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Mexican Fried Ice Cream

A delightful, crispy‑on‑the‑outside, ultra‑creamy‑inside treat that combines textures and spice—quick, elegant, and unforgettable.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Freezing & Finishing Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients
  

For Ice Cream Spheres:

  • 3 generous scoops vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt

For Spiced Coating:

  • 2 cups corn flakes to be crushed
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter for toasting
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon toasted with flakes
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar plus extra for dusting
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon for sugar mix

For Drizzle & Garnish:

  • Hot fudge or chocolate sauce
  • Whipped cream
  • Maraschino cherry or fresh cherries

Instructions
 

  • Scoop out three large ice cream balls and shape them as round as possible. Place on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for at least 3 hours.
  • Crush corn flakes gently into coarse crumbs.
  • In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat; add crushed corn flakes and toasted cinnamon. Stir for 4–5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate.
  • In a separate bowl, mix sugar with another ½ tsp cinnamon.
  • Remove ice cream spheres from freezer. One at a time, roll each sphere first in cinnamon sugar, then press into toasted corn flakes to coat completely. Return to freezer until firm, about 10–15 minutes.
  • For serving, carefully pan-fry (shallow fry) the coated spheres in a skillet just until golden crisp—no more than 15–20 seconds per side.
  • Plate immediately. Add whipped cream, drizzle with hot fudge, and top with cherry.
  • Serve right away for optimal crunch.

Notes

  • Keep spheres extremely cold—don’t let thaw before coating.
  • Coarse flakes give the best crunch; avoid fine crumbs.
  • Use butter for toasting to deepen flavor and aroma.
  • Make extras—freeze ready‑to‑fry spheres.
  • To ease frying, use oil at just enough to cover base of skillet.
  • Variations: Add a pinch of chili powder to coating for heat; use flavored ice cream like dulce de leche.
  • Warm-hot fudge enhances contrast—serve sauce warm.