Taco Bell is tapping into nostalgia with the introduction of its new Churro Ice Cream Taco, available nationwide starting September 1. This limited-time offering is a collaboration with the Oregon-based ice cream company Salt & Straw.
The Churro Ice Cream Taco features a waffle cone shaped like a taco shell, filled with churro-flavored ice cream. The cone is coated in dark chocolate and studded with puffed rice for added crunch.
This new dessert is designed to evoke the success of last year's Tacolate, another waffle cone taco hybrid that featured cinnamon ancho chili ice cream, chocolate, and toasted brown rice. The Tacolate was a popular item, selling out during its initial launch weekend and generating significant social media attention.
"We knew Tacolate was special, but the response completely blew us away – and our guests made it clear they wanted it to stick around," said Tyler Malek, co-founder and head ice cream maker at Salt & Straw, in a press release. "So when we had the chance to take the idea beyond our shops with Taco Bell, we wanted to dream up something completely new."
Unlike the Tacolate, which was only available at Salt & Straw stores, the Churro Ice Cream Taco will be sold exclusively at Taco Bell locations.
For Taco Bell Rewards members, there will be an additional opportunity to obtain the ice cream tacos. On September 8, a limited-edition cooler containing three Churro Ice Cream Tacos will be available through a Tuesday Drop. Entry into this promotion is via the Taco Bell app, with only 100 coolers up for grabs.
The design of the Churro Ice Cream Taco harks back to the original Choco Taco, a taco-shaped waffle cone filled with vanilla ice cream and coated in milk chocolate and peanuts, which was discontinued in 2022. Taco Bell aims for these new treats to appeal to a new generation of consumers.
In addition to the ice cream taco, Taco Bell's beverage-focused Live Más Café is offering the Salt & Straw Choco-Waffle Chiller. This milkshake, priced at $4.69, is made with vanilla ice cream and includes churro crumbles, waffle cone bits, and a chocolate shell. This drinkable dessert will be available at select locations in California, Las Vegas, Houston, and Dallas while supplies last.