What’s Better Than a Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry? The Healthier Version You Can Whip Together at Home

Among the various ways to eat strawberries, my favorite is strawberry shortcake. Growing up, my mom made this dessert by topping a batch of sweet buttermilk biscuits with whipped cream and sugar-marinated (or “macerated”) strawberries. Her strawberry shortcake is a league of its own as the flaky biscuits provide a delicious foundation for the airy whipped cream and syrupy strawberries. I’ve made her version of this dessert several times with much success on each try. But I don’t always have time to make her version from scratch. Although nothing beats my mom’s strawberry shortcake, I’ve recently discovered an easier way to get my fix of this dessert. 

To celebrate strawberry season, McDonald’s is currently offering a strawberry shortcake McFlurry as a dessert menu item. This treat puts a chilled spin on the summertime dessert that was a staple of my childhood. So, I decided to make a DIY version of the strawberry shortcake ice cream McFlurry to see if it lives up to the hype. Keep reading to learn how it turned out.

The Magic Behind This Fruity McFlurry

The strawberry shortcake McFlurry debuted on the McDonald’s menu back in April. This limited-edition item features layers of vanilla soft serve, strawberry-flavored clusters and shortbread cookies. These ingredients work to create a dessert that’s creamy yet crunchy with each bite. Also, the McFlurry’s strawberry shortcake clusters add a rich and fruity flavor to the sweet vanilla soft serve. This McFlurry is available until supplies last but there’s no need to rush to your nearest McDonald’s location. Why? Because making your own version of this blended ice cream is easy, and it only requires six ingredients.

Although the McFlurry treat doesn’t contain fresh strawberries, you can add them to your homemade version while they’re at their flavor peak. In a nutshell, you skip the drive-thru line and whip up a strawberry shortcake ice cream McFlurry at home!

How To Make Your Own Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream McFlurry

For a mouthwatering strawberry shortcake McFlurry recipe, try this one by food blogger Chahinez Tabet Aoul. “This easy spring and summertime McDonald’s strawberry shortcake McFlurry is a fun way to enjoy your favorite treat at home,” she writes. Follow the instructions and video below to learn how to make this McFlurry with a seasonal spin in less than 20 minutes:

Ingredients:

Strawberry shortcake crunch:

• 12 Golden Oreos  (Buy from Walmart, $3.98)
• 2 tablespoon salted butter, melted
• ½ of a 3-ounce packet strawberry-flavored gelatin 

McFlurry soft serve:

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• 3 ounces Cool Whip, frozen (Buy from Walmart, $1.98)
• 1 tablespoon milk

Garnish (optional):

• Fresh strawberries, diced

Directions:

• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 8 mins
• Total time: 18 mins
• Yield: 2 servings

For strawberry shortcake crunch:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Crush Oreos using food processor or by placing them in plastic bag and crushing them with rolling pin.
3. Transfer crushed oreos to bowl. Add strawberry jello and melted butter; allow to sit for 30 to 60 seconds before stirring to combine.
4. Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet, spread evenly, and bake 7 to 8 minutes. Let strawberry shortcake crunch to cool down fully.

For McFlurry soft serve:

1. Add ice cream, cool whip, and milk to blender. Blend fully.

To serve:

1. In clear glass, layer some soft serve and strawberry shortcake crunch and repeat once more. 
2. Top with diced strawberries and enjoy!

@thelifestyleofafoodie

Let’s make the McDonald’s strawberry shortcake McFlurry in the comfort of your own home! The OG one is getting mixed reviews so I decided to make a better one to both save you time and money. Try it and let me know what you think detailed recipe on my site. #StrawberryShortcakeMcFlurry#McDonaldsMcFlurryMMcDonaldsCopycatMcMcFlurryt#StrawberryShortcake

♬ original sound – March Madness

My Taste Test

Within the first scoop, I could taste the variety of flavors in this DIY McFlurry. The soft serve’s milky flavor complemented the sweet and buttery flavor of the strawberry shortcake crunch. Thanks to the diced strawberries, this dessert had a hint of tartness that balanced the other flavors.

As much as a McFlurry is about the flavor, the texture is also important. Admittedly, I let my frozen ice cream sit for too long before scoping and measuring it. This slip-up led to my soft serve having a runnier consistency than I wished. Still, I was able to use it as a soft and creamy base to layer with crunch mixture. Crushing the Oreos with a rolling pin allowed my strawberry shortcake crunch to have both large and small pieces. This texture difference offered a nice variation of crumbly and crunchy cookie bits.

Overall, this recipe was simple but so delicious. As someone who’s not a fan of fast food, this DIY McFlurry will become my go-to quick treat when I’m craving strawberry shortcake this summer and beyond!

My suggestions:

• Crush the Oreos with a rolling pin for a combination of fine and coarse cookie bits to layer into the McFlurry.
• Don’t let the ice cream sit at room temperature for longer than 15 minutes. Otherwise, it may slightly melt and not produce an ultra thick soft serve consistency.
• Opt for an inexpensive vanilla ice cream like Great Value Homestyle Vanilla Flavored Ice Cream (Buy from Walmart, $2.67) over pricier brands. The reason: You’re blending it with other ingredients, which will enhance the ice cream’s flavor and texture.

If you’re looking to make another ice cream-based treat, try our delicious recipe for tortoni!