Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cones
Hand Dipped Cones – These easy Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cones are a winner with kids and adults, alike! Everyone loves waffle cones dipped in melted chocolate, then loaded with their favorite ice cream toppings for a personalized sweet treat on a hot day.
Why We Love This Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cones Recipe
I can’t drive by a Dairy Queen or Tasty Freeze without having a deep guttural urge for chocolate dipped cones. Nor can I walk through the freezer aisle at the grocery store without stopping to eyeball the ice cream drumsticks.
With nostalgic appeal, and a crunchy chocolate shell, ice cream dipped cones are hard to beat! Luckily, homemade Hand Dipped Chocolate Ice Cream Cones are just as fun to make as the are to eat.
This easy ice cream cone recipe, with a chocolate coating that hardens quickly, is just the thing to make any summer day super memorable. You only need any ice cream you like, a few pantry staples to whip up a quick chocolate ganache, and your favorite toppings!
Oh… And an egg carton! This is the secret trick of a tool that makes ice cream cone dipping at home MUCH easier.
Ingredients You Need
- Chocolate chips – your choice of semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate
- Coconut oil – refined is best for melting
- Salt – a pinch to balance the sweetness of the ganache
- Ice cream – choose several of your favorite flavors like vanilla, chocolate, mint, peanut butter, rocky road, blueberry pie, pistachio, or lavender dark chocolate chip
- Waffle cones – any size you like!
And toppings … LOTS of toppings, obviously.
How To Make Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cones
- First, prep the ice cream cone stand. Cut holes in the top of an old egg carton, like in the photos here.
- Then scoop your favorite ice cream flavors onto the cones. Use a spoon to press down firmly, so the ice cream gets all the way down inside of the cone. Then freeze so the ice cream and cone stick together. (If making ice cream drumsticks with kids, I do this ahead.)
- Once the ice cream is frozen solid on the top of each cone, prepare the chocolate coating by melting the ganache ingredients together. You can do this in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stovetop.
- Next set out all sorts of toppings, each in their own small bowl. Working one at a time, dip tops of cones into the chocolate coating. Then QUICKLY sprinkle on the toppings while the ganache is wet. Place ice cream cones upright in the stand to dry and harden. Eat immediately or place the ice cream cone upright in the carton and move to the freezer.
Get the Complete (Printable) Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cones Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite nondairy ice cream (AKA “nice cream”) and plant-based chocolate chips to make the ganache.
- Sugar-free – Use all of your preferred sugar-free chocolate chips, ice cream, and cones.
- Ganache – This basic chocolate chip + coconut oil ganache recipe works well with all kinds of chips… Try white chocolate, peanut butter, or any other flavored meltable chips you like.
- Cones – Can’t get enough chocolate dip in your life? Use chocolate-dipped WAFFLE CONES, too! You can also easily make this a gluten-free recipe by using your favorite GF-friendly cones.
Best Ice Cream Toppings for Dipped Cones
- Sprinkles – AKA jimmies, any shape, and color like the festive sprinkles used here
- Coconut – raw or toasted
- Chopped nuts – peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts
- Cereal – crispy rice, cinnamon crunch, lucky charms
- Chopped cookies – Oreos or other sandwich creme cookies, graham crackers,
- Dried fruit – chopped dried cherries, cranberries, apricots, strawberries
- Small candies – mini m&ms, Reese’s pieces, pop rocks, chocolate chips
Frequently Asked Questions
The key is to freeze the ice cream cones before dipping them. The freezing cold ice cream will also help to hard the chocolate ganache quickly!
If the chocolate begins to harden as you’re dipping the cones, simply give it a quick 5-second burst in the microwave and stir.
If you want to finish the Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cones ahead of time, place them in the cone stand and put back in the freezer. You can even wrap them neatly in parchment paper to make the ice cream drumsticks easy to pass around.
Looking for More Frozen Treats? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Ginger Ice Cream with Grilled Peaches
- Healthy No-Churn Strawberry Pineapple Sherbet
- Mango Italian Ice
- Bubble Gum Ice Cream
- Fresh Pineapple Milkshakes
Get the Complete (Printable!) Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cones Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cones
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chocolate chips semisweet or dark
- 3/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 1/2 gallons ice cream 3 half-gallon containers in various flavors
- 20 waffle cones
- Various Toppings: sprinkles chopped nuts, cereal, toffee bits, small candy, shredded coconut, dried fruits
Instructions
- Punch holes in the top of 3 egg cartons to make ice cream cone stands.
- Scoop the ice cream and press firmly on top of each cone. Place in the stand and move to the freezer to harden, for at least 1 hour.
- Place the chocolate, coconut oil, and salt in a large bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds and stir. Return to the microwave for another 30 seconds and stir. Repeat until chocolate is smooth. Allow the chocolate coating to cool for 10 minutes.
- Set out the toppings. Then dip the ice cream cones in the chocolate coating and swirl around. Allow the excess chocolate drip off, then QUICKLY sprinkle the tops before they harden.
- Return to the freezer until ready to serve.
love it
I suggest some other means of holding the cone– eggs are notorious for carrying salmonella and the cartons can be contaminated too. Otherwise, great tutorial!
I can’t get over how cute and yummy these look! They are on the menu for our next pool party! So fun & festive!
What an awesome idea!!! I love doing DIY food recipes!
Oooh! This is such a great post! I want to be at the party where this is the spread.