Retired McFlurry Flavors We'll Never Eat Again
On one fateful day in 1995, a McDonald's franchisee named Ron McLellan combined soft-serve ice cream with popular candy, and the McFlurry was born. Since then, the McFlurry has become a staple item of the golden arches menu. Ron McLellan, who created the McFlurry at his New Brunswick McDonald's location in Canada, said that he didn't anticipate the popularity this creation would go on to attain.
Indeed, the sweet treat has expanded all over the world and evolved to heights McLellan probably never dreamed of. McDonald's has created unique, interesting, and over-the-top flavors, including country-specific menu items, like Japan's Matcha McFlurry, the U.K.'s Cadbury Creme Egg McFlurry, Switzerland's Toblerone McFlurry, or even Indonesia's Coconut Charcoal McFlurry.
Unfortunately, many of these flavors are discontinued, never to be tasted again by hungry McDonald's fans. Some of these flavors were so incredible that fans may desire the return of their favorite flavor. McDonald's has been known to bring back popular McFlurry flavors from time to time. If you're a McFlurry fan, you'll likely enjoy a trip down the sweet, sweet McFlurry memory lane.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup
Depending on who you ask, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup McFlurry is one of the greatest McFlurry flavors to ever have graced planet Earth. This McFlurry consists of soft-serve ice cream with broken-up pieces of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. The combination of fluffy, rich peanut butter, sweet, milky chocolate, and creamy vanilla ice cream was a match made in heaven.
Sadly, this McFlurry flavor hasn't been seen in the United States in years. The McFlurry cult hasn't forgotten about it, though. Facebook groups and Twitter accounts have been created to prompt McDonald's to bring back the beloved McFlurry flavor.
The popular McFlurry has made appearances from time to time: The lucky people of South Korea experienced the Reese's McFlurry back in 2016 for a limited time. Although the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup McFlurry consistently seems to be one of the most beloved flavors out there, it seems like we'll have to settle for eating the sweet ingredients separately for now.
Pralines and Cream
When you mix candied pecans with McDonald's soft serve ice cream, you get something truly magical. The legendary Pralines and Cream McFlurry is drizzled with hot, buttery caramel sauce. This McFlurry is another favorite among McFlurry enthusiasts. A spoonful of this tremendous McFlurry gives you the perfect mix of crunch and sweetness. There's just something about the incredibly delicious combination of praline, ice cream, and caramel that keeps you coming back for more.
This pecan-heavy flavor is a bit more sophisticated than other McFlurry flavors. One food reviewer felt that the McFlurry had a generous portion of pralines, each of which had a wonderfully crunchy shell covering delicious pecans. The Pralines & Cream McFlurry was discontinued back in 2015 without any plans for a return, so if you didn't get to try it back then, you might never have a chance to enjoy this wonderful flavor again.
Red Velvet Oreo
Although red velvet cake has been around since the Victorian Era, it skyrocketed in popularity sometime around 2012 onwards, flavoring everything from cupcakes to bagels to body wash to car fresheners. McDonald's, like everyone else, jumped on the red velvet cake bandwagon: It combined this hot food trend with its iconic Oreo flavor to create the Red Velvet Oreo McFlurry. One reviewer wasn't a McFlurry lover but absolutely loved this flavor and hoped for its return.
Although you won't find the typical rich cream cheese filling you'd find in a red velvet cake, McFlurry fans still loved the flavor. Michael at The Impulsive Buy said that though he was disappointed by the lack of cream cheese frosting, the McFlurry still makes for an incredible dessert overall. It's actually quite reminiscent of the red velvet cake flavor, effectively evoking that rich, delicious taste. Sadly, this flavor has been discontinued.
Mississippi Mud Pie
In the U.K., McDonald's has an annual promotion called the Great Tastes of America that features, well, great flavors from America. In 2017, McDonald's re-released a popular flavor called the Mississippi Mud Pie McFlurry, which was released in the U.K. for a limited time. This delectable chocolate-injected concoction features chocolate-coated cookie pieces and cookie crumbles stuffed into soft serve ice cream topped off with a delectable chocolate fudge sauce.
It was incredibly popular, to say the least. Twitter user Annabelle Crosby referred to this flavor as a wonderfully delicious "nectar." One fan noted that this flavor was truly iconic, while another felt it tasted heavenly. Yes, the irony is not lost on us: Most Americans couldn't try possibly the most American McFlurry flavor back in 2017, but at least some people could. McDonald's also served up a yummy Mississippi Caramel Pie flavor alongside this flavor. Why, McDonald's, why?
