Trader Joe's Popular Baked Lemon Ricotta Cheese Is Back On Shelves

Popular seasonal foods are both a blessing and a curse. You discover something that absolutely delights you, and it's gone the next time you visit the store. That limited availability only adds to the appeal of seasonal favorites; if Starbucks always had the PSL, would we love it as much? Trader Joe's is well known for offering irresistible seasonal foods. So many, in fact, that Travel and Leisure wrote up 30 can't-miss items for 2021, including favorites like TJ's O'Nog, a dairy-free eggnog, advent calendars for dogs and cats, as well as a chocolate passport filled with single-origin chocolate from all over the world.

It can be tough to keep up with all of TJ's new offerings, but luckily for us, a TJ's fan account, @traderjoeslist shared on Instagram that a fan favorite, baked lemon ricotta cheese, is back just in time for the holidays. Commenters were thrilled, saying "You have to grab this in a hurry, people are buying it in bulk from my Trader Joe's and freezing it," and "Finished the whole chunk by myself tonight." That's high praise, so what is so special about this lemony treat?

Trader Joe's explains its baked lemon ricotta cheese is made in Southern Italy, where curds made from milk, salt, and whey are "blended with a sweet lemon paste — made with the likes of lemon peel, lemon extract, & sugar — then placed into circular molds and baked at low temperatures." The result is something of a hybrid of cheese and cheesecake, suitable for cheese boards and also served as a not-too-sweet dessert.

What's Good at Trader Joe's describes the cheese as "almost spongy, yet creamy. It's nice and soft, supple, and not very dense." While purists may argue that ricotta isn't actually cheese, but rather a byproduct of making cheese, regardless, it sounds like shopping carts are being filled with this unique sweet-savory seasonal offering. 

As some TJ's shoppers already warned, you want to get to the store fast because the baked lemon ricotta is "only around for the holiday season, and only as long as we can keep it in stock," according to Trader Joe's website. If you manage to score some from your Trader Joe's, try serving it with a delightful Italian Lambrusco for a wine and cheese soirée.