Vintage '90s Desserts That Vanished From Menus And Shelves

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Everyone loves a good throwback, especially the sweet kind. Some vintage desserts from the 1990s are of the bittersweet variety, though, as they can no longer be enjoyed by those who once loved them. 

While there have been dupes and homemade versions of iconic '90s treats, the discontinued OGs from decades past are a lot to live up to. At least, the memories attached to them cannot be recreated.

The passing of 25 years makes a big difference. It isn't just the food that has changed, but our complete way of life. We have some serious nostalgia for the '90s, and taste has a way of taking us back. That's why the sweet treats that once lined grocery store shelves and graced restaurant menus of decades past live rent-free in our heads, even if they've vanished from reality. From frozen treats and bite-sized sweets to interesting spins on traditional confections, these desserts from the '90s may be long gone, but have not been forgotten. 

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Everyone screams for ice cream, especially when it's in cake form. Viennetta ice cream cakes were sweet centerpieces of the '90s, and they ranked among the most popular desserts of the 1980s, as well. These rectangular confections undoubtedly had a classy appearance. TV spots showed the ice cream served in dainty crystal goblets, and people bought into the swanky aura of Viennetta. In reality, this upscale-looking treat wasn't completely emptying pockets — it's remembered as having a price point at around $5.50 per box. 

This fancified slab of ice cream featured multiple layers, some of which were arranged in a wavy pattern. Basically, each Viennetta looked like a slender lasagna, with the best-known variety comprised of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, though a mint version was also popular. It was designed to be taken out of the box and served in elegant slices ... but we're willing to bet that an entire Viennetta loaf was crushed in one sitting by couples with spoons on more than one occasion.

Sadly, Viennetta isn't widely sold in the States anymore. In 2021, this popular '90s dessert made a comeback, but it remains a more commonly available product in the United Kingdom and other countries. 

No, we're not talking about the currently available dog food with the same name. IncrediBites were single-serving packaged cookies targeted toward parents seeking new snack ideas for hungry kids. The tiny cookies consisted of two hexagonal granola cookies with sweet filling wedged in the middle. The less-than-bite-sized cookies were beloved, and are missed by those who tried them. For the most part, though, they are considered as a mere footnote in snacking history.

These treats have been likened to Gripz, the modern-day snack offering miniature versions of well-known treats like Cheez-Its. However, IncrediBites were a true original. This product reportedly became a thing back around 1992, but it was apparently discontinued within a few years. IncrediBites were offered with fillings of chocolate, vanilla, and peanut butter, but the granola stayed static for every variety.

These days, health-conscious parents might be interested in this granola-based treat — but don't let the inclusion of granola fool you; these cookies were most definitely a dessert. Regardless, IncrediBites won't be making an appearance in anyone's lunch box anytime soon, because they are long gone. Unlike some vintage snacks that can be found in specialized stores, IncrediBites are practically extinct. 

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One of the most missed fast food desserts that was available in the '90s has to be the deep-fried apple pie from McDonald's. Yes, the chain still offers a popular version of this treat, but these days it's baked instead of fried. The truth about McDonald's famous apple pie is that many people still long for its oil-dipped predecessor — although quite a few folks have complained that the goopy filling of the fried version was so hot that many mouths were scalded.

For the most part, these fried pies are a thing of the past. McDonald's restaurants in Hawaii still serve them, as well as one historic location in Downey, California, where the building is as vintage as its offerings. For those who can't make it to the West Coast and beyond, there are plenty of options for how to fill the hole in your heart left by McDonald's fried apple pie. The cinnamon-apple pie sold at Popeyes is considered by many as a suitable alternative, but not everyone agrees that it's equally satisfying. Of course, you can always cook your own — it's easy to find a copycat recipe for deep-fried McDonald's apple pies online. However, making that food from scratch will definitely not be fast. 

If there is one dessert of the '90s that would transport you right back to that time, it's Jell-O Pudding Pops. These things were to die for, and considered as must-have treats of summertime throughout the late 20th century. No matter if you had the chocolate, vanilla, or chocolate-vanilla swirl varieties of these confections on a stick, they were creamy, smooth, and satisfying. 

