How many calories is mcdonalds ice cream?

Quick Answers

The number of calories in McDonald’s ice cream depends on the specific menu item. On average, a small McDonald’s ice cream cone contains around 210 calories while a small McFlurry contains around 350 calories. The calorie content increases for larger sizes.

McDonald’s offers a variety of delicious ice cream treats like cones, sundaes, and McFlurries. But one question many people have is just how many calories are in these tempting frozen desserts.

When you’re watching your calorie intake or have specific nutrition goals, it’s important to understand the calorie content of menu items. This allows you to make informed choices and fit treats like McDonald’s ice cream into your daily calorie budget.

In this article, we’ll take a close look at the calorie counts for McDonald’s ice cream offerings. We’ll provide calorie ranges for different menu items and sizes. Whether you’re craving a simple ice cream cone or an indulgent mcflurry loaded with toppings, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting in terms of calories.

Understanding calories and nutrition information is key to building healthy eating habits. Let’s explore how many calories you can expect in McDonald’s delicious frozen treats!

Calories in McDonald’s Ice Cream Cones

One of the simplest frozen treats on the McDonald’s menu is the classic ice cream cone. McDonald’s serves their soft serve ice cream in regular or sugar cones.

The calorie content of an ice cream cone can vary slightly depending on the precise serving size and cone type. But in general, here is the calorie count for McDonald’s ice cream cones:

– Small Vanilla Cone: 210 calories
– Medium Vanilla Cone: 350 calories
– Large Vanilla Cone: 490 calories

As you can see, the calorie content scales up significantly for larger cone sizes. A small or medium cone makes for a lighter treat while still satisfying an ice cream craving.

It’s also worth noting that a sugar cone will have slightly more calories than a regular cone. Sugar cones have around 20 extra calories.

So if you opt for a medium sugar cone with vanilla soft serve, expect it to be around 370 calories.

Overall, ice cream cones at McDonald’s range from about 200 – 500 calories depending on exact specifications. Choosing a small or medium cone is your best bet for limiting calorie intake.

Nutrition Facts for McDonald’s Ice Cream Cones

Beyond just calories, here is a nutritional breakdown of a small McDonald’s vanilla cone:

– Total Fat: 11g
– Saturated Fat: 7g
– Trans Fat: 0g
– Cholesterol: 20mg
– Sodium: 65mg
– Total Carbohydrates: 33g
– Dietary Fiber: 0g
– Total Sugars: 11g
– Protein: 3g

The majority of calories come from carbohydrates and fat. There is also some protein from the dairy in the ice cream.

While an ice cream cone isn’t the most nutritious treat, a small portion can fit into your daily calorie allotment as an occasional indulgence. Moderation is key!

Calorie Count for McDonald’s Sundaes

In addition to cones, McDonald’s also serves up classic ice cream sundaes. Thesefeature creamy soft serve topped with a saucy, sweet topping and whipped cream.

Here are the calorie counts for sundaes on the McDonald’s menu:

– Small Hot Fudge Sundae: 330 calories
– Small Caramel Sundae: 340 calories
– Small Strawberry Sundae: 261 calories

As you can see, even a small McDonald’s sundae delivers over 250 calories. The calorie total rises further when you select a larger size:

– Medium Hot Fudge Sundae: 490 calories
– Medium Caramel Sundae: 500 calories
– Medium Strawberry Sundae: 391 calories

And for a truly indulgent treat, a large McDonald’s sundae can pack over 600 calories:

– Large Hot Fudge Sundae: 650 calories
– Large Caramel Sundae: 660 calories
– Large Strawberry Sundae: 521 calories

The calorie variation comes from the different toppings used in each sundae. For example, caramel sauce has more calories than a strawberry topping.

Overall though, all small sundaes average around 300 calories while medium and large sundaes deliver 400-600 calories. So be mindful of portions if you’re watching your calorie intake! Stick with a small or medium.

Nutrition Facts for McDonald’s Strawberry Sundae

Here’s a more detailed nutrition breakdown for a small McDonald’s strawberry sundae:

– Total Fat: 11g
– Saturated Fat: 7g
– Trans Fat: 0g
– Cholesterol: 25mg
– Sodium: 65mg
– Total Carbohydrates: 49g
– Dietary Fiber: 1g
– Total Sugars: 44g
– Protein: 3g

One small sundae delivers over 40g of sugar, mostly coming from the strawberry topping and soft serve. There are also a good amount of carbohydrates.

