Surge made a comeback last month, Clueless is being remade, and it is now perfectly acceptable to walk around wearing polar fleece, Birkenstocks, and tattoo choker necklaces again (right?). Yes, the Nineties have made a comeback—everywhere but in the food department, that is.
Unfortunately, many of the beloved after-school snacks of the ’90s have been discontinued. Dunkaroos, McDonald’s fried apple pies, and Keebler Fudge Magic Middles have all sadly been pulled from shelves and drive-thru menus.
It’s time to get resourceful and take #TBT snacking into your own hands. Here are 10 DIY recipes for your favorite discontinued treats.
Keebler Fudge Magic Middles
Discontinued in: 1994
Recipe: Serious Eats
Magic Middles were chewy shortbread cookies filled with gooey chocolate fudge or peanut butter. We know you can’t wait to get these throwback treats down your gullet, but be patient: Serious Eats warns that if you bake the cookies on the same day you make them, they will spread and not remain thick enough to fully encase the chocolate middles. (Photo: Serious Eats)
Carnation Breakfast Bars
Discontinued in: 1993
Recipe: Food.com
With ingredients including Spanish peanuts, oats, Rice Krispies, and chocolate chips, those Carnation Breakfast Bars were a hell of a way to start your day. Fun fact: The Carnation Breakfast Bar was the official snack on the Space Shuttle Columbia Mission. (Photo: Food.com)
Dunkaroo Frosting
Discontinued in: 2012
Recipe: Murphy, Sam, & Jodi
Dunkaroos were such a gem: Each package contained ten cookies and one cubic inch of sprinkle-flecked icing dip. To recreate the classic after-school snack, all you need is a box of Funfetti cake mix, plain yogurt, and cool whip. Use your favorite cookie or cracker for dunking (we recommend Animal Crackers). (Photo: Murphy, Sam, & Jodi)
Hostess Ninja Turtle Pies
Discontinued in: 1993
Recipe: Food.com
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles may be back, but TMNT’s junk-food franchise is no more. In 1991, Hostess issued a Ninja-themed version of their popular pudding pies. The crust was a shade of radioactive green shade—which sounds disgusting, but kids loved them. Now you can recreate the “fresh from the sewer” pies with vanilla pudding and green food coloring.
PB Max Candy Bar
Discontinued in: 1994
Recipe: Ryan McCarther via Youtube
PB Max candy bar was rolled out by Mars in 1989, and discontinued only five years later due to poor sales. The candy consisted of real peanut butter and a crunchy whole-grain cookie encased in milk chocolate. Diehard PB Max fan Ryan McCarther figured out a copycat recipe and graciously posted it on YouTube. (Photo: Youtube)
Arch Deluxe Burger
Discontinued in: 1996
Recipe: Top Secret Recipes
Do you remember when McDonald’s tried to create a gourmet burger targeted specifically to adults? No? That may be because the advertising campaign was considered a flop. The creation itself, however, was all kinds of awesome. The “Arch Deluxe Burger” featured a quarter-pound patty, secret mustard and mayonnaise sauce, and peppery bacon on a potato bun. Stop crying over the now-defunct Arch Deluxe—just make your own at home. (Photo: LunarDream)
McDonald’s Hot Mustard
Discontinued in: 2014
Recipe: Just a Pinch
When Chicken McNuggets were first launched, they came with three dipping sauces: BBQ, Sweet and Sour, and Hot Mustard. Then, in 2014, the beloved Hot Mustard was discontinued “due to its slow moving performance” and Habanero Ranch Dressing took over. Given the great amount of DIY recipes for McDonald’s hot mustard available online, it really does not seem like it ever left this world. (Photo: Flickr)
Jell-O Pudding Pops
Discontinued in: mid ’90s
Recipe: Deliciously Classified
Once upon a time, when they monopolized the frozen-dessert aisles, the Jell-O Pudding Pops came in three flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and the super-popular chocolate-vanilla swirl. But when it comes to making them yourself, don’t feel limited by this vanilla-chocolate combo. (Photo: Deliciously Classified)
McDonald’s FRIED Apple Pies
Discontinued in: 1992
Recipe: Popsugar
There are many rumors surrounding the sudden disappearance of McDonald’s fried apple pies, but one thing is certain: The flaky and crispy texture of the fried apple pie is deeply missed. The new baked version of the product simply does not taste as good as the deep-fried original. The secret for this DIY version lies in the trifecta of nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. (Photo: Popsugar)
Denny’s Fried Cheese Melt
Discontinued in: 2013
Recipe: Copykat
For a while, Denny’s was doing a series of cheese lover’s menu items, including a grilled cheese with mozzarella sticks stuck inside. Then they had to discontinue the sandwich because it probably gave too many of their customers heart disease (or something). Allegedly, it contained 895 calories and 34 grams of fat—but who doesn’t love a grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with fried mozzarella sticks accompanied by a marinara sauce dip? Which is exactly why you should recreated the sandwich at home. (Pro tip: You’ll probably want to be inebriated before chowing down on this one.) (Photo: Flickr)