Sometimes, I can’t help but think that my ice-cream-loving husband enjoys the warm and crispy ice cream cones even more than the ice cream itself. 😂
So I bought a waffle cone maker, devoted an entire week to experimenting with various ingredients and ratios until I finally discovered the perfect recipe that guarantees these ice cream cones retain their delightful crispiness even days after being made.
With this easy-to-follow recipe, whether it’s a scorching summer or a chilling winter day, you can enjoy crispy and delicious homemade ice cream cones paired with your favorite ice cream flavors.
Now, there’s no need to make a trip to the ice cream shop – you can savor this delightful treat anytime, right in the comfort of your own home.
And don’t forget to pair these crispy waffle cones with our homemade matcha ice cream (click to see the recipe), making this treat truly extraordinary!
Tips for making crispy ice cream cones:
1. Preheat the Waffle Cone Maker: Make sure to preheat your waffle cone maker for at least 10 minutes. This ensures even cooking and a crispy texture. I’d just turn my waffle cone maker on medium high heat as my first step of making ice cream cones.
2. Consistency of the Batter: Strive for a smooth and lump-free batter. You can achieve this by whisking the wet and dry ingredients thoroughly and straining the batter through a fine mesh strainer if needed.
3. Cooking Time: Keep a close eye on the cooking time. Cooking too long can result in over-browned cones, while cooking too little may leave them soggy and soft after cools down. The manufacturer’s suggested cooking time may not always align with your specific recipes. Despite the recommendation of 2 to 3 minutes per waffle, I found that it actually took 10 to 15 minutes for the waffle to achieve a beautiful golden brown color. Be flexible and adjust the cooking time as needed based on your observations.
3. Rolling the Cones: Once the waffle is ready, work quickly to roll it around a cone-shaped mold while it’s still hot and pliable. This step sets the shape of the cone and ensures it won’t break apart once it cools.
4. Use Heat-Resistant Gloves: When handling the hot waffle cones, use heat-resistant cooking gloves or double up with regular gloves inside to protect your hands from burns. You will have to roll and shape the waffles while it’s still super hot, otherwise they will turn too hard and crispy to be rolled.
5. Cooling Rack: Place the rolled waffle cones on a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This prevents moisture buildup and keeps the cones crisp.
6. Storage: To maintain their crispness, store the cooled waffle cones in an airtight container or ziplock bag. If you’re not using them right away, consider freezing them for longer storage.
7. Experiment with Flavors: Get creative with flavors and add-ins to customize your waffle cones. You can try adding sesame seeds, cocoa powder, matcha powder, or even a touch of citrus zest for unique and tasty variations.
8. Size and Shape: Adjust the amount of batter in each scoop to control the size of cones. In addition to creating cone-shaped waffle, you can easily turn the waffle made using this recipe into a waffle bowl by gently shaping it into a bowl and allowing it to cool.
9. Don’t skip the tapioca starch: While I understand that all the ingredients, except for tapioca starch, are commonly found in most pantries, you might be tempted to skip it if it’s not readily available. However, I strongly recommend against skipping tapioca starch as it plays a crucial role in this recipe, enhancing the texture and crispiness of the ice cream cones.
By incorporating tapioca starch into the waffle cone batter, you can achieve multiple benefits. It helps minimize any grittiness in the batter while acting as a reliable binding agent, ensuring all the ingredients hold together seamlessly. Additionally, tapioca starch contributes to creating a wonderfully crispy and delicate texture in the waffle cones, allowing them to retain their crispiness for up to a week after being made.
10. Stirring the batter: Over time, the batter may start to separate, with some ingredients settling at the bottom while others float to the top. Stirring the batter before each scoop ensures that all the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout, resulting in a uniform texture and flavor in each waffle cone.
EQUIPMENT
- Kitchen scale (Or measuring cups. But a kitchen scale is more recommended.)
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Fine mesh strainer
- Electric nonstick waffle cone maker
- Heat-resistant cooking gloves
- Wire rack
INGREDIENTS List
- 65 g all purpose flour (⅓ cup + 2½ tbsps)
- 25 g tapioca starch (3½ tbsps)
- 55 g granulated sugar (¼ cup + ½ tbsp)
- 1 g salt (⅛ tsp)
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg white
- 40 g milk (3 tbsps)
- 35 g vegetable oil (3 tbsps)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (Optional)
Step-by-step INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the waffle cone maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (I typically set my waffle cone maker to medium-high heat and then proceed to prepare the ingredients for making ice cream cones.)
