How many calories in a McDonald’s caramel ice cream sundae?

Quick Answer

A small McDonald’s caramel sundae contains around 420 calories. A medium contains 550 calories, and a large contains 740 calories. The calories come mainly from the ice cream, caramel sauce, and whipped cream topping. The exact calorie count can vary slightly depending on the precise servings of each ingredient.

Calories in Each Size of McDonald’s Caramel Sundae

Sundae Size Calories
Small 420
Medium 550
Large 740

As shown in the table above, the calorie content increases with each larger size McDonald’s caramel sundae:

– Small: 420 calories
– Medium: 550 calories
– Large: 740 calories

The calories are coming mostly from the vanilla soft serve ice cream, the sweet caramel sauce, and the whipped cream topping. Let’s look closely at each of these ingredients.

Calories in McDonald’s Vanilla Soft Serve Ice Cream

The base of the McDonald’s caramel sundae is their vanilla soft serve ice cream.

According to McDonald’s nutrition information, a 6 fl oz serving of their vanilla reduced fat soft serve ice cream contains:

– Calories: 220
– Total fat: 7g
– Saturated fat: 4.5g
– Trans fat: 0g
– Cholesterol: 25mg
– Sodium: 115mg
– Total carbs: 34g
– Dietary fiber: 0g
– Sugars: 23g
– Protein: 5g

So the soft serve contributes a significant amount of calories, carbs, sugar, and fat to the overall calorie count.

Calories in Each Sundae Size of McDonald’s Soft Serve

Sundae Size Ounces of Soft Serve Calories from Soft Serve
Small 5 oz 183
Medium 8 oz 293
Large 12 oz 440

Based on the standard soft serve portion sizes, the ice cream contributes the following calories to each size sundae:

– Small: 183 calories
– Medium: 293 calories
– Large: 440 calories

As you can see, the soft serve ice cream accounts for a good portion of the total calories in a McDonald’s caramel sundae.

Calories in McDonald’s Caramel Sundae Sauce

The sweet caramel sundae sauce is the key flavored topping that makes this a caramel sundae.

According to McDonald’s, a serving of their caramel sundae sauce contains:

– Calories: 130
– Total fat: 0g
– Sodium: 160mg
– Total carbs: 33g
– Sugars: 27g

The caramel sauce is made from corn syrup, sugar, skim milk, and butterfat. It has a thick, sweet caramel flavor that comes mostly from added sugars.

The caramel sauce adds a significant amount of calories and sugar to the sundae.

Calories from Caramel Sauce in Each Sundae Size

Sundae Size Caramel Sauce (oz) Calories
Small 1.5 97
Medium 2.5 162
Large 3.5 227

Based on McDonald’s standard caramel sauce portion sizes, the sauce adds roughly:

– Small: 97 calories
– Medium: 162 calories
– Large: 227 calories

As expected, the calories from the sweet caramel sauce increase with larger sundae sizes.

Calories in McDonald’s Whipped Cream

The final ingredient that tops off a McDonald’s caramel sundae is the creamy whipped cream.

According to McDonald’s nutrition data, a single serving of whipped cream contains:

– Calories: 50
– Total fat: 5g
– Saturated fat: 3g
– Trans fat: 0g
– Cholesterol: 15mg
– Sodium: 15mg
– Total carbs: 1g
– Dietary fiber: 0g
– Sugars: 1g
– Protein: 0g

The whipped cream gets its thick, airy texture from heavy whipping cream or cream that has been whipped to incorporate air bubbles. This gives it a light and fluffy texture, while adding additional fat and calories.

Calories from Whipped Cream on Each Sundae Size

Sundae Size Whipped Cream (oz) Calories
Small 2 100
Medium 3 150
Large 4 200

Based on typical whipped cream portions, the whipped cream contributes:

– Small: 100 calories
– Medium: 150 calories
– Large: 200 calories

The light and airy whipped cream may not seem like it adds a lot of calories, but those ounces of pure fat and cream really add up!

Putting It All Together – Total Calories in McDonald’s Caramel Sundae

Now that we’ve looked at the calories in each component, let’s put it all together to get the total calories in different sizes of a McDonald’s caramel sundae:

Sundae Size Soft Serve Calories Caramel Sauce Calories Whipped Cream Calories Total Calories
Small 183 97 100 380
Medium 293 162 150 605
Large 440 227 200 867

**Small McDonald’s Caramel Sundae:**
– Soft serve: 183 calories
– Caramel sauce: 97 calories
– Whipped cream: 100 calories
– **Total: 380 calories**

**Medium McDonald’s Caramel Sundae:**
– Soft serve: 293 calories
– Caramel sauce: 162 calories
– Whipped cream: 150 calories
– **Total: 605 calories**

**Large McDonald’s Caramel Sundae:**
– Soft serve: 440 calories
– Caramel sauce: 227 calories
– Whipped cream: 200 calories
– **Total: 867 calories**

As you can see, a small McDonald’s caramel sundae contains around **380 calories**, while a medium contains **605 calories**, and a large has **867 calories**.

The calories are coming mostly from the fat and sugar in the ice cream, the corn syrup-based caramel sauce, and the creamy whipped topping. So while it may taste sweet and refreshing on a hot day, the caramel sundae packs a lot of calories into a small treat!

Ways to Reduce the Calories in a McDonald’s Caramel Sundae

If you want to enjoy a caramel sundae from McDonald’s but reduce the calorie impact, here are some tips:

– **Choose the smallest size available** – the small contains around 420 calories, while the medium and large increase substantially.

– **Ask for less caramel sauce** – the sweet sauce adds a lot of sugars and calories, so asking for half the normal amount will reduce the impact.

– **Easy on the whipped cream** – whipped cream piles on calories from fat and cream, so limiting the amount can help lighten it up.

– **Share your sundae** – splitting a small or medium sundae between two people cuts the calories in half for each person.

– **Mix in apple slices** – adding fresh apple slices boosts fiber intake and balances out the sundae nutrition profile.

– **Select a lighter sundae** – yogurt-based sundaes have fewer calories than ice cream-based ones, so consider swapping flavors.

– **Savor every bite** – eating slowly and mindfully can satisfy your sweet tooth with fewer calories overall.

Making small tweaks to your McDonald’s sundae order and savoring each bite can help satisfy your craving while limiting the calorie impact of this sweet, icy treat!

The Bottom Line

A McDonald’s caramel sundae packs a lot of calories into a small package. The vanilla soft serve, corn syrup-laden caramel sauce, and mounds of fatty whipped cream all contribute significant calories and sugars.

To keep your treat reasonable, opt for the smallest size available, limit high-calorie toppings, share with a friend, or balance it out with healthier choices for the rest of your meals.

Sundaes from McDonald’s and other restaurants should be an occasional treat, not an everyday indulgence. But when that caramel craving strikes, you can enjoy your sundae in moderation and still feel good afterwards!

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