This post may contain affiliate links.
Fried Ice Cream is that magical restaurant dessert with a warm, crunchy cinnamon-cornflake shell hiding a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream inside, and the best part is there is no deep frying at all. I made it for my girls on a hot weekend afternoon and they could not believe we pulled off the Mexican-restaurant classic at home. If you love a fun frozen treat, it is right up there with our no churn cookie dough ice cream.
A toasted cornflake and cinnamon coating wrapped around a frozen ice cream ball gives you that signature hot-and-cold fried ice cream bite without a fryer.
Fried Ice Cream Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 5 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 35 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 320kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Crunchy toasted cinnamon-cornflake shell around cold, creamy vanilla ice cream
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a fun no-fry treat like our candied grapes
Quick Answer
To make fried ice cream without frying, scoop ice cream into balls and freeze them until solid. Toast crushed cornflakes with butter and cinnamon in a skillet, stir in sugar, then let the crumbs cool completely. Roll the frozen ice cream balls in the toasted crumbs, pressing them in, and freeze again until ready to serve. The warm toasted coating gives you that fried texture with no hot oil.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- No deep frying needed. Toasting the cornflakes in butter gives you the warm, crunchy fried texture without any hot oil or mess.
- Freeze the ice cream first. Forming and freezing the ice cream balls until rock solid keeps them from melting while you roll them in the crumbs.
- Cinnamon for that classic flavor. Cinnamon toasted right into the cornflakes is what gives this dessert its signature Mexican-restaurant taste.
- Cool the crumbs completely. Letting the toasted crumbs cool before rolling keeps the ice cream from softening on contact.
- Make it ahead. The coated balls hold in the freezer, so this is a fun dessert you can prep before guests arrive.
- Toppings make it special. Chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry turn each scoop into the full restaurant presentation.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It tastes just like the fried ice cream from your favorite Mexican restaurant, with no deep fryer required.
- It is a fun hot-and-cold dessert the whole family loves, right alongside our dulce de leche milkshake.
- You can make the coated ice cream balls ahead and keep them in the freezer for an easy treat anytime.
Key Ingredients
Here is what you need for fried ice cream. See the recipe card below for exact amounts.
- Ice cream: Vanilla is classic, but any firm, scoopable flavor works. Let it firm up in the freezer before coating.
- Cornflakes: Crushed cornflakes toast up into the crunchy golden shell that makes this dessert special.
- Butter: Toasts the cornflakes and helps the cinnamon and sugar cling to every crumb.
- Cinnamon: Gives the coating that warm, signature fried ice cream flavor.
- Sugar: Stirred in at the end so it does not burn, adding just enough sweetness to the crunchy shell.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This fried ice cream is easy to make your own. Here are a few fun ideas.
- Switch the ice cream: Try cinnamon, dulce de leche, or chocolate instead of vanilla.
- Add a honey drizzle: A little honey over the top is a traditional Mexican-restaurant touch.
- Use a different cereal: Crushed frosted flakes or graham crackers also make a great crunchy coating.
- Make it a sundae: Serve the coated scoop in a bowl with chocolate sauce, caramel, and sprinkles.
- Add a cookie crunch: Mix crushed cookies into the cornflakes, like the crumbs in our candied treats.
How to Make Fried Ice Cream
- Take one cup of ice cream at a time and, using clean hands, form it into a smooth ball. Place each ball on a plate in the freezer and repeat with the remaining ice cream, then freeze until solid.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter.
- Add the crushed cornflakes and cinnamon to the pan and stir so the butter and cinnamon get distributed evenly.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the cornflakes start to smell toasty and deepen slightly in color, about 5 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the sugar.
- Spread the crumbs into a shallow dish and let them cool completely.
- Once the crumbs are cool, roll each frozen ice cream ball in the crumbs, pressing them in so they stick all over.
- Place the coated balls back on a clean plate in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes until frozen solid. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Freeze the ice cream balls until rock solid. The harder they are, the easier they coat without melting.
- Let the crumbs cool fully. Warm crumbs will melt the ice cream the moment they touch it.
- Work quickly when rolling. Coat one ball at a time and return it to the freezer right away.
- Stir the sugar in off the heat. Adding it at the end keeps it from burning in the hot pan.
- Use a cookie scoop. It helps you form even, round balls fast before they soften.
