Air Fryer Ice Cream

Air Fryer "Fried" Ice Cream

Ice cream is delicious, no question asked. For me, the perfect ice cream experience is even better when crunch or nuts are mixed into the creamy delight. Not only does the crunchy texture make it feel like I'm getting two treats in one, but it also adds harmony to my favorite food.

With effortless prep and only 2 minutes of cooking time, the air fryer does an amazing job for “fried crunchy ice cream” while holding its shape and not melting it. The combination of warm, crunchy topping with cold, creamy ice cream is simply unbeatable. Gosh, my mouth is watering as we speak.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Fried Ice cream

• Vanilla Ice cream, 4 Balls.
• Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, 2 cups.
• Toppings of choice, optional.

How to Make Fried Ice-cream in the Air Fryer

• Crush’em: Crush two cups of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal into fine crumbs (but not powder) using a food processor or rolling pin. (or anything else you can use to break up the cereal into fine crumbs). I used Hamilton Electric chopper and mini food processor. Spread the crushed crumbs on a large plate and set aside.
• Make the Balls: Scoop four large scoops of vanilla ice cream and shape them into a ball shape with your clean hands, or using two large spoons. The size of my ice cream balls was approximately 3 inches in diameter but you can make them bigger if you prefer.
• Dip & Roll: Immediately dip and roll each ball into the crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch crumbs until completely covered on all sides (you may need to press down with your hands on the crumbs so they stick). Work carefully but quickly. You don’t want to lose the ball shape, since we all know that ice cream can melt pretty quickly.
• Freeze: Place the ice cream balls covered in crumbs onto a flat baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 1-2 hours or until fully hardened. This ensures that your ice cream will stay solid while frying. 
• Make it hot: When ready to air fry your ice cream balls, preheat the air fryer to 400F (200C). It is very important to preheat and place the balls into a very hot air fryer. If you don’t have a preheat setting, simply run your air fryer empty for at least 5 minutes.
• Work quickly: Remove your frozen ice cream balls from the freezer and immediately place them in the air fryer basket or tray. I used a small cut-out piece of parchment paper to place them on.
• Air-fry: Air fry for 2 minutes. Or until lightly golden brown and crispy on all sides (cook time may vary depending on how thickly you have coated each scoop). But no more than 3-4 minutes, or else the ice cream may begin to melt. You do not need to turn or flip the ice cream ball.
• Enjoy: Serve immediately with any desired toppings such as sprinkles or chocolate sauce! I used Magic Shell hard chocolate sauce.

Can I air fry a different flavor of ice cream, besides Vanilla?

Yes! You can air fry practically any ice cream flavor! The idea of introducing heat to a cold, creamy treat may seem strange but the result is surprisingly crunchy and delicious. I had the same amazing result with Strawberry and Chocolate ice cream.

Can I make fried ice cream in advance?

Absolutely! This is my favorite part. You can make as many as 6 or 8 balls (or more) and freeze them all at the same time. Just follow the same directions on dipping the balls in crumbs and place them in the freezer on top of a parchment paper lined sheet. They can be in your freeze for a week or two. Make sure they are not touching each other. When your big day arrives, surprise your guests with air-fried ice cream. I served the fried ice cream at my Superbowl party for a dessert and my guests were obsessed. I think the ice cream was the talk of the party, not the game.

Topping Substitution for Air Fryer fried Ice cream

I’m loving cinnamon toast crunch cereal for my outer shell, however, mix things up with whatever crunch you prefer. Corn flakes, crushed pecans, dried coconut flakes, frosted corn flakes, Cinnamon Life cereal, and Rice Crispies are some ideas to get you started.

What Ice cream is Best for Frying?

There’s no specific ice cream brand or type that would air fry better than the other. Get your favorite ice cream that you would normally get, crush the toppings for an outer shell, and experiment. I tried Breyers Vanilla, Haagen-Dazs Chocolate, and Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry. I even tried Lactose-free Vanilla. They all perform the same. 

Pro-tip: Do not attempt to air fry soft ice cream, like Mr. Softee, since these ice creams are soft and we need the to be freezable and to hold their ball shape for this Air fryer fried ice cream recipe.