2 Classic KFC Desserts Fans Can't Help But Remember

KFC's famous chicken and southern-style sides don't leave much room in your stomach for something sweet, which is why some diners may have no idea the chicken chain offered desserts. But for those who have been visiting for decades, two of KFC's sweets are downright iconic: The chocolate chip cookie and Little Bucket parfaits, both of which are discontinued KFC menu items we'll probably never see again. 

The Little Bucket parfaits were small dessert cups with a graham cracker crust on the bottom, layers of flavored filling, and whipped cream on top. There were three flavors: Chocolate Creme (with chocolate pudding and sprinkles), Strawberry Shortcake (with strawberry filling), and Lemon Creme (with a lemon custard-like concoction). These parfaits were sold throughout the 1970s and '80s, but despite how beloved they were, KFC unceremoniously yanked them from the menu in 2012. Fans have mourned them ever since, with one Reddit user calling the cups "The greatest fast food dessert option ever." Some disgruntled customers have even petitioned for KFC to bring them back.

KFC's chocolate chip cookie was available to order until 2023. When we ranked fast food desserts from worst to best, we found the cookies to be decent if not remarkable, but some customers truly loved them — one Reddit user wrote that they "Never forgave [KFC] for taking them away." Fans of these dearly departed sweets have been left asking why did they have to leave? 

KFC has never stated why its Little Bucket parfaits disappeared, but some fans say the treats were actually made by Sara Lee, best known for its frozen desserts. Sources posit that KFC ended its partnership with Sara Lee in 2012, and thus, the Little Buckets were discontinued.

Others speculate that the parfaits were too delicate for KFC to continue selling. The whipped cream and other perishable ingredients may have given them shorter shelf lives than the average fast food item, and a commenter on Blogspot who claims to have worked for KFC wrote, "sometimes the parfaits could get damaged if the box [was] not opened carefully". No restaurant wants to lose money on ruined desserts, which may be why the parfaits kicked the bucket, so to speak.

As for the chocolate chip cookie, it was just one sad casualty in a group of five items cut from KFC menus in 2023. The chicken chain streamlined its offerings to make service more efficient and create room for future additions. Even before this, there were signs that KFC was giving up on the cookie, and customers were following suit. Shortly before the discontinuation, fans noticed that the cookies were suddenly pre-packaged in plastic and had a dry, lackluster taste. KFC had clearly stopped baking the treats fresh in stores, much to customers' disappointment. If this discontinued fast food item actually makes a comeback, we hope it's the original version.