2. Prepare the dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, tapioca starch, granulated sugar, and salt until well combined.
3. Prepare the wet ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg, egg white, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well blended.
4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring constantly to form a smooth batter.
5. Strain the batter through a fine mesh strainer to get rid of any clumps. Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes to allow it to thicken slightly.
6. Scoop 2 to 3 tbsps of the batter onto the preheated waffle cone maker. Close the lid and cook on medium-high heat for approximately 10 to 15 minutes until the waffle turns golden brown. (Keep in mind that cooking times might vary depending on your specific waffle cone maker. Despite my waffle cone maker’s instruction book suggesting a 2 to 3-minute cook time, my personal experience showed it took 10 to 15 minutes. Therefore, it’s essential to observe carefully and adjust the cooking time flexibly.)
7. Put on a set of heat-resistant cooking gloves. (If you don’t have heat-resistant cooking gloves, you can wear a pair of thick winter gloves inside and then add a pair of food prep gloves on the outside.) As soon as the waffle is ready, quickly roll it around a cone-shaped mold. Make sure you roll it up quickly while it’s still hot and pliable because it will turn crispy and break apart easily once it cools down.
8. Hold the ice cream cone in place for a few seconds to set its shape, remove it from the mold and let it cool on a wire rack. Repeat the process with the remaining batter until you’ve made all the waffle cones.
9. Once the waffle cones are completely cooled, you can enjoy them immediately with your favorite ice cream. (Check out my homemade matcha ice cream recipe here.)
10. To store these homemade ice cream cones, simply place them in an airtight ziplock bag. When stored at room temperature, they will stay crispy for about a week. Alternatively, you can freeze them to maintain their crispiness and freshness for up to a month.
My other crispy recipes you will also like:
Ice Cream Cones (Homemade crispy waffle cones)
Equipment
- Kitchen scale (Or measuring cups. But a kitchen scale is more recommended.)
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- fine mesh strainer
- Electric nonstick waffle cone maker
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 65 g all purpose flour (⅓ cup + 2½ tbsps)
- 25 g tapioca starch (3½ tbsps)
- 55 g granulated sugar (¼ cup + ½ tbsp)
- 1 g salt (⅛ tsp)
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg white
- 40 g milk (3 tbsps)
- 35 g vegetable oil (3 tbsps)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the waffle cone maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. (I typically set my waffle cone maker to medium-high heat and then proceed to prepare the ingredients for making ice cream cones.)
- Prepare the dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, tapioca starch, granulated sugar, and salt until well combined.
- Prepare the wet ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg, egg white, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well blended.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring constantly to form a smooth batter.
- Strain the batter through a fine mesh strainer to get rid of any clumps. Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes to allow it to thicken slightly.
- Scoop 2 to 3 tbsps of the batter onto the preheated waffle cone maker. Close the lid and cook on medium-high heat for approximately 10 to 15 minutes until the waffle turns golden brown. (Keep in mind that cooking times might vary depending on your specific waffle cone maker. Despite my waffle cone maker's instruction book suggesting a 2 to 3-minute cook time, my personal experience showed it took 10 to 15 minutes. Therefore, it's essential to observe carefully and adjust the cooking time flexibly.)
- Put on a set of heat-resistant cooking gloves. (If you don't have heat-resistant cooking gloves, you can wear a pair of thick winter gloves inside and then add a pair of food prep gloves on the outside.) As soon as the waffle is ready, quickly roll it around a cone-shaped mold. Make sure you roll it up quickly while it's still hot and pliable because it will turn crispy and break apart easily once it cools down.
- Hold the ice cream cone in place for a few seconds to set its shape, remove it from the mold and let it cool on a wire rack. Repeat the process with the remaining batter until you've made all the waffle cones.
- Once the waffle cones are completely cooled, you can enjoy them immediately with your favorite ice cream. (Check out my homemade matcha ice cream recipe here.)
- To store these homemade ice cream cones, simply place them in an airtight ziplock bag. When stored at room temperature, they will stay crispy for about a week. Alternatively, you can freeze them to maintain their crispiness and freshness for up to a month.
Video
Can I use My waffle maker because I don’t have the machine and I’m Not Planning To Buy It.