Who doesn’t love tacos? And who can resist ice cream? Now imagine combining the best of both worlds into one incredible dessert—introducing Ice Cream Tacos! This delightful recipe takes the joy of your favorite savory taco and gives it a sugary twist, creating a treat that’s perfect for summer afternoons, birthday parties, or just those days when you need a little extra sweetness in your life.
The beauty of ice cream tacos is that they’re as much fun to make as they are to eat. Picture this: crisp, golden waffle shells shaped like tacos, filled to the brim with creamy, dreamy vanilla ice cream, and then dipped in rich, velvety chocolate glaze. To top it all off, a generous sprinkle of crunchy cashews adds that satisfying bite. It’s the kind of dessert that brings out the inner child in all of us—a little messy, a lot of fun, and absolutely worth every bite.
This recipe is perfect for those moments when you want to impress your friends and family with something unique, but still super easy to make. The best part? You can customize it endlessly! Swap out vanilla ice cream for your favorite flavor, add colorful sprinkles, crushed cookies, or even a drizzle of caramel. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination.
WHAT YOU’LL LOVE ABOUT THIS RECIPE
- No egg
- No oven
- No stove
- Minimal ingredients
- Fun to make
INGREDIENTS USED IN ICE CREAM TACOS
Butter
Butter plays a critical role in the ice cream taco recipe, serving multiple functions. First, it contributes to the flavor of the waffle shells, adding a rich and buttery taste that complements the sweetness of the dessert. Its fat content also enhances the texture, making the shells crisp and light once cooked and cooled. Butter aids in binding the batter, ensuring a smooth consistency that spreads evenly on the waffle maker for uniform cooking. Additionally, it provides a slight sheen to the shells, giving them an appetizing appearance. Without butter, the waffles may turn out dry, lack the desired crispiness, and miss the depth of flavor that elevates the dish
Sugar
Sugar is essential for sweetening the waffle shells and enhancing their overall flavor. It helps create a pleasant balance with the richness of the butter and the subtle vanilla aroma. During cooking, sugar contributes to the browning process through caramelization, which gives the shells their golden hue and a hint of toasty sweetness. Additionally, sugar helps the waffle shells achieve a crisp exterior while maintaining a tender structure inside. Without sugar, the shells would lack the characteristic sweetness and visual appeal that make them irresistible.
Vanilla extract
Vanilla extract adds depth and a warm, aromatic sweetness to the waffle shells, elevating their flavor profile. It enhances the overall taste of the shells without overpowering the other ingredients. The subtle hint of vanilla pairs beautifully with the buttery richness and complements the chocolate glaze later in the recipe. Even in small quantities, vanilla plays a significant role in making the shells taste more sophisticated and dessert-like. Without it, the shells might feel flat or one-dimensional in flavor.
Milk
Milk serves as the liquid base for the waffle batter, binding the dry ingredients together and creating a smooth, pourable consistency. Its fat and protein content contribute to the texture, ensuring the waffle shells are both tender and sturdy. The natural sugars in milk also aid in browning, enhancing the shells’ golden appearance. Warm milk dissolves the sugar and other ingredients more effectively, ensuring an evenly mixed batter. Without milk, the batter could become too thick or lack the richness needed for a perfectly balanced shell.
All purpose flour
All-purpose flour forms the structural base of the waffle batter, providing the necessary body and texture. It creates the framework for the shells to hold their shape, both during cooking and after shaping into tacos. The gluten in flour helps bind the ingredients together, ensuring a cohesive batter that cooks evenly. Flour also contributes to the crispness of the shells as they cool and harden. Without flour, the batter would lack structure, resulting in a soft and unshapable shell.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is the key ingredient in the glaze, providing a rich, intense flavor that complements the sweetness of the ice cream and waffle shells. Its smooth, velvety texture creates a luxurious coating that hardens beautifully when chilled. Dark chocolate’s bitterness balances the overall sweetness of the dish, preventing it from becoming overly cloying. It also contributes to the visual appeal, giving the tacos a glossy, professional finish. Without dark chocolate, the tacos would miss their signature topping and the satisfying contrast of flavors.
Cashews
Chopped cashews add a delightful crunch and nutty flavor to the chocolate glaze, providing a textural contrast to the creamy ice cream and crisp shells. Their natural richness complements the dark chocolate, enhancing the overall complexity of the dish. Cashews also contribute a touch of elegance, making the tacos look more gourmet and visually appealing. Their nutty flavor pairs beautifully with the buttery waffle shells and sweet ice cream. Without cashews, the glaze would lack the extra layer of texture and flavor that makes these tacos so special.
EQUIPMENTS USED IN ICE CREAM TACOS
A a few kitchen staples that should always be there in the kitchen are mentioned below.
Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons are the first thing that anybody who in cooking or baking needs. The right quantities will help in the desired outcome so these two things are a must.
A whisk is necessary to mix all the ingredients. Spatulas are useful to scrape down the filling.
The most important equipment required is the waffle come maker that I’ll link here.
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TIPS TO MAKE THIS ICE CREAM TACOS
- Use warm milk to help dissolve the sugar and mix the ingredients evenly.
- If the waffle hardens before shaping, you can gently reheat it for a few seconds in the waffle maker to soften it again.
- Soft ice cream spreads easily and fills the shells evenly without cracking them.
- Use a spoon to press the ice cream into the shell, ensuring there are no air pockets. This creates a uniform and satisfying filling.
- Ice cream tacos can melt quickly, especially in warm environments. Serve immediately after removing them from the freezer.
- Use different ice cream flavors or toppings (e.g., sprinkles, crushed cookies) for variety.
- 2 tbsp butter (28g), melted
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ¼ cup milk, warm
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Vanilla ice cream
- Glaze
- 1 cup (175g) dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup cashews, chopped
- In a bowl, add melted butter, sugar, milk, vanilla extract and flour and whisk everything really well to form a smooth, flowing batter.
- Heat a waffle cone maker for about 2-3 mins and pour half tablespoon of batter on it. Close the pan and cook on both the sides until it’s lightly golden brown.
- Carefully take out the cooked waffle using tongs and place in on a wire rack set over a bowl. Fold the edges of the waffle inside to give it a taco shell shape. Be quick as the shell hardens very fast.
- Fill the taco shells with softened vanilla ice cream to the brim. Freeze the ice cream tacos for at least 3 hrs or more till the ice cream hardens completely.
- To make the glaze, melt dark chocolate and oil in a microwave at 30 seconds intervals till fully melted with no lumps.
- Add the chopped cashews and fold evenly to form the glaze.
- Dip the set ice cream tacos in chocolate glaze to cover the top part of the taco and freeze again for 2 hrs before serving.
If you like my Ice Cream Tacos recipe and happen to make them in your kitchen, do tag me on Instagram and share pictures with me using #Bakewithshivesh. Happy Baking!
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