How To Order A McDonald's Sundae Inspired By A Forgotten '80s Classic

Though you might associate McDonald's sundaes with hot fudge (which we ranked as the best McDonald's dessert) and caramel, additional flavors were once on the menu. One such flavor was strawberry, a classic in the 1980s but no longer available in U.S. stores. Plenty of customers remember digging into the treat. "Why they ditched these I have no idea," wrote a user on Reddit. 

For those with a craving or a yearning for this nostalgic taste, a strawberry sundae can still be ordered with a few instructions. After ordering a Hot Fudge Sundae base made with vanilla soft serve, ask for a side of strawberry preserve or jam and request the fudge to be left off the treat. You can swirl the jam into the ice cream yourself. This self-mixing approach means you can control exactly how much jam ends up in the mix rather than relying on however much a pre-built McDonald's ice cream sundae would include. 

The DIY dessert has been making the rounds on social media, and customers have been scooping out the packaged jam meant for McMuffins and biscuits into their cold desserts. The resulting mixed combination can stand in for the strawberry sundae served in the '80s.

After mixing strawberry jam and soft serve, you can create the dessert of your dreams with additional customizations. You can keep the hot fudge (or the caramel topping from the Hot Caramel Sundae) as part of the deal so that each spoonful offers both fudge and fruit to enjoy. Sweet lovers can also ask for a side of honey or the maple-flavored Hotcake syrup and drizzle that on top of the sundae.

Those who have turned McFlurries into ice cream sandwiches may be well acquainted with the idea of making a McDonald's order their own, and the same approach can be taken with the sundae. If you're taking your sundae home, you can add some nuts or boozy maraschino cherries to the dessert, or sprinkle in cookie crumbles (you could also order the chocolate chip cookie at McDonald's along with the sundae and crush that up). You could even mix in M&Ms or chop up fresh strawberries and swirl those in. For those fortunate enough to come across the strawberry sundae — it has been seen on menus at McDonald's in Qatar, Canada, Malta, and New Zealand — enjoy digging into the sweet and tart treat without having to ask for any special requests.