These frozen treats were popular for multiple reasons beyond being tasty. Yes, they were a great treat, and actually tasted like chocolate pudding. Frozen pudding during the summer offered a level of refreshment that can't quite be duplicated. But another reason these vintage desserts stood out was because Bill Cosby was the dessert's spokesperson. He starred in a ton of Jell-O commercials, including a handful of the Pudding Pops spots. Back then, Cosby was considered as the pinnacle of wholesome entertainment, and a great endorser for the brand; this is certainly no longer the case.

Pudding Pops were discontinued by 2010, despite being a beloved frozen dessert. A version of them can be recreated using chocolate Jell-O pudding and a DIY kit with popsicle-style molds, but the results are not quite the same as that '80s and '90s recipe that we keep deep-frozen in our memories. 

Granola bars are common finds in the aisles of most grocery stores, but there used to be one brand that reigned supreme. Kudos bars were packed with the favorite things of any sweet-toothed snacker. In fact, this was less of a granola bar and more of a candy bar with a granola center.

Anyone looking for a healthy granola bar would want to steer clear of Kudos. These snacks were sugar bombs, but the chocolatey goodness was totally worth the sugar crash. Kudos bars came in a few different sweet flavors, and they were all popular. Later iterations of Kudos were mash-ups with candy brands like M&M's and Snickers, and these treats somehow tasted better than the original sweets they emulated, probably due to the added texture of the bar. 

Even though these snack bars were clearly desserts, they were frequently tucked into kids' lunch boxes, and were treated as prime bargaining chips in elementary school cafeterias throughout the '90s. Nonetheless, this line of snacks was officially discontinued by 2017, and the Mars company that created them never provided a detailed explanation about the real reason why Kudos disappeared. 

Cheesecake is a superstar among the sweet selections at many restaurants — creative versions of this decadent dessert are considered to rank among both the best and worst Cheesecake Factory menu items. Although this popular confection has stood the test of time, fried cheesecake desserts at Applebee's did not. The chain once carried the Fiesta Fried Cheesecake on its menu, and we think it's time for this high-calorie treat to make a comeback. While we're at it, let's bring back '90s restaurant prices — back then, you could nab this dessert for under $3.50!

These ultra-sweet specialties at '90s-era Applebee's locations weren't merely battered slices of cheesecake thrown in the deep fryer. Instead, the dish consisted of cheesecake wrapped in a tortilla, and then fried. So, diners who ordered the Fiesta Fried Cheesecake would receive something of a Mexican-style confection drizzled with strawberry sauce and dusted with powdered sugar. Applebee's carried another fried cheesecake dish at around the same time, called the Apple Chimi Cheesecake, as well as unadulterated slices of cheesecake. But these days, cheesecake is off the Applebee's menu altogether. 

Parents always find a way to hide the good snacks. Of course, kids also find a way to find those coveted treats, and completely decimate the entire supply. Philadelphia cheesecake snack bars were an edible delight worth hiding — and more importantly, a treat worth paying the consequences for finding and eating. Considering that these sweets had to be refrigerated, they weren't even that hard to locate, leaving children with plenty of time to relish the rich taste of this handheld confection before getting busted for looting the fridge. 

This dessert of a snack was a favorite of everyone in the family. Sadly, Philadelphia cheesecake snack bars were discontinued some 20 years ago, with no hint of their possible return. This is not to say that people haven't rallied behind a comeback for the snack. Philadelphia's cheesecake bars are still very much present in the minds of some snackers, as evidenced by an online petition that's garnered over 51,000 backers. Reportedly, the issue that led to this discontinuation was not about a lack of popularity, but a matter of production difficulties. Unless management at the Philadelphia brand comes up with a manufacturing breakthrough for these tangy and sweet cheesecake bars, we don't see them returning anytime soon. 

Surprise toys are all the rage now, with kid-friendly stores dedicating ample shelf space to trendy products containing mystery contents. One of the OG surprise buys was a Nestlé offering called the Wonder Ball, which was originally released as the Magic Ball. Lucky children of the '90s who received one of these would open a small box to find a hollow sphere of chocolate. Hidden inside this edible container were toys like figurines from popular cartoons, such as iconic 1990s characters from "Aladdin" and "The Lion King." Later on, the toys were swapped with candy pieces, due to the figurines being identified as choking hazards. 

In 2004, Nestlé sold the Wonder Ball brand to the Frankford candy company. While Frankford may still release the occasional Wonder Ball product, the brand is not prominently featured among the company's primary roster of sugary offerings. Alas, some people insist that any modern-day Wonder Ball releases can't compare to the Nestlé versions from the '90s, a novelty dessert that seems lost to us forever.

