10 Classic 1980s Desserts That Sadly No Longer Exist
Remember when desserts were as wild as the hairstyles of the 1980s? The Reagan era wasn’t just about neon leg warmers and mixtapes, it was a golden age for sugary treats that defied gravity and good taste.
Grab your spoon and prepare for a bittersweet trip down memory lane as we revisit these discontinued delights that once graced our dinner tables.
1. Pudding Pops
Bill Cosby’s frozen sensation vanished faster than you could say ‘Jell-O!’ These creamy popsicles delivered pudding in an ice-cold form that somehow improved the original.
Though technically still producible at home, nothing matches the nostalgia of unwrapping that official plastic sleeve. The perfect summer treat for kids racing home after a neighborhood bike adventure!
2. McDonald’s McDLT
Hot meets cold in this revolutionary burger-dessert combo! The McDLT’s groundbreaking styrofoam container kept the hot side hot and the cool side cool- including a sweet custard topping that complemented the savory patty.
Environmental concerns killed this innovative treat before the 90s arrived. Where else could you get a burger with dessert built right in?
3. Bonkers Fruit Chews
Wham! These fruit-filled candy bombs packed more punch than a Wham! music video. Half taffy, half fruit explosion – Bonkers commercials featured people literally getting knocked over by fruit flavor. Why did they disappear?
Nobody knows! Though rumored to make brief comebacks, these chewy treats remain largely extinct, leaving a fruit-shaped hole in candy aisles everywhere.
4. Crystal Pepsi
Clear cola with vanilla cream notes? Totally radical! This transparent dessert drink launched with Super Bowl fanfare in 1992 but had its roots in late-80s development.
Marketing gurus thought clarity meant purity – consumers thought it meant confusion. Despite Van Halen-backed commercials and cult status, this see-through soda with dessert flavoring vanished almost as quickly as parachute pants.
5. Jell-O Pudding Pals
Put an end to dull pudding cups! Batman, Garfield, and other 80s celebrities were depicted in these character-shaped cups, which held specially flavored pudding.
Long after they had eaten the contents, children gathered the plastic containers. Regular pudding cups made it through, but these gregarious friends vanished as quickly as you could say, “I detest Mondays.”
6. BarNone Candy Bar
Chocolate wafers! Chocolate cream! Crushed peanuts! More chocolate coating! This Hershey’s masterpiece was the Rubik’s Cube of candy – complex yet satisfying.
Launched in 1987, BarNone briefly ruled candy aisles before a recipe change doomed it to obscurity. Though available in Mexico until recently, the original American version remains a sweet memory that haunts candy enthusiasts.
7. Fruit Corners Fruit Wrinkles
Move over, Fruit Roll-Ups! These wrinkled fruit snacks looked like tiny, shriveled berries but packed explosive flavor that made kids go bananas. Each package contained different fruit shapes with matching flavors.
Mysteriously vanishing around 1989, these chewy morsels left behind only commercials featuring animated dancing fruit – truly the stuff of 80s fever dreams.
8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pudding Pies
Cowabunga! When Saturday mornings were dominated by heroes in a half-shell, these green-crusted vanilla pudding pies took use of turtle strength. A plain vanilla pudding filling was hidden behind the green coating that looked radioactive.
Despite having dubious nutritional value (like most amazing 80s items), these pies vanished more quickly than April O’Neil could pronounce “turtle power!”
9. Squeezit Color Changers
Magic in a bottle! These twist-off cap drinks came with color-changing tablets that transformed your beverage before your eyes – like a science experiment you could drink! Kids dropped the tablet, watched the chemical reaction, then gulped down the result.
Parents worried about the artificial everything, but children of the 80s knew – nothing tasted better than drinking something that changed colors.
10. Oreo Big Stuf
Bigger isn’t always better, but don’t tell that to the Oreo Big Stuf!
This massive cookie was the size of a hockey puck and took approximately forever to eat. Individually wrapped for maximum impact, each cookie packed enough cream filling for an entire row of regular Oreos. Discontinued in 1991, these giant treats taught 80s kids the meaning of commitment.