Fried Ice Cream (Quick and Easy)

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Do you love the Fried Ice Cream often served at Mexican restaurants? Now you can make it at home with this easy homemade fried ice cream recipe without the guilt of “deep fried”! Vanilla ice cream balls rolled in a crispy corn flake coating that has been “fried” in butter and seasoned with cinnamon. Add your favorite ice cream toppings and you have a deliciously fun dessert!

Easy Fried Ice Cream without Deep Frying

Finish off your taco night with a sweet surprise! Everyone will be so impressed when you serve this perfect Fried Ice Cream. This also makes a fun kitchen project to make with kids.

Speaking of taco night, check out these great recipes: Mexican Corn Bread | Slow Cooker Queso Chicken Tacos | Mexican Tater Tot Casserole | Easy Layered Taco Pie | Walking Tacos in a Jar

The Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make Fried Ice Cream (the exact measurements and full recipe instructions are below in the easy to print recipe card):

Vanilla ice cream – we used a simple, inexpensive vanilla ice cream, but use any brand you enjoy.

Corn Flakes – the corn flake cereal gives the dessert that familiar crunchy coating.

Butter – we used salted butter, but unsalted will also work well.

Sugar – granulated sugar adds just the right sweetness to the corn flake coating.

Cinnamon – use ground cinnamon.

Toppings – we used chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and maraschino cherries.

ingredients

How to Make Fried Ice Cream

Measure one cup of ice cream and use your clean hands to quickly form it into a ball. Immediately place the ice cream ball in the freezer on a plate and repeat the process with the remaining ice cream until four total ice cream balls have been formed. Keep the ice cream in the freezer while you move on to the next steps.

balls of vanilla ice cream

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn flakes and cinnamon to the pan and stir well until coated in the butter.

adding corn flakes and cinnamon to the melted butter in the pan.

Cook the corn flakes, stirring constantly, until the cereal turns a light golden brown, about 5 minutes.

stirring sugar into the corn flake mixture.

Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Place the cornflake mixture into a shallow dish and cool completely.
Once the coating is cooled, roll the ice cream balls in the coating, pressing so that it sticks well to the ice cream balls.

rolling ice cream balls in corn flake mixture and placing them on a grey plate.

Place the ice cream balls on a clean plate and put them back in the freezer for 10-15 minutes until frozen solid. Serve with your favorite toppings.

bowls of Fried Ice Cream with a side dish of colorful sprinkles.

Toppings

We used chocolate sauce, whipped cream (try our homemade whipped cream recipe!), and maraschino cherries, but here are some other ideas:

Caramel sauce

Sprinkles

Chopped pecans or peanuts

Honey

Ground cinnamon or nutmeg

Sweetened condensed milk

Fresh fruit and berries

Strawberry ice cream topping

freshly made homemade Fried Ice Cream in a white bowl.

How to Store Leftover Fried Ice Cream

Wrap the leftover ice cream balls in plastic wrap and then place in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. The ice cream does freeze best without any other toppings.

More Ice Cream Desserts You Will Enjoy

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Rocky Road Ice Cream

No-Churn Cherry Ice Cream

Fried Ice Cream topped with whipped cream and a cherry, with a spoonful missing.
5 from 1 vote

Fried Ice Cream

Do you love the Fried Ice Cream often served at Mexican restaurants? Now you can make it at home with this easy homemade fried ice cream recipe! Vanilla ice cream balls rolled in a crispy corn flake coating that has been "fried" in butter and seasoned with cinnamon. Add your favorite ice cream toppings and you have a deliciously fun dessert!
Servings: 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups vanilla ice cream
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups corn flakes cereal crushed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • Toppings: chocolate sauce, whipped cream and maraschino cherries

Instructions

  • Measure one cup of ice cream and use your clean hands to quickly form it into a ball. Immediately place the ice cream ball in the freezer on a plate and repeat the process with the remaining ice cream until four total ice cream balls have been formed. Keep the ice cream in the freezer while you move on to the next steps.
  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn flakes and cinnamon to the pan and stir well until coated in the butter.
  • Cook the corn flakes, stirring constantly, until the cereal turns a light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar.
  • Place the corn flake mixture into a shallow dish and cool completely.
  • Once the coating is coolled, roll the ice cream balls in the coating, pressing so that it sticks well to the ice cream balls.
  • Place the ice cream balls on a clean plate and put them back in the freezer for 10-15 minutes until frozen solid.
  • Serve with your favorite toppings.

Last Step:

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Fried Ice Cream recipe on Pinterest.

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