Ice Cream Nachos are a fun and easy dessert to piece together to create a nostalgic summer memory!
They’re made with crispy pizzelle cookies, scoops of ice cream, and a variety of dip-able and scoop-able toppings. It’s the kind of dessert that feels special without being complicated, and it’s perfect for family nights, parties, or summer gatherings.
Best part? You can customize them with whatever you have on hand. I love filling our stainless steel sectioned containers with homemade chocolate sauce, butterscotch sauce, whipped cream, different flavors of ice cream, homemade chocolate chips, Oreo cookie crumbles, and homemade sprinkles.
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Why You’ll Love Ice Cream Nachos
- Easy to assemble with simple ingredients
- Perfect for sharing and serving a crowd
- Completely customizable with toppings
- Kid-friendly and interactive
- Works with homemade or store-bought ingredients
- Great for parties, birthdays, or summer desserts
This is one of those recipes that feels more like an experience than just dessert.
“We made these for family date night and they were a hit with the both the kids and adults!”
Ingredients
Please see recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe details.
1. Pizzelle Cookies
These can be store bought or homemade (the vanilla recipe is shared below and the chocolate can be found in The Gluten Free Kitchen APP. These cookies are thin, crispy and perfect for these ice cream nachos. You can replace them with any cookie, or graham cracker of choice!
2. Toppings: Chocolate Sauce, Butterscotch Sauce, Chocolate Chips, Sprinkles, etc
I share a homemade version for all of these toppings inside of The Gluten Free Kitchen APP, but any gluten free toppings will work!
3. Cookie Crumbles
These cookie crumbles are so versatile and the perfect addition to any ice cream nachos! You can find my recipe here.
4. Whipped Cream
Whipped Cream of any kind will work – but this is especially delicious when you use Chantilly Cream – you can find my recipe here.
5. Ice Cream
You can used store-bought or homemade ice cream and pick any flavor you’d like. That’s the beautiful of this fun throw-together recipe, it’s so versatile and makes any ice cream experience more memorable!
Additional Allergens/Suggested Modifications
- Dairy: Sub out topping ingredients and ice cream for dairy free alternatives.
- Eggs: If making the homemade pizzelle cookies, sub the eggs for an egg replacer like Bob’s Red Mill.
This recipe is naturally free of: nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, seed oils and sesame.
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How to Assemble Ice Cream Nachos
1. Make the Pizzelle cookies by mixing all the ingredients until well combined.
2. Use a pizzelle maker, waffle iron maker, or cast iron tortilla press to form and bake teh cookies. Repeat until all of the dough is used.
3. In a separated plate, start filling each compartment with different ingredients/toppings.
4. I share all of my homemade recipes for baking staples inside of The Gluten Free Kitchen APP (along with hundreds of other 100% gluten free recipes!)
5. Finalize toppings
6. Dip the cookies in the ice cream and toppings and enjoy!
Gluten Free Ice Cream Nachos
Ingredients
Pizzelle Cookie
- 1 cup Millet Flour
- 1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour
- 1/2 cup Arrowroot Powder
- 1 tbsp Protein Powder (vanilla or chocolate depending on the cookie)
- 3/4 cup Maple Sugar
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder *If making chocolate pizzelle
Toppings
- Whipped Cream
- Chocolate Chips
- Chocolate Fudge Sauce
- Ice Cream
Instructions
- Mix all of the pizzelle cookie shell ingredients together in a bowl and scoop onto a pizelle maker. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- While still hot, use a small mason jar ring to shape into a circle. Let cool flat.
- Once cooled, add the cookies to a tray and fill compartments with other fun toppings like whipped cream, chocolate chips, chocolate fudge sauce, and of course ice cream!
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
For chocolate pizzelle cookies, use cocoa powder instead of flour when rolling out the dough to keep the cookies from turning white.
The cookie batter is very sticky, but it needs to be. Make sure to use flour or cocoa powder on your hands when shaping the cookies so that it doesn’t stick.
Using a pizzelle maker is encouraged to get the thinness of the cookie. An ice cream cone maker or a cast iron tortilla press would also work.
Pre-make all of the toppings ahead of time to make this dessert an easy grab and assemble style dessert for more spontaneous fun.
Pre-Prep/Storage Options:
- Pre-Prep: The cookie batter can be prepped ahead of time and kept in the refigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.
- The baked cookie can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.
- The toppings can be prepped ahead of time as well and stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container.
- Storage: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for the best results.
- Freezing Options: Baked cookies and baked can be store in the freezer for up to 6 months in an air tight container.
Recipe FAQs
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