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!
I only had cereal that was thicker, so my coating wasn’t as “golden.” Still yummy though, and the egg part helps a lot.
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.
Tried this and it was shockingly good—crispy outside, cold inside like a dessert magic trick. Mine took closer to 20 seconds, but still worked. Would make again!
Wait 20 seconds and still okay? I tried once and it turned into sad, melty soup. I think my oil wasn’t hot enough or I didn’t refreeze between steps… how do you keep it from melting?
That’s awesome! The “cold inside” part is exactly what I love about fried ice cream—magic trick energy 😄. Do you freeze it overnight or just until firm?
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!
Omg honey drizzle at the end?? That’s my love language. Crunchy outside, cold inside—yes yes yes.
Yesss! Honey + that crunchy shell is elite. I’m totally making this—10-15 seconds sounds perfect so the inside stays cold 😄
Wait, fried ice cream with cornflakes?? I feel like the coating might get soggy fast… but I guess the super-hot oil + quick fry helps. Still, I’d be scared of it melting in the egg.
So good. Actually better than I thought it would be. Everyone asked for the recipe.
This is a very unique dessert! Can’t believe I never thought to fry ice cream before. My kids loved it!
I don’t have cornflakes, can I use potato chips? Asking for a friend.
Potato chips? That sounds crazy but I guess you can try! Just make sure they are not too salty.
Mine turned out… not golden, more like pale. I think my oil wasn’t really at 375°F. Also my egg dip was a little messy but I fixed it by doing a thicker coat.
Tried this for a party, and everyone loved it! Soooo good with chocolate syrup! 😍
I’m so glad it turned out great for you! Fried ice cream is a hit at parties. 🍦✨
This sounds super easy, but I don’t have a deep fryer. Can I pan fry?
I made this for my kids and they LOVED it! Easy and very delicious. Five stars from our family! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wait, fried ice cream? Sounds kinda weird. Is it really good? I’m skeptical about this one.
Is this really a thing?? Fried ice cream sounds kinda weird to me. Not sure I’ll try it.
I accidentally used rice krispies instead of cornflakes and it was still awesome!
Tried this but it was a disaster. Ice cream melted too fast. Maybe I did something wrong.
I forgot the egg and it still turned out fine. Maybe this recipe is too easy.
This was a disaster! My ice cream melted and turned into a gooey mess. Never again!
I love anything fried. This was not as complicated as I thought. Easy and delicious.
Really? I dunno if I’d fry ice cream, that seems weird. Isn’t it just gonna melt?
Sounds so yummy! I never thought about frying ice cream. Gotta try this!
Love it!!!
This sounds awesome! Can’t wait to try it. Fried ice cream? Yum!
How’s the ice cream not meltin? Seems weird to me…
Too sweet for my taste. I’d rather have just ice cream without all the fuss.
Quick and easy! But I think I put too much cinnamon. Next time I’ll be more careful.
I love fried ice cream! But yeah, too much cinnamon can really overpower it. I usually use just a pinch. Glad you enjoyed it overall!
I followed it, but mine fell apart in the oil. Like, the coating just slid off. I think I didn’t roll it enough or the egg wasn’t thick enough. Any tips? 😭
Oh no 😭 That sliding-off coating usually means the ice cream softened before the fry, or the egg layer wasn’t thick/tight enough. Make sure it’s super frozen (refreeze 10–20 min after rolling in cornflakes and again after the egg). Also when you dip in egg, coat gently but fully—then roll again right away so it adheres.
Mine did that once too… I think I didn’t double-coat well. I’d roll in cornflakes, then egg, then cornflakes again, but I also pressed the crumbs down with my fingers a bit so they stick. And keep the oil really at 375°F—if it’s cooler the coating gets wet and falls off.
This is such a fun dessert—crispy outside, cold inside. I did add the cinnamon and it really helped with flavor. Mine browned a bit too fast though, so keep an eye on it!
I tried this and it was sooo good! Who knew it would work out!
Loved the idea, but I wish it said how to keep the ice cream from getting too warm while breading. Also my coating kept falling off a bit—maybe I didn’t freeze long enough.
Fried? Ice cream? Sounds like a heart attack but I’ll try it anyways.
Haha, it does sound crazy but sometimes you gotta live a little! Can’t wait to try it! 🍦
Like, how do you fry ice cream? This sounds impossible.
This recipe is so fun! I added some chocolate chips on top, yummm! 🍦🍫
Risky but worth it. Fried ice cream is basically a science project lol. I used extra cornflakes and it stayed crunchy.
Good stuff! I used sugar flakes instead of cornflakes, still turned out amazing!
Can I use any type of ice cream? Asking for a friend who loves rocky road.
Uh, 1 cup vegetable oil for frying… not sure how much oil you actually need. I used a lot more and it fried fine. Also, do you use the egg in a separate bowl or like straight from the shell? 😅
Fried ice cream? Why would you ruin ice cream like that? Ice cream is perfect as it is. 🤔
Honestly I don’t get why people do this at home. The ice cream is basically dying the second you touch oil.
