The $5.99 Trader Joe’s Find I’ve Been Waiting for All Year Is FINALLY Back

I was genuinely excited when I saw that the Roasted & Salted Rosemary Marcona Almonds were finally back at Trader Joe’s. I’ve been waiting for what feels like years for their return.

Unlike regular almonds, these beauties are known as “the queen of almonds” for good reason. Marconas are sweeter and have a distinctively rich, buttery flavor, a slightly softer texture, and a delicate crunch. Real-deal Marconas are also only grown in Spain and are, without comparison, a truly elite snack. The $5.99 TJ’s price tag for an eight-ounce bag is also bonkers good!

Ideas for How To Enjoy Marcona Almonds

Trader Joe’s has sold a couple of different flavors of these luxe almonds, but rosemary and sea salt is such a classic combination. While I’ll happily polish off bags of them by the handful and put them on every cheese or charcuterie board, they also add an incredibly savory, textural dimension to dishes.

I especially love them chopped and tossed into salads and sprinkled over hearty grilled green veggies, like broccolini, broccoli rabe, or charred kale cooked with olive oil, chili flakes, salt and pepper, and fresh lemon juice. I like them so much that I’ve mostly kept to applications where their crunch and bold pops of flavor can still be enjoyed independently.

I’ve recently gotten into drizzling olive oil and flaky salt on my vanilla ice cream, so the TJ’s marketing photo with Marconas sprinkled on top of the ice cream really sold me. It also got me thinking about using them while keeping their essence intact. Like in crisp fruit and nut crackers, as a topping for fudgy brownies, or stirred into chocolate chip cookie batter. If you’ve never tried rosemary in chocolate chip cookies, this is your PSA. Isa Chandra Moskowits will always have my gratitude for that suggestion.  

My Perfect Cocktail Snack

If I could only choose one way to enjoy Marcona almonds, though, it would have to be as an aperitif snack with a Spanish-influenced, summery cocktail like a tinto de verano—a summer wine drink with a full-bodied red wine and lemon soda—a gin tonica (more on that riff here), or a marianito, which is a lower-alcohol version of a negroni and also includes sweet vermouth, Campari, and gin in different ratios. They all pair well with the rosemary-kissed almonds.

When I’m solo, I also like to serve them in a small bowl alongside some thin slices of manchego cheese, membrillo, crackers, or bread and call it “girl dinner.” When I tell you that these almonds are the definition of a top-tier, wildly flavorful snack that instantly upgrades anything they touch, I wholeheartedly mean it.