Easy Homemade Fried Ice Cream

You can make Fried Ice Cream in your kitchen at home. It’s easy to make this special ice cream dessert, rolled in crushed cornflakes and deep fried to crispy perfection.

Homemade deep fried ice cream has a few steps, but you will be thrilled with the results.

Deep Fried Ice Cream

Are you looking for delicious ice cream based dessert recipes? You’ll like our recipe for Homemade Ice Cream Cake, or this method for making Ice Cream Sandwiches from scratch.

Or, just keep reading for the best ever ice cream dessert: Deep Fried Ice Cream!

What is Fried Ice Cream?

Fried ice cream is a dessert that consists of a round ball of ice cream that has been breaded and coated in a layer of crunchy cereal and then deep fried until crispy.

The result is a dessert that is cold in the middle and hot on the outside, which is a delight to the tastebuds!

I remember eating fried ice cream in a Mexican restaurant as a kid, and thinking that this delicious dessert seemed impossible. How do they deep fry ice cream without melting it? How does fried ice cream even work? Do they actually fry this in oil? Is it Magic?

At that point I don’t think I gave it another thought, since I was too busy enjoying my dessert, but now I’ve figured out how it’s done, and I’m sharing the Fried Ice Cream magic with you.

Is Fried Ice Cream Mexican?

The origin of this dessert is unclear. There are claims that this fried dessert was first served at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair (ice cream sundaes and brownies were invented there too), while others believe that Japanese Tempura restaurants invented the dish.

Mexican restaurants in the US started serving fried ice cream in the 1980s after the popular chain restaurant Chi-Chi’s added a dessert of ice cream fried with a cinnamon sugar tortilla chip coating to their menu.

You can find fried ice cream now in both Mexican and Asian restaurants, or you can make it at home using this recipe.

Ingredients Needed

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream – Use store-bought ice cream, or use your own Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream to make deep-fried ice cream. You can also use Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream. I like the rich warm flavor of vanilla bean in this dessert. For a dairy-free option, use Oat Milk Ice Cream.

Corn Flakes – Crushed cornflakes make up the bulk of the crispy ice cream coating. You can use gluten free cereal flakes to make this gluten free.

Cinnamon and Sugar – Cinnamon is a classic flavor in Mexican desserts like this one and another favorite, churros! Sugar and cinnamon together are mixed in with the corn flake coating.

Eggs – In order to get the corn flake mixture to stick to the ice cream for frying, whisked eggs are used.

Frying Oil – I suggest using vegetable oil or canola oil for frying your ice cream balls. You could use peanut or corn oil if you prefer. Whatever you typically use for frying will work for this recipe.

Chocolate Sauce – Garnish and decorate your fried ice cream with Hershey’s syrup or your favorite chocolate sauce.

Maraschino Cherries – These sweet red gems are always welcome on my ice cream! I think they are a beautiful topping for fried ice cream. Fresh whipped cream is also a delicious optional topping.

If you have any questions about the ingredients for making deep fried ice cream, please leave a message below, and I will get back to you.

How to Make

1. Scoop 2/3 cup sized scoops of ice cream and place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for one hour.
2. Meanwhile, add the crushed cornflakes, ground cinnamon, and granulated sugar to a food process. Process until finely ground. Place the corn flakes mixture into a shallow bowl or baking dish and set aside.
3. Add two eggs to another shallow bowl or dish and whisk until beaten. One at a time, coat the ice cream balls with the corn flakes
4. Then coat with beaten eggs, and then again with the cornflake mixture.
5. Return the ice cream balls to the freezer again for at least 4 hours to solidify.
6. Add oil to a dutch oven until it’s 2 inches deep. Heat until the oil reaches 375°F/190°C.
7. One at a time, deep fry the coated ice cream balls for 20-25 seconds, until golden brown. Serve immediately or return to the freezer.
8. To serve, top with a drizzle of chocolate sauce, fresh whipped cream, and a maraschino cherry.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions in this deep fried ice cream recipe, please see the recipe card below.

