Taco Bell Churro Ice Cream Taco: 5 Sweet Details
The Taco Bell Churro Ice Cream Taco is officially here, giving fans a new way to enjoy the nostalgic ice cream taco. Taco Bell has teamed up with Portland-based ice cream company Salt & Straw for the limited-time dessert, which combines a crispy waffle cone shell, Churro Ice Cream, dark chocolate-flavored coating and puffed rice.
The new dessert arrived at participating Taco Bell restaurants nationwide on September 1, 2026. It starts at $3.99, although prices can vary by location. The collaboration also includes a second frozen treat, the Salt & Straw Choco-Waffle Chiller, available exclusively at select Live Más Café locations. TTaco Bell+1
The launch is especially notable for fans of the discontinued Choco Taco. While the new dessert is not the original product, its taco-shaped design and chocolate-and-ice-cream combination clearly tap into the nostalgia surrounding the classic frozen treat.
Here are five things to know about Taco Bell’s latest dessert.
1. The Taco Bell Churro Ice Cream Taco Is Nationwide
The biggest change from last year’s collaboration is availability.
Taco Bell and Salt & Straw previously created the Tacolate, an ice cream taco that became a major talking point among dessert fans. However, that product was primarily associated with Salt & Straw locations rather than Taco Bell’s nationwide restaurant network.
The new Taco Bell Churro Ice Cream Taco changes that.
Beginning September 1, participating Taco Bell restaurants nationwide began offering the dessert for a limited time. That gives considerably more customers an opportunity to try the collaboration without having to travel to a Salt & Straw shop.
Taco Bell says the dessert is available while supplies last. That means fans who are interested in trying it should not necessarily expect it to remain on menus indefinitely.
The $3.99 starting price also puts the dessert within the range of an affordable fast-food treat, although local pricing can be higher.
The limited-time strategy is familiar territory for Taco Bell. The chain frequently uses short menu windows and special releases to create urgency around new products.
This time, the nostalgia factor adds another layer.
The ice cream taco format already has a dedicated following, and the partnership with Salt & Straw gives Taco Bell an opportunity to revisit the concept with a new flavor rather than simply reproducing an older dessert.
2. It Is Inspired by the Choco Taco
For many customers, the most recognizable part of the new dessert is its connection to the Choco Taco.
The original Choco Taco became a popular frozen novelty after its introduction in the 1980s. Its taco-shaped waffle shell, ice cream filling and chocolate coating made it unlike conventional ice cream bars.
Klondike discontinued the Choco Taco in 2022, leaving fans without the familiar dessert.
Taco Bell and Salt & Straw later stepped into that nostalgia with their Tacolate collaboration. The 2025 product used a hand-pressed waffle cone shell, cinnamon-ancho chili ice cream, chocolate and toasted brown rice. FFood Network+1
The 2026 product takes the idea in a different direction.
Rather than bringing back the original Choco Taco, Taco Bell and Salt & Straw developed an entirely new dessert centered on churro flavor.
That distinction is important. Customers looking for the exact taste of the discontinued Choco Taco may find the new product different.
Instead, the new dessert is designed as a modern interpretation of the ice cream taco concept.
It combines familiar elements with a flavor profile that fits naturally alongside Taco Bell’s broader menu.
3. The Churro Ice Cream Taco Has a Crunchy Chocolate Finish
The construction of the new dessert is one of its biggest selling points.
According to Taco Bell, the dessert starts with a crispy waffle cone shell. Inside is a brand-new Churro Ice Cream created by Salt & Straw specifically for the collaboration.
The taco is then covered with puffed rice and a dark chocolate-flavored coating. TTaco Bell
That combination creates several contrasting textures.
There is the crispness of the waffle cone. The ice cream provides a creamy center, while the chocolate coating adds a firm outer layer. Puffed rice contributes another crunchy element.
The flavor combination is also designed around the familiar appeal of churros.
Churros are typically associated with cinnamon, sugar and a fried pastry texture. Turning those flavors into ice cream gives Salt & Straw a way to make the dessert feel familiar while still being different from a traditional ice cream taco.
