We love anything that brings people together in a universal cheer. Coffee is most definitely one of those things, but tacos are a close competitor. Every dog has his day, but we think tacos deserve at least two. Thankfully, National Taco Day s coming up, and we can’t wait to celebrate. Since there’s only one day allotted to this joyous food, we have a proposal for you: have your tacos for dinner AND dessert. Is that not genius? You’re welcome.

We all remember being little kids and the thrilling jingle of the ice cream truck. I could hear it from a mile away. My parents would always hope I’d be distracted or out of earshot but nope-not me! The kids from the neighborhood would pile out into the streets, racing joyously toward that merry little bell. As an 80’s baby, I had come into existence a mere two years after the Choco Taco had become a regular on those ice cream trucks. The unique treat fused ice cream, chocolate, nuts, and sugar cone in taco form, yielding a full spectrum of flavors in each bite. The surrounding buzz did not fall on deaf ears.

The inventor of the Choco Taco, Alan Drazen, was inspired by the fastest growing facet of the food industry in the 80’s: Mexican food. He made his debut in the biz while still in college, driving an ice cream truck in Philadelphia. From there, he brought the wonders of the Choco Taco to the world!

What was once an ice cream truck only treat has now been adapted by chefs across the country, copied, and remixed more times than we can count. As DIY enthusiasts, we decided to take matters into our own hands and make our spin on a dessert taco recipe at home!

Whether you’re celebrating Taco Day out on the town or at home, end your day with this tasty dessert taco recipe. You deserve it. Try out our creamy, frozen treat and let us know what you think in the comments below!

Coffee Fudge Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup cold, dark roast brewed coffee (we used Medium Roast Espresso)

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups cold heavy cream

Hot fudge (well, warm fudge)

Instructions

Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a large bowl and whisk in the cold coffee (or other flavoring), set aside.

Whip the heavy cream until peaks form. We used a hand mixer on medium-high.

Add whipped cream to the condensed milk mixture and blend by hand or on the low setting until combined.

Blend again on medium until the mixture is just thickened.

Pour mixture into a freezer-safe container (we used a standard size loaf pan) and cover with wax paper.

Freeze overnight or until firm

Dessert Taco Recipe

Ingredients

Frozen or homemade waffles

Fudge

Chopped nuts (we used honey roasted peanuts)

Parchment paper

Baking sheet

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Let ice cream thaw for about 10 minutes

Scoop the ice cream onto waffles and refreeze for about an hour to set the shape

Using a teaspoon, spoon the warm (not hot!) fudge into the taco shells and transfer to the baking sheet

Transfer the tacos to the freezer for about 1 hour

Enjoy!

If you like to sink your teeth into a good baking project on a cold day, this one is worth the effort. As pretty as it is delicious, it’s also the perfect dessert for a holiday dinner or special occasion. Consider it the dessert version of an after dinner coffee drink, a drink with a cinnamon-coffee layer, a chocolate-coffee layer, cream cheese frosting, and a chocolate cookie crust!

Ingredients

For the cheesecake:

1 1/2 lb cream cheese softened at room temperature

14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

4 large egg yolks

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 ounces dark chocolate, melted (we used the 70% cocoa variety)

4 tablespoons turkish or extra fine ground coffee, divided between layers

4 tablespoons coffee liqueur, divided between layers

2 tablespoons cinnamon

For the crust:

24 chocolate cookies-finely crushed

1/4 cup unsalted butter-melted

2 tablespoons turkish or extra fine ground coffee

For the topping:

1 lb cream cheese softened at room temperature

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Dark chocolate shavings

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch springform pan and set aside. Finely crush the cookies in a food processor. Add the coffee and then the melted butter and blend until it’s all moistened. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees and begin making the filling layers. Beat together the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. While beating, add the egg yolks one at a time and beat until very smooth. Add the sour cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat 4 egg whites with 1/2 t salt until stiff. Fold into the cheese mixture.

To create the layers, divide this mixture in half. For the bottom (chocolate) half, whisk in 2 tablespoons of the coffee, 2 tablespoons of the coffee liqueur, and the 4 ounces of dark chocolate. For the top (cinnamon) layer, whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of coffee, 2 tablespoons of coffee liqueur, and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Pour the chocolate batter into the 10-inch springform pan lined with the crust, followed by the cinnamon batter. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off the heat and let sit (door closed) for 45 minutes or more. The cake should cool completely in the oven.

Meanwhile, beat together the first three topping ingredients and let sit at room temperature. When the cake is cool, remove from the oven, spread the cream cheese mixture over the top, and add the chocolate shavings. Run a knife around the inside of the pan and store in the refrigerator uncovered for the first few hours to prevent condensation. Remove from the pan when cold.

To serve, slice the cake while still cold using a thin, non-serrated knife and rinse the blade under hot water between slices. Another great slicing method: use a piece of dental floss, fishing line, or thin wire to cut through the cake. Drop one end at the bottom after each cut and pull it through!