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Why Is Ice Cream Sundae Spelled ‘Sundae’?

By Joseph Erbentraut

Taste of Home's Editorial Process

Published on Jul. 28, 2025 Save Saved Saving

The origin story of one of America's most popular desserts is surprisingly complicated.

It’s hard to imagine a more iconic sweet treat for the summer than the ice cream sundae, but for all its popularity, the dessert’s backstory is more mysterious than you might think.

That’s because multiple U.S. cities and towns lay claim to having invented the ice cream sundae —and each has its own lore surrounding the dish’s unique spelling.

According to research from the nonprofit organization The Dairy Alliance , ice cream sundaes were created in the late 19th century because many pharmacies—wh

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