These Mexican Unfried Ice Cream Balls are a gluten-free, lightened-up version of traditional fried ice cream. Enjoy them as a tasty portion-controlled treat for any occasion.

Mexican unfried ice cream balls with strawberry sauce

Happy Cinco de Mayo! As a dietitian, I LOVE participating in the celebration of many different cultures 🙂

I’ll never forget the first time my parents took me to a Mexican restaurant as a child. After lots of chips, quesadillas, tacos, and the like, we were served the most DELICIOUS dessert. I’d never seen or heard of Mexican Fried Ice Cream before, but my goodness, my mind was blown. How did they actually FRY ice cream, I wondered?

That was apparently a one-time treat because I don’t recall ever going back to Garcia’s restaurant, though I still can taste that uniquely decadent, sweet, crunchy treat in my mind. You can find variations of fried ice cream in Japanese cuisine as well, though it’s fried in tempura batter resulting in a softer coating.

Homemade Unfried Ice Cream- only 3 ingredients.

Fast forward many years, I decided to create Mexican Unfried Ice Cream Balls as a way to make a fun, bite-sized dessert that can be served at any summer gathering. The crunchy, salty, and sweet flavors create a party on your palate. You can easily make enough for a group, and the kids can help with the crushing and rolling. I’ve made this a few ways, sometimes without syrup and with various toppings.

Mexican Unfried Ice Cream Balls

The photo shows a drizzle of sorghum syrup, which is similar to molasses. If you’ve never tried it, you can read more about it in my recipe for Roasted Pears with Dried Plums and Pistachios. I also like them drizzled with a tiny bit of melted dark chocolate or served in a bowl topped with frozen strawberries that have been defrosted and cooked down.

Easily make sugar free ice cream balls.

If you are really watching your sugar intake, you can choose to use sugar-free ice cream, though the total calories won’t change significantly. Newer “better-for-you” ice creams are available with higher protein and fiber content, less sugar, and lower calorie counts- around 60 per 1/2 cup serving. The nutritional information below was calculated using slow-churned ice cream with 100 calories per 1/2 cup.

Each 1/2 cup of ice cream makes about 6 balls the size of a melon baller. You can also make one or two big balls to resemble the original dish. It’s entirely up to you.

Have fun and get creative with your unfried ice cream! I’d love to hear about any variations you discover in the comments below.

Enjoy these lightened up Mexican Unfried Ice Cream Balls as a tasty, festive treat #CincoDeMayo http://wp.me/p4LsrV-wS Share on X