Trader Joe's New Goat Cheese Uses Vanilla Sugar For Subtle Sweetness

If you need to make a cheese board in a pinch, there's arguably no better place to pick up a tasty selection of cheeses than Trader Joe's. From classics like triple crème brie and feta, to unique treasures like baked lemon ricotta and unexpected cheddar, you're sure to find a cheese that will impress even the most discerning palates.

If goat cheese is your preference, Trader Joe's has a remarkable collection: The chain offers your typical crumbled goat cheese, chèvre goat cheese, which is a classic white log described as having a "uniquely earthy, tangy taste," and chèvre with honey for those who are looking for some added sweetness to offset the tang. While this version uses honey and cane sugar, it's understandable if you're still a little hesitant to try it — goat cheese is a bit of an acquired taste, after all. 

As if that weren't enough to give you a head start on your cheese board, Trader Joe's just announced on its podcast that it will soon introduce an all-new, mildly sweet goat cheese to its collection.

Trader Joe's spotlight cheese for April is full of sweet, tangy goodness. If you shudder at the thought of bitter goat cheese, this is for you. But, if you don't want your log to be sickeningly sugary, this new flavor is also for you. Derived from Wisconsin-based goat herds and goat milk, Trader Joe's Vanilla Cardona Goat's Milk Cheese is rubbed with vanilla sugar, giving it a delightful accent that's not overpowering. It may sound like a subtle addition, but that's the point. In fact, on Trader Joe's podcast, "Inside Trader Joe's," one of the hosts explains that the goal was to add a light flavor that would reduce the goaty taste often associated with the cheese.

If the flavor combination sounds odd, keep in mind that flavored goat cheeses are fairly common and Trader Joe's is no stranger to this type of variation. In recent years, store regulars have seen the chain's blueberry vanilla chèvre and the holiday favorite cranberry chèvre goat cheese. With just a subtle dusting of vanilla sugar, this version is even more mild than its brethren. And, while most goat cheeses come in spreadable log form, this new one is a hard block.

Even goat cheese skeptics may want to get their hands on the Vanilla Cardona Goat's Milk Cheese when it comes out next month — and if you do, try it by itself or with fruit for even more sweetness.