The nineties were a magical time for sweet treats. Walking through grocery store aisles felt like entering a candy wonderland, with colorful packages promising delicious adventures in every bite. From frozen pudding pops to elaborate ice cream cakes that made every birthday feel special, desserts dominated our childhood memories and shaped our taste buds forever.
The popularity of nostalgic desserts from the 90s, such as pudding pops and fruit roll-ups, has seen a resurgence, showing increased sales. These beloved treats didn’t just disappear quietly. They left lasting impressions that still make us smile decades later, proving that some flavors are simply too good to forget.
Jell-O Pudding Pops
Jell-O Pudding Pops debuted in 1979, and they were pretty much an instant hit. The idea was sinfully simple: The dessert took Jell-O’s famous pudding and turned it into a frozen treat that could be enjoyed on the go. These frozen delights became summer staples in freezers across America. 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.
Although Pudding Pops were popular, they weren’t turning much of a profit for the brand. Eventually, Jell-O’s owner Kraft General Foods decided that it was time for Pudding Pops to go. The product was discontinued in the early 1990s, and a generation of children was left missing their favorite dessert. The loss of these creamy, pudding-flavored popsicles marked the end of an era.
Viennetta Ice Cream Cakes
They were pretty pricey, though, so for the regular American, there was Viennetta instead. This fancy frozen treat ruled the ’90s, and it was one of the more affordable ways to get an ice cream cake. Although for some, it was still considered an out-of-budget, luxury grocery store dessert. Made with layers of ice cream and frozen chocolate, Viennetta had an elegant appearance, yet was affordably priced. A deliciously decadent dessert for a few dollars? There’s no wonder this fancy frozen treat ruled the ’90s.
Interestingly enough, the Viennetta was just ice cream and chocolate, but whether it was its Italian-sounding name or the presentation, it was seen as special and high-end. The rippled layers of ice cream and chocolate, and the wavy pattern they were decorated in, felt very stylish at the time, and it was a coveted dessert for most families. A loaf of Viennetta could be sliced up for a small party or gathering, and be the highlight of the meal. Sadly, its popularity faded and it was discontinued. For many years it was only available outside of the U.S., but Good Humor recently reintroduced Viennetta.
Cosmic Brownies
You could find them at birthday parties, school celebrations, and children’s lunchboxes, and since they were pretty easy to recreate at home, they became a popular thing to make for a bake sale. Gooey, sauce-topped brownies are pretty universal nowadays, but Cosmic Brownies helped launch the treat to stardom. These fudgy brownies topped with colorful candy-coated chocolate chips became lunchbox legends throughout the decade.
The distinctive multicolored sprinkles made these brownies instantly recognizable. Kids would trade their entire lunch for just one bite of these cosmic treats. Though they’re still available today, many agree the original recipe had a special magic that modern versions struggle to capture.
Chocolate Lava Cakes
If you grew up in the ’90s, you were bound to come across the warm, gooey, chocolate lava cake. Perhaps the most iconic dessert of the ’90s, this cake was the closest thing to a viral sensation in a time without social media, and it’s not difficult to understand why. The warm chocolate cake with a molten center that oozed out as soon as you cut into it was a novelty at the time.
Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten allegedly invented this ooey-gooey dessert in 1987 by accident for his restaurant, according to Thrillist, after he undercooked a batch of chocolate cupcakes and their insides were melted. Originally known as the Chocolate Valrhona cake, the molten lava cake really took off in popularity when Vongerichten put it on the menu at his restaurant, JoJo, in 1991, and chocoholics couldn’t get enough. “We didn’t have Instagram then, but it was the viral dessert of the ’90s.” Restaurant menus everywhere featured this dramatic dessert that promised an eruption of chocolate with every bite.
Little Caesars Chocolate Ravioli
Look no further than Little Caesars’ chocolate ravioli, a dessert offering from the pizza chain that took its Italian theme and ran with it big-time. Little Caesars’ dessert was made from a shell of white chocolate, with a milk chocolate cream filling on the inside. With two per pack, they were great for splitting with a friend.
