Air Fryer Fried Ice Cream
Air Fryer Fried Ice Cream is such a treat and easier to make than you might think. It’s vanilla ice cream coated in cinnamon sugar cereal and air fried so the inside is cool and creamy and the outside is crisp and crunchy. Top it with chocolate sauce and whipped cream and you have a dessert that is out of this world!
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In my early 20’s I worked at Chi-Chi’s Mexican Restaurant. I’m pretty sure they are all closed now, but that’s where I first discovered fried ice cream. I was hooked from the first bite.
Typically the ice cream balls are deep fried in oil. I’m not a big fan of deep frying at home because it’s a mess and makes the house smell like fried foods for days. That is why I love air fryer fried ice cream. So easy and no giant vat of oil to dispose.
It’s just 3 simple ingredients!
If you’ve never had air fryer fried ice cream before, you are in for a treat! It takes a couple of steps to get to the final result, but it’s very easy and well worth it.
You’ll start with ice cream. Vanilla ice cream is typically used, but any ice cream flavor works! You’ll scoop fist size balls of ice cream and freeze them until solid. The ice cream ball is then dipped in an egg mixture and coated in Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal.
The ice cream is frozen again and when solid, quick air fried for 4 minutes. This makes a crunchy cinnamon sugar coating while retaining the cold, creamy ice cream on the inside. Top it with your favorite ice cream toppings and enjoy the most delicious dessert!
Want to impress guests? Make these! The ice cream balls can be prepared ahead and frozen until you’re ready to cook. Set out a toppings bar and you have a fun and unique party dessert.
Get more air fryer recipes HERE.
What you’ll need
You can find the full, printable recipe with exact measurements at the bottom of this post. Read on for more details and tips!
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- Air Fryer– I personally love my Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer
- A silicone air fryer liner or something to sit inside of the air fryer to hold the ice cream ball.
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream– or your favorite flavor. Chocolate, caramel, cinnamon swirl would all be great choices.
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal– for the cinnamon sugar coating
- Eggs– this sounds weird for ice cream, but it makes the cereal stick and you can’t taste the eggs in the final product.
- Your favorite ice cream toppings
How to make Air Fryer Fried Ice Cream
Scoop ice cream into four 1 cup balls. I find it easiest to mold the ice cream into balls using my hands. Place the ice cream balls on a sheet pan or plate and freeze 1 hour until solid.
Add the cereal to a zipped top bag and crush the cereal using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer. You’ll want the cereal pretty fine, but not a dust. If the pieces are too big, they won’t stick to the ice cream. Add the crushed cereal to a shallow bowl.
Add the eggs to a separate mixing bowl and whisk.
After the ice cream balls have been in the freezer for at least 1 hour, take them out and roll the ice cream balls in the whisked eggs, then roll in the cereal, pressing the cereal into the ice cream. Roll in the eggs once again and again in the cereal again. Make sure to really pat the cereal on so it sticks.
Freeze the prepared ice cream balls for 4 hours or overnight.
Place an air fryer liner in the air fryer basket. Cook 1 ice cream ball at a time for 3-4 minutes in the air fryer at 350°F.
Drizzle with your favorite toppings and enjoy immediately.
Topping suggestions
Drizzle these delicious syrups over your fried ice cream
- Chocolate sauce
- Hot fudge
- Strawberry sauce
- Caramel sauce
- Honey
- Chocolate honey
- Dulce du leche
- Of course, whipped cream and maraschino cherries are a must!
Tips
- Air fryer fried ice cream balls are great to make ahead! Prepare the ice cream balls through the steps but don’t air fry. Leave the coated ice cream balls in the freezer until you’re ready to cook- up to3 months. Perfect to make a lot and have them on hand when a fried ice cream craving hits!
- Instead of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, use Corn Flakes, Chocolate Rice Krispies, Cinnamon Chex, coconut flakes, chopped pecans, or cookie crumbs as the coating
- Try different ice cream flavors- coffee, pumpkin, cinnamon swirl, blueberry- all great choices.
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Try these desserts
- Frozen S’mores
- Air Fryer Donut Holes
- Texas Sheet Cake
- Brownie Truffles
- No Bake Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie
- Mini Fruit Pies
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Air Fryer Fried Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream or your favorite flavor
- 4 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
- 4 eggs
- Toppings: caramel sauce chocolate sauce, honey, chocolate honey, whipped cream, maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Scoop ice cream into four (4) 1 cup balls. I find it easiest to mold the ice cream into balls using my hands. Place the ice cream balls on a sheet pan or plate and freeze 1 hour until solid.
- Add the cereal to a zipped top bag and crush the cereal using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer. You’ll want the cereal pretty fine, but not a dust. If the pieces are too big, they won’t stick to the ice cream. Add the crushed cereal to a shallow bowl.
- Add the eggs to a separate mixing bowl and whisk.
- After the ice cream balls have been in the freezer for at least 1 hour, take them out and roll the ice cream balls in the whisked eggs, then roll in the cereal, pressing the cereal into the ice cream. Roll in the eggs once again and again in the cereal again. Make sure to really pat the cereal on so it sticks.
- Freeze the prepared ice cream balls for 4 hours or overnight.
- Place an air fryer liner in the air fryer basket. Cook 1 ice cream ball at a time for 3-4 minutes in the air fryer at 350°F.
- Drizzle with your favorite toppings and enjoy immediately.
Video
Notes
- Air fryer fried ice cream balls are great to make ahead! Prepare the ice cream balls through the steps but don’t air fry. Leave the coated ice cream balls in the freezer until you’re ready to cook- up to3 months. Perfect to make a lot and have them on hand when a fried ice cream craving hits!
- Instead of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, use Corn Flakes, Chocolate Rice Krispies, Cinnamon Chex, coconut flakes, chopped pecans, or cookie crumbs as the coating
- Try different ice cream flavors- coffee, pumpkin, cinnamon swirl, blueberry- all great choices.
