I learned to make deep fried ice cream at my first real job in high school when I was a server at a little Mexican restaurant. I loved that job! Sometimes the cooks would let me help out during afternoon prerp time by coating the hardened balls of cinnamon ice cream with the crunchy cornflake and cinnamon shells then sticking them back in the freezer so they were ready for the dinner rush. When an order for fried ice cream would come in, I would watch in fascination while the ice cream balls were submerged in the deep fryer for 20 seconds to crisp up the outside before being covered with chocolate or caramel sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. This easy faux fried ice cream is every bit as delicious as the real deal and you don’t have to go to the trouble or mess of heating up oil in a deep fryer! If you love Mexican dessert recipes, be sure to also check out our Homemade Churros, Flan de Queso, and Tres Leches Cake!
You’ll love this Fried Ice Cream Recipe without Frying
Prep ahead. These are great to make in advance for a Mexican-themed dinner party or celebration like Cinco de Mayo. Impressive. Everyone will think you slaved over these, when really the topping only takes minutes to prepare. The hardest part is scooping the ice cream into balls and letting them freeze until hard. Amazing texture. The crunchy, chewy, crispy cornflake and coconut shell is fantastic with the creamy ice cream inside. It’s an irresistible combo!
What is Fried Ice Cream?
Fried ice cream consists of a frozen round ball of ice cream covered in a crispy outer coating. It is then quickly deep fried in hot oil for just a few seconds before serving with toppings. It’s a delicious frozen treat that was popularized by Mexican restaurants in the U.S, although the true origins of fried ice cream can be traced back to China.
Easy Fried Ice Cream Ingredients
This is a quick overview of some of the important ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Ice cream: You can make your own or use your favorite store bought variety. Vanilla ice cream is the most common choice, but really you could use any flavor you like! Our favorite brand is the Kirkland vanilla ice cream available at Costco. Cornflakes: Regular old cornflakes add so much texture and crunch, but any crunchy cereal will work. Honey Bunch of Oats, Frosted Flakes or Special K would both be good choices, and if you want an even bigger cinnamon sugar result, try using Cinnamon Toast Crunch! Cinnamon: We always added a dusting of cinnamon to our fried ice cream balls at the restaurant I worked at and it adds wonderful warmth and flavor that goes well with the corny flavor of the cornflakes. Coconut: I haven’t seen another fried ice cream recipe that calls for shredded coconut, but I love the additional chewiness and flavor it adds! Sugar: You can leave this out if using a sweetened cereal like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but I have found that plain cornflakes need a little sugar added to make the outer coating on the fried ice cream balls extra sweet and wonderful. Butter: Instead of deep frying whole balls of ice cream in oil, we achieve a similar result for toasting the crushed cornflake coating in salted butter before rolling the ice cream balls. It adds a rich, buttery, nutty flavor without all the hassle.
You will also need a skillet, baking sheet, ice cream scoop, and shallow dish for assembling your fried ice cream balls.
How to make Fried Ice Cream with Corn Flakes
Homemade Fried Ice Cream tips
Use gloves: If you need to squish the ice cream into balls because your scooping doesn’t give you good spheres, you might want to don some food-safe disposable plastic gloves first to protect your hands from the cold and keep the ice cream balls from melting too much from the warmth of your hands. Other toppings: We love these best with chocolate and caramel topping, but I have also seen them served with strawberry or pineapple ice cream topping as well. Even cherry or apple pie filling would be good spooned over the top. At the Mexican restaurant I worked out, they were drizzled with honey. You could also sprinkle on some chopped pecans or toasted coconut for even more texture and crunch. Fried ice cream bars: If you want an even easier version, try spreading half of your cornflake coating into a baking dish, then scooping the ice cream on top into a single layer. Top with the remaining cornflake coating and press down to get everything to adhere. Freeze until firm, then slice into bars. Extra cornflake coating: You may have extra coating leftover, but I would rather have too much than run out and you can always save it to sprinkle over ice cream or fruit and yogurt.
Deep Fried Ice Cream Ball storage
Keep any uneaten fried ice cream balls in the freezer covered with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
More Ice Cream Recipes
Butter Pecan Ice Cream Easy Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Maple Walnut Ice Cream
More Mexican-Inspired Dessert Recipes
The Best Churros Recipe
Tres Leches Cake
Churro Toffee (Disneyland Copycat Recipe)
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