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Home » Recipe Type » Desserts
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Mexican Fried Ice Cream

1 hour 15 minutes
By: Pamela Reed
Posted:4/19/23
Updated:6/22/23
Jump to Recipe

Step by Step Mexican Fried Ice Cream recipe that tastes just like Chi-Chi’s restaurant. Made with vanilla ice cream, crunchy corn flakes cinnamon coating and served in a baked tortilla bowl.

fried ice cream in baked tortilla shell on plate.

Chi-Chi’s Fried Ice Cream

Feeling nostalgic for Chi-Chi’s fried ice cream? Look no further, now you can make it at home and bring all your 90’s memories back!

Matthew kept hinting to me that we should make this, so one year for his birthday I whipped it up and now it’s become an annual tradition.

Below is a thorough walkthrough with step-by-step photos of the entire process, including the baked tortilla shells, to dropping the ice cream balls (carefully) in oil to fry.

I hope this helps you, and you like the Fried Ice Cream!

fried ice cream with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and cherry in tortilla shell bowl.

How to Make Tortilla Shell Bowls

I wanted to include the entire recipe we make, including the baked tortilla shells bowl. If you’re just serving the ice cream in bowls, you can skip this step, but I do recommend you try the tortilla shell bowls at least once – they’re so crunchy and good!

Microwave the tortilla shells so they are flexible and easy to bend. Spray each side with cooking spray, so they don’t stick.

tortilla sprayed with nonstick spray.

Grab a cupcake pan and turn it upside down. Alternatively, you could put them in a small oven pot or bowl if you have it.

Push the tortillas into the upside down cupcake pan so it touches 4 of the cupcake holders.  Press it down – this is what shape your tortilla bowl will become.

tortilla shells on upside down cupcake pan.

Put it into the oven and bake. You want to keep a eye on these, generally mine usually take 12 minutes.  Once they have a slightly brown edge, they’re done.

When they come out of the oven, you’ll see how they have hardened. Let them cool and move on to making the ice cream!

baked tortilla shell bowls.

How to Make Chi Chi’s Fried Ice Cream

Prepare a baking sheet with wax paper. This will help in preventing the ice cream from sticking.

Crush up corn flakes.

Prepare the sugar, corn flakes and cinnamon mixture. I totally made a mess.

cornflakes, cinnamon and sugar mixed together in bowl.

Grab your vanilla ice cream – use your favorite brand. Keep it in the freezer until you’re ready to begin. Scoop 1 to 2 inch balls of ice cream.

ice cream being scooped out of container.

Drop into corn flake mixture and roll around.  I like to pat them with my hands to roll into a more “perfect” ball shape.

ice cream in cornflakes cinnamon mixture.

Throw the ice cream balls onto the wax paper baking sheet.  Now you have to work quickly as the ice cream will melt (especially if it’s during the Summer).

ice cream balls on waxed paper with cornflakes sugar mixture.

Put the ice cream balls into the freezer, for at least 1 hour.

If you have a deep fryer heat it to 350 degrees. If you don’t have a deep fryer like me, you can totally do this on the stove.  If I had a deep fryer I would make french fries and bbq wings every single day so it’s best I don’t have one.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL AS THE OIL IS VERY HOT. NO KIDS OR PETS SHOULD BE NEAR THE STOVE. PLEASE BE CAREFUL AS OIL CAN SPLATTER.

Grab a thermometer and put it in the pot, I use a candy thermometer as it goes high.  You need to know when the oil is 350 degrees.  If you don’t have a thermometer, throw a piece of corn kernel in the oil and when it pops into popcorn, then you know it’s 350 and ready to go.

thermometer in large pot of vegetable oil.

Now this takes some time to get this hot. Mine takes about 15-20 minutes of crazily watching the thermometer.

Once it’s 350 degrees, drop an ice cream ball into the oil for 1-2 seconds.  Yes, that quick!  Do not do any longer or it will melt.  You literally drop it in, pull it right back out with a spoon.

