Fried ice cream is a decadent treat made by coating a scoop of ice cream in crumbled cookies or cornflakes, then deep-frying it for a short period of time until golden-brown in color on the exterior. The scoop of ice cream should ideally be frozen below the usual temperature at which ice cream is kept, in order not to melt when fried.

If served in the most traditional way, frozen ice cream is placed on a cinnamon-sugar tortilla shell. This dessert became popular during the 1980s, and it was first adopted by a famous Mexican restaurant chain.