Starbucks red cups are so five minutes ago. The newest fast-food holiday craze is here, and the internet is already buzzing about it. That’s right: It’s McDonald’s Holiday Pie season.
What Is the McDonald’s Holiday Pie?
You know the apple pie that McDonald’s has sold for the last 60 years? That flaky, cinnamony hand pie? The one that used to be much better when it was fried, which you can now only find in other countries and at one location in the U.S., which also happens to be the oldest McDonald’s?
Well, there’s a holiday version, filled with creamy custard and topped with sugar glaze and sprinkles.
When Did McDonald’s Originally Release the Holiday Pie?
McDonald’s created the holiday pie as a promotion for “Toy Story 2” in 1999, though it didn’t become an official menu item until 2012. It shows up each holiday season, and as of November 14, 2025, it’s back.
Note: Some locations may not have the Holiday Pie in stock on November 14. And even then, the pies are only available at participating locations.
How Are People Reacting to McDonald’s Holiday Pie?
It doesn’t have quite the cult-like status as McDonald’s discontinued Szechuan sauce, coincidentally, another hit item created for a Disney movie. Still, people love the heck out of the Holiday Pie.
“Best pie of the year,” one fan wrote recently on Reddit (I assume this is the first pie they’ve eaten this year) before another user added, “I wish I could get one of these instead of the 30 free apple pies I have.”
Questions like “Is anyone else addicted like I am?” and “Where are my holiday pie people?” are starting to pour across the internet, and this isn’t the first time. You can go back quite a ways and find people excited about the Holiday Pie nearly every year.
Despite McDonald’s holiday pie coming back every year, TikTok influencer WalrusCarp apparently never heard of it until this year. And while he doesn’t seem particularly impressed by it, he did compare it to an eclair or Boston creme pie donut, so it couldn’t have been too bad:
How Many Calories Are in a Holiday Pie?
There are 260 calories in the Holiday Pie, which is more than the 230 calories that belong to the apple pie. It also has more calories than, drumroll, an actual hamburger (250).
More Fast-Food News You Might Like
- The McRib Is Back, but Only in Select Cities for 2025 — McDonald’s has confirmed the return of its cult-favorite McRib sandwich. Find out where you can find one.
- 9 Fast-Food Pies, Ranked Best to Worst — See how McDonald’s apple pie compares to the other fast-food contenders in our taste test.
- Brand New Fast-Food Menu Items Dropping in November — Discover the all the wild new fast-food menu items that are dropping this month.