Those born before the 2000s know the glory of eating a Choco Taco. This sweet treat was somehow crispy and chewy at the same time, a creamy and crunchy medley of textures melding the tastes of vanilla ice cream, chocolate, waffle cone, and nuts. There was nothing gourmet about them, but eating one felt like a culinary experience. 

You could find these dessert tacos at corner stores or gas stations, and they were a staple in practically every ice cream truck. In a stroke of genius, Taco Bell also carried them for a while in the '90s. That's right — you could get a taco for dinner and a taco for dessert at the same place; it was a beautiful time to be alive. 

Choco Tacos were discontinued in 2022, much to the disappointment of some. Others saw it coming, claiming that the quality of this treat that they adored at Taco Bell was no longer reflected in the modern-day product. Everything from the shell quality to the ice cream failed to impress. In the final months of the Choco Taco's existence, Taco Bell teamed up with Klondike to once again offer customers another taste of this novelty dessert at select restaurants, but that didn't last long. There may still be hope for the Choco Taco's return — but in order for it to succeed, the producers should bring back the 1990s recipe. 

Planters P.B. Crisps were kind of goofy in appearance, but they were quite a tasty snack that doubled as a dessert. Very on-brand, these crisps were in the shape of peanuts with shells. The "shell" was actually a crispy cookie exterior, and hidden inside was peanut butter crème, while other varieties contained chocolate or a PB&J blend with strawberry filling and peanut butter together. 

These unique treats have a complete chokehold on those who loved them in the '90s. Some fans say that they still crave P.B. Crisps all the time, while others actively appeal to Planters management with pleas for this product's return. This dessert-snack hybrid was so beloved that there is a whole website dedicated to bringing them back. The campaign has spread to other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. In a nutshell, it's a movement.

P.B. Crisps are likely to remain one of the classic lunch box treats we'll never get to eat again. But since this snack has such a strong cult following spanning decades, we'll keep our fingers crossed that those desperate appeals for another taste of P.B. Crisps will someday pay off, and the forlorn fans will get a chance to enjoy them once more. 

There aren't many who can go up against Little Debbie and win, but SnackWell's gave it a good go. The brand was reportedly discontinued in 2022, and along with it went its line of beloved cookies. SnackWell's Devil's Food Cookie Cakes were a fan favorite during the '90s. The loss of this cookie left Little Debbie's Devil Cremes and Devil Squares as some of the only devil's food snack cakes readily available on the market. Still, Little Debbie can't fully stand up to the memory of SnackWell's adorable cookies. 

Those who tried these little devils sometimes walked away with a new favorite dessert snack. SnackWell's prided itself on offering a fat-free dessert, which '90s snackers sought out with vigor. Redditors remember this dessert fondly as one their parents or grandparents would often eat or offer, thanks to its seemingly more healthy ingredients. Some people miss the memories more than the actual snack.

Still, many folks did love the cookies themselves. The chocolatey outer shell is one source of compliments for this cookie, and is a feature some have tried to recreate with their own version of SnackWell's cookies. The interior of the cookie consisted of marshmallow and devil's food cake, a pretty simple pairing to enjoy on its own. 

A toasted ravioli filled with molten chocolate sounds pretty tasty, but that's not the route Little Caesars took with this dessert offering. Actually, this pasta-inspired dessert wasn't made with pasta at all. Instead, the ravioli "pasta" was made from white chocolate, and the inside was filled with milk chocolate cream. Little Caesars was rocking with this cute dessert that is fondly recalled as being offered from around the mid-1980s to the late '90s.

These sweet morsels of nostalgia purportedly came in packs of two, and the product had its own little brand motto. Alongside the chain's iconic "Pizza! Pizza!" slogan, the raviolis were labeled with "Chocolate! Chocolate! Ravioli! Ravioli!" Little Caesars is nothing but consistent with their branding. The big kicker here is that the double pack of this dessert is remembered as being sold for under a dollar, and conveniently stapled directly onto pizza boxes.

These days, the Little Caesars dessert selection is pretty minimal, commonly consisting of two types of cookie dough brownies. Bringing back the chocolate ravioli dessert would provide some much-needed variety to the menu. Judging by online forums, many patrons who remember the chain's chocolate ravioli seem to want it back, citing this dessert as a delicious part of their childhood pizza experiences.