Trader Joe's Ushers in Baking Season With 5 New (and Returning) Finds Under $10

Autumn isn't the pumpkin spice season without reason, as it's the time of year when baking ramps up before the winter holidays. Hot, delicious treats from the oven are welcome as the air cools and the leaves begin to crisp. 

If you plan on whipping up loads of baked goods this fall, you'll want to see the new and returning favorites from Trader Joe's that will add that extra boost to your baking — all for under $10. Adding a few popular Trader Joe's hacks to the mix could stretch your baking budget further — because you'll want to grab all these baking ingredients.  

Price: $3.99

Almond paste is the secret ingredient to making next-level baked goods ranging from pastries to cookies. If you love marzipan, you'll want to try some recipes that include this similar baking ingredient. It's made from 40% ground almonds and packaged in a tube for easy sealing between uses. 

Price: $7.99

Natural vanilla extract hits differently, offering a more complex flavoring than artificial vanilla — but it's often extracted through an alcohol solution. Trader Joe's has an alternative alcohol-free vanilla extract from Madagascar-grown vanilla beans. Their recipe uses twice the standard amount of vanilla, so it packs twice the punch of flavor to your baked goods. 

Price: $4.99

If you know in your heart that maple is the superior fall flavor, you need to try maple butter. It's made from pure maple syrup that is slow-churned until it's thick and creamy like butter but packs the taste of pure maple syrup. It's perfect for spreading on French toast or adding to yogurt, but we won't judge you for eating straight out of the jar — it's that delicious. 

Price: $3.99

What's better than a Snickerdoodle? A pumpkin spice snickerdoodle. This cookie mix is crafted from a pumpkin powder base and enhanced with the warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and clove to create the perfect autumnal treat. 

Price: $2.99

Whole vanilla beans can be an expensive luxury for something so many equate with "boring." Real vanilla is created from the pods of Vanilla orchids, and Trader Joe's offers Bourbon vanilla beans that were cultivated on the island of Île Bourbon which has undergone several name changes since. 

It's now often called Madagascar vanilla, as the islands are very close and similar in climate, which allows for larger, plumper beans with more flavor. Trader Joe's keeps the price tag down by purchasing directly from the grower. 

Your baked goods are only as good as their ingredients, and Trader Joe's offers some high-quality baking essentials at affordable prices so you can take your baking game to the next level this holiday season. 

The rising cost of groceries has driven more people to bake at home to stretch their food budgets further, and these five high-value additions to your shopping cart will make home-baked goods feel worth the effort.