Choco Tacos will take Taco Tuesday to new heights with these perfect treats for hot summer days. However, Klondike has announced that it is discontinuing the beloved Choco Taco. Never fear – I’ve created a copycat version that is both easy to make and delicious to eat. Read on!
About Choco Tacos
Choco Tacos are an ice cream treat resembling a taco. They consist of a disk of a waffle cone material folded to resemble a hard taco shell that is filled with ice cream and then coated in a chocolate magic shell. Are you drooling yet?
The Choco Taco was invented in 1983 and quickly became a favorite treat in the US and abroad.
Because of market forces, however, Klondike recently announced that it was discontinuing this popular treat. Fans everywhere were both shocked and dismayed.
However, fear not. With three easy steps, you can make your own Choco Tacos in the comfort of your home.
Here’s How To Make the “Waffle Taco Shells”
I made the “waffle taco shells” by modifying my popular Homemade Waffle Cone recipe.
- I started with the following ingredients: Egg whites, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, Kosher salt, all-purpose flour, and unsalted butter. I used a taco holder to mold the waffle cone disk into a taco shape.
- With my ingredients assembled, I started by beating together the egg whites, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. This took about 30 seconds.
- Then, I added the salt and half of the flour to the egg white mixture. I beat the mixture on high until the flour was incorporated. This took about 20 seconds.
- Finally, I added the melted butter and remaining flour and beat the mixture on high until the batter was smooth.
- I heated my waffle cone maker on setting “5” and lightly brushed both sides with oil.
Here’s How To Make The No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
The ice cream that I make is a no-churn vanilla ice cream. It only involves three ingredients, takes several minutes to make, and can be piped into the “taco” shell.
- The three ingredients are heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract.
- I started by beating the heavy cream on high until soft peaks formed. This took about a minute.
- With the beaters running, I added the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. I continued beating the whipped cream until stiff peaks formed. This took another minute or so.
- I transferred the ice cream to a piping bag fitted with a #1A large round tip and piped it into the “taco” shells.
I used a small butter knife to smooth out the ice cream. Then, I placed the filled “taco” shells in the freezer for about an hour for the ice cream to harden.
Here’s How To Make the Magic Shell
- The magic shell contains only two ingredients: semi-sweet chocolate chips and refined coconut oil.
- To make the magic shell, I placed the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. I microwaved the chocolate chips and coconut oil on 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring between increments until the chocolate chips were melted and the mixture was smooth.
Finishing the Choco Tacos
I let the magic shell mixture come to room temperature before dipping the ice cream-filled “tacos” in it.
I removed the ice cream-filled “tacos” from the freezer and dipped the tops in the magic shell mixture. I allowed the excess chocolate to drip off.
Once I had dipped all of the ice cream-filled “tacos” in the magic shell, I returned them to the freezer to allow the magic shell to harden.
I ended up with 12 amazingly delicious copycat Choco Tacos. Each bite was pure perfection. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
When the “taco” shells are first made, they are brittle like a waffle cone. However, the ice cream softens the shells somewhat making it easy to eat the Choco Taco without it falling apart.
You can use store-bought ice cream if you like. However, it needs to be softened enough to allow for the filling of the “taco” shell but not softened so much as to make a mess.
Unrefined coconut oil has somewhat of a strong coconut taste. It will make the magic shell have a coconut taste. Refined coconut oil is tasteless.
You can use a Ziploc bag in place of the pastry bag with the 1A tip for piping the ice cream. Just place the ice cream in the Ziploc bag and make a small cut in the corner of the bag.
Unfortunately, a regular waffle maker cannot be used to make the waffle “taco” shells. The reason is that the waffles from a regular waffle maker are too thick.
Other Ice Cream Treats
Nothing beats the summer heat like a cold, refreshing ice cream treat. In addition to the Copycat Choco Taco recipe, you should try these delicious recipes.
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Recipe
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Choco Tacos (Copycat)
Equipment
- Waffle Cone Maker (See Tip 1)
Ingredients
"Waffle Taco Shells"
- 2 egg whites (from large eggs)
- 7 Tablespoons (2-ounces, 85 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅔ cup (3.2-ounces, 90 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons (1-ounce, 30 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled.
