Strawberry Sundae Recipe

This Strawberry Sundae is a quick, homemade take on the McDonald’s classic — soft vanilla ice cream, warm strawberry sauce, and all the toppings. It’s fast, low-effort, and uses basic ingredients you’ve probably got already. Great when you want dessert but don’t wanna bake.

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Quick Summary

• Prep time: 5 mins
• Cook time: 10 mins
• Flavor: fruity, creamy, sweet
• Great for: lazy dessert nights, summer cravings, something cold + nostalgic

Why I Like This Recipe

Wasn’t planning dessert, but yeah — it just kinda happened. Had some strawberries that were too soft to snack on, and ice cream in the back of the freezer. Threw together a quick sauce and layered it all up. Way too good for how easy it is. Zero fancy steps. Just chill, pour, scoop, and done.

Ingredients

For the strawberry sauce:

• 1¼ cup strawberries, hulled + quartered
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp lemon or lime juice

For the sundaes:

• vanilla ice cream
• whipped cream
• fresh strawberries (extra, optional)
• sprinkles (optional)

How To Make Strawberry Sundae

1. Make the sauce: Mix cornstarch + water in a small pan — make sure it dissolves. Add strawberries, sugar, lemon juice. Stir it up.
2. Cook it down: Medium heat. Stir here and there. After ~7–8 mins, it should thicken and the strawberries go soft. Mash a few if you want it chunky. Let it cool for a few.
3. Layer the sundae: Spoon some warm sauce into a cup or bowl. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. More sauce. Another scoop. Top with whipped cream, sprinkles, fresh berries — or just leave it plain.
4. Serve: Eat it right away. Melts fast. No notes.

Tips for Success

• Sauce gets thicker as it cools — don’t overcook.
• Use fresh strawberries for best flavor.
• Make the sauce ahead and chill if you want a cold version.
• Cheap ice cream works fine.
• You can double the sauce and keep in the fridge for other stuff (pancakes, waffles, whatever).

Storage and Reheating

• Sauce (fridge): Lasts up to 5 days in a sealed jar. Reheat gently on the stove or microwave in 15-second bursts.
• Ice cream (obviously): Keep frozen. Assemble sundaes fresh. You can’t really store a made sundae.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use frozen strawberries?
  Yep. Just thaw first. May take longer to cook down.
• Do I need cornstarch?
  It helps thicken the sauce. You could skip it, but it’ll be runnier.
• Best ice cream brand?
  Whatever you like. McDonald’s isn’t premium, so you don’t need anything fancy.
• Can I batch the sauce for later?
  Definitely. It keeps well in the fridge for a few days.
• Is this super sweet?
  It’s dessert — yeah, kinda. But the lemon helps balance it out.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Overcooking the sauce: Once it thickens, take it off the heat. Too long and it turns jammy.
• Using underripe berries: They just don’t soften right or taste sweet. Go for ripe or slightly overripe ones.
• Skipping the cornstarch step: Don’t just dump it in dry. Mix with water first or it clumps.
• Assembling early: Don’t do it ahead. Ice cream melts fast, and you lose the layered look.
• Forgetting to taste the sauce: Sometimes strawberries aren’t sweet enough. Taste and add a bit more sugar if needed.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving – estimated for sauce only)

• Calories: 102 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 26g
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 0.3g
• Saturated Fat: 0.01g
• Sodium: 2mg
• Potassium: 141mg
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 22g
• Vitamin C: 54mg