Easy Fried Ice Cream

This Easy Fried Ice Cream features creamy scoops of ice cream coated in a crispy cinnamon crunch topping without any deep frying required. Serve drizzled with chocolate syrup, whipped cream and a cherry on top for an easy Mexican-inspired dessert everyone will love.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Mexican Inspired, Southern

Keyword easy-fried-ice-cream, fried-ice-cream

Prep Time 15

Freeze time 1 30

Total Time 1 45

Servings servings

Calories 599kcal

Ingredients

1/2 gallon premium light vanilla ice cream (light or full fat) divide into 8 even 1/2 cup scoops
3 cups cornflakes crushed
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut pulse in a food processor to finely chop
6 Tbsp salted butter
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
hot fudge or caramel sauce, whipped cream and cherries for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Place cornflakes in a large plastic storage bag and finely crush using a rolling pin, or similar.
Pulse coconut in a food processor to chop finely. Add to bag with cornflakes along with sugar and cinnamon. Seal and shake to combine. Add melted butter, shake to coat.
Spread corn flake mixture in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Toast in the oven for 8-12 minutes or just until lightly golden brown. Stir periodically for even cooking. Set aside to cool on the pan or transfer to a large shallow dish.
Meanwhile, Use a 1/2 cup regular ice cream scoop to form balls, shaping with clean hands into even rounds. Place scoops of ice cream on a wax paper lined baking sheet and into the freezer to set for at least 30 minutes.
Assemble: Roll ice cream balls in cooled corn flake crumbs, transfer back to pan using a slotted spoon. Place pan back into the freezer just until firm and re-frozen 30-60 minutes.
Serve drizzled with hot fudge, caramel sauce or honey with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry, if desired.

Notes

Ice Cream - I make this with vanilla ice cream which is classic. You could make it with any flavor you enjoy like chocolate, strawberry, butter pecan or Neapolitan. There's plenty room with this recipe to have fun and get creative.
Butter - I use salted butter to balance the sweetness. You could also use unsalted butter.
Adjust the Size According to Servings - I use a standard size ice cream scoop for this recipe. You can make these smaller or larger, depending on your preference.
Allow Ample Time for the Toasted Corn Flake Coating to Cool - Before rolling the frozen ice cream scoops in the coating, allow ample time for the coating to completely cool so the ice cream doesn't begin to melt.
Short Coconut Shreds Work Best - The coconut adds a nuttiness to the flavor of the coating without overtaking the flavor. If the brand used has long shreds, pulse it in a food processor a few times to chop before roasting.
Homemade Topping Options - You can top this Easy Fried Ice Cream with homemade hot fudge, or a generous drizzle of bourbon praline pecan sauce. To simplify, you could use a purchased hot fudge or chocolate sauce, strawberry or caramel syrup.

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