I like to put them directly on a paper towel to get the excess oil off.

fried ice cream balls on paper towels.

Now start making your sundae by adding the ice cream balls into the tortilla shells!  Add toppings (below ideas) if you’d like (you should). Enjoy!

tortilla shell bowl with fried ice cream.

Topping Ideas:

You can serve this as is, but I recommend we take this to the next step with these topping ideas:

  • Whipped Cream
  • Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup (We got the “Lite” version because obviously we are worried about our figures when are eating fried ice cream with whipped cream on top)
  • Cherries
  • Sprinkles (great if you’re making birthday ice cream!)
whipped cream being added to fried ice cream.

I hope you like this Fried Ice Cream recipe!

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Step by Step Mexican Fried Ice Cream recipe that tastes just like Chi-Chi's restaurant.  Made with vanilla ice cream, crunchy corn flakes cinnamon coating and served in a baked tortilla bowl.
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Fried Ice Cream

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Step by Step Mexican Fried Ice Cream recipe that tastes just like Chi-Chi's restaurant. Made with vanilla ice cream, crunchy corn flakes cinnamon coating and served in a baked tortilla bowl.
By: Pamela Reed
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
serves 2

Ingredients

For the Tortilla Shell Bowl:

  • (2) 10 inch flour tortillas

For the Fried Ice Cream:

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup corn flakes crushed
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
  • 2 quarts vegetable oil for deep frying

Toppings (optional)

  • whipped cream, chocolate syrup, cherries

Instructions

How to Make Tortilla Shell Bowl

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Microwave tortilla shells for 15 seconds to get them soft and flexible. Spray each tortilla with non-stick spray on both sides. Turn a cupcake pan upside down and center each tortilla in between 4 cups. Bake 9-12 minutes, or until slightly brown on edges – watch them carefully before they burn. Remove from oven and set aside.

How to Make Fried Ice Cream

  • Prepare a baking sheet with wax paper on it.
  • Mix sugar, corn flakes and cinnamon in a bowl.
  • Scoop 1-to-2 inch ice cream balls and roll ice cream in sugar corn flakes mixture.
  • Pat down to shape into balls and transfer to wax paper. Put ice cream balls in freezer to set for at least one hour.
  • Add vegetable oil into large pot and heat up to 350 degrees F.
  • Take ice cream balls out of the freezer and carefully drop in oil for 2 seconds. Immediately remove and place on paper towel to soak up excess oil.
  • Serve ice cream bowls in tortilla bowls. Optional, but highly recommended: Cover ice cream with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and a cherry! Enjoy.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fried ice cream
Did you make this?I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @BrooklynFarmGirl and don’t forget to leave a comment & rating below.

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  1. Diane says

    January 7, 2016 at 7:27 pm

    Pamela, I live in Riverside County California and grew up eating at many Mexican restaurants, So I feel native to Deep Fried Ice Cream. Your recipe is Yummmo! However, if you want a ‘short cut’, try Cinammon Crunch Cereal. It is ‘fab’ and quick! You can add more cinnamon or sugar if you like, but I personally don’t think it’s necessary. Also for those that our not keen on ‘deep frying’ them. Try a quick broiling method. I’ve done this numerous times even for company and they are a BIG HIT! Just be careful, because like deep frying, you must watch them carefully. I leave them in 30-45 seconds & if you want you can pull them out and roll them to other side, but it’s really not necessary. Thanks for all your hard work in giving us such wonderful recipes.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      January 13, 2016 at 5:46 pm

      Hey Diane, using Cinnamon Crunch Cereal is a good idea, I’ll give it a shot next time! This is one of the desserts that we make in a blue moon because it’s so special (and yummy!).

