In early March, Yum! Brands (YUM) -owned Taco Bell used its second annual Live Más event to announce a range of different items slated to hit its menus at some point in the year: Steak and Queso Crunchwrap Sliders to mark the 20th anniversary of the popular Crunchwrap Supreme, the Shredded Beef Grilled Cheese Burrito, and the Cantina Chicken Menu featuring a number of items with the new protein.
Amid the new main dishes, Taco Bell also teased four new desserts that it was testing in select markets: Mountain Dew Baja Blast pie, Salted Caramel Toffee Cream and Pumpkin Spice empanadas, as well as a Caramel Apple Empanada version of the latter that was first launched in 2000 and is now being brought back as part of the chain’s Decades menu of returning favorites.
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Empanadas and Baja Blast pie coming to all Taco Bell menus by the end of 2025
As first reported by snack and fast-food watchdog Snackolator, the Baja Blast pie that was initially tested in certain markets is reportedly being brought nationwide later this year, while one of the other empanada flavors will also hit permanent menus later in 2025.
The Caramel Apple Empanada, meanwhile, will appear on nationwide menus on Nov. 21 and sell for $2.99. Already on the Taco Bell website from past seasonal rollouts, it is described as a “golden brown, crispy empanada loaded with warm apple pieces and a creamy filling with caramel notes.”
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The Salted Caramel & Toffee Cream Empanada is, meanwhile, described as “a twist on the beloved Caramel Apple Empanada featuring salted caramel and toffee cream.”
According to Snackolator, at least one of the other desserts unveiled at Live Más in March will be added to Taco Bell’s permanent menu at some point in 2025. This could be either the Duche de Leche delights or Ube Strawberry Cookies, which Taco Bell advertised at the time as “a crisp and chewy sugar cookie stuffed with rich vanilla ube cream featuring strawberry pieces in the cookie and filling plus a flurry of sprinkles.”
The Baja Blast Pie was teased at the March Live Más event.
Image source: Taco Bell
A short history of the Baja Blast and the many attempts to turn it into a dessert
While announced to a large audience and great fanfare, many of the Live Más drops were either tested only in select markets across the country or teased as coming at some unexpected point in the year.
The Baja Blast Pie, in particular, remains especially couched in mystery as the fast-food chain continued to tease it while tweaking details.
Meanwhile, much of the online commentary is divided on whether the iconic neon turquoise drink, tasting loosely of berries, that the chain made together with Mountain Dew in 2004 will work as a solid dessert.
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In the summer of 2023, Taco Bell briefly tested a Mtn Dew Baja Blast Gelato, but the frozen dessert ultimately failed to make the cut as a permanent menu item.
“The great gelato rebellion that turned into a memefest happened and [Taco Bell might have] realized there are limits to what people will tolerate,” one commenter wrote under the Taco Bell forum on Reddit.
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