Fried ice cream is a fun and indulgent dessert that combines the creamy coldness of ice cream with a crispy, warm exterior. It’s a show-stopping treat often served in Mexican restaurants, offering a unique contrast of textures and flavors that’s sure to impress anyone with a sweet tooth.
The magic of fried ice cream comes from the way it’s prepared. A scoop of your favorite ice cream, usually vanilla, chocolate, or cinnamon, is frozen until firm. Once it’s solid, the ice cream is coated with a crunchy layer, often made from crushed cornflakes, breadcrumbs, or even crushed cereal like Frosted Flakes. Some recipes add a sprinkle of cinnamon or a touch of sugar to the coating for extra flavor.
Once the ice cream is fully coated, it’s quickly deep-fried in hot oil for just a few seconds. This rapid frying process gives the outer coating a golden, crispy texture while leaving the inside cool and creamy. The result is a mouthwatering contrast between the hot, crunchy outside and the cold, creamy ice cream inside.
This ice cream typically can be served with a drizzle of honey, chocolate syrup, or caramel sauce, and sometimes topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, or a cherry for a festive touch. The combination of hot and cold, sweet and crunchy, is a perfect indulgence, making this dessert a crowd-pleaser at any occasion.
While it sounds complicated, fried ice cream is surprisingly easy to make at home. You just need to ensure the ice cream is frozen solid before frying it, as this will help prevent it from melting too quickly. You can even experiment with different coatings or ice cream flavors to create your own twist on this classic dessert.
Whether you’re looking to impress guests or just want a fun treat to enjoy on a special occasion, this is a deliciously unique dessert that brings together two of everyone’s favorite things – ice cream and fried food.
Ingredients
- 1 scoop vanilla ice cream Frozen hard
- 1 cup cornflakes Crushed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon Optional
- 1 egg egg Beaten
- 1 cup vegetable oil For frying
Instructions
- Scoop a ball of ice cream and freeze it until very hard.
- Crush cornflakes and mix with cinnamon if using.
- Roll the ice cream scoop in the crushed cornflakes.
- Dip the coated ice cream in beaten egg, then roll it again in cornflakes to create a thick coating.
- Heat oil to 375°F (190°C) in a deep saucepan.
- Quickly fry the coated ice cream for about 10-15 seconds until golden brown.
- Remove and serve immediately, optionally drizzled with chocolate syrup or honey.
Nutrition
This is such a crazy idea! I can’t believe it actually works. My kids loved it! Definitely a 5 star!
Tried this and it was a complete disaster! The ice cream melted way too fast. What a mess!
Wow, I never thought of frying ice cream! This sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try it.
Frying ice cream? I dunno, sounds kinda messy… What if it melts?
This is gonna be so good! I might add some chocolate chips to the mix too.
The ingredient list says “1 egg egg” which made me laugh, but I’m assuming it just means 1 beaten egg. Still, great recipe and pretty foolproof if you’re quick.
It was ok, but a bit messy. Next time, I’ll try less oil.
Less oil sounds like a good idea! It can get real drippy otherwise. Hope the next attempt is better!
I still don’t get how ice cream can be fried. Seems kinda weird, right? But maybe I’ll try it once!
I love the idea, but 10-15 seconds might be too long depending on your oil depth and pan. Still, the cinnamon in the crumbs would taste amazing.
Followed it pretty closely, except I used cinnamon anyway and it was actually great. Crunchy coating + cold center is unreal.
I mean… cinnamon? lol. But if you say it was great I’ll believe it. Did you put cinnamon in only the cornflakes mix or also into the egg? Also 10-15 seconds feels so short—mine always softens fast.
Totally agree—adding cinnamon is one of those small tweaks that makes it taste way more “bakery” and less plain. Crunchy outside with cold center is the whole magic.
This is such a fun recipe! It’s perfect for a summer party. My kids loved it!
This is such a fun dessert idea—crispy outside and still cold inside. I did it a few days ago and everyone went wild for it. The quick fry step is key!
Super easy to make! I used rice krispies instead of cornflakes and it turned out great! Yum!