If you grew up in the ’90s, you probably remember Jell-O Pudding Pops — one of the most iconic frozen treats of the decade. In my memory, they were impossibly creamy, perfectly sweet, and came in those magical swirls of chocolate and vanilla.
Unlike regular popsicles, these weren’t icy or crunchy — they were smooth and mousse-like, almost like pudding you could eat on a stick. In my house, they never lasted long; if you didn’t grab one fast, the box was gone.
There were a handful of childhood snacks that defined the era — Dunkaroos, Gushers, Cosmic Brownies — all deeply locked into my brain (and probably my body, with how packed with preservatives I’m sure they all were), but for me, I just can’t shake the memory of Pudding Pops. The internet also seems to feel the same way, according to the comments on this Instagram post. Tragically, they were discontinued sometime in the early 2000s.
Now, as a mom of two little kids, I find myself drawn to recreating the best parts of my childhood for them to experience for themselves. So, armed with only my sense memory, a bit of internet sleuthing, and some instant pudding mix, I set out to make these nostalgic ’90s pops for my 2 and 3-year-olds.
The first thing I remembered was that signature texture — not icy like a popsicle, but more like frozen whipped pudding. After falling down a mini rabbit hole of old advertisements and photos of pudding pop boxes from decades long-gone, I decided the original recipe wouldn’t be too hard to recreate after all.
First, I whisked up some Jell-O Pudding with 2 cups of the milk. Then, I folded in 1 cup of Cool Whip (because what’s more ’90s or creamy than Cool Whip?).
I repeated those steps twice: once for the chocolate pudding and once for the vanilla. Then I poured the mixture into popsicle molds, layering the two flavors, and tucked them in the freezer overnight.
The next day, I pulled one out, took a bite, and — not to be dramatic — but I was instantly 8 years old again, sitting cross-legged on the porch in a chlorine-soaked bathing suit, the heat of Texas summer slowly evaporating with each cool bite.
Creamy, chocolaty, lighter than I expected, but close enough to make me grin. And my kids? To my absolute delight, they were just as into them as I was. “You made this, Mommy?” my oldest asked, eyes wide. I told her I did — that this was something I loved when I was her age.
For the next three nights, she asked after dinner, “Can we have your popsicles, Mommy?” Cue the happy-sweet tears. Just a mid-thirties mom sitting in her California backyard watching her kids enjoy the same treat she did as a kid, and there isn’t much sweeter than that.
Sometimes food nostalgia is just about remembering a taste you thought you’d lost, and if you’re lucky, you get to share that joy with your kids, too. The sweetness was palpable, and I am now hooked on making and sharing my old favorites with my children.