How to Make a McDonalds Ice Cream Smash Cake

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Last Updated: March 20, 2026

When thinking about McDonald's, they picture burgers, fries, and classic fast-food fare. But McDonald's desserts have a fanbase of their own, and in 2023, a viral TikTok trend proved just how creative you can get with them. The McDonald's Ice Cream Smash Cake" blends soft-serve cones, cookies, sauces, and baked apple pies into one chaotic, over-the-top dessert that's surprisingly fun to make. This guide walks you through the assembly of this cake using only these menu items, so you can recreate this viral treat.

Ingredients

6 McDonald's ice creams (with cones)
1.5-2 oz Caramel sauce
1.5-2 oz Chocolate sauce
3-4 Chocolate chip cookies
3-4 Double chocolate chip cookies
McDonald's Baked Apple Pies
Sprinkles

Part 1

Part 1 of 5:

Preparing the Ice Cream and Cone

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1
Use a 2 1/2 quart container, designed to hold 10-16 cups. The container needs to be plastic and flat-bottomed. Use a large food storage container (like Tupperware or similar) to get this design accurate.
2
Dip 6 ice creams and their cones into a large bin, and smoosh them down.
- If you break the cone after it enters the bowl, it's okay. It'll be smashed in anyway, just a little earlier than expected, and found in an upcoming step.
- Remove the paper wrappers as you finish each.
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3
Crush each ice cream cone down using utensils. You can use plastic silverware or metal ones — your choice. It may take several smacks to break them down, but let them fall into the ice cream. Break up the cone by stabbing each cone, then mix the cone pieces into the ice cream as it melts.
- The mixture should look thick and chunky, while being not soupy.
- Mix until the cones are broken into bite-sized pieces.

Part 2

Part 2 of 5:

Adding the Sauces

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1
Add 2 cups of caramel sauce. Drizzle that onto the ice cream mix.
- Stop adding sauce when the mix is fully coated and not runny.
2
Follow adding the chocolate sauce. McDonald's may warm them, but that may vary by location.

Part 3

Part 3 of 5:

Adding the Cookies

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1
Use McDonalds' chocolate chip cookies. Place these on top of the mixture just above your syrups.
2
Crush the chocolate chip cookies as you did for the cones, and ensure they mix with the ice cream, cones, and sauces.
- Make it so that you can get a piece of cookie with every serving.
- If possible, get at least 2-3 Double Chocolate chip cookies with three more regular chocolate chips. However, if the location doesn't have both, this one isn't mandatory: the double chocolate chip ones are only found at flagship McDonalds, but the regular ones are required, at the very least.
3
Don't let the mix melt for too long. If necessary, keep the mix solid, using a freezer to refreeze the mixture.
- Avoid preparing this on a hot day, in a hot car — the mixture will melt too fast.

Part 4

Part 4 of 5:

Adding the Apple Pies

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1
Unwrap the baked apple pies. Remove the pies from their package, and place them on the cake.
- Let them cool slightly, if they're very hot.
2
Break the pies into chunks. Use a spoon or your hand to tear the pies into bite-sized pieces.
- Include the apple pie's crust and filling.
3
Add the pie pieces to the Ice Cream mix. Scatter the chunks evenly over the top
4
Fold the pie pieces into the mixture. Use a spoon or spatula to mix the pie chunks into the scatter pie.
5
Check the texture. The mixture must be thick and scoopable. If it does become too soft, refreeze for 10-15 minutes before continuing.

Part 5

Part 5 of 5:

Following this Recipe Up

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1
Press the mixture into the container. Use a spoon or spatula to level the top and compact the mix, so it holds its shape.
2
Cover the cake in sprinkles. The sprinkles are only a decorative item, and while you may buy them at McDonald's, you might find them cheaper and more adequate if you buy them from your nearest supermarket or convenience store instead.
3
Serve this. Use dishes and take out clumps of the ice cream, or use spoons and dig in (if this is to be eaten solely by your family and you).
- This is a 2-3 person dessert item, but it's not intended for a large party of related guests.

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Tips

This recipe went viral on TikTok in 2023, though it went viral on other sites around the same time, produced by @arvanfamily's creation.

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Don't confuse this cake with the McDonald's cake of a similar name, which mentioned that McDonalds still sold a $9 chocolate sheet cake for McDonald's birthday parties at some locations.

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Expect to pay about $12-18 for your ingredients, though at some locations, this may seem more inflated.

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Things You'll Need

2 1/2 quart food storage container (like Tupperware or Rubbermaid)
Several spoons
Money to purchase these items (at McDonald's)
- It will take a larger pocketbook to purchase all necessary ingredients, and some time to gather them all.
- If you need to search for sprinkles, go for your sprinkles before going to get the other supplies at McDonalds - unless you buy all these at McDonalds. That way, the 6 ice creams don't melt prematurely!