- Serve it right away. Add the warm toppings and dig in, the way you would our no churn pistachio ice cream.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Serve fried ice cream the moment it is coated, topped with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry for the full restaurant look. A drizzle of honey or caramel is delicious too.
It is the perfect ending to taco night or any Mexican-inspired meal, right alongside our dulce de leche milkshake and candied grapes.
For more cool, creamy desserts, try our no churn cookie dough ice cream next.
Fried Ice Cream FAQs
Fried ice cream is a dessert with a scoop of ice cream wrapped in a crunchy coating, often served warm on the outside and cold on the inside. Traditional versions are quickly deep fried, but this easy method toasts a cornflake and cinnamon coating instead, giving you the same hot-and-cold crunch with no hot oil.
You skip the frying entirely by toasting crushed cornflakes with butter and cinnamon in a skillet, then stirring in sugar. Once the crumbs cool, you roll frozen ice cream balls in them and freeze again. The toasted coating gives you that signature fried texture safely and easily.
The ice cream balls need to be frozen completely solid before you coat them, and the cornflake crumbs must be fully cooled. If either is too warm, the ice cream softens fast. Work with one ball at a time and return everything to the freezer between steps.
Yes. Coat the ice cream balls in the toasted crumbs, then store them in the freezer in a covered container for up to a week. When you are ready to serve, just add your toppings. This makes it a great make-ahead dessert for parties.
Vanilla is the classic choice because it lets the cinnamon coating shine, but any firm, scoopable flavor works. Cinnamon, dulce de leche, and chocolate are all delicious. Just make sure the ice cream is firm enough to hold its shape when you form the balls.
Chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and a maraschino cherry are the classic restaurant toppings. Honey, caramel, sprinkles, or a dusting of cinnamon sugar are all great too. Add them right before serving so the coating stays crunchy.
Craving more cool treats? Try our no churn pistachio ice cream next.
If you love creamy treats, do not miss our shamrock shake, an easy copycat of the spring favorite.
Want a special sauce? Our creme anglaise is a classic French custard with real vanilla bean.
Our homemade caramel corn is a crunchy, gift-worthy snack that stays crisp for days.
Craving a decadent dessert? Our peanut butter brownies are fudgy, fluffy, and finished with a chocolate drizzle.
Craving cookies? Our butterscotch cookies bake up soft and chewy in about 20 minutes.
For a fun party dessert, do not miss our ding dong cake with three chocolatey layers.
For a crowd-pleasing dessert, do not miss our oreo brownies with a hidden Oreo layer.
Craving something special? Our tiramisu cheesecake combines tiramisu and cheesecake in every slice.
Fried Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 4 cups ice cream
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cups crushed cornflakes
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Chocolate sauce whipped cream, and cherries for serving
Instructions
- Take one cup of the ice cream and using your clean hands, form it into a smooth ball as best you can.4 cups ice cream
- Place it in the freezer on a plate and repeat with the remaining ice cream.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the cornflakes and cinnamon to the pan and stir them around so the butter and cinnamon get distributed.3 cups crushed cornflakes, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Cook, stirring constantly until the cornflakes start to smell toasty and they deepen slightly in color, 5 minutes.
- Take off the heat and stir in the sugar.1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Place this into a shallow dish and let it cool completely.
- Once cool, roll the ice cream balls in the crumbs, pressing them in.
- 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.Chocolate sauce
Notes
- Nutrition is calculated without additional toppings
- Work Quickly: Ice cream melts fast, so keep your freezer door closed as much as possible. Form a ball of ice cream, freeze it, then coat it.
- Use Gloves: Wearing gloves can help prevent your hands from getting too sticky or too cold. They also help you form neater balls.
- Rolling Pin Magic: If you want finer crumbs, crush your corn flakes with a rolling pin in a plastic bag. This gives you a nice, even coating.
- Have Toppings Ready: Get your favorite toppings—like caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, or fruit sauce—set out before you pull the ice cream from the freezer. It melts quickly once it’s out!
- Try a Different Ice Cream Flavor: Who says it has to be creamy vanilla ice cream? Experiment with cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip, or anything else you love.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
Thanks for the feedback Wesley – that is intersting about the corn flakes burining fast. What do you think could have been done differently?
I tried making it, but it did not work out as planned. We followed the instructions, but the corn flakes kind of burnt really fast. Overall, it was a fine dessert.🍨☺️