Fried Ice Cream Balls Recipe

A hot and crunchy shell covering a cold and dreamy scoop of ice cream- that’s what the fried ice cream balls are all about!

Fried Ice Cream

Fried ice cream may seem like that one dessert that seems too good to be true. It is your beloved, icy sweet treat, that’s deep-fried- how cool and insane is that?

You poke your spoon into the crispy outer, and it falls apart revealing the slightly softened and creamy, still cold ice cream. One bite of this and you’re dancing around, taking your taste buds for a ride.

And as confusing and tricky as it may seem like, the fried ice-cream balls are actually pretty easy to make. Ready to go ahead and give it a try? Here’s what you need to know before you do.

Fried Ice Cream Balls served on a white glass plate

Ingredients For the Fried Ice-Cream Balls

You’ll need a surprisingly short list of ingredients to put these ice cream balls together.

1-pint ice cream
1 ½ tablespoon butter
1 ¼ cup crushed Corn Flakes cereal
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon granulated sugar
Whipped cream
Fresh cherries, strawberries, or raspberries

Kitchen Tools Needed

ice cream ball on white plate on red and white checked talecloth

How to a Fried Ice Cream Ball

Scoop 4 balls of ice cream onto a parchment paper-lined plate. Cover loosely and freeze until ready to roll in the coating.

In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the crushed Corn Flakes and cinnamon.

pouring corn flakes into skillet with butter

Fry for 1 to 2 minutes until they are golden.

Remove from the heat and add the sugar, then stir well.

Roll the ice cream balls into the cooked cereal to coat the ice cream well.

Repeat to coat all of the ice cream balls.

Place back into the freezer until ready to serve.

Top with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, cherries, or other fresh fruit.

fried ice cream on white plate on blue table

Frequently Asked Questions

What Other Coatings Can I Use?

Corn cereal is the best coating you could use for these ice cream balls. They turn nice and crunchy after you fry them, and don’t absorb a lot of oil too. However, you can definitely try using other items for coatings such as graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or even cinnamon toast crunch if you’re looking to make the fried ice cream balls fall-inspired.

Which Butter Should I Use to Make the Fried Ice Cream Balls?

Salted butter is usually the best choice for this recipe (and most other dessert recipes for that matter). It really enhances the flavor of the dessert and balances out the sweetness well.

Which Ice-Cream Should I Use?

Vanilla ice cream is the absolute best you could use for this recipe. It is simple, has a very subtle and versatile flavor, and if you use it, you get the chance to play around with the toppings a lot!

However, if you still want to try using a different flavor you can go for practically anything you like- chocolate, strawberry, butterscotch.

Can I Make This Without Deep Frying It?

Yes! While deep-frying is traditional, this method gives you the crunch without the mess. Plus, it's a bit healthier since it isn't fried in hot oils! The best part about these faux fried ice cream balls is the fact that you can prepare the outer coating mixture well in advance, and then, when you want to put the dessert together, you just need a few minutes in the kitchen. Talk about having a quick and fancy dessert option ready for when you have some unexpected guests coming.

Fried Ice Cream Balls served with a golden spoon

Tips to Make the Fried Ice-Cream Balls

The ice cream balls may be easy to put together, but having a few tips and tricks up your sleeve can always be a good idea if you’re looking to nail the recipe in the first go!

When crushing the corn cereals, remember to crush them well, but not get them powdered completely. The key is to leave a bit of texture and bigger crumbs too.
You can also store these ice cream balls for later. Just batch make them, cover each individual ball in cling wrap, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container and refrigerate them.
The key to getting the balls nice and crispy and still not falling apart in the oil is to heat the oil well before you add them in. The temperature should ideally fall around the 400-degree mark, and once it is there, gently drop the coated ice cream ball in, and allow it to fry until it turns golden brown- which is within 10-15 seconds.
The ice cream balls will hold their shape well if you allow them to freeze. Once they are coated, let them freeze for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. This solid ice cream ball then gets fried nicely and holds its shape too.

fried ice cream ball on black platter with golden spoon

Topping Ideas & Suggestions

When it comes to topping these fried ice cream balls, whipped cream, and a cherry on top are the classic you can never go wrong with. But that doesn’t mean you don’t get to experiment- right? Here are a few cool topping ideas you might want to try out.

There’s nothing quite like a nice drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce on these fried ice cream balls. It’s super simple, but you just can’t go wrong with it.
And since you are already thinking of sauces, hot fudge is another excellent choice.
Fancy a little extra crunchy into this dessert? You can top it off with some chopped nuts of your choice. Pistachios, almonds, and walnuts are great choices.
Some coconut flakes can also elevate the flavor of the ice cream balls, and turn them into a delicious, tropical dessert.
Topping this dessert with some freshly sliced strawberries is another great idea!

Loved how delicious these fried ice cream balls turned out? On the hunt for some more easy dessert recipes? Here are a few you might want to check out.

Recipe

Yield: 4