Fan-favorite McDonald’s dessert returns for a limited time

McDonald’s is ringing in the holidays with the return of a beloved dessert.

Holiday pies arrived on menus Wednesday, Nov. 15, the fast-food giant announced this week. The popular pastry rolled out in select U.S. cities and it’s unclear if there are plans to make them available nationwide.

McClatchy News reached out to McDonald’s on Nov. 17 and was awaiting a response.

Debuting in 1999, the holiday pie features “smooth custard nestled in a flaky, buttery crust that’s glazed with sugar and topped with rainbow sprinkles,” according to a product description. It joins McDonald’s dessert lineup, appearing alongside the classic apple pie.

The pies are available for a limited time, but McDonald’s didn’t say for how long. They follow the return of the fall-inspired pumpkin and creme pie, which landed back on menus in September, according to Eat This, Not That.

The chain’s holiday pies have amassed a devoted following over the years, cementing them as a fan-favorite menu item. Each year, customers cheerily anticipate their return ahead of the holiday season.

“I haven’t seen a holiday pie at McDonald’s for going on 2 years and my heart aches for one,” a petitioner wrote on a Change.org petition calling for the dessert’s return in 2021. “My first time trying it was when my uncle bought me one … and they remind me of him. I need the pies back.”

Pricing information wasn’t immediately available.

Find your nearest McDonald’s here.

This story was originally published November 17, 2023, 9:55 AM.

Tanasia is a national Real-Time reporter based in Atlanta covering news across Georgia, Mississippi and the Southeast. Her sub-beat is retail and consumer news. She’s an alumna of Kennesaw State University and joined McClatchy in 2020.