with the perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess. It captures both the juice and the slight bitterness of the peel for a well-rounded experience. The flavor remains consistent from first bite to last, making it one of the most reliable beans in the assortment. Simple but executed nearly perfectly.
The Elite Five: Jelly Bean Perfection
We’ve reached the cream of the crop—the flavors that make Trader Joe’s Gourmet Jelly Beans worth seeking out. These beans achieve the rare feat of improving upon their inspiration or perfectly capturing what makes it special.
5. Piña Colada (Yellow-White)
The piña colada bean is a tropical vacation in candy form. It skillfully balances sweet pineapple notes with creamy coconut, creating a surprisingly complex flavor experience. What’s impressive is how it manages to evoke both the freshness of the fruits and the indulgent creaminess of the cocktail without becoming cloying. It’s refreshing, distinctive, and consistently delightful—a standout in the tropical candy category.
4. Pink Grapefruit (Pink)
Perhaps the most accurate fruit representation in the entire collection, the pink grapefruit bean captures everything that makes the actual fruit special. The initial sweetness gives way to characteristic bitterness and tanginess that perfectly mimics biting into a fresh grapefruit segment. The complexity and authenticity of this flavor make it a standout, especially for citrus lovers who appreciate that distinctive grapefruit bite.
3. Very Cherry (Red)
Not to be confused with its sour cherry cousin, the very cherry bean is what cherry candy should always aspire to be. Rather than tasting like cough syrup, it captures the deep, sweet richness of ripe cherries with remarkable accuracy. There’s a perfect balance of sweetness and subtle tartness that evolves as you chew. It’s consistently one of the first flavors to disappear from the bag, and for good reason.
2. Mango (Orange-Yellow)
The mango bean is a revelation. It somehow captures both the tropical sweetness and the distinctive tanginess of a perfectly ripe mango. The flavor is multi-dimensional, starting with bright fruitiness before developing into that characteristic mango richness. What’s most impressive is how it avoids the artificial quality that plagues many mango-flavored products. This bean tastes remarkably like the actual fruit, making it a standout in the entire collection.
1. Pear (Light Green-Yellow)
Taking the crown as the best Trader Joe’s jelly bean flavor is the surprisingly exceptional pear. This unassuming bean delivers a flavor experience that’s both authentic and improved. It captures the delicate, floral sweetness of a perfectly ripe pear with remarkable precision. The flavor builds gradually, revealing subtle complexity that makes each bean a small revelation. What makes it truly special is how it manages to distill the essence of pear into something more concentrated and consistent than the fruit itself often is.
The pear bean demonstrates what makes Trader Joe’s Gourmet Jelly Beans special at their best—they don’t just imitate flavors; they celebrate and sometimes even perfect them. In a world of artificial candy experiences, this humble green-yellow bean stands as a testament to what thoughtful flavor development can achieve. It’s the one you’ll find yourself searching for specifically, and it never disappoints.
