Last Updated on August 11, 2022 by Karen
This homemade Choco Taco with taco-shaped waffle cone is filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate shell and peanuts, just like the iconic treat – the best part is it only requires 4 ingredients!
Nothing says summer quite like getting our favorite frozen treats at the ice cream truck with flushed cheeks and sweaty foreheads, after a day at the beach, playing outside in the summer heat. So today I’m re-creating a classic ice cream treat that brings back lots of nostalgic memories: ice cream tacos, or better known as, Choco Taco!
Klondike’s Choco Tacos was recently discontinued, but if you’re a Choco Taco fan, you’ll love this copycat choco taco recipe. Be sure to give these tasty frozen treats a try: Chocolate Dipped Fudge Popsicles, No-Churn Apple Pie Ice Cream, and Cookie Crunch Ice Cream Cake.
I’ve been going through lots of Choco Taco recipes on the Internet and most of them involve making the taco-shaped waffle shell from scratch with homemade waffle batter, often requiring a waffle cone press or pizzelle iron. Not this one! With this recipe (or more like a Choco Taco hack), you can easily recreate Choco Taco at home requires just 4 ingredients and no special equipment needed! These Choco Tacos will be a hit with adults and kids. Once assembled, you can wrap them individually with plastic wrap or foil, which makes it perfect for everyone to just be able to grab a frozen treat for snack or dessert.
What is a Choco Taco?
Choco Tacos are dessert ice cream tacos filled with vanilla ice cream and dipped in a chocolate and peanut coating. Originally launched in 1983 by Klondike, it was even sold at Taco Bell for a period of time. However, it was recently announced that Klondike would be discontinuing the beloved Choco Taco in July 2022, after almost 40 years. I know, you can’t buy Choco Taco at the store anymore!
It’s quite disappointing if you ask me, so I decided to take the matter into my own hands and make my own. And it turns out to be super easy!
Here are the ingredients you will need to make homemade Choco Tacos:
Only 4 ingredients are needed to make Choco Tacos, and you can easily find them at the grocery store.
Waffle cones: I’m using storebought waffle cones and reshaping them into a taco-shell shape. For those who are gluten-free, great news because you can use storebought gluten-free waffle cones.
Ice cream: The classic Choco Taco is filled with a fudge ripple vanilla ice cream, but you can use any ice cream you like!
Chocolate chips: I prefer melted semisweet chocolate chips as the coating, as it will create a thick hard chocolate coating.
Peanuts: Use chopped peanuts or other nuts if you prefer. Cashew, almonds, pecans, and walnuts are great options too!
How to make homemade Choco Taco:
1. Wrap each waffle cone with a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-40 seconds until it is hot and soft enough to be reshaped. You might need to adjust the time depending on your microwave.
2. Unroll the waffle cone. You can trim into a circle with kitchen scissors if you’d like. If the waffle cone is not soft enough to handle, wrap it with the paper towel (you might have to re-dampen the paper towel) and put it back in the microwave for more time.
3. Take the flat waffle cone and wrap it around a rolling pin or the handle of a wooden spoon to create a taco shape. Hold for few seconds until it hardens.
4. Once the tacos are cooled, fill them with ice cream. If the ice cream too firm to handle, you can remove from the freezer and let soften in room temperature for about 5 minutes. I like to use a small spoon and stuff the ice cream into the tacos to avoid any air pockets. Freeze the filled tacos for 15 minutes to harden.
5. Melt chocolate by heating in microwave for 30 seconds, stirring and repeating until melted and smooth.
6. Dip the top part of the frozen tacos into melted chocolate and crushed peanuts. Return to freezer again until set. Enjoy!
What are some variations to this Homemade Choco Taco?
– Customize it with your favorite ice cream flavor and toppings. Chocolate ice cream and chopped almonds, or caramel ice cream with chopped pecans would be delicious!
– Use white, milk, or dark chocolate instead of semisweet chocolate for the coating
– Use storebought chocolate waffle cones
How long do these homemade Choco Tacos last?
Once the Choco Tacos are assembled and frozen, wrap them individually and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Will the waffle cones turn soggy and lose their crispness after heating?
No, once the softened waffle cones cool off, they return to their crisp and crunchy texture.
Can I use waffle bowls to make the taco shells?
Yes, instead of using regular waffle cones, you can use waffle bowls to make larger Choco Tacos.
Can you use chocolate magic shell instead of chocolate chips?
Yes, you can use magic shell ice cream topping as a shortcut, but note that the coating won’t be as thick.
Homemade Choco Taco
Ingredients
- 6 waffle cones
- 1 pint fudge ripple ice cream
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Wrap each waffle cone with a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-40 seconds until it is hot and soft enough to be reshaped.
- Unroll the waffle cone. You can trim into a circle with kitchen scissors if you'd like.
- Take the flat waffle cone and wrap it around a rolling pin or the handle of a wooden spoon to create a taco shape. Hold for few seconds until it hardens.
- Once the tacos are cooled, fill them with ice cream. Freeze the filled tacos for 15 minutes to harden.
- Melt chocolate by heating in microwave for 30 seconds, stirring and repeating until melted and smooth.
- Dip the top part of the frozen tacos into melted chocolate and crushed peanuts. Return to freezer again until set. Enjoy!