      Reply
  2. Purabi Naha | Cosmopolitan Currymania says

    August 2, 2013 at 5:47 am

    Awesome, awesome awesome! I loved how you baked th tortillas to get that shape and fried ice cream sounds great, though I never tried it yet!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      August 2, 2013 at 12:20 pm

      I hope you try it, it’s one of our favorite guilty pleasure desserts for sure. 🙂

      Reply
  3. JW@Umbrella Treasury says

    May 14, 2013 at 1:06 pm

    This looks scrumptious! I especially appreciate the instructions for making the tortilla bowl!. I spent $10 on that “Perfect Tortilla” pan that was advertised on tv. Now I know I can make those bowls without the special gizmo!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 14, 2013 at 1:52 pm

      I love making my own tortilla bowl! It’s great for taco salads, or just some black beans and avocados! Mmmm, one sounds good right now!

      Reply
  4. Kelly Senyei | Just a Taste says

    May 8, 2013 at 10:50 am

    Oh. My. Lard. How on Earth are you ever going to be able to top that?! Absolutely spectacular!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 8, 2013 at 11:26 am

      I know, right? I wish I could eat this every single day.

      Reply
  5. laurasmess says

    May 7, 2013 at 11:35 am

    Prior to this week, I had no idea that fried ice-cream was eaten by Mexicans. Over here, it’s only sold in Chinese restaurants. Exclusively! Weird. Anyway, this version looks divine. I love any ice-cream desserts with crunch, it just makes them extra special. Beautiful blog you have here, it makes me happy just looking at your images! Thanks lovely! x

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 7, 2013 at 12:13 pm

      My favorite ice creams have that crunch too! That’s the best part of this recipe I think. Thanks for stopping by! <3

      Reply
  6. ashley - baker by nature says

    May 4, 2013 at 5:22 pm

    Holy cow… fried ice cream sounds epic!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 4, 2013 at 9:11 pm

      Try it Ashley!

      Reply
  7. Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says

    May 3, 2013 at 1:50 pm

    This is such a pretty dessert! I love fried ice cream –yum! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Emma @ Bake Then Eat says

    May 2, 2013 at 7:47 pm

    Wow this look so good, I can only imagine how stressful working with fried ice cream would be and trying to photograph it all before it melted! But thank you because these pictures are amazing and really helpful. I would love to try this some time and definitely will but I don’t think I’m brave enough to try and photograph it as well 🙂

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 3, 2013 at 2:21 pm

      Emma – you can do it! It makes it easier to set up the camera and tripod, don’t move anything and just click once in a while. Although the camera might get a little sticky.. 🙂

      Hope you make it and enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Heather says

    May 2, 2013 at 3:59 pm

    I’m speechless. Fried ice cream is amazing and you made it look so easy.

    Okay, maybe I wasn’t speechless.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 2, 2013 at 6:34 pm

      Haha, thank you Heather!

      Reply
  10. Maryanne @ the little epicurean says

    May 2, 2013 at 3:27 pm

    Fried ice cream. One the best desserts ever. I had my first fried ice cream at a Japanese restaurant. They dipped it in a light tempura batter and it was heavenly. My boyfriend will love your recipe! I can’t wait to make it!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 2, 2013 at 6:34 pm

      He has the best girlfriend in the world then! Enjoy it!

      Reply
  11. Jamie says

    May 2, 2013 at 12:29 pm

    Oh my! I *have* to try this! I had no idea it was so easy. I always assumed there was a trick to it.

    p.s. the bottom of my oven is a total blackened corn meal mess. I found out it is just easier to vacuum it out occasionally. We love homemade pizzas at our house!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 2, 2013 at 12:49 pm

      A vacuum! Why didn’t I think of this? Grabbing my hand vac and going to work now!

      Reply
  12. Jenn @ Once Upon a Tier says

    May 2, 2013 at 11:21 am

    What?! I cannot handle how delicious this looks…

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 2, 2013 at 11:26 am

      Hahahaha! Wait till you smell the cinnamon sugar….

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Pamela, an artist Mom who shares family recipes. My farm is a 1,000 sq ft apartment in NYC. Let's make dinner together.

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