A sundae is more than two scoops in a glass: cream, sauce, crunch – and the art of making it all taste better together than on its own. Here are the seven ice cream sundaes that belong on every menu in Germany. For each one we tell you what goes in, where it comes from and how we make it in our shops on Ku'damm and at Hackescher Markt.

The 7 classic ice cream sundaes at a glance

  1. Spaghetti ice cream
  2. Strawberry sundae
  3. Chocolate sundae
  4. Nut sundae
  5. Banana split
  6. Black Forest cherry sundae
  7. Swedish sundae

1. Spaghetti ice cream – the German classic

Spaghetti ice cream was invented in Mannheim: in 1969 ice cream maker Dario Fontanella pressed vanilla ice cream through a spätzle press, laid the "noodles" on cream and poured strawberry sauce over them as "tomato sauce". White chocolate shavings play the parmesan. Ever since, it's the sundae almost every child in Germany knows.

Katchi spaghetti ice cream with strawberry sauce, white chocolate shavings and a wafer on a blue plate
Spaghetti ice cream – the best known of all ice cream sundaes in Germany
  • Ice cream: vanilla
  • Underneath: cream
  • On top: strawberry sauce and white chocolate shavings
  • Trick: chill the plate and press first, or the spaghetti turns mushy
At Katchi: we use our Bourbon vanilla ice cream with organic vanilla from Madagascar, cream from a farm just outside Berlin and a strawberry sauce with 70% strawberries – no artificial syrup. Spaghetti ice cream costs 8.90 €, or 6.90 € as a Tiny Spaghetti. You can also pre-order it and pick it up. More on its history: all about spaghetti ice cream.

2. Strawberry sundae – summer in a glass

Fresh strawberries, vanilla ice cream, cream and strawberry sauce: the strawberry sundae is the one lots of people wait for until May. It tastes best with strawberries in season – which is why many ice cream cafés only have it on the menu in early summer.

Strawberry sundae with fresh strawberries, cream and wafers in a glass jar
  • Ice cream: vanilla, ideally with strawberry ice cream or strawberry sorbet
  • Fruit: fresh strawberries
  • On top: cream, strawberry sauce, wafer
At Katchi: our recipe: two to three scoops of Bourbon vanilla, fresh strawberries, cream and 30 g of our strawberry sauce. Best in a glass – so you can see the layers.

3. Chocolate sundae – for anyone who can never get enough chocolate

Several chocolate flavours, chocolate sauce, cream and chocolate pieces: the chocolate sundae is all about depth. It's best when the flavours are different – one dark, one milky, one with crunch.

Chocolate dessert in a glass with a cream topping against a blue background
At Katchi: our Choc Bomb Sundae: three scoops of chocolate – we recommend Willy Wonka Chocolate Bomb, Dark Chocolate and Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch – with lots of chocolate sprinkles and cream, for 9.50 €. Willy Wonka is vegan, so the sundae works completely without milk, too.

4. Nut sundae – creamy with crunch

Nut ice cream, caramel, cream and brittle: the nut sundae lives on the contrast between creamy and crunchy. Hazelnut, walnut and pistachio are the classics – some ice cream cafés add a dash of nut liqueur, which makes it one for the grown-ups.

"You must be NUTS" nut sundae with nut ice cream, brittle, cream and a wafer in a glass jar
  • Ice cream: hazelnut, walnut, pistachio, macadamia
  • Sauce: caramel
  • Crunch: mixed nuts and hazelnut brittle
At Katchi: our "You must be NUTS": two to three scoops of nut ice cream (hazelnut, walnut, pistachio, Mozart or macadamia), vanilla cream, 30 g of homemade caramel sauce, mixed nuts and hazelnut brittle – for 10.90 €. We make our pistachio ice cream from 100% pistachio paste, without colouring.

5. Banana split – the American

A banana halved lengthways with ice cream in between, topped with chocolate sauce, cream and nuts. The banana split comes from the USA and is over 100 years old – classically made with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream and served in a long dish.