Taco Bell says the result is intended to balance creamy, crispy and crunchy elements.
That emphasis on texture is particularly relevant for a product designed for social media. Breaking open or biting into a chocolate-coated ice cream taco creates a visual moment that traditional ice cream cups do not offer.
4. Taco Bell Is Also Selling a Choco-Waffle Chiller
The collaboration does not stop with the ice cream taco.
Taco Bell is also introducing the Salt & Straw Choco-Waffle Chiller, a frozen drink inspired by the same dessert.
The Chiller is available exclusively at Live Más Café locations. Taco Bell lists the starting price at $4.69. TTaco Bell
The drink uses a vanilla ice cream base blended with churro crumbles and waffle cone pieces.
It is then topped with whipped cream and additional waffle cone pieces. A chocolatey shell forms part of the presentation.
This gives customers another way to experience the flavors of the ice cream taco.
Instead of eating the dessert with a spoon or biting into the taco shell, customers can get a drinkable version built around vanilla ice cream, chocolate and crunchy waffle cone pieces.
Availability is more limited than the Churro Ice Cream Taco.
The Chiller is being offered through Live Más Café locations, with availability concentrated in Southern California, Dallas, Houston and Las Vegas. FFood & Wine
That makes the Churro Ice Cream Taco the more widely accessible part of the collaboration.
5. The New Dessert Follows a Major 2025 Success
The new release is not Taco Bell and Salt & Straw’s first attempt at an ice cream taco.
The brands previously collaborated on the Tacolate, which became a highly popular limited release.
According to Taco Bell, the 2025 collaboration sold out during its launch weekend and generated long lines at Salt & Straw scoop shops. The strong response helped convince the companies to develop another ice cream taco. TTaco Bell
The original Tacolate featured cinnamon-ancho chili ice cream inside a crunchy waffle cone shell. It was dipped in chocolate and finished with toasted brown rice.
The new product keeps some of those core concepts but changes the flavor.
Churro Ice Cream replaces the cinnamon-ancho chili flavor, while the overall format remains recognizable.
Salt & Straw co-founder and head ice cream maker Tyler Malek said the response to the previous collaboration demonstrated strong interest in the concept and encouraged the companies to create something new for Taco Bell restaurants. TTaco Bell
The strategy also makes sense for Taco Bell.
The chain has increasingly experimented with unusual desserts and beverages that can generate online conversation. The Churro Ice Cream Taco fits that strategy because it combines a recognizable fast-food brand, an established premium ice cream company and nostalgia for a discontinued dessert.
What Does the Taco Bell Churro Ice Cream Taco Taste Like?
The flavor is likely to appeal most to customers who enjoy cinnamon, chocolate and sweet frozen desserts.
The Churro Ice Cream provides the central flavor. The dark chocolate-flavored coating adds bitterness and richness, while the waffle cone provides a familiar toasted sweetness.
The puffed rice adds crunch rather than introducing another major flavor.
Early reviews have been mixed, however.
Tasting Table praised the Churro Ice Cream and dark chocolate combination but criticized the waffle cone and overall value after trying the product. The publication reported that its location charged more than the advertised starting price, highlighting how actual prices can vary by restaurant. TTasting Table
That does not necessarily mean customers will have the same experience everywhere.
Frozen desserts can be particularly sensitive to handling and serving conditions. A waffle shell can lose its crispness as the ice cream melts, while the chocolate coating can become less firm if the dessert sits for too long.
For that reason, eating the product soon after receiving it may provide a different experience than carrying it home.
How Much Does the Churro Ice Cream Taco Cost?
The Taco Bell Churro Ice Cream Taco starts at $3.99, according to Taco Bell.
However, prices may vary depending on location.
The Choco-Waffle Chiller starts at $4.69 and is only available at participating Live Más Café locations. TTaco Bell+1
Customers should therefore check their local Taco Bell menu before ordering.
