It’s impossible for us to resist retro recipes from the ’60s. You can’t go wrong with homemade meatloaf, beef Wellington or any recipe inspired by Julia Child. But when we saw this Creamy Pineapple Squares recipe in The 1968 Jell-O Pudding Ideabook, we couldn’t help but wonder if this no-bake Jell-O dessert would still be a showstopper on today’s table.
How to Make Creamy Pineapple Squares
Creamy Pineapple Squares begin with an easy press-in graham cracker crust, mixed with chopped toasted walnuts for extra flavor and crunch. Next, Jell-O boxed pudding mix is prepared with pineapple juice and milk instead of water, and blended with cream cheese to make it ultra-rich.
Ingredients
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 package Jell-O Vanilla or Coconut Cream Pudding & Pie Filling
1 cup canned pineapple juice
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cut into cubes
Tools You’ll Need
Directions
Step 1: Make crumb crust
Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, walnuts and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Step 2: Prepare the pan
Press 2/3 of the mixture into an 8-in. square pan. (For easy removal, line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil first.) Set the remaining graham cracker mixture aside.
Step 3: Mix the filling ingredients
In a large saucepan, whisk together the Jell-O pudding mix with half the pineapple juice until smooth; whisk in the remaining pineapple juice, milk and sugar, then add the cream cheese.
Step 4: Cook the pineapple pudding
Cook the mixture over medium heat while whisking constantly until it comes to a full boil. Remove from heat and, using either a whisk or a handheld electric mixer, beat the pudding until completely smooth. It’s a workout!
Step 5: Assemble the dessert
Slowly pour the pineapple filling over the prepared graham cracker crust, gently shaking the pan to help it settle in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker crumb mixture over the top.
Step 6: Cover, chill and serve
Cover and chill for at least two hours until fully set. Cut the dessert into nine squares and serve.
Here’s What I Thought
Based on taste alone, this recipe was a knockout: creamy, coconutty and irresistible. However, there were a few hiccups in the execution, thanks to the fact that Jell-O pudding packages are slightly smaller than they were back in 1968. This didn’t negatively affect the flavor at all, but as far as texture goes, Creamy Pineapple Squares were way too wobbly to work in an 8×8-in. square baking pan.
This is not an insurmountable problem, though. In lieu of making this Creamy Pineapple Squares recipe in a baking pan, I recommend making this dessert in individual ramekins. Though the original recipe is meant to be cut into nine portions, there is no harm in increasing the serving size to fit a standard 6-piece ramekin set.
If you’d prefer to make Creamy Pineapple Squares in a pan, I suggest freezing it before cutting into squares, then letting those squares thaw in the refrigerator before serving. Alternately, you can boost the jelling power of the pudding mix by adding 3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin.
How to Make This Recipe Your Own
Another great thing I realized about this recipe: It’s easy to tweak to make any number of amazing desserts:
To amp up the tropical flavor, replace the milk with coconut milk, and replace the walnuts in the crust with macadamia nuts or shredded sweetened coconut.
The pineapple juice can be swapped with peach nectar, orange juice or any other fruit juice.
To make Creamy Pina Colada bars, replace 1-2 tablespoons of the milk with dark rum.
Once you’ve got the recipe down, feel free to let your imagination run wild!
Old-School Jell-O Recipes We Love
This refreshing salad has two layers – a pretty pink bottom that includes sour cream, and a ruby red top with strawberries and pineapple. For years, Mom has included this salad in meals she prepares for our family. -Gloria Grant, Sterling, Illinois
Get Recipe
These layered jello cubes are fun to serve and to eat! I vary the colors to match the occasion. Kids of all ages snatch them up. —Deanna Pietrowicz, Bridgeport, Connecticut
I prepare this colorful dessert quite often in the late spring or summer when fresh rhubarb is abundant. I make this rhubarb cake with cake mix and take it to church potlucks. People actually line up for a piece. —Bonnie Krogman, Thompson Falls, Montana
Here’s an eye-catching salad that my mother makes for Christmas dinner each year. You can choose different flavors to make other color combinations for specific holidays or other gatherings. —Jan Hemness, Stockton, Missouri
This is one of my mother’s absolute favorite desserts. The salty pretzel crust is the perfect complement to the sweet cream cheese filling. —Erin Frakes, Moline, Illinois
If you like pina coladas, you’ll love this! But here’s the kicker: The secret ingredient is fresh zucchini. Spread the jam on crackers and cheese or add to a pan sauce to give chicken or pork chops a tropical twist. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Kids love this sweet, wiggly gelatin and whipped topping dessert. Use different flavors of gelatin to make color versions that are as wild as your imagination. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Looking for a festive dish to light up the buffet? This pretty green gelatin salad is eye-catching and has a delightful, tangy flavor. —Cyndi Fynaardt, Oskaloosa, Iowa
Salty pretzels pair nicely with the sweet fruit in this refreshing layered salad. It’s a family favorite that is a slam-dunk at potlucks. —Peggy Boyd, Northport, Alabama
Our church’s hostess committee has relied on this refreshing drink for bridal and baby showers and other events. We often use different flavored gelatins to match the decor of the occasion. —Joy Bruce, Welch, Oklahoma
