Fried Ice Cream Air Fryer

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Air fryer fried ice cream is a delicious and fun dessert that will delight family and friends. Scoops of vanilla ice cream coated with crunchy cinnamon toast crunch cereal, then quickly air fried for a toasty exterior and slightly melty ice cream interior.

Suitable for vegetarian diets.

air fryer fried ice cream topped with caramel and whipped cream

Deep fried ice cream coated in corn flakes cereal is a popular dessert in Mexican restaurants. This simple air fryer fried ice cream recipe is easy to make at home without all the extra oil from deep frying.

A little advanced prep is needed to freeze the ice cream balls, but your fried ice cream dessert will be ready in moments. Fried ice cream in air fryer is perfect for parties or as an unexpected treat.

Air fryer ice cream is so simple that you can have your kids help with the prep work. It’s also totally customizable, so you can swap out the ice cream, cereal, and toppings to your heart’s desire. You’re going to love learning how to make fried ice cream in the air fryer

fried ice cream in air fryer served on a white plate with a bite removed

Why Make This Recipe

  • Fun – Fried ice cream is a restaurant favorite for a good reason, and you will love making fried ice cream in air fryer at home. 
  • Perfect for Parties – The ice cream has to be prepped in advance, but you can cook air fryer fried ice cream in just 1 minute, so it’s ideal for parties. 
  • Customizable – This fried ice cream recipe is easy to customize. Use flavored ice cream and swap out the cereal and toppings to create your own twist on fried ice cream in air fryer.

Ingredient Notes

  • Ice Cream – Vanilla ice cream is a classic choice for air fried ice cream balls, but you can use any flavor of ice cream.
  • Cereal – Crushed cinnamon toast crunch cereal gives a flavor reminiscent of churros. You can use another cereal coating as desired. Frosted corn flakes are another popular option for fried ice cream, along with honey bunches, rice Krispies, and even crushed graham crackers.
  • Toppings – I topped my air fryer fried ice cream with caramel sauce and whipped cream. Add your favorite toppings like hot fudge, chocolate syrup, maraschino cherries, and sprinkles. 
the ingredients for making fried ice cream in air fryer

Ready to make this fried ice cream air fryer? Gather your ingredients and I will show you…

How To Make Fried Ice Cream In An Air Fryer

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

  1. Use an ice cream scoop to form 6 generous scoops of vanilla ice cream. Place each individual scoop of vanilla ice cream in plastic wrap then and mold into a ball. Place the wrapped ice cream scoops on a baking sheet and into the freezer overnight or until frozen solid.
  2. When you are ready to make air fried ice cream, remove the plastic wrap and use your hands to press the crushed cereal into all sides of the ice cream.
  3. Place the coated ice cream balls into the air fryer basket and air fry for 1 minute at 400 degrees F / 204 degrees C.
  4. Remove from the air fryer and serve immediately. 
  5. Garnish the fried ice cream with caramel and whipped cream, if desired. 
image collage showing the steps for making fried ice cream in air fryer

Expert Tips 

  • Freeze large scoops of ice cream but make sure they fit in your air fryer basket
  • Use a muffin tin to help you make the frozen ice cream balls. Line each muffin tin cup with plastic wrap, scoop in the ice cream, then wrap to form a ball.
  • Wrap each ball of ice cream separately. 
  • Freeze the ice cream for at least 12 hours and up to 72 hours. 
  • Don’t freeze ice cream balls for long periods of time, as they are susceptible to freezer burn
  • Crush cereal into fine crumbs before coating.
  • If time allows, refreeze the ice cream for several hours after coating it with cereal.
  • Place a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper under each ice cream ball for easy cleanup if you have any drips. 
  • Don’t crowd the air fryer. You may need to cook these one at a time. 
  • Serve fried ice cream immediately
top down view of the completed fried ice cream in air fryer basket

Delicious Variations

  • Swap The Ice Cream – Vanilla ice cream is a popular favorite, but chocolate, strawberry, and even flavored ice cream will be tasty options.
  • Swap The Cereal – I love the flavor of cinnamon toast crunch, but you can use Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, or your favorite cereal. 
  • Customize The Toppings – I used caramel and whipped cream. Try using hot fudge, chocolate syrup, melted peanut butter, sprinkles, or nuts. And don’t forget the maraschino cherries. 

Prep And Storage

  • Prep Ahead – The balls of ice cream need to be frozen for at least 12 hours before air frying.
  • Store – Fried ice cream air fryer should be served immediately. 
  • Freeze – Do not freeze for more than 72 hours as the ice cream will be susceptible to freezer burn. 
one serving of fried ice cream in air fryer on a white plate

FAQs

What Is Fried Ice Cream?

Traditional fried ice cream is frozen in balls, coated in cereal crumbs, frozen again then quickly deep fried to give it a crunchy coating before the ice cream has a chance to melt.

The fried ice cream balls are topped with whipped cream, syrup, and a cherry. This air fryer version makes it super easy to make fried ice cream at home without a deep fryer. 

What Does Fried Ice Cream Taste Like?

The coating on the fried ice cream is crunchy and cinnamony sweet. The outer layer of the ice cream will be just beginning to melt, and the inside will be cool and creamy. 

Does Fried Ice Cream Melt?

The trick to making air fryer ice cream is to thoroughly freeze the ice cream ball before adding it to the air fryer. Once you finish cooking the air fryer ice cream, you want to serve immediately, because the frozen ice cream ball will begin to melt. 

the finished fried ice cream in air fryer with one bite removed

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air fryer fried ice cream topped with caramel and whipped cream
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Fried Ice Cream Air Fryer

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 minute
Freezing Time1 day
Total Time1 day 11 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 6
Calories: 163kcal
Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (408g) 6 individual scoops of ice cream vanilla
  • 1 cup (30g) cinnamon toast crunch cereal crushed
  • caramel sauce and whipped cream for topping

Instructions

  • Use an ice cream scoop to form 6 generous scoops of vanilla ice cream. Place each individual scoop of vanilla ice cream in plastic, then wrap and roll ice cream balls.
  • Place the wrapped ice cream scoops on a baking sheet and into the freezer overnight or until frozen solid.
  • When you are ready to make air fried ice cream, remove the plastic wrap and use your hands to press the crushed cereal into all sides of the ice cream.
  • Place the coated ice cream balls into the air fryer basket and air fry for 1 minute at 400 degrees F / 204 degrees C.
  • Remove from the air fryer and serve immediately.
  • Garnish with caramel and whipped cream, if desired.
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Notes

  • Freeze large scoops of ice cream but make sure they fit in your air fryer basket. 
  • Use a muffin tin to help you make the frozen ice cream balls. Line each muffin tin cup with plastic wrap, scoop in the ice cream, then wrap to form a ball.
  • Wrap each ball of ice cream separately. 
  • Freeze the ice cream for at least 12 hours and up to 72 hours. 
  • Don’t freeze ice cream balls for long periods as they are susceptible to freezer burn. 
  • Crush cereal into fin crumbs before coating.
  • If time allows, refreeze the ice cream for several hours after coating with cereal.
  • Place a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper under each ice cream ball for easy cleanup if you have any drips. 
  • Don’t crowd the air fryer. You may need to cook these one at a time. 
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 1mg

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