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Crispy on the outside, icy and smooth on the inside – Fried Ice Cream is one of those magical desserts that’s almost too good to be true. Now, you can enjoy this restaurant favorite right at home, with a perfectly crunchy shell and creamy center that will wow your family and friends. It takes a little time and patience, but every bite is totally worth it!
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“We loved this recipe so much! It was totally amazing.” – Laura
“This is a great recipe! So fun for the kids and so delish for us all! Followed the recipe to a T and it came out perfectly. Thanks for sharing!” – Tristin
“Made it last night! It was to die for…. amazingly delicious, easy to make! Thanks for such the gorgeous treat!” – Irina
The Crispy, Creamy Dessert You’ll Devour Every Bite Of
Nothing tops off a meal at a Mexican restaurant better than a big scoop of fried ice cream. I love that first satisfying crack of the crispy shell giving way to the cold, creamy ice cream inside! No matter how full I think I am from dinner, I still end up devouring the whole dessert every time! 😂 This homemade version brings together two of my all-time favorites – “fried” and “ice cream” – into one unforgettable dessert. It takes a little patience, but trust me, your taste buds (and everyone you share it with) will be thanking you!
Craving more delicious south-of-the-border-inspired desserts? Try our Baked Strawberry Empanadas or Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars, or warm up with a steaming cup of Mexican Hot Chocolate!
❤️ Erica
Ingredients in Fried Ice Cream
- Vanilla Ice Cream – about three cups for this recipe. Make sure the ice cream is REALLY cold. You can also switch up the flavor of ice cream too! Try chocolate ice cream, butterscotch, Neapolitan, etc.
- Corn Flakes Cereal- You’ll need about three cups of crushed corn flakes. You could also try Cinnamon Toast Crunch, crushed up.
- Coconut flakes- two cups sweetened coconut added to the cornflakes mixture gives the shell an extra layer of texture that is so delicious.
- Cinnamon – start with about four teaspoons, then add more to taste.
- Corn syrup- one and a half cups of LIGHT corn syrup works best for this recipe.
- Vegetable oil – You’ll use the hot oil to deep fry your ice cream.
- Hot Fugde Sauce – optional, but SO delicious!
- Salted Caramel Sauce – for a real treat use chocolate AND caramel sauce together.
- Whipped Cream – a little or a lot for garnish.
- Maraschino Cherry – can’t have ice cream without a cherry on top!
Extra Toppings
Add chopped pecans, crunchy almonds, sprinkles, extra coconut or extra chocolate sauce. I like to provide bowls of extra toppings for guests to decorate their dessert however they like.
How to Make Fried Ice Cream
- Scoop and Freeze – Scoop medium-sized balls of ice cream (about 1 cup each) and quickly roll into smooth balls. Place on a lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
- Make the Coating – Mix crushed corn flakes, coconut, and cinnamon. Divide in half: keep one portion in a bowl and the other in a resealable bag. Roll the frozen ice cream balls in the bowl mixture until coated. Place on a plate, cover, and freeze overnight.
- Add Corn Syrup & Coat Again – Brush or roll each ice cream ball with corn syrup, then coat in the reserved corn flake mixture from the bag. Repeat if needed until fully covered.
- Freeze Again – Place coated ice cream balls back in the freezer for at least 1 more hour.
- Fry – Heat oil in a deep pot or fryer to 400°F. Fry one ice cream ball at a time for 30–45 seconds, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon.
- Garnish & Serve – Place fried ice cream in a bowl, drizzle with chocolate or caramel sauce, top with whipped cream and a cherry, and serve immediately.
Tip for Getting the Perfect Ice Cream Shape
To get the perfect round shape, use your hands to roll the ice cream into balls. The best way to do this is use gloves so your hands don’t get sticky (and cold!).
Frequently Asked Questions
While fried ice cream is a favorite at most Mexican restaurants, it’s actually thought to have come from Asia, and brought to Mexico by Chinese immigrants.
This is why it’s so important to work with REALLY cold ice cream. It doesn’t melt because it’s frozen solid, and then quickly dipped in hot oil with the crispy outer shell. This allows the outside to cook and crisp before even reaching the ice cream center.
Corn flakes are classic, but you can totally mix it up! Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Frosted Flakes, or even crushed graham crackers all work and add their own flavor twist.
READ NEXT: 75+ Best Mexican Recipes
Other Ice Cream Treats You’ll Love
- White Chocolate Raspberry Fried Ice Cream
- Deceptively Easy Ice Cream Cake
- Pink Lemonade Ice Cream Pie
- Raspberry Almond Fudge Ice Cream Cake
- Copycat Wendy’s Frosty
Who knew you could fry ice cream right in your own kitchen!? Fried Ice Cream is one of those desserts that never fails to wow a crowd. Give it a try at home and let me know how you topped yours! 🍨✨
Fried Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 3 c vanilla ice cream
- 3 c. corn flakes crushed
- 2 c. coconut flakes
- 4 tsp. cinnamon or to taste
- 1 1/2 c corn syrup
- oil for frying
- chocolate topping
- caramel topping
- whipped cream
- cherries
Instructions
- Scoop out medium-sized scoops of ice cream (appx. 1 cup size) and roll into balls (you can do this using gloves so your hands don't get all sticky). Freeze for about an hour roll.
- Meanwhile, combine corn flakes, coconut, and cinnamon and divide into two equal portions. Put one potion in a Ziploc bag to use later and put the remaining portion in a bowl. Roll ice cream balls in corn flake mixture. Put on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
- Coat ice cream balls with corn syrup and roll in remaining mixture (the one you put in the plastic bag). You want the balls completely coated, so if needs be, re-coat the balls with corn syrup and roll again in the mixture.
- Freeze another hour or so.
- Heat oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 400 degrees. One at a time, lower the balls into the oil and fry until golden brown (about 30-45 seconds). Remove from the oil and place on a bowl or small plate.
- Drizzle with chocolate and/or caramel and top whipped cream and a cherry. Repeat with the remaining ice cream balls. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Nutrition does not include toppings.
- Scoop out medium-sized scoops of ice cream, about one cup each in size. You’ll use your hands to roll into balls. The best way to do this is use gloves so your hands don’t get sticky (and cold!)
- Pop them in the freezer for at least eight hours but preferably longer, like overnight.
- If you’re under a time constraint and don’t have all day to make these, you can use a smaller ice cream scoop so they will freeze faster.
Have had this dessert before where my daughter went to High School as part of Mother/Daughter meal. It was amazing! Had no idea you could fry ice cream without it melting all over! Am going to try making it!
I will make them, but will fail- I’m too impatient and will fry the ice cream balls before nice and frozen…..oh well LOL!
SO YUM. One of our favorite treats!
This Fried Ice Cream has a great crisp and cold ice cream mix. So yummy, and guess what? My family wants me to make some more. Highly recommended!
We loved this recipe so much! It was totally amazing.
This is a great recipe! So fun for the kids and so delish for us all! Followed the recipe to a T and it came out perfectly. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, I’ve never tried fried ice cream! Sounds decadent and a different way to eat this dessert. Can’t wait to try
Such a delicious dessert! I will be making this one again and again!
Love this idea! Looks so delicious and I can’t wait to try it!
Made it last night! It was to die for…. amazingly delicious, easy to make! Thanks for such the gorgeous treat!
I'm trying this tonight! So excited! Scared to death my ice cream will melt in the fryer :/ but I'm going to try it!!!
only had fried ice cream once (at the grand canyon of all places) but i remember loving it! Must try this sometime 🙂
Ooo that looks yummy. I think I'd sub caramel for chocolate. Gonna stumble this and add to my recipe box. 😀