Fried Ice Cream
Raise your hand if you’re doing something to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this coming weekend. Maybe you’re going to make a Mexican-themed dinner… treat yourself to a margarita (or margarita cupcakes)… or sit down to watch your favorite show with a bag of chips and a jar of salsa? This year, I finally made it my business to make fried ice cream at home. For as long as I’ve known him, my Chief Culinary Consultant has been in love with fried ice cream and asked me a long time ago if I could try making it. I have vague memories of a Chi-Chi’s outing with my mom during my pre-teen years that may or may not have involved fried ice cream. I can kind of remember, but not well. Suffice it to say, I’m a fried ice cream newbie. Also, apparently a bit of a procrastinator. I think the wait was worth it, though, judging by the ooh’s and aah’s as we dug into this with two spoons.
It took me awhile to wrap my head around how I could actually fry something that was supposed to be frozen and not end up with a melting, globby mess. Turns out, fried ice cream relies on the same work-fast-then-freeze-then-freeze-again techniques that are necessary when making things like ice cream sandwiches and homemade Klondike bars. In the end, assembling the fried ice cream wasn’t much work at all; there’s just a bit of waiting around between steps to make sure everything is frozen solid. I did read that most restaurants that serve fried ice cream keep the ice cream balls frozen at a temperature well below that at which ice cream is normally stored. Since I didn’t have the ability to do this with a regular household freezer, there was a little melting when I plated the fried ice cream, but as you can see, the center stayed pretty solid.
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I was thrilled with how this fried ice cream turned out and it received two huge thumbs up from my Chief Culinary Consultant, who’s a fried ice cream pro. The outside is warm and crunchy, then once you break through the crust there’s cold, creamy vanilla ice cream waiting for you. A deliciously perfect complement of flavors and textures.
What’s your favorite Mexican dessert?
Two years ago: Chocolate Biscuit Cake {Royal Wedding Groom Cake}
Fried Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 quart (0.95 l) vanilla ice cream
- 5 cups (140 g) cornflakes, crushed
- 1 cup (80 g) shredded coconut, sweetened and unsweetened are both fine
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out balls of ice cream a little more than a ½ cup in size and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 2 hours, or until the ice cream is very hard.
- Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, combine the crushed cornflakes, coconut and cinnamon. Roll the balls of ice cream in the coating, packing them together into a smooth ball. Return the coated ice cream to the baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and milk. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and roll each one in the egg mixture to coat, then immediately roll in the cornflakes mixture again, ensuring there is a thick, even coating on each ice cream ball. Return them all to the baking sheet and freeze for at least 2 hours.
- When ready, add oil to a depth of about 3 inches in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the oil to 400 degrees F. When the oil is ready, carefully drop the ice cream balls into the hot oil and fry for only about 30 seconds, until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined to drain briefly and serve immediately. Drizzle with honey and/or chocolate sauce and top with whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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mmm fried ice cream is my weakness Michelle. Well, I have a lot of dessert weaknesses but nothing compares to melty fried ice cream. So good!!
I remember going there in the mid 80’s right after they opened one in Syracuse….I remember it being wrapped in fritos though. I remember really liking the cinnamon sauce.
I loved fried ice cream growing up, its getting really hard to find a place that makes it up her in Canada. Thanks for the recipe!
i do this, but i only roll once and don’t fry it. it’s ALMOST as good and I don’t have to be paranoid that i’m going to melt the icecream.!
It’s funny you posted this, I have a fried ice cream recipe that I’m posting this week too. My husband was obsessed with fried ice cream from Chi-Chi’s as a kid so he had me made it last week, we all fell in love again!
What a blast from the past! I used to eat fried ice cream at El Torito’s all the time in my twenties. It’s something I’ve been thinking about again recently, so thank you for the recipe!
I love fried ice cream, and yours is calling my name!!
Wow! What a perfect, lovely, sweet treat for Cinco de Mayo week!
Loooove this!! Can’t wait to try!!
Our favorite restaurants in Washington state used to make it this way, but would spoon on sweetened frozen (thawed) strawberry slices and whipped cream. You should try that too. Now that we are in southern California, we are lucky to find it on the menu at all. If we do, it’s like this.
STOP IT. We have this every year at the state fair, and it is sooooo good. You are awesome to make it at home!!!
I am not a fan of coconut – is there something that can be used as an alternative? Or can it be eliminated all together w/o effecting the end result?
Hi Christa, You can use crushed nuts if you’d like.
Gotta try this! I haven’t had fried ice cream in years!
I will be celebrating my birthday and star wars day the day before (may the fourth be with you – yes I have the best bday ever). But I will also be going to the Beale St Music festival all weekend. Hopefully be able to squeeze some Mexican food in between the festival turkey legs haha. I actually did make your margarita cupcakes the other day, but I added strawberry. Posting them tomorrow!
I LOVE fried (anything), I mean fried ice cream…especially drizzled with homemade hot fudge. I wonder how it would be if you used coconut oil instead of peant/vegetable oil??? Just a thought. Thanks for your ever growing list of tasty recipes.
I have always wanted to try frying ice cream! It looks amazing!
Ok, we are really lazy at our house. I learned how to make Fried Ice Cream, but found my kids not being patient enough so we have altered, and re-altered the recipe to an everyday delight. Scoop of ice cream. Roll in Frosted Flakes, sprinkle with Cinnamon Sugar and drizzle honey over it. Instant Gratification. Not as good as the real kind, but my grown up kids can all make it for themselves! And good for instant cravings.
I do it the lazy way, too…though I roll the ice cream in cruched Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and then drizzle with honey. Very close to Chi Chi’s
Wow! This sounds fantastic! This is totally my kind of dessert…lol!
I always wondered if “fried ice cream” was really fried, or if there was some trick that gave the illusion of frying with the crispy outside. Thanks for solving this mystery for me – the recipe sounds delicious to boot!
Ok, you have convinced me that I can do this!
I absolutely love this!! I’ve never had fried ice cream but I think it’d be super fun to make at home. Definitely happening this summer!
Awesome. I love, love, LOVE how you make all these processed foods from scratch. You rock! :)
You are plain me! I used to love Chi Chis restaurant!! I used to go there all the time in my 20’s and yes I would get the fried ice cream. Dam it was good and dam do I miss it! Your recipe sounds amazing, I’m afraid to attempt it because if I make it, I may make it way to much!!
This looks decadent! I’ll order it as a special treat sometimes, but I’ve never thought to make it myself. I can’t wait to try it!
Oh yum!!! Haven’t had any in years!!!!….and had totally forgotten about Chi Chi’s ~ thank you for remembering!
I’ve always had it drizzled with a honey/cinnamon combination…it’s so delicious that way!
Wow! What an awesome cinco de mayo dessert!
girl i like this rep , i will try it for my sis bd , thank u
I’m definitely going to celebrate Cinco dy Mayo this weekend! Hopefully this fried ice cream will be a part of that celebration :)
Fried ice cream! OMG! LOVE!!
I had know idea this was mexican, but holly yum!! This looks incredible!
i remember getting this at don pablos too bad that palce closed now i can make it at home