Choco Taco-Inspired Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe

The next time you get a hankering for a tasty Choco Taco, sadly, you may not be able to find one. In July 2022, Klondike announced it was discontinuing the ice cream treat, but just because you can't buy one, that doesn't mean you can't make a whole batch to satisfy your cravings. In fact, if you happen to have a pizzelle maker, it couldn't be easier to whip up a batch in just a few minutes. Of course, you'll also have to give the treats time to set and harden in the freezer, but still, with minimal effort, you can have these chocolatey tacos in your hand and ready to eat in a little over an hour. 

Recipe developer Melissa Olivieri uses a pizzelle iron to speed up the process of making the cone-like shells. This handy kitchen gadget is designed to make waffle cookies that are round and thin — the perfect size and shape to turn into "taco shells." And with sweet waffle-style batter, you end up with a cookie shell that tastes a lot like a waffle cone — just, you know, in taco form. "It isn't thick like a waffle," Olivieri explains, "so it gives you a good mouthful of all the ingredients in each bite."

The nice thing about this Choco Taco-inspired recipe is that while it looks complicated, it actually doesn't require many ingredients, and those it does require are easy to source (you may have most of them in your kitchen already). All you need are eggs, sugar, butter, baking powder, flour, vanilla extract, slivered almonds, chocolate chips, vegetable oil, caramel sauce, and vanilla ice cream.  Just keep in mind that the butter should be melted and cooled before you use it. 

Want a different nut? Go for it. Prefer chocolate ice cream to vanilla? No one's gonna stop you. "It's completely customizable to what you like," Olivieri assures.

To make your batter, add the flour, sugar, and baking powder to a bowl and whisk these dry ingredients together. Then, add the wet ingredients — the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla — to the same bowl. Whisk again until fully combined. 

Preheat your pizzelle iron according to the instructions for your make and model. When it's ready, add a "dollop" of batter to the center of each mold and close the top gently. The batter will spread out once you close the machine. 

Allow the batter to cook for 1 minute, or until the pizzelle is golden. 

Use a bamboo skewer or a spatula to remove the pizzelle from the machine, then carefully fold them over the edge of a large bowl to cool into a "taco shell" shape. Make sure you give them time to cool completely so they'll hold this form. 

Continue making and cooling the waffle cookies for your Choco Taco-esque sandwiches until you've used all of the batter. 

Take the ice cream out of the freezer and set it on the counter to allow it to soften slightly. This will make it easier to scoop into the taco shells. 

As the ice cream is softening, go ahead and melt the chocolate. Place the chocolate chips in the microwave and cook for 30 seconds. Remove them, stir, and return to the microwave to heat for another 30 seconds. Remove them again and stir again. Repeat one last time, if needed. 

When the chocolate is completely melted, add the vegetable oil to the bowl and stir until it's shiny and smooth. 

With all your necessary ingredients ready to go, you can start building your ice cream tacos. Use a spoon to fill each taco shell with about ¼ cup softened ice cream, then drizzle each with 1 teaspoon caramel sauce. 

Now, you want to coat the ice cream and the top edges of the shells with chocolate to "seal in" the caramel and ice cream. Dip the top of the shell in the melted chocolate and "roll" it across to coat the shell. 

Once sufficiently coated (but before the chocolate hardens), sprinkle the slivered almonds across the top as the final tasty decoration. 

Before chowing down on these sweet treats, you need to let them set. Line a pan with parchment paper and place it in the freezer. Then place the ice cream tacos on the pan as you make them. Keep them in there for at least an hour to chill.