This Forgotten '60s Pop-Tart Is The Only Original Flavor That Isn't Available Today

For over half a century, Kellogg's has given Americans a perfect excuse to eat something that looks like a dessert first thing in the morning with its Pop-Tarts. Since its debut in 1964, the rectangular toaster pastries have become a cornerstone of American breakfast culture. Today, there are dozens of flavors to choose from, but when Pop-Tarts first came out, there were only four: Blueberry, Strawberry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, and Apple-Currant. You can still find three of the original flavors, while Apple-Currant has disappeared entirely from store shelves.

According to Smithsonian Magazine, Kellogg's introduced the four flavors in a test run in Cleveland in 1964, when 45,000 cases sold out almost immediately. In 1965, Pop-Tarts entered the national market and was an instant success. The original version looked a little different from the ones you pop into the toaster today. Pop-Tarts originally came without frosting, which wasn't developed until 1967.

Apple-Currant Pop-Tarts contained a sweet apple filling mixed with tart currants, wrapped in an unfrosted pastry crust. Pop-Tarts says the flavor was eventually discontinued because "literally no one has ever seen a currant." Currants are small, dried grapes often used in baking, similar to raisins. After dropping the original flavor, Pop-Tarts dabbled with apple varieties again and later introduced Frosted American Apple Pie, Frosted Apple Cinnamon Muffin, and Frosted Apple Strudel, all of which have since been retired. According to the Museum of Mostly Pudding, Pop-Tarts later reintroduced the same flavor under a new name: Apple-Berry. However, Pop-Tarts lists Apple-Currant and Apple Berry as separate discontinued flavors.

Apple varieties never seemed to stick around, even those that managed to gain a decent following, like Frosted Crisp Apple. While the flavor isn't officially listed in Pop-Tarts' "Flaveyard," fans have been saying it's impossible to find, and according to some Redditors, it disappeared from shelves around 2022. Today, you can find the toaster pastries in all kinds of flavors, including chocolate, peanut butter, s'mores, Cookies & Crème, and various fruit varieties.