The 1 Ingredient That Makes the McCafé Shamrock Drinks Different Than the Shake

By now, you may have consumed your weight in McDonald's minty Shamrock Shakes (I don't blame you!), but have you tried the new line of chocolate Shamrock drinks? I visited a McDonald's near the POPSUGAR headquarters to see how all of the drinks are made. You may know that the shake machine dispenses the Shamrock Shake and new Chocolate Shamrock Shake, but did you know the shake isn't the base for the hot chocolate or coffee drinks? Yes, this includes the frozen, blended coffee Frappé. Instead, McDonald's achieves the signature mint-chocolate flavor with the mocha-mint syrup you see pictured. This is the secret ingredient for transforming all of your favorite McCafé drinks into Shamrock!

What people love about the Chocolate Shamrock Shake is the creamy richness from the ice cream, strong vanilla flavor, and chocolate-minty finish. The sauce captures these flavors, but I must admit it is slightly chocolaty and less sweet than the flavors found in the shake . . . but this isn't a criticism at all! It's still quite tasty. We wondered if McDonald's had simply repurposed its peppermint mocha sauce (which came out during the holiday season), but if you compare the syrup ingredients listed in the Peppermint Mocha Latte and the Shamrock Mocha Latte, they are different indeed! The chocolate peppermint syrup is heavier on the peppermint flavors, while the mint mocha syrup is heavier on the chocolate flavors.