I get what you mean, but the point is it’s only in the oil for like 10–15 seconds. The thick cornflake/egg coating insulates it, so it comes out pretty intact if you keep the ice cream super frozen.
OMG this is so good! Just made it for my kids and they loved it. Will be a regular treat now!
That’s awesome! My kids love it too! I added some chocolate syrup and nuts on top. Yum!
Fried ice cream? Isn’t that messy? Wouldn’t the ice cream just melt? Seems risky!
I followd all steps.. but my ice creeam melt before I fry it!!!! Now I got slush! What did I do wrong?
Tastes great, but it feels like a lot of work for one scoop. Also frying ice cream is kinda wild to me… but my kids devoured it, so I guess I’m wrong.
I followed the steps and it still turned into a sad mess 😭 The coating slid off—maybe my cornflakes weren’t crushed fine enough?
Ugh, I’m sorry 😭 The cornflakes absolutely can cause this—if they aren’t crushed fine enough, they won’t pack on and the egg won’t “grab.” Also make sure the ice cream is *very* hard/frozen before any coating step, and keep it moving fast after the egg dip. If your oil wasn’t hot enough (or the fry was longer than ~10–15 sec), the coating loosens and slides off. Next time: crush finer, do a double roll, and freeze again for 5–10 min between coating steps if needed.
Delicious and so crunchy! But I didn’t have cornflakes, so I used crispy rice cereal. It still worked!
Tastes great, but 1 cup oil seems low? I used way more so the ball could really fry. Otherwise it was like pan-frying.
Glad you enjoyed it! 😊 I think the 1 cup oil is just the minimum to get started—depending on your pot size you might need more so the ice cream balls float a bit. I’d also agree with your approach: you’re basically pan-frying/frying, and a deeper oil level helps the coating stay crisp.
Wait, 1 cup oil seems WAY low to me. I’m not being picky, but unless you’ve got a tiny saucepan, you won’t hit full 375°F evenly. I’d rather use enough oil to coat at least halfway, and fry fast like the recipe says so the ice cream doesn’t melt. Otherwise it’ll turn into sad ice cream blobs.
Made this for my kids, they loved it! It’s messy, but worth it. 👍
I followed it exactly but my coating kept sliding off. Maybe my ice cream wasn’t frozen hard enough—what a pain.
10-15 seconds is so short 😅 I’m scared I’ll undercook it or overcook it. I ended up doing like 30 seconds once and it basically became fried ice cream mush.
This is such a fun “wow” dessert. Mine actually browned fast at 10 seconds like the instructions said—just be ready to serve immediately.
Looks legit. Also, you wrote ‘1 egg egg’—is that a typo or double eggs? I’m guessing it’s just one.
This sounds good but isn’t ice cream already cold? How does frying it work with science? Like the hot and cold?
This is just too weird. Fried ice cream? How does that even work? I’m skeptical.
okay but how long do you freeze the ice cream? I might forget and it’ll all melt!
Eh, not for me. Tried it at a fair once and thought it was too sweet.
I get that! Fried ice cream can be way too sweet for some people, but I love it! Maybe try a less sweet topping next time?
YESS!!! This is the best thing I’ve ever made! Thanks for sharin this recipe, it’s a game changer!
“Fried ice cream” sounds fake tbh. Like how does it not turn into soup? But I guess it’s real science and quick frying. Still—10-15 seconds is not a lot. Respect.
Seems kinda unsafe frying ice cream? Like, oil splatter? I’m not convinced but I’ll try cautiously.
This was ridiculously fun to make. I worked fast like the instructions said and it came out golden and crunchy without melting into sadness. Drizzled honey on top—10/10.
375°F?? That’s pretty hot. I tried it and it was kinda greasy, like the cornflakes soaked up oil. Still tasted okay, just not the texture I wanted.
5 stars. sooo good!!!
Not gonna lie, I’m skeptical about frying ice cream. The first attempt failed, coating slipped off, maybe because my ice cream wasn’t hard enough.
Totally get your skepticism—frying ice cream is kinda “blink and you miss it.” If the coating slipped, it’s usually because the ice cream wasn’t rock-hard *or* you didn’t refreeze between steps. I’d freeze the coated ball again (like 10–20 min) after the first egg/cornflake layer, then do the second coating and fry immediately. Also make sure your oil is really at 375°F before frying—if it’s cooler, the ice cream starts melting too fast.
Not what I expected. The ice cream melted too fast. Maybe I didn’t freeze it long enough.
Such a fun idea! I made it for a party and everyone was so impressed. Definitely a keeper!
375°F?! That seems too low/high? I did 350 and it melted more than it fried. Won’t lie, I was disappointed.
Is this even a real dessert? Seems too complicated for me. 😕
This was way better than I expected—crispy outside, cold inside. I’m keeping this in my rotation for parties.