McDonald's Venezuelan McFlurry Takes Inspo From A Classic Latin American Dessert

When it comes to international McDonald's items we really wish were in the U.S., the fast food chain's Venezuelan McFlurry rises to the top of the list. Most people are accustomed to this soft-serve, vanilla ice cream blended with Oreos, M&M's, or the occasional seasonal offering when you order it up in the States; however, it is transformed into a creamy tres leches (or three-milk) cake in Venezuela, which definitely counts as one of the McDonald's desserts you can only find abroad. 

For the uninitiated, tres leches cake starts with a sponge cake that is soaked in a combination of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and either whole milk or heavy whipping cream. It is often drizzled with a little dulce de leche or caramel sauce to complement the milky base and topped with a whipped cream frosting.

Some people like to use a little cinnamon or nutmeg to add a warm, sweet spice to this surprisingly light treat. To create its Vanilla Tres Leches McFlurry that you can only get in Venezuela and select other Latin American countries (including Peru), McDonald's uses its signature ice cream, cubes of cake, caramel sauce, and a sprinkle of cinnamon to mirror this popular dessert. Jealous? Well, get ready to be even more so.

This summer, McDonald's introduced a chocolate version of the Tres Leches McFlurry. It uses chocolate soft-serve ice cream, chunks of cake, chocolate syrup, and a dusting of cinnamon. It looks delicious. Of course, if traveling to Venezuela is not on your bingo card, don't worry, you can always make your own version of this McFlurry in the comfort of your kitchen — no passport needed. 

Start with your own homemade tres leches cake or one that you purchase at the grocery store. Cut it up into cubes and sprinkle them over your favorite, softened ice cream — either vanilla or dulce de leche is an excellent choice. Drizzle a little caramel sauce over it with a smidge of cinnamon, and dig in. It's the perfect stand-in. And while you are enjoying each lucious spoonful, explore the origin story of tres leches cake. While many a country in Latin America claims it was invented within their borders, Nicaragua probably gets dibs when it comes to ownership, although Mexico is in the running, too.