Because both products are limited-time offerings, availability may also vary by restaurant.
The national rollout makes the Churro Ice Cream Taco considerably easier to find than the previous Tacolate. Still, Taco Bell has not positioned the new dessert as a permanent menu item.
When Can You Get the New Taco Bell Dessert?
The Taco Bell Churro Ice Cream Taco launched September 1, 2026.
It is available at participating Taco Bell restaurants nationwide for a limited time and while supplies last. TTaco Bell
That timing makes the dessert part of Taco Bell’s late-summer menu strategy.
The chain is also giving Rewards members another opportunity to interact with the collaboration through a special Tuesday Drop on September 8.
According to Taco Bell, participating Rewards members can enter for a chance to win a limited-edition Salt & Straw x Taco Bell cooler containing three Churro Ice Cream Tacos. Eligibility restrictions apply. TTaco Bell
The promotion adds another layer of scarcity to the launch.
For customers who simply want to try the dessert, however, the most straightforward option is visiting a participating Taco Bell while supplies last.
Why the Choco Taco Nostalgia Matters
The popularity of the new dessert cannot be separated from the history of the Choco Taco.
The original product had a distinctive shape and format that made it memorable. Unlike a standard ice cream bar, it looked like a taco and combined a waffle shell with chocolate and ice cream.
Its disappearance created a nostalgia opportunity for other brands.
Salt & Straw’s Tacolate demonstrated that customers were willing to pay attention to a more premium interpretation of the concept. Taco Bell’s new release takes that idea back into the fast-food environment.
The result is not a simple resurrection.
Instead, the Churro Ice Cream Taco uses the format as a foundation for a new flavor.
That could be an important distinction for Taco Bell. Rather than competing directly with memories of a product that no longer exists, the company can create a new experience while still attracting people who remember the original.
What Makes This Taco Bell Dessert Different?
The biggest difference is the combination of premium-style ice cream with a fast-food dessert format.
Salt & Straw is known for unconventional ice cream flavors and small-batch-style positioning, while Taco Bell has a reputation for bold menu experimentation.
The partnership brings those identities together.
The result is a dessert that looks familiar but uses a different flavor profile.
The new Churro Ice Cream also gives the product a strong connection to an already popular dessert flavor. Churros are widely associated with cinnamon and sugar, making the concept relatively easy for customers to understand.
At the same time, the chocolate coating and waffle shell preserve the visual identity of an ice cream taco.
Will the Churro Ice Cream Taco Become Permanent?
For now, Taco Bell describes the product as a limited-time offering.
There is no guarantee that it will become a permanent menu item.
However, the history of the collaboration shows why Taco Bell could be watching customer demand closely.
The first Tacolate generated enough attention and sales to lead to another collaboration. If the new Churro Ice Cream Taco performs similarly well, customers could potentially encourage the brands to develop additional versions in the future.
Taco Bell has increasingly leaned into limited releases, collaborations and visually distinctive products.
That approach allows the company to test unusual ideas without committing to permanent menu space.
The Churro Ice Cream Taco is a strong example of that strategy.
The Bottom Line
The Taco Bell Churro Ice Cream Taco is more than another limited-time dessert.
It is Taco Bell’s latest attempt to turn nostalgia into a new menu experience, while Salt & Straw brings its own approach to ice cream and flavor development.
At $3.99 to start, the dessert combines a crispy waffle cone shell, new Churro Ice Cream, dark chocolate-flavored coating and puffed rice. It is available nationwide at participating Taco Bell locations for a limited time. TTaco Bell
The brands are also offering the Choco-Waffle Chiller at select Live Más Café locations, giving customers a drinkable version of the same flavor concept.
For Choco Taco fans, the new product may not perfectly recreate the original. Instead, it offers a new take on the ice cream taco format.
And that may be exactly what makes the collaboration interesting.
After the strong response to last year’s Tacolate, Taco Bell and Salt & Straw are once again betting that customers want their frozen desserts served with a little nostalgia, a lot of crunch and an unmistakably taco-shaped twist.
