Crunchy on the outside, and smooth and creamy on the inside—fried ice cream is a flavor bomb in your mouth and a go-to Mexican dessert!
Fried ice cream is the best ending to a festive Mexican meal! Indulge in this tasty treat after you polish off your Chicken Enchiladas and Mexican Rice!
Mexican Fried Ice Cream
What is Fried Ice Cream?
Mexican fried ice cream is a scoop of vanilla ice cream that is breaded and quickly deep fried in oil. Sounds delicious, right?!
The deep frying turns the breaded outer part into a crispy warm shell that is so tasty. If you’ve never had this dessert before, you will fall in love with it.
The breaded shell is made from crushed cornflakes cereal and cinnamon. The cornflakes give such a unique texture and the cinnamon gives it a little spice.
All of the favors come together perfectly for one delicious dessert. This would be such a fun recipe to make for a birthday party with kids. Trust us when we say that fried ice cream is always a big hit!
Ingredients + Prepping
There are just a few simple ingredients in this Mexican dessert:
- vanilla ice cream
- crushed cornflakes
- cinnamon
- egg whites
- vegetable oil
You’ll need fresh berries, whipped cream, and/or honey to serve with the fried ice cream!
Also, note that you have to act a little fast when making these so the ice cream doesn’t melt. 😉
How to Make Fried Ice Cream
ICE CREAM. Start by scooping the ice cream into ½ cup balls and put them in the freezer for one hour, until they are firm.
COATING. In a shallow dish, whisk together the crushed cornflakes and cinnamon. In another shallow dish, beat the egg whites until frothy. Dip each of the ice cream balls in the egg whites, then roll in the cornflakes, coating the ice cream completely. Repeat once more, dipping first in the egg whites and then again in the cornflakes, coating completely.
FREEZE. Return the ice cream balls to the freezer and freeze until solid, 2-3 hours.
FRY. When ready to serve, heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot to 375 degrees. Using a slotted spoon, add the ice cream balls to the hot oil. Cook 10-15 seconds, until golden, turning to ensure both sides get browned. Let the ice cream balls drain on paper towels for 1-2 minutes, then serve immediately with whipped cream and berries, drizzled with honey.
Recipe Tips:
- Don’t skip the freezing. They must be frozen after forming the balls and then again after rolling in the corn flake coating.
- No ice cream can be showing through the corn flakes, otherwise it will melt out. We coated them twice. 😉
- Fry your first scoop on its own so you can get the hang of it. Once you’ve got it down you can put 2-3 in the pan depending on the size.
- Vanilla is the flavor of choice for this dessert, but go ahead and try out your favorite flavor.
Deep Fried Ice Cream FAQ
Can I make this ahead of time? You can easily prepare the balls ahead of time and keep them in a container in the freezer. Once the ice cream has been rolled in the corn flakes place them in the freezer for 1-2 months. Fry before serving.
Are there other toppings I can use for this treat?
- Caramel or chocolate drizzle
- Top with a Cherry
- Sprinkles
- Fruit compote
For more Mexican treats:
Fried Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
for the fried ice cream:
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream
- 3 cups crushed cornflakes cereal about 5 cups uncrushed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 eggs whites
- vegetable oil or canola oil for frying
for serving:
- fresh berries
- whipped cream
- honey
Instructions
- Scoop the ice cream into ½ cup balls and freeze for one hour, until firm.
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the crushed cornflakes and cinnamon. In another shallow dish, beat the egg whites until frothy.
- Dip each of the ice cream balls in the egg whites, then roll in the cornflakes, coating the ice cream completely. Repeat once more, dipping first in the egg whites and then again in the cornflakes, coating completely.
- Return the ice cream balls to the freezer and freeze until solid, 2-3 hours.
- When ready to serve, heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot to 375 degrees. Using a slotted spoon, add the ice cream balls to the hot oil. Cook 10-15 seconds, until golden, turning to ensure both sides get browned.
- Let the ice cream balls drain on paper towels for 1-2 minutes, then serve immediately with whipped cream and berries, drizzled with honey.
Love the crunchy outside! I am excited to try all flavors!
A cool treat on a hot summer night. Sure to please the little ones!
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TOO NERVOUS TO TRY AND MAKE THIS BUT YOU MAKE IT LOOK SO DOABLE – I’M GONNA DO IT!
How fun are these? they are so much easier to make then I thought! We loved them!
I agree with some of the other comments: this is so much easier than i would have thought! I love that you can use different flavors to change things up.