Rolo
McDonald's has combined several different candies with soft serve ice cream to create incredible McFlurry flavors, including Rolo. For the uninitiated, a Rolo is a semi-cone-shaped piece of chocolate filled with slow-melting caramel in a bite-sized piece. McDonald's combined crushed pieces of Rolo chocolate with soft serve and a caramel drizzle to top it off. The gooeyness of the caramel-centered chocolates fit perfectly with the cold, refreshing vanilla. The last time the Rolo McFlurry was a regular fixture on the McMenu was in 2011. However, the fast food chain brought the fan-favorite back to the menu for a few months in 2017.
People were excited. Twitter user Thomas Hamrick reacted with enthusiasm at the thought of a Rolo McFlurry. Not everyone agreed, though. In a survey we published in 2021, the Rolo McFlurry took the top spot for the "worst McFlurry flavor" by a whopping 43.92 percent of votes. Maybe it's better that McDonald's decided to take this one off the menu.
Butterfinger
Butterfingers are a highly beloved and delicious candy. There's something so incredible about that combination of chocolate and peanut butter. The Butterfinger McFlurry was one of the original McFlurry flavors that hit the market back in 1997, along with Oreo, Heath, Nestlé Crunch, and M&Ms. The combination of crispy peanut butter and chocolate with cool vanilla creates the perfect balance of creamy and crunchy textures. Although this McFlurry flavor was discontinued in the early 2010s, people haven't forgotten about it.
Twitter user Elyse Gunn feels that the removal of the Butterfinger McFlurry from the McDonald's menu was the advent of American decline. Some fans actually took action and started a petition to bring back the beloved Butterfinger-infused ice cream. It's not for everyone, though. Although Rolo took the top spot for "worst McFlurry flavor" in a survey we took, the Butterfinger flavor wasn't far behind in second place.
Terry's Chocolate Orange
People in the U.K. are probably familiar with a very unique kind of (chocolate) fruit: Terry's Chocolate Orange. This chocolate product is ball-shaped like an orange, and it's made of chocolate mixed with orange oil. When you unwrap it, the segments are stuck together in the center (like a real orange), but once you "tap" it on a hard surface, the 20 segments separate into (chocolate) orange slices!
McDonald's is known to cater its menus to the local population's taste, and that's exactly what it did in the Christmas of 2017. The famous Terry's Chocolate Orange McFlurry had crushed chunks of chocolate orange topped with smooth Terry's Chocolate Orange sauce to finish it off. People in the U.K. were happy with McDonald's decision. Twitter user Lucy Johnston said this McFlurry leads to happiness. Brad agreed and emphasized that the Chocolate Orange McFlurry was his life.
Unfortunately, like many other McFlurry favorites, Terry's Chocolate Orange McFlurry was a limited-time promotion. Twitter user Edward Vickers lamented in a reply to McDonald's original tweet about the McFlurry flavor and requested that McDonald's make the Smarties McFlurries a permanent menu item. Vickers also noted that while he doesn't like the cold, he ate this McFlurry even when the temperature was freezing. Perhaps McDonald's should give the people what they want.
Quality Street Mint Matchmakers
McDonald's reintroduced the Quality Street Mint Matchmakers McFlurry in 2019 in the U.K. This Christmassy treat has a foundation of McDonald's signature vanilla soft serve, mixed with chunks of minty dark chocolate Matchmakers, and finished with a swirl of mint chocolate sauce. What are Matchmakers, you ask? This candy is a thin stick of boiled sugar that is coated with dark chocolate and mint. The Quality Street Mint Matchmakers McFlurry definitely brought Christmas joy to U.K. residents. Twitter user @Sheza58 said that this McFlurry was the best thing ever.
Sadly, the Matchmaker McFlurrys hasn't been seen since that fateful Christmas promotion. People are still dreaming about them, though: Twitter user @ellhiiigham actually had a dream about the Mint Matchmakers McFlurry but woke up to dandelion and burdock. Hopefully, McDonald's brings back the Matchmakers McFlurry and gives fans a wonderful Christmas and holiday season.
Shrek Swamp Sludge
The popular film "Shrek" was released in 2001, and it took the nation by storm. McDonald's was inspired by the big green ogre, and it released one of the most unique and memorable McFlurry to date in 2007: The Shrek Swamp Sludge McFlurry. The signature soft serve was mixed with big chunks of chocolate brownie as well as green M&Ms. There was also a hint of mint flavoring that accented the chocolate beautifully.
The Swamp Sludge definitely left a mark on people's childhood memories. Twitter user @appleshampooch said that the Swamp Sludge McFlurry was their favorite item and longed for its return. Nikki, another Twitter user, agreed, noting that March is the ideal time for the different-yet-similar Shamrock Shake and that McDonald's should bring back that incredible combination of flavors. Like all of the most legendary McFlurry flavors, the Swamp Sludge has its very own petition that urges the golden arches to bring it back. Hopefully, there's another Shrek movie on the horizon too.
