Homemade Choco Tacos: it consists of a waffle cone “taco shell” stuffed with vanilla ice cream, dipped in milk chocolate and topped with peanuts. I make it a bit different with a fudge-swirled ice cream and lots of different toppings!
Summer as a kid meant tennis camp in Big Bear, shorts and tank-tops every single day, Wimbledon, and long, slow days spent mostly outside, playing hide and go seek until the street lights flickered on.
There were also lots of sleepovers where ten girls would pile in someone’s basement or room and we’d watch Sandlot, The Shining and Pet Cemetery, until a parent would force us to go to sleep already! And sometimes, in the middle of the night, we’d sneak into the kitchen and open up the freezer hoping for something awesome. My friends could always count on my freezer being full of lots of ice cream (dad’s favorite) and if we were really lucky, there’d be a few Choco Tacos; I always bought extra from the ice cream truck.
My internal 12-year-old self has always wanted to make Homemade Choco Tacos at home and it always seemed somewhat complicated. UNTIL NOW!! Let’s start with the basics.
What is a Choco Taco
If you’re sadly unfamiliar with a Choco Taco, here is the breakdown:
- Waffle Cone. Flat circle of waffle cone that is gently folded over to make a “taco shell”
- Vanilla Ice Cream. It’s filled with vanilla ice cream.
- Dipped in melted milk chocolate.
- Topped with crushed peanuts.
We’re making some adjustments. And instead of going super traditional, I decided to make a no-churn ripple fudge ice cream. And instead of peanuts, I went with shredded coconut, sprinkles and crushed pistachios.
But truly the sky is the limit, and go with what you like!
Why Were Choco Tacos Discontinued?
Klondike (the company behind Choco Tacos) said that it had dwindling sales. They’ve stated that out of their entire portfolio of products/ice creams that Choco Tacos haven’t been performing very well. The demand just isn’t there. Perhaps this will change due to the uproar!
How to Make Homemade Choco Tacos
- To start, make a no-churn fudge ice cream. Start by making a fudge swirl by combining brown rice sugar, heavy cream, cocoa powder and chocolate.
- Beat together heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk until soft peaks form.
- Layer about 1/3 of the heavy cream mixture to the bottom of a parchment lined loaf pan. Swirl in dollops of the fudge and then repeat until you’ve worked through all of the ice cream. Transfer to the freezer.
- Mix the batter ingredients together. Add a dollop of the batter to the center of your waffle maker (you could also do this in a nonstick pan). And close the maker for 1 minutes. When you open it, immediately remove it and using a thin book, lined with a paper towel, press it against the binder. This will help make it fold like a taco shape. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
- Use a teaspoon and fill the tacos with the ice cream. You really want to fill them up all the way. Place them on a baking sheet and transfer to the freezer to firm up.
- Temper the chocolate. Dip the top edges of the taco into the chocolate and sprinkle with whatever toppings you’re using. Transfer back to the freezer to set! Repeat with all of the tacos.
Looking for other recipes to make? Here are some favorites:
If you make this Choco Taco, let me know on Instagram!
Homemade Choco Tacos
Ingredients
Ripple Fudge No-Churn Ice Cream:
- Fudge:
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons brown rice syrup (you could also use corn syrup)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugarÂ
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped or chips)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extractÂ
- Ice Cream Base:Â
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Choco Taco Shells:
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon light brown sugarÂ
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and warm
- 2 tablespoons milkÂ
Assembly:Â
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate
- Sprinkles for topping
- Chopped pistachios for topping
- Coconut flakes for topping
Instructions
To Make the Fudge:
- In a medium saucepan, combine everything except the butter and vanilla. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, let’s make the ice cream base.Â
To Make the Ice Cream:
- Add the heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk to the bowl of a stand-up mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Line a loaf pan or other freezer-safe container with parchment. Add about 1/3 of the ice cream base to the container. Smooth out the top and add a few tablespoons of fudge sauce. Using a knife, swirl the fudge sauce into the ice cream. Repeat the layers until you’ve worked your way through all of the ice cream. You should end up with about 1/2 cup of fudge sauce. Place it in the a fridge-safe container (lasts up to 1 week). Transfer the ice cream to the freezer until firm, about 4 hours, ideally overnight.Â
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, salt, vanilla extract and sugar. Mix in the flour until no specks of white appear. Pour in the butter and salt and mix once more until very smooth.Â
To Make the Choco Taco Shells:
- If you’re using a waffle cone maker, take the time to pre-heat it. Drop a tablespoon of batter onto the center of the maker. Close and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove immediately and transfer to the center of two layered paper towels. Immediately place the edge of a smallish book in the center and wrap the paper towels/waffle cone around the book, shaping it into a taco. Press on it for 1 minute, then remove and allow to cool completely. Repeat until you’ve worked your way through all of the batter. You should end up with about 20 choco taco shells.Â
To Assemble the Choco Tacos:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Remove the ice cream from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature for about 10 minutes. Using a teaspoon, spoon it into the choco taco shells and transfer to the baking sheet. Transfer the tacos to the freezer for about 1 hour. (This particular ice cream is sort of soft so it needs this long; if you’re using store-bought ice cream, then it will take less time to refreeze!)
- Meanwhile, add melt the 6 ounces of Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate chunks over a double-boiler or in the microwave (for about 1 minute, stirring at the 30 second mark). Dip the tops of the choco tacos in the chocolate; immediately top the chocolate with sprinkles, pistachios or coconut flakes. Transfer back to the freezer to refreeze for about 15 minutes or until you’re ready to serve.Â
Notes
Nutrition
Your text is incorrect several times. They are clearly NOT dipped in milk chocolate. I didn’t need to read the recipe to know it.
i think you’re taking a choco taco really personally. the brand has never stated what type of chocolate it’s dipped in but one look at it and it’s pretty clear that it’s not dark chocolate. relax.
why are you so bent out of shape about the chocolate? you can use whatever chocolate you prefer; like my husband doesn’t like chocolate and uses that caramel syrup that hardens. that’s the nice thing about homemade items….. you make them to your preference!
Hi! Under #3 Pour in the butter and salt and mix once more until very smooth… I think you meant milk instead of salt! I used your recipe as an inspiration and made these this weekend 🙂 They came out wonderful, thanks for the post!
Cutest thing everrrrrr!
Theses are cute but way toi much work for me. Fortunately, I can still buy them in my freezer section by Klondike!
How do you keep the waffle from getting soft in the freezer once it’s made? I have tried to make them to have for an event but after 1 day the waffle gets really soft and mushy.
Theses are cute but way toi much work for me. Fortunately, I can still by them in my frewzer section by Klondike!
Oh my these look delicious. I had these growing up and they were always a favorite. I bet these would be 100 times better than my memories.
How incredibly fun and impressive these are! Seriously, could not be cuter – I am so tempted to make a giant batch like tonight! Pinned 🙂
These are so cute! I love that, I’ve never even thought of making my own waffle cones, the dedication in this post is really amazing!
Hahah…thanks Angela. I always show extra dedication for sweet thangs. 😉
Oh how I wish I could get my hands on one (or 2) right now!
These look so fun and delicious!
so i might have only tried a choco taco for the first time last summer.. but it was so good! (tbh everything in there is delicious alone, so it would have been more surprising if they were bad). i guess i was too preoccupied with flavored cokes bought from the vending machine at camp (aka sans parents, who were very anti-fruity coke for understandable reasons) when i was growing up.
cherry coke was my favorite growing up so i understand this!