We Tried Dairy Queen’s Cinnamon Toast Crunch Dipped Cone

I don’t remember the first time I was given that “magic shell” stuff instead of regular chocolate syrup. While nothing can beat hot fudge or gooey melted caramel, there’s something a bit silly, silky, and texturally interesting about the syrup ice cream shell. And if anyone in the ice cream world owns the experience, it’s the Dairy Queen herself. She runs the dip game. Hard. And every once in a while, the Queen goes a little mad and lets in a little extra flavor. 

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In an act of delicious corporate synergy (not to mention quite possibly the most audacious attempt to turn ice cream into breakfast we’ve ever seen), DQ partnered up with General Mills to create the limited-time only “Cinnamon Toast Crunch Dipped Cone.”  

Our Thoughts

Pros: We heard about this collab all the way back in January and have been excited ever since. THe first thing this cone has going for it is kind of a must: texture. The Dairy Queen hardened “dip” is the crème brûlée of magic shell experiences. Seriously, when I used my elongated (yes, red plastic) spoon to “crack” into that hardened caramel-brown chemically magical coating, I felt just a little classy. Main point: DQ’s been at it so long, they have the texture down―after your choice of vanilla, chocolate, or swirled soft serve is dipped and that magic chemistry happens, you’ll have a “hardened” (cinnamon-speckled) shell. But one tap of the spoon is all it takes to crack. And unlike some generally well-regarded tempered chocolate makers out there (we’re looking at you, Lindt), the shell here melts perfectly. It gently gets buttery. There’s no waxiness or plasticy vibe. 

If you let the shell melt on your tongue (and why not) the whole deal kind of tastes like you ate Cinnamon Toast Crunch in heavy cream. As for the flavor itself, yes, it’s a simple gambit. But Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a nostalgic flavor―thus, a slightly… sensitive moment DQ’s trying to transfer here, in more ways than one. (Remember childhood? And Saturday morning cartoons?). But they carry it off in the flavor. Just try not to weep too much salty nostalgia into your cup (or cone). 

Cons: For some ridiculous reason I panicked and got swirl. Cinnamon and chocolate are a beautiful pair, but if you’re going for breakfast verisimilitude (which sounds like the worst hipster band of all time), go vanilla soft serve. It’ll taste like breakfast, a happy childhood, churros, and hope. 

Another tiny con―and yes, it’s a ridiculous thing to write as an adult―but there was no apparent presence of Cinnadust on the shell.

Our Final Verdict

Not the most inventive or mind blowing thing. But it works at what it does. For the most breakfasty ice cream or ice creamy breakfast experience your dietician never wants you to know about, go vanilla soft serve and insist on that Cinnadust. But either way, it’ll taste like a good kind of yesterday.