Stroopwafel
The Dutch Stroopwafel McFlurry has been one of the most iconic McDonald's menu items outside of the United States. In 2019, U.S. residents finally got a taste of the Dutch treat because of McDonald's "Worldwide Favorites" promotional menu. Americans also got to try the Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger from Spain, Cheesy Bacon Fries from Australia, and the Tomato Mozzarella Chicken Sandwich from Canada. But it was the Stroopwafel that people went crazy for.
For those that may not know, a stroopwafel is a thin, round waffle cookie. Two pieces of the cookie are "glued" together with a layer of caramel filling. Break those up into vanilla soft serve and finish it with a rich caramel sauce, and you've got a candidate for the McFlurry Hall of Fame. Twitter users such as @logurra still miss this Dutch cookie-based dessert. Another Redditor agrees and hopes that McDonald's will bring back this McFlurry. We feel your pain, Stroopwafel McFlurry lovers.
Bubblegum Squash
Bubblegum Squash McFlurry, which was available in Australia and New Zealand, might be one of the most unique McFlurry flavors of all time. First things first: There isn't actually any squash in this ice cream treat, so there's no need to cringe. This McFlurry consists of marshmallows along with a sweet, bubblegum-flavored syrup mixed in with the vanilla soft serve. The result is an eye-popping swirl of blue, pink, and white. This unique blend of flavors creates a wonderful concoction of taste and flavor that's bound to please the taste buds.
Several petitions have popped up on Change.org to bring back the childhood favorite of many Aussies. The description demands the return of this beloved dessert, noting that it would benefit both customers and McDonald's. It's hard to argue with that kind of passion. Another Twitter user noted that they didn't believe in a god that wouldn't bring back the Bubblegum Squash McFlurry. Give the people what they want, McDonald's.
Horlicks
Horlicks is a wheat-based drink sold in powder form that creates a malted milk-like drink. Interestingly enough, it was originally sold as a meal replacement drink for infants and invalids. Although it was created in the United Kingdom, it became popular in countries like India and South Africa. McDonald's Malaysia took advantage of the Horlicks trend and released a unique Horlicks McFlurry.
This sweet treat brings together the classic malt flavor of Horlicks and the cool and creamy soft serve for an interesting take on the fast food icon. Although Americans might not truly understand the hype behind the malty dessert, those who've tried it desperately want it back. Twitter user @loveyloey begged McDonald's to reintroduce this amazing McFlurry. Twitter user @ainaateyou felt that this was Malaysia's best creation. It's not often that a sweet dessert treat like the McFlurry is combined with an ingredient that's enriched with key vitamins and minerals as well as a high dose of protein: No wonder it was such a hit.
Toffee Crisp
The Toffee Crisp McFlurry is another McFlurry flavor that many feel wasn't available for long enough. When this flavor was released in 2017, McDonald's announced that this promotion would be quickly discontinued. This McFlurry contained a base of vanilla soft serve mixed in crispy pieces of rice-covered chocolate and a rich caramel sauce. For the uninitiated, a Toffee Crisp is a popular candy. Its history can be traced all the way back to 1963.
It features a combination of cereal, biscuit, and caramel that gives it the crispiness that people have come to know and love. When this incredible candy is combined with vanilla soft serve, it leads to a mouthwatering dessert. Although this McFlurry was only available for about a month in the U.K., it grew a devoted fanbase. Twitter user @_oliviiawilson commented that they would be sad when the McDonald's McFlurry was removed from the menu. Twitter user @elliemidds said that Toffee Crisp McFlurry is one of the best inventions in the world, right alongside sliced bread.
Crunchies
Cadbury Crunchies are candy bars that feature a golden honeycomb covered in that famous Cadbury milk chocolate. Throw crushed-up Crunchies into a cup of creamy soft serve, and you've got another cult favorite: The Crunchie McFlurry. According to Twitter user @M4TT4PF, this is the best McDonald's invention ever.
Despite the obvious passion of its customers, McDonald's ended up removing the Crunchie McFlurry to make room for other flavors like the Smarties and Maltesers McFlurrys, as well as the indulgent Celebrations McFlurry. Twitter user Beth McGill was devastated when the Crunchie McFlurry was no longer available. You can find a petition to bring back the Crunchie McFlurry on Change.org. One commenter felt that their life would never be the same without this incredible McFlurry. It seems just about every McFlurry flavor has truly impacted someone's life. There's only one way for McDonald's to give the people what they want: Bring back every single flavor so fans can easily feast on all their favorites.