Jazz up plain cake with raspberry gelatin and frozen berries. Spread with a light, fruity whipped topping (or this whipped topping substitute), the festive results make a cool and refreshing dessert. —Marion Anderson, Dalton, Minnesota
Christmastime always means that this recipe comes out of my recipe box. The traditional holiday colors in this salad make the buffet table look so pretty. —Diane Schefelker, Ireton, Iowa
When we were young mothers, I asked my best friend if she had a recipe for an easy ambrosia salad that I could take to a cookout later that evening. She shared this recipe with me and it’s become a must-have at every barbecue I attend. It’s sublime with peaches and peach gelatin, too. —Melissa Meinke, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania
This refreshing dessert looks just like a glass of bubbling champagne.—Vickie McLaughlin, Kingsport, Tennessee
When I take this dish to potlucks during the holidays, people always ooh and aah. Feel free to top with whipped cream for added appeal. —Carol Mead, Los Alamos, New Mexico
These spiced, spiked gelatin squares are sure to get the party started at fall get-togethers. If you’re going for the more traditional shot-style look, pour the mixture into 2-ounce plastic cups and refrigerate until set. — Rachel Seis, Senior Editor, Taste of Home
For a taste of paradise, try this no-bake Key lime pie recipe. It’s low in fat, sugar and fuss. It truly is the best Key lime pie recipe ever! —Frances VanFossan, Warren, Michigan
This no-bake dessert is guaranteed to cool you off in the summer heat. I really enjoy the texture—rich and creamy Panna Cotta balanced by the sweet and pulpy texture of the peach puree. —Andrea Campbell, Los Angeles, California
Juicy pomegranate seeds give cranberry gelatin a refreshing twist. For the crowning touch, top the salad with whipped topping and a sprinkling of pecans. —Lorie Mckinney, Marion, North Carolina
Fruit molds are my specialty. This one, with its refreshing peach taste, makes a colorful salad or dessert. —Adeline Piscitelli, Sayreville, New Jersey
This was originally my daughter’s recipe, and she or I will make it for one or more of our holiday get-togethers. It can be served as a fruit salad along with the meal or as a light dessert. It’s particularly pretty in a cut-glass bowl on a buffet. —Ruth Bolduc, Conway, New Hampshire
Homemade marshmallows are much better than bagged ones. I had yummy results when I flavored my recipe with mango nectar. Look for it in your store’s Mexican food section. —Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri
Almost as spectacular as the fireworks, this lovely salad makes quite a “bang” at our July Fourth meal. It’s exciting to serve, and our guests loved the cool fruity and creamy layers. This salad really added to my patriotic theme. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Whenever I make this pretty raspberry salad, people talk! It’s a festive side dish that works well for celebrations throughout the year. —Jane Vanderground, Macedonia, Ohio
This thick and creamy dessert is my interpretation of my mother’s recipe for Swedish krem. It has just a hint of almond flavor and looks spectacular with bright red berries on top. Serve it in glasses to match the occasion. —Linda Nilsen, Anoka, Minnesota
This orange salad dessert is slightly sweet and tangy, too. It adds beautiful color to any meal and appeals to all ages! —Ann Eastman, Santa Monica, California
I love bringing something sweet to a potluck, but I don’t like spending all day in the kitchen. Saltine crust is amazing with a no-bake, tart-sweet strawberry lemonade filling. — Gina Nistico, Taste of Home Food Editor
Kids love this jiggly salad, and honestly, so do the adults. It’s always going to be on my holiday buffet. —Brenda Leonard, APO, AP
My gelatin ring gets a tropical twist from coconut, pineapple and macadamia nuts. It’s a wonderful anytime treat. Now that I’m retired from teaching, I have more time for kitchen experiments. —Carol Gillespie, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Get ready for fluffy lemon-lime goodness. My family calls it “flop Jell-O” because most of the time a clear gelatin layer that tastes like lemon-lime soda falls to the bottom of the dish. Try it with any flavor gelatin! —Michelle Gauer, Spicer, Minnesota
Our striking “flag” salad drew plenty of attention at our Independence Day party. The shimmering stripes are formed with distinctive gelatin layers. It makes you want to salute before spooning some up! —Laurie Neverman, Green Bay, Wisconsin
When I was growing up, this yummy, easy dessert was always on the menu at holiday get-togethers. Years ago, my aunt gave me the recipe, and now when I make it for my family, I think of her. —Janice Rathgeb, Brighton, Illinois
Eat these pretty treats as is or crush them into a bowl of strawberries and whipped cream. Readers of my blog, utry.it, went nuts when I posted that idea.—Amy Tong, Anaheim, California
Colorful gelatin salad adds a spot of brightness to any table. It blends well with this holiday feast. We children didn’t know if it should be a salad or dessert, with its smooth texture and delicate flavor.—Fae Fisher, Callao, Virginia
Loaded with fresh strawberries and blueberries, this luscious JELL-O is perfect for any Fourth of July celebration! —Constance Fennell, Grand Junction, Michigan
This recipe is an all-time favorite with my family and everyone else who tastes it. It’s so easy but makes an impressive company dessert. Because it doesn’t seem light, everyone feels like they’re sinfully over-indulging! —Linda Murray, Allenstown, New Hampshire
The post We Made a Creamy Pineapple Squares Recipe from 1968—and It’s Ready for a Comeback appeared first on Taste of Home.