So while tasty, sundaes should be enjoyed occasionally as a dessert rather than a daily snack due to their high calorie, sugar, carbohydrate, and fat content.

Calories in McDonald’s McFlurrys

Perhaps the most popular McDonald’s ice cream item is the delicious McFlurry. This treat features creamy soft serve blended with mix-ins like candy pieces, cookies, or syrups.

Here is the calorie count for a small McFlurry:

– M&M’s McFlurry: 510 calories
– Oreo McFlurry: 490 calories
– Mini Oreo McFlurry: 350 calories

The Mini Oreo option has less calories since it contains less soft serve. The M&M’s McFlurry tops 500 calories due to the extra candies mixed throughout.

For medium and large sizes, the calories increase:

– Medium M&M’s McFlurry: 740 calories
– Medium Oreo McFlurry: 720 calories
– Large M&M’s McFlurry: 950 calories
– Large Oreo McFlurry: 930 calories

As you can see, a small McFlurry hovers around 350-500 calories depending on the mix-ins. But medium and large sizes quickly ramp up, delivering 700-950 calories.

To keep your treat under control, opt for a mini size or share a regular size McFlurry. The candies and cookies mixed into the ice cream significantly increase the calorie count.

Nutrition Information for M&M McFlurry

Here is the full nutrition data for a small M&M’s McFlurry:

– Total Fat: 18g
– Saturated Fat: 11g
– Trans Fat: 0g
– Cholesterol: 50mg
– Sodium: 180mg
– Total Carbohydrates: 83g
– Dietary Fiber: 2g
– Total Sugars: 69g
– Protein: 9g

With 19g of fat, 83g carbs, and 69g sugar in one small serving, the M&M’s McFlurry is quite high in calories. Enjoy it occasionally as a sweet treat in moderate portions.

Low Calorie McDonald’s Dessert Options

While McDonald’s ice cream treats taste great, they pack a lot of calories, fat, and sugar into small servings. If you’re trying to watch your calories, here are some lower calorie McDonald’s desserts to consider:

– Cone with no ice cream (60 calories) – Enjoy the crispy cone without the creamy soft serve.
– Baked Apple Pie (250 calories) – A small baked pie with less calories than an ice cream sundae.
– Fruit ‘N Yogurt Parfait (150 calories) – Layers of yogurt and fruit for a lighter, healthier dessert.
– Side Salad with Low-Fat Dressing (15-90 calories) – Get your sweetness from fresh fruit instead of ice cream.

These options range from just 60 to 250 calories, much less than a sundae or McFlurry. You can also build your own lower calorie treat, like ice cream with diet soda instead of a sugary shake.

Being mindful of portions and choosing lighter items can let you satisfy a sweet tooth while sticking to your nutritional goals.

Calories from Add-Ons

When you customize your McDonald’s ice cream by adding mix-ins and toppings, the calories add up fast. Here are some popular add-ons and how many extra calories they provide:

– Hot Fudge (50 calories)
– Caramel (60 calories)
– Strawberry Topping (70 calories)
– M&M’s Candies (90 calories per 1/4 cup)
– Oreo Cookies (140 calories per 1/4 cup)
– Whipped Cream (50 calories per serving)
– Cherry Topping (10 calories per cherry)

A few small add-ons can quickly increase your calorie, sugar, and fat intake. For example, adding hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry to your sundae tacks on an extra 110 calories.

To keep your treat lighter, opt for fresh fruit or lighter sauces like strawberry topping. Or only add one or two ingredients to your customize dessert.

Calories Compared to Other Desserts

Compared to other popular desserts, McDonald’s ice cream falls in the middle calorie-wise:

– 1 slice chocolate cake: 320 calories
– 1 glazed donut: 190 calories
– McDonald’s small McFlurry: 350 calories
– Dairy Queen small Blizzard: 530 calories
– 1 slice apple pie: 410 calories
– Small milkshake from Shake Shack: 590 calories

A McDonald’s McFlurry or sundae has fewer calories than ultra-indulgent options like a Blizzard or shake. But it has more calories than simpler desserts like a glazed donut.

Overall, as an occasional treat, McDonald’s ice cream can fit into most daily calorie allotments. Just be mindful of portion sizes and extra toppings. Other fast food ice cream options like Blizzards may have 200+ more calories than a comparable McDonald’s frozen treat.