Going Bananas ice cream sundae with banana slices, cream and chocolate sauce
At Katchi: our banana version is called Going Bananas: three scoops of your choice with fresh banana slices, chocolate sprinkles and cream – we recommend Bourbon vanilla, Banana Brownie and Chocolate Fudge. 9.50 €, and vegan with vegan flavours.

6. Black Forest cherry sundae – the cake as a sundae

Inspired by Black Forest gateau: vanilla and chocolate ice cream, cherries, cream and chocolate shavings. The original gets a dash of kirsch – that's optional and, of course, off limits for kids.

  • Ice cream: vanilla and chocolate
  • Fruit: sour cherries
  • On top: cream, chocolate sauce, chocolate shavings
  • Optional: kirsch
At Katchi: we serve the Black Forest taste as our Black Forest Waffle: a freshly baked bubble waffle with cherries, chocolate and cream. With hot cherries in winter.

7. Swedish sundae – the retro one

Vanilla ice cream, apple sauce, egg liqueur and cream, often with flaked almonds: the "Schwedenbecher" is a classic of the German ice cream parlour. Because of the egg liqueur it's not one for kids – but it works without the liqueur, too.

  • Ice cream: vanilla
  • Fruit: apple sauce
  • On top: cream, egg liqueur, almonds

Our own ice cream sundaes

Four Katchi cups from above: Willy Wonka with brownie and peanut sauce, strawberry, pistachio and cookies

Katchi Classic (5.90 €): your favourite flavour plus two toppings of your choice. Our favourite: Willy Wonka with Sticky Coco, cream and chocolate fudge. Tiny Spaghetti / Sundae (6.90 €): the small sundae for a small appetite – or for kids.

Three small sundaes in glasses with cream and chocolate sauce on the counter at Katchi

Sundaes to drink: iced coffee and affogato

German "Eiskaffee" is really a sundae in a glass: espresso, cold milk, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, cream and chocolate shavings – not to be confused with the iced coffee you know from coffee chains. With us it costs 4.90 €, and the iced chocolate with chocolate fudge is 4.90 € too.

Iced coffee with vanilla ice cream, cream and chocolate shavings in a glass

Even shorter: affogato – hot espresso poured over a scoop of Bourbon vanilla, for 4.80 €.

Making your own sundae: 4 tips

  1. Chill the glass. 10 minutes in the freezer – then nothing melts before you get to the table.
  2. Build contrasts. Creamy + crunchy, sweet + fruity-sour, cold + warm sauce.
  3. Sauce last. Ice cream first, then cream, then sauce and crunch – otherwise everything sinks.
  4. Fewer flavours, better flavours. Two or three scoops that go together beat five random ones.

Fancy one of these ice cream sundaes? Fancy one of these ice cream sundaes? The Flavor Board shows which flavours are in the counter today. You'll find all flavours from A to Z in our list of ice cream flavours, and our ice cream calorie calculator works out how many calories your scoops have.

Sundae FAQ

Which sundae is the most popular in Germany?

Spaghetti ice cream is the German sundae classic: vanilla ice cream through a spätzle press, strawberry sauce and white chocolate shavings. Close behind are the strawberry sundae, the chocolate sundae and the nut sundae.

How many scoops are in a sundae?

Usually two to three scoops, plus cream, sauce and toppings. Mini sundaes for kids often have just one scoop.

What's the difference between an "Eisbecher" and a sundae?

None – sundae is simply the English word for the German "Eisbecher": ice cream with sauce, cream and toppings, usually in a glass or a bowl.

Are there vegan sundaes?

Yes. At Katchi you can order any sundae with vegan flavours like Willy Wonka or Sticky Coco and leave out the cream.

Who invented spaghetti ice cream?

Dario Fontanella, an ice cream maker in Mannheim, in 1969. He pressed vanilla ice cream through a spätzle press and served it on cream.

How many calories does a sundae have?

It depends on the flavours, cream and sauce. Our spaghetti ice cream (180 g vanilla ice cream, cream, strawberry sauce, white chocolate shavings) has around 530 kcal. For scoops in a cup or cone, use our ice cream calorie calculator.