Little Caesars debuted its chocolate ravioli in the mid-80s, and the indulgent item became firmly established by 1990. By 1998, however, it seemed that customers had grown tired of this slightly bizarre novelty dessert, and the pizzeria removed it from its menu. We think that’s a shame, as aside from the sheer talking point of it, chocolate ravioli was also a tasty treat. People loved them so much that when they found out that Little Caesars was discontinuing them, they bought as many as possible in a bid to stock up.
IncrediBites Cookies
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.
This product reportedly became a thing back around 1992, but it was apparently discontinued within a few years. These miniature sandwich cookies packed maximum flavor into perfectly portioned bites. Kids loved the novelty of eating something so small yet satisfying, while parents appreciated having a seemingly healthier cookie option.
Kudos Granola Bars
Kudos bars were the ’90s answer to the dry crumbly granola bars of previous decades. Created by candy giant Mars Incorporated, Kudos bars were advertised as a “granola snack” that tasted like a decadent dessert. The chocolate-dipped granola bars had a soft, chewy texture similar to Rice Krispies Treats with appealing mix-ins like chocolate chips and peanut butter.
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. They also leaned heavily into the candy bar category with flavors featuring M&Ms, Dove, and Snickers candies.
Good Humor Candy Center Crunch Ice Cream Bars
Another nostalgic treat for kids with a sweet tooth was Good Humor’s Candy Center Crunch Ice Cream Bar. The company still pays homage to this beloved discontinued treat, which featured vanilla ice cream enveloping a chocolate center and a chocolate shell with crisp rice embedded in it. It was an ice cream and candy lover’s dream, and many kids of the ’80s and ’90s still remember this treat.
These bars delivered the ultimate textural experience with their crunchy exterior giving way to smooth vanilla ice cream and a surprise chocolate center. The crispy rice pieces added an unexpected element that made every bite interesting. Ice cream trucks across the nation featured these treats as premium options.
P.B. Crisps
From its monocled mascot, Mr. Peanut, to its signature roasted nuts, Planters is a brand associated with all things nutty. Back in 1992, the company expanded its snack food offerings to include P.B. Crisps. These crunchy treats were like peanut-shaped wafer cookies filled with smooth peanut butter cream.
If you wanted more sweetness in your bite-sized snack, P.B. Crisps were also available in chocolate creme and peanut butter and jelly flavors. All three flavors sold modestly in the mid-1990s, disappearing from shelves just a few years after their release. The peanut-shaped design made these treats instantly recognizable, and their crispy texture paired with creamy filling created a satisfying contrast.
Dunkaroos
Oh, Dunkaroos – the snack that made dipping feel like an Olympic sport. Those little kangaroo-shaped cookies paired with sugary frosting were pure heaven. The vanilla frosting with rainbow sprinkles? Chef’s kiss. I used to hoard the frosting to make it last until the final cookie.
If you grew up in the ’90s, your childhood probably wasn’t complete without getting a pack of Dunkaroos in your lunchbox or at the school cafeteria. Sadly, these disappeared for a while, although there have been some limited comebacks. The interactive nature of these snacks made them incredibly appealing, turning snack time into playtime.
Trix Yogurt
Trix Yogurt wasn’t just a snack – it was a color explosion. The swirled, vibrant colors made it feel like dessert disguised as something healthy. This popular ’90s treat redefined yogurt for the decade and was an instant favorite of kids across the nation. Despite its popularity, this snack disappeared from shelves in the early 2000s, leaving a wake of competitors who continue to add sprinkles into products to this day.
The rainbow swirls made eating yogurt feel like an adventure. Each spoonful revealed different colors mixing together, creating new shades and patterns. Parents loved having a seemingly healthier option that kids actually wanted to eat.
These forgotten desserts represent more than just sugar and packaging. They remind us of simpler times when opening a lunch box felt like Christmas morning, and every trip to the grocery store held the promise of discovering something wonderfully sweet and new. Though many of these treats have vanished from store shelves, their memories continue to bring smiles to faces and warmth to hearts decades later. What do you think about it? Tell us in the comments which ’90s dessert you miss most.