Low Calorie Hacks for McDonald’s Ice Cream

If you want to enjoy McDonald’s ice cream while limiting the calorie impact, here are some handy hacks:

– Order a kiddie cone. The child size cone prevents overdoing it on portion size.
– Mix flavors. Order half vanilla and half chocolate soft serve in your cone for more variety with less calories.
– Skip the cone altogether and order a cup. You’ll cut around 200 cone calories.
– Choose yogurt parfaits or fruit bags for lower calorie McDonald’s desserts.
– Split your McFlurry or sundae with a friend to control portions.
– Opt for diet soda instead of a high-calorie shake. Enjoy the ice cream flavor while saving on calories.
– Add fresh strawberries instead of strawberry syrup to your sundae. It cuts down on added sugars.
– Request soft serve frozen yogurt instead of regular ice cream for a healthier base.

With smart customizations and portion control, you can still enjoy McDonald’s tasty frozen treats while sticking to your nutrition goals.

Burning Off McDonald’s Ice Cream Calories

To burn off the calories from a McDonald’s ice cream treat, here is the amount of exercise required depending on the menu item:

– Small vanilla cone (210 calories) – 26 minutes walking
– Small McFlurry (350 calories) – 43 minutes walking
– 6oz. Shake (440 calories) – 54 minutes walking
– Medium Sundae (490 calories) – 60 minutes walking
– Large McFlurry (950 calories) – 1 hour, 48 minutes walking

As you can see, a small cone or McFlurry can be offset with less than an hour of brisk walking. But heavier shakes and larger portions require closer to two hours of exercise to burn the calories.

To stay balanced, enjoy smaller McDonald’s treats in moderation while staying active with regular exercise. Some activity is better than none, so even a short walk can help offset indulgences.

Healthy Exercise Options to Burn Ice Cream Calories

In addition to walking, here are some other healthy forms of exercise to burn off calories from McDonald’s ice cream:

– Jogging – A 155 lb person burns 372 calories in 30 minutes of jogging at 5mph.
– Swimming – 30 minutes of casual swimming burns around 200 calories. More vigorous swimming will burn over 300 calories.
– HIIT Workout – Intense High Intensity Interval Training can burn over 500 calories in 30 minutes.
– Zumba – An hour of Zumba dancing can torch over 500 calories.
– Cycling – At a casual 12mph pace, cycling burns around 300 calories every 30 minutes.
– Hiking – Trekking uphill on a hike can burn up to 500 calories per hour.

So put on your exercise shoes and break out the jump rope! Combining activity with the occasional sweet treat is the healthiest approach.

Choosing Your McDonald’s Ice Cream Flavor

Beyond calories, picking your favorite flavor is key to enjoying your McDonald’s ice cream experience. Here are some top options on the menu:

Vanilla

You can’t go wrong with classic, creamy vanilla soft serve. It’s the perfect neutral base for toppings and mix-ins.

Chocolate

For chocolate lovers, McDonald’s swirls up their rich, chocolatey soft serve into cones and sundaes. It’s like drinking an ice-cold chocolate milkshake.

Strawberry

Get your fruit fix with strawberry sundaes topped tangy, sweet strawberry sauce. It’s a fresh option beyond just chocolate and vanilla.

Twist Cone

Can’t decide between chocolate or vanilla? Try half and half with a twist cone swirling together both flavors.

Oreo McFlurry

For cookie fans, blended Oreo pieces make the Oreo McFlurry a crunchy, chocolatey delight. Crumble in extra cookies if you’re feeling indulgent!

M&M McFlurry

Candy lovers will enjoy mixes of chocolate and peanut M&M’s candies crunching throughout each spoonful. It’s the perfect blend of chocolate and peanuts.

With so many options, visit McDonald’s for a different flavor every time. Cool off with your personalized icy treat!

Conclusion

When enjoyed in moderation, McDonald’s ice cream can be part of a balanced diet. Being mindful of portion sizes and toppings is key to controlling calories, fat, and sugar intake. Stick with small or medium cones and sundaes under 500 calories to limit your calorie load.

Mix up flavors between visits to give your tastebuds a treat without overdoing calories long-term. And counter indulgences with plenty of healthy fruits, veggies, proteins, and exercise on a daily basis.

Knowing the calorie count of McDonald’s ice cream menu lets you stay informed and make smart choices. Now treat yourself to a hot fudge sundae or creamy McFlurry while staying mindful of your daily calorie needs!

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