How to Store Fried Ice Cream

Fried ice cream needs to either be eaten immediately after frying or stored in the freezer for later enjoyment. It really is best eaten right away. Fried ice cream from the freezer will not be as crispy or warm as it is directly from the hot oil, but it is still delicious.

You can store the coated ice cream balls in an airtight container for up to 1 month. I suggest wrapping them with plastic wrap for best results.

Can I make deep fried ice cream in advance?

Yes, you can make deep fried ice cream in advance. I suggest making and coating the ice cream balls and storing them in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy them. Deep fry your fried ice cream to order.

Tips for Making This Recipe

Freeze Well – you might be tempted to skip one or more of the freezing steps in this recipe. Please don’t. It’s important that the ice cream and the coating are very, very frozen before putting it into the hot oil, and freezing along the way will keep the ice cream from melting.

Make Room – Be sure that you have space in your freeze for a tray of ice cream balls before starting, so you aren’t struggling to find room later.

Try Gloves – If you find that your ice cream balls are melting as you handle them, you should put on a pair of disposable gloves.

Coat Well – The layers of crushed cornflakes on the ice cream create a barrier that allows the fried ice cream to stay frozen, even after being fried. Be sure that the entire surface of each ice cream ball is coated well.

Cornflakes not sticking? If needed, start with the egg rather than the corn flakes. So coat in this order: Egg, cornflakes, egg again, cornflakes again. This will help everything to stick well.

Use Quality Ingredients – Be sure to start with high-quality store-bought Vanilla bean ice cream, or fresh homemade ice cream.

Cook One at a Time – The reason that you should only cook one ice cream ball at a time is that you want to keep the temperature of the oil as high as possible. Adding more than one cold item to the oil will lower the temperature too much, and you won’t get browned fried ice cream in a short period of time.

Useful Equipment – A deep frying thermometer will help you get the oil to the right temp, and a wire long-handled basket strainer will help you to transfer the ice cream balls to and from the hot oil safely.

Can I make Fried Ice Cream with Homemade Ice Cream?

Of course, you can, and it’s encouraged! Try our recipes for Sweet Cream ice cream or French Silk ice cream to keep things simple. You can also make something really special with a flavorful ice cream recipe like Strawberry ice cream or Turtle ice cream.

What Toppings Are Good With Fried Ice Cream?

I love eating fried ice cream with chocolate syrup and whipped cream.

You can add any of your favorite toppings too. Try caramel or strawberry syrup, and top with sprinkles, crushed Oreos, or chopped peanuts.

An extra sprinkle of cinnamon sugar is a simple and delicious fried ice cream topping.

What is Fried Ice Cream Coated With?

This recipe uses crushed corn flakes seasoned with cinnamon and sugar to coat ice cream balls for fried ice cream.

I haven’t tested it personally, but I believe that you can adjust this recipe to include other crunchy cereals, crunchy cookies, or even crushed tortilla chips in the coating. Mix and match if you like. Be sure to pulse your cereal in the food processor to fine crumbs, and make sure to coat the ice cream balls very well.

Can I Make Fried Ice Cream Without Actually Frying It?

Want to take a shortcut? You can make something that resembles deep-fried ice cream without the frying.

Skip the eggs. Instead, roll the ice cream balls in the cornflake mixture, pressing to get them to stick. Freeze for at least one hour, and then serve with the suggested toppings.

This not-quite-authentic fried ice cream is delicious, but not quite as good as it would be if you fried it.

More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes to Try

Banana Pudding Ice Cream is creamy and rich, and full of crushed vanilla wafers.

Mango Ice Cream is a tropical delight that uses fresh mango puree for it’s bright, sweet flavor.

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is a classic favorite ice cream recipe that is easy to make.

LET’S GET SOCIAL, you can follow us on Pinterest or leave a comment below if you have any questions.

Did you make this deep Fried Ice Cream recipe? Leave a comment below letting us know what you thought, and if you tried any special flavors.