No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
- 2 cups (16-ounces) heavy cream
- ¾ cup (8-ounces) sweetened condensed milk (See Tip 2)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Magic Shell
- 1 cup (6-ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (2-ounces) coconut oil (See Tip 3)
Instructions
"Waffle Taco Shells"
- Preheat the waffle cone machine to a color setting of around 4. Lightly brush both sides with oil.
- In a small mixing bowl, beat together egg white, sugar and vanilla until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add the salt and half of the flour; beat to incorporate. Add the melted butter and remaining flour and beat until smooth.
- Using a tablespoon ice cream scoop, add batter onto the center of the hot cone waffle machine. Close the lid and lock the latch. Cook for 1 minute and 10 seconds. Check for proper color and adjust the timing accordingly.
- Carefully remove the waffle from the cone waffle machine with a wooden fork and form into a taco shell shape. Be careful not to burn yourself with the hot waffle disk. (See Tip 4)
- Cool completely; store in an airtight container.
- Yield: 12 "Waffle Taco Shells".
No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
- Beat heavy cream on high in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form, a little over a minute. While beating and add vanilla extract and sweetened condensed milk. Continue beating until stiff peaks form, another minute or so. The consistency of the ice cream at this point is like soft serve ice cream making it easy to pipe into the "waffle taco shells" (See Tip 5).
- Transfer no-churn ice cream to pastry bag fitted with 1A round tip. Pipe ice cream into prepared "waffle taco shells.. Smooth with a knife. Place in freezer until ice cream is firm, about an hour. (See Tip 6)
Magic Shell
- To make the magic shell, microwave chocolate chips and coconut oil on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring between increments until the chocolate chips are melted. Set aside. (See Tips 7 and 8)
- Once the ice cream is firm, dip the tops of "taco" shell with the ice cream in the magic shell to coat the shell tops and the ice cream. Allow excess chocolate to drip off. Place in freezer.
- Yield: 12 Copycat Choco Tacos
Tips/Notes
- My waffle cone maker is a Chef’s Choice WaffleConeExpress which unfortunately has been discontinued. However, there are other options available at Amazon.com
- I don’t use the whole can of sweetened condensed milk because we prefer a less sweet ice cream. However, feel free to use the whole can for a sweeter ice cream.
- You can use either refined or unrefined coconut oil. However, unrefined coconut oil will have a strong coconut taste whereas refined coconut oil has hardly any taste. My preference is the refined coconut oil.
- There are several ways to form the actual “taco” shell. One way is to drape the flexible shell over the handle of a wooden spoon as soon as it is removed from the cone waffle iron. The shell will firm up in about 20 seconds. My preferred method is to bend the flexible shell into a taco shell shape as soon as it is removed from the cone waffle iron and place the shell in a taco shell holder. I do this quickly so that it cools a bit but is still flexible. I’m careful not to burn myself.
- I like to put the bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 5 minutes before whipping the cream. This helps to maintain a proper structure
- If you don’t have a pastry bag and/or piping tip, you can pipe the ice cream using a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. You could also scoop the ice cream into the “taco” shells.
- I like to use a microwave-safe small bowl for the magic shell. This makes it easier to dip the “taco” shell with ice cream.
- It takes about 2 minutes in my microwave for the chocolate chips to melt on 50% power with 30 second increments.
Nancy Hoekman says
Hi Will the taco shell become soft after being in the freezer for a few days or longer?
Chula King says
Hi Nancy,
I didn’t have a problem with the taco shell becoming soft after being in the freezer. However, they only lasted a few days.
Chula
Bre says
3/4 cup would be 6 oz; does the recipe call for 3/4 cup (6oz) or 1 cup (8 oz) sweet and condensed milk?
Chula King says
Bre,
If you compare equal volumes of sweetened condensed milk and regular milk, e.g., cups, the sweetened condensed milk will weigh more. Therefore, a cup of sweetened condensed milk is not 8 ounces like a cup of milk would be.
One can of sweetened condensed milk weighs 14 ounces or 396 grams. By volume, one can contains 20 tablespoons, or 1 1/4 cups.
I like my no-churn ice cream to be less sweet, so only use part of the can of sweetened condensed milk. However, you can use up to the entire can based on your sweetness preference.
Chula