Copycat Taco Bell Tacolate Recipe

If you ever grew up chasing down the ice cream truck for a Choco Taco, but then discovered chili, cinnamon, and small-batch dark chocolate as an adult, this one’s for you. I first heard about Taco Bell’s Tacolate from a friend in Portland who texted me in all caps: “ICE CREAM TACO BUT MAKE IT SPICY.” I was skeptical until I had one in hand. One bite in and the nostalgia hit hard, crunchy shell, rich ice cream, dark chocolate snap, but then came that warm ancho-cinnamon glow and a drizzle of mango jalapeño that made me laugh out loud. It was weird, wild, and wildly good. So of course, I had to recreate it.

How to Make Taco Bell’s Tacolate

You’ll begin by whipping up a cinnamon-ancho ice cream, warmly spiced, not fiery, then freezing it flat for easy taco-shaped scoops. While that chills, you’ll make thin waffle-style shells, shaping them into crisp little taco curves as soon as they come off the iron. Once the shells are cool and sturdy, you’ll fill them with slabs of ice cream and freeze again until solid.

Next comes the fun part: dip each ice cream taco into melted dark chocolate, then shower it with puffed quinoa for that signature crunch. After one last freeze to set the shell, you’ll serve them with homemade Mango Jalapeño and Wildberry Cinnamon sauces drizzled over the top, or let guests go wild with their own packet-style pours.

The result is a mash-up of old-school Choco Taco nostalgia and modern sweet-heat flavor. Playful, surprising, and weirdly addictive.

Nutrition Facts (per Tacolate)

• Calories: 410
• Total Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 13 g
• Cholesterol: 95 mg
• Sodium: 120 mg
• Carbohydrates: 47 g
• Sugar: 32 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Fiber: 2 g

Cooking Times

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes (includes shell making and sauce simmering)
• Chill & Freeze Time: 4–6 hours (includes ice cream chilling, shell cooling, final freezing)
• Total Time: About 5–7 hours (mostly passive)

Ingredients (makes 8 Tacolates)

Waffle Cone Taco Shells

• 2 egg whites
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 tbsp melted butter
• ¼ cup whole milk
• ½ tsp vanilla
• ⅓ cup flour
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Cinnamon-Ancho Ice Cream

• 1½ cups whole milk
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• ¾ cup sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 1½ tsp cinnamon
• ½–¾ tsp ground ancho chili
• Pinch of cayenne (optional)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt

Shortcut: Use 1 quart vanilla ice cream + 1 tsp cinnamon + ½ tsp ancho + pinch of salt. Soften, mix, and re-freeze.

Chocolate Coating & Crunch

• 10 oz dark chocolate (60–70%)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• ½–¾ cup puffed quinoa or toasted rice cereal

Mango Jalapeño Sauce

• 1 cup mango purée
• 2–4 tbsp sugar or honey
• 1–2 tbsp lime juice
• ½ jalapeño, minced (or pinch of jalapeño powder)
• Pinch of salt

Wildberry Cinnamon Sauce

• 1½ cups mixed berries (fresh/frozen)
• ¼–⅓ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

Tools You’ll Need

• Ice cream maker (or freezer-safe container)
• Waffle cone maker or nonstick pan
• Blender or food processor
• Saucepan (x2 for sauces)
• Measuring cups/spoons
• Spatula, whisk
• Tall cup or glass for chocolate dipping

Instructions

1. Make the Ice Cream Cook custard base: Warm milk, cream, half the sugar. Whisk yolks + rest of sugar. Temper, cook to 170°F. Stir in spices, vanilla, salt. Chill, churn, and freeze flat in a tray.

2. Make Shells Whisk egg whites + sugar. Add butter, milk, vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Cook in waffle cone maker or skillet. Shape into tacos while warm. Let cool fully.

3. Make Sauces Simmer mango, jalapeño, lime, sugar for 5–8 min. Simmer berries, sugar, cinnamon, lemon for 8–10 min. Strain if desired. Chill both.

