How many calories are in a small oreo shake?

November 6, 2025 •

3 min read

According to nutrition data, a single small Oreo shake from a fast-food restaurant can easily contain more than half the average person's recommended daily sugar intake. A typical small oreo shake, for instance, can pack between 550 and 800 calories, a surprisingly high number for what many consider a treat.

Quick Summary

This article details the variable calorie counts for a small Oreo shake across major fast-food chains, influenced by ingredients like ice cream, chocolate syrup, and cookies. It breaks down the nutritional content and offers tips for making lower-calorie versions at home, highlighting the significant differences in caloric density.

Key Points

Significant Caloric Range: The calorie count for a small Oreo shake varies widely by restaurant, from around 520 to over 720 calories.
Fat and Sugar Content: The high calorie count is primarily driven by saturated fat from the ice cream and excessive sugar from cookies and syrups.
Ingredient Impact: The ingredients, including the type of ice cream, quantity of cookies, and use of whipped cream, directly influence the shake's nutritional profile.
Restaurant Variation: Calorie counts differ between popular chains like Baskin-Robbins, Sonic, and McDonald's due to differences in recipes and portion sizing.
Healthier Alternatives: Making a shake at home with low-fat frozen yogurt, reduced cookie amounts, and alternative milks is a straightforward way to create a lower-calorie version.

Calorie Breakdown: Why Your Oreo Shake is High in Calories

Understanding the ingredient list is the first step to knowing exactly how many calories are in a small oreo shake. A standard Oreo shake typically consists of three main components: a base of vanilla ice cream or soft serve, milk, and Oreo cookies. Many restaurants also add chocolate syrup and top it with whipped cream, further increasing the caloric load. The combination of high-fat dairy, concentrated sugars from the syrup, and the processed cookies results in a dense, high-calorie treat.

Key Contributors to the Calorie Count:

Ice Cream/Soft Serve: This forms the bulk of the shake and is the primary source of saturated fat and sugar. A single scoop can contribute over 150 calories, and many shakes use multiple scoops or larger portions of soft serve.
Oreo Cookies: While delicious, the cookies themselves are calorie-dense. Just two Oreo cookies contain around 111 calories. A shake often includes several of these, crushed and blended in, sometimes with extra pieces on top.
Syrups and Toppings: Extra swirls of chocolate syrup and a generous dollop of whipped cream can add anywhere from 50 to over 100 calories on their own, on top of the already rich base.
Milk: While a necessary component, the type of milk used also affects the final count. Whole milk adds more calories and fat than lower-fat options.

Small Oreo Shake Calories by Restaurant

Here is a comparison of the approximate calorie counts for a small Oreo shake from various popular chains. It's important to note that these values can vary slightly based on regional recipes and portion sizes. The numbers show the dramatic difference between different fast-food options. A small shake isn't universally small in terms of calories.

Comparison Table: Small Oreo Shake Calories


Restaurant	Item	Serving Size (approx.)	Calories	Note
Baskin-Robbins	Oreo Cookies 'n Cream Milkshake	16 fl oz	720	High fat and sugar content.
Sonic Drive-In	Oreo Chocolate Master Shake	Small	680	Contains slightly more carbs than other versions.
Dairy Queen	Oreo Blizzard Treat	Small	610	A Blizzard is thicker and uses less milk than a traditional shake.
McDonald's	McCafé OREO® Frappé	Small	550-560	Includes a coffee base, affecting nutrient balance.
Fuddruckers	Oreo® Cookie Shake	Small	520	One of the lower options on this list.

Making a Healthier Oreo Shake at Home

For those looking to reduce their calorie intake while still enjoying the flavor of an Oreo shake, making one at home is a great alternative. This gives you complete control over the ingredients, allowing you to use healthier substitutions without compromising on taste. Here are some simple ways to reduce the calorie count significantly:

Swap Ice Cream: Instead of full-fat ice cream, use a low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt or a sugar-free vanilla ice cream. This can cut hundreds of calories and grams of sugar.
Limit the Oreos: Use fewer cookies. You can get the flavor by using just one or two crushed Oreos rather than a whole serving. Alternatively, find a lower-sugar cookie substitute.
Use Low-Fat Milk: Switch from whole milk to skim or a non-dairy milk alternative like unsweetened almond milk. This drastically reduces the fat content.
Skip the Whipped Cream: This simple step can shave off dozens of calories. If you still want a topping, a light dusting of cocoa powder is a lower-calorie alternative.
Add Protein: Incorporating a scoop of vanilla or chocolate protein powder can make the shake more filling and add nutritional value, helping to curb cravings. For more information on food nutrition, visit the Nutritionix database.

Conclusion: Navigating Your Oreo Shake Choices

Ultimately, a small Oreo shake is a high-calorie indulgence, with variations depending heavily on the restaurant and ingredients. With options ranging from 520 to over 700 calories, understanding the nutritional information is key to making an informed choice. By considering restaurant variations and experimenting with healthier homemade alternatives, you can enjoy the classic flavor of an Oreo shake without consuming a disproportionately large number of calories. The data confirms that not all “small” treats are created equal when it comes to caloric density.

Frequently Asked Questions

A small Oreo shake has a high calorie count because it combines high-fat ingredients like ice cream and whipped cream with high-sugar elements such as Oreo cookies and chocolate syrup, creating a calorically dense beverage.

Based on available nutrition information, a small Oreo shake from Fuddruckers appears to have one of the lower calorie counts at around 520 calories, but options can vary.

Yes, you can significantly reduce calories by using low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt, skim milk, a smaller number of Oreo cookies, and skipping the whipped cream.

In many cases, a small Oreo shake can contain as many or more calories than a standard cheeseburger, highlighting its caloric density. For example, a McDonald's Big Mac is around 558 calories, comparable to some small shakes.

The main macronutrients in an Oreo shake are carbohydrates, primarily from sugar, and fats, largely from the ice cream and whipped cream. Protein content is typically lower in comparison.

No, while similar, they are not the same. An Oreo Frappé (like from McDonald's McCafé) typically has a coffee base and may have a different calorie count than a traditional ice cream-based shake.

Burning off a small Oreo shake, which can have over 700 calories, could require over an hour of high-intensity exercise like running, depending on your body weight and metabolism.