Easy Homemade Fried Ice Cream Recipe

Have you ever ordered fried ice cream at a local Mexican restaurant and thought, “How on earth do they do this magic?”

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I used to ask myself the same question, picturing hot oil and ice cream turning into a giant puddle. Fried Ice Cream seemed impossible!

But guess what? You can totally make this delicious dessert at home—and you don’t even have to deep fry anything! What??

That’s right: Homemade Fried Ice Cream is all about crunchy corn flakes, a dash of cinnamon, and your favorite ice cream flavor. It’s the real deal without the hassle of using a fryer.

Plus, it only takes a few easy steps, and you can dress it up with chocolate sauce or caramel sauce (or both) for extra yum. 

That crunchiness factor gets Lily all excited. She absolutely devours this stuff. Come to think of it, so do Jeremy and I haha!

Rolling your ball of ice cream in all that crunch is super fun too. Get the kids involved! In no time, you’ll have a big hit on your hands—just like at your favorite Mexican restaurant, but cozier.

So grab your ice cream scoops, gather your favorite toppings, and prepare to impress everyone (including yourself) with Fried Ice Cream!

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Jump to:

• WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
• INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
• HOW TO MAKE FRIED ICE CREAM:
• FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
• WHY DO I HAVE LEFTOVER CRUMBS?
• CAN THIS BE MADE AHEAD?
• ANY ADDITIONS?
• ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
• HOW TO STORE:
• DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
• Easy Homemade Fried Ice Cream Recipe

1. Easy Crunchy Coating: By toasting the crushed corn flakes in butter, cinnamon, and sugar, you get a golden brown crust that tastes like a cinnamon toast crunch dream. You won’t need hot oil at all.
2. Minimal Ingredients: You only need a few things—ice cream, corn flakes, cinnamon, sugar, and butter. 
3. Make-Ahead Dessert: This is the best way to impress friends without scrambling at the last minute. 

• Ice cream
• Unsalted butter
• Crushed corn flakes
• Ground cinnamon
• Granulated sugar
• Chocolate sauce, whipped cream, cherries (for serving)

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1. Take one cup of the ice cream and using your clean hands, form it into a smooth ball as best you can.
2. Place it in the freezer on a plate and repeat with the remaining ice cream. 
3. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter.
4. Add the cornflakes and cinnamon to the pan and stir them around so the butter and cinnamon get distributed. 
5. Cook, stirring constantly until the cornflakes start to smell toasty and they deepen slightly in color, 5 minutes.
6. Take off the heat and stir in the sugar. 
7. Place this into a shallow dish and let it cool completely.
8. Once cool, roll the ice cream balls in the crumbs, pressing them in. 
9. Place them on a clean plate and put them back in the freezer for 10-15 minutes until frozen solid. Serve with your favorite toppings. 

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WHY DO I HAVE LEFTOVER CRUMBS?

Many people end up with extra corn flake mixture after coating their ice cream scoops.

Don’t worry—this is completely normal!

You want enough crumbs to fully cover each ball of ice cream.

If you have some left, sprinkle them on top of the finished treat or save them in an airtight container.

They’re great on other favorite desserts, too!

CAN THIS BE MADE AHEAD?

Most definitely!

Shape the coated ice cream balls, place them on parchment paper or plastic wrap, and keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to serve.

This method is perfect if you’re planning a party or just want a quick dessert for the next time you crave something sweet.

The crunchy coating will hold up well, and the cold vanilla ice cream center stays nice and firm.

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ANY ADDITIONS?

It’s ice cream. Of course you can change things up!

• Drizzle caramel sauce on top for extra sweetness.
• Serve with a maraschino cherry for that classic sundae vibe.
• Dust a bit of extra ground cinnamon for extra warmth.
• Use vanilla wafers instead of corn flakes for a different kind of crunchy coating.
• Spoon some hot fudge or chocolate syrup over the top of the ice cream for a rich finish.
• Add chopped nuts, like almonds or peanuts, to the corn flakes mixture.
• Swirl in a bit of cinnamon toast crunch cereal with the crushed corn flakes for extra flavor.
• Place a dollop of peanut butter on your fried ice cream balls if you love the combo of salty and sweet.
• Try maraschino cherries inside the ball of ice cream for a surprise center.

ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?

You better believe it! Here’s a great list of options to get you started.

• Salted butter: If you prefer that sweet-salty punch, swap out unsalted butter for salted butter.
• Cinnamon mixture: If cinnamon isn’t your thing, try a mix of pumpkin spice or apple pie spice in your crumb coating.
• Cereal mixture: Switch out corn flakes for crushed cereal like cinnamon toast crunch or a mixture of both for added fun.
• Favorite brand ice cream: Use your top choice—french vanilla, chocolate, or even strawberry—for new flavors.
• Large bowl method: Instead of a skillet, you can toast your corn flakes in a medium skillet and then transfer the mixture to a large bowl for easy coating.

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Refrigerator
Usually, we don’t store ice cream in the fridge because it will melt.

However, if you have leftover crumb topping, you can keep it in a sealed container in the fridge for about a week.

Warm it up in a skillet if it loses its crunch.

Freezer
Store any fully coated balls of ice cream in a sturdy container or airtight container and keep them in the freezer for up to a week.

If you stack them, separate layers with wax paper or parchment paper to keep them from sticking together.

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Fried Ice Cream is one of those treats that brings a smile to your face the moment you crack into that crunchy layer. Enjoy!!