4. Fill & Freeze Cut firm ice cream into taco-sized slabs. Gently fill each shell. Freeze again till rock solid.

5. Dip in Chocolate Melt chocolate + coconut oil. Dip top side of each taco. Sprinkle with puffed quinoa. Freeze to set.

6. Serve with Sauces Drizzle mango on one side, wildberry on the other, or let guests do the honors.

What to Serve With

This is already a showstopper dessert, but a few playful sides elevate the whole vibe:

Fruity & Fresh:

• Sliced mango or pineapple with Tajín for a tropical-spicy contrast.
• Fresh raspberries and blackberries to echo the wildberry drizzle.
• Watermelon wedges for a cooling, crunchy pairing.

Crunchy & Cool:

• Churro bites or cinnamon-dusted tortilla chips with whipped cream.
• Spicy roasted nuts (like candied ancho almonds) as a salty foil.
• Sweet corn tamales for a warm starch to follow the ice cream.

Savory Pairings:

• Mini tacos al pastor or carnitas sliders before dessert, as a bold meal progression.
• Nachos with mild cheese and pico, because salt + sweet is magic.
• Iced hibiscus tea or a mango fresca to drink alongside.

Honestly, these Tacolates are so dramatic on their own that I love serving them after a low-key taco night or even just as a “dessert surprise” after BBQ chicken skewers. No one ever expects a spicy ice cream taco.

Variations

Mini Tacolates Use smaller shells and 1 scoop of ice cream. Great for parties or kids.

Chocolate Lover’s Version Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to the waffle cone batter and drizzle dark chocolate over the sauces for double indulgence.

Extra Spicy Use chipotle powder instead of ancho, and add diced chili to the mango sauce. Bold move, but good for chiliheads.

Tropical Remix Swap the wildberry sauce for passionfruit coulis and add toasted coconut on top of the chocolate shell.

Boozy Adult Tacolate Add a tablespoon of bourbon or spiced rum to the ice cream base and use candied orange peel on top. Best served after dinner.

Ingredient Substitutes

Waffle Cone Shells Original: Homemade batter Subs: Store-bought waffle cones (softened and reshaped), pizzelle cookies

Ice Cream Original: Homemade cinnamon-ancho Subs: Vanilla ice cream + cinnamon + chili powder; Mexican chocolate ice cream for deeper spice

Puffed Quinoa Original: Airy crunch topping Subs: Toasted Rice Krispies, freeze-dried corn, or even chopped candied nuts

Dark Chocolate Original: 60–70% dark Subs: Milk chocolate (for sweeter flavor), vegan chocolate, or tempered chocolate with chili flakes added

Sauces Original: Mango Jalapeño, Wildberry Cinnamon Subs:

• Mango sauce: use bottled mango nectar + lime + chili
• Wildberry: warm berry jam + cinnamon + lemon juice

Coconut Oil Original: To thin chocolate Subs: Vegetable shortening, or omit if using couverture chocolate that melts thin naturally

Honest Review

After a couple test batches (and a lot of chocolatey fingers), this Tacolate copycat really delivers on the original’s magic. The shell holds its crunch even after freezing, which honestly shocked me a bit. The cinnamon-ancho ice cream hits that warm-spice note just right, cozy at first, then a subtle smoky tingle that lingers. And the sauces? That mango jalapeño drizzle might be my new obsession. Sweet, tangy, with a little kick. It balances the rich chocolate like a dream.

Is it exactly like Taco Bell’s Salt & Straw collab? Not perfectly. I’m guessing they’ve got access to ultra-aerated fillings and equipment I’ll never fit in my kitchen. But taste-wise? It absolutely nails the vibe. You get that sweet-meets-spicy moment in every bite.

If you’re after a dessert that feels familiar but a little rebellious, this is it. Fun to make, surprisingly polished once assembled, and weirdly impressive when you serve it to friends. Definitely something I’ll come back to, especially when I’m craving something cold, crunchy, and a little bit unhinged in the best way.