This copycat Choco Tacos recipe is so easy to recreate using frozen waffles, ice cream, chocolate sauce, and peanuts. When you want to pay tribute to the discontinued frozen treat, simply prepare your own homemade version in 10 fast minutes!
Homemade Choco Tacos Copycat
Our easy Choco Taco recipe is a creative twist on Klondike’s discontinued classic, simply made by stuffing a “taco shell” with your favorite slow churn or store bought ice cream flavor, pressing crushed peanuts on top, and covering it in a chocolate coating.
Even if the original ice cream truck staple does reappear at some point, why opt for the other when you can make my Choco Taco alternative in a matter of minutes?
While most copycat ice cream Taco Choco recipes I’ve read heat a waffle cone or bowl to form the taco shell shape, I think my ingenious trick for turning frozen waffles into taco shells is even better because they’re thick enough to hold the frozen filling plus toppings and I don’t have to worry about breaking them into pieces if they’re held too tightly.
So if you’re missing the sweet taste of the waffle cone-shaped taco shell filled with its signature fudge-swirled vanilla ice cream, it doesn’t have to be gone for good when it’s this easy to make your own masterpiece at home!
Why We Love This Copycat Choco Taco Recipe
- Quick and easy to make.
- Only uses 4 ingredients.
- No waffle cone maker needed, press, or pizzelle iron needed.
- Customize your copycat with different toppings and your favorite ice cream flavors.
- Fun project to prepare with kids.
- Cold, sweet, creamy and slightly crunchy snack.
- Delicious dessert that tastes even better than the retired Taco Bell version.
Choco Tacos Ingredients
- Frozen waffles
- Ice cream: I used vanilla ice cream for this recipe but you can use your favorite flavors.
- Magic shell chocolate sauce
- Chopped peanuts or any nut you prefer.
Substitutions and Additions
- Tasty Toppings: Top your tacos with colorful sprinkles, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, or M&Ms.
- Swap The Shell: Free free to make your own fresh waffles in a waffle maker, use a pizzelle iron to create shell cookies, or use store bought bowls or cones instead of frozen waffles.
- Make Your Own Middle: Instead of filling your taco shell with store bought ice cream, check out my make your own ice cream recipes and have fun preparing it homemade!
Recommended Tools
- Oven
- Cutting board
- Rolling pin
- Tongs
- Ice cream scoop
How to Make Choco Tacos
- Cook Your Cone: Flatten thawed waffles with a rolling pin and place them carefully to hang over the wire rack in the oven and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes, until they hold a taco shape. Allow them to slightly cool.
Pro Tip: Placing them in a loaf pan will help them to stand upright in the freezer. - Assemble: Fill each shell with ice cream, freeze for 10 minutes and then press crushed peanuts into the tops. Freeze again for 5 minutes, top with magic shell, and add any desired topping.
- Serve: Serve and enjoy!
Tip for Making Homemade Choco Tacos
- You can make your own homemade ice cream or use store-bought ice cream to stuff your shells.
- I found it easiest to work with batches of 4 and freeze for about 10 minutes in between batches.
- Quickly finish 1 batch and place the tacos back in the freezer for a few minutes while working on the next batch.
- When adding the magic shell, start in the middle and work outwards.
How to Store Choco Tacos
- To Store: Once the choco tacos are completely finished and frozen, wrap them individually and keep them in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Other Easy Copycat Recipes
Other Easy Dessert Recipes
- Homemade Twix Bars
- S’mores Bars – Starbucks Copycat Recipe
- Buckeye Pie
- Chocolate Pudding Pie
- Mounds Cake
- Princess Fudge
- Mini Cheesecakes
Choco Taco
Ingredients
- 8 frozen waffles thawed
- 1.5 litre tub vanilla ice cream or any flavor desired
- 205 gram magic shell chocolate sauce
- 1 cup crushed peanuts or any of your choosing
Toppings optional:
- sprinkles
- nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F, and ensure the rack is in 1 above the middle.
- Flatten thawed waffles on a cutting board with a rolling pin and place them carefully to hang over the wire rack in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until they hold a taco shape.
- Remove them from the oven with tongs and place them on a cutting board or working surface with parchment paper and allow them to slightly cool. Note: placing them in a loaf pan will help them to stand upright in the freezer.
- Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, fill with ice cream, freezing them as you work. Note: we found it easiest to work with batches of 4 and freeze for about 10 minutes.
- After all taco shells are all full remove from the freezer and lightly press the tops of the ice cream with crushed peanuts, then freeze again for another 5 minutes. Repeat with the second batch.
- Remove again from the freezer and top with magic shell, starting in the middle, and working outwards, then add any desired topping. Quickly finish 1 batch and place them back in the freezer for a few minutes while working on the next batch.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Once the Choco tacos are completely finished and frozen, wrap them individually and keep them in the freezer for 2-3 months.
- You can make your own homemade ice cream or use store-bought ice cream to stuff your shells.
- I found it easiest to work with batches of 4 and freeze for about 10 minutes in between batches.
- Quickly finish 1 batch and place the tacos back in the freezer for a few minutes while working on the next batch.
- When adding the magic shell, start in the middle and work outwards.
