Patriotic Ice Cream Cones

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These Patriotic Ice Cream Cones are a festive touch to any Memorial Day or July 4th party. They are also a fun way to welcome home your soldier.

Family and friends will be so impressed with these homemade ice cream shoppe sugar cones. They are easy enough that older kids can get in on the fun and help make them.

Pin Patriotic Ice Cream Cones to make later.

Celebrating Memorial Day or the 4th of July usually involves a backyard BBQ or picnic. If you like to make different types of ice cream cones, these will be a fun and easy treat that will make guests think you bought them from the local ice cream shoppe.

What do I need to make sprinkle ice cream cones?

• Ice cream cones (sugar cones, cake cones, waffle cones or waffle bowls)
• Red, White, and Blue nonpareils or jimmies
• White candy melts or white chocolate chips
• A spatula or pastry brush to brush candy (I like a small spatula)

This year we are celebrating at home so I decided to make these patriotic ice cream cones to hold a big scoop of ice cream. My family loves sugar cones but you could certainly make these with cake cones or waffle bowls.

If you’re making waffle bowls or waffle cones, you will need to melt more chocolate since they are quite larger than sugar cones. I first tried using white chocolate chips.

I must admit, I was impatient and it seized so I turned to candy melts. I’ve learned it’s better to melt white chocolate in the microwave and to use fresh white chocolate.

I have melted candy melts in the microwave in the past with tremendous success but chose to use my Wilton Candy Melts Melting Pot that I got for Christmas. Worked like a charm.

I used bright white melts. You could use red or blue but I like the white background. Once they were melted I took a rubber spatula and spread the candy around the outside of the cone.

I had the small, round, nonparieils but you could also easily use sprinkles or, as some call them, jimmies. Star sprinkles would be even more festive. I found it easier to put the nonpareils in a bowl and spoon them over the cone. The coverage was better.

What kind of ice cream can I serve in sprinkle dipped ice cream cones?

Of course, I’d say serve your favorite flavor. For a party, offer some different options such as:

• Strawberry Ice Cream
• The Best Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream from House of Nash Eats
• Fresh Coconut Ice Cream
• Nutty Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
• Grasshopper Pie Ice Cream, for adults, from An Affair from the Heart

How do I store decorated ice cream cones?

These cones should be stored only a few days in a covered container. If you are making them for a party,  you can do so up to 2 days in advance. I stored them in plastic containers on the counter. Do not refrigerate because if moisture seeps into the container, they will soften.

Print Pin

5 from 25 votes

Patriotic Ice Cream Cones

Make ice cream shoppe cones easily at home.

Course Desserts and Sweets

Keyword how-to, ice cream cones, July 4th, non-pariels, sprinkles

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Setting Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 10 cones

Author Ellen Folkman

Equipment

• Rubber Spatula
• Microwaveable bowl
• Microwave

Ingredients

• 1 package bright white candy melts
• 1 package sugar cone ice cream cones
• Red white and blue nonpareils or sprinkles

Instructions

• Melt candy melts according to package directions.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently spread the candy onto the sugar cone.
• Using a spoon, sprinkle the nonpareils over the candy.
• Place cone, upside down, on waxed paper to set. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Notes

The cones I purchased had 12 in the package. I was able to make 10 decorated cones with one bag of candy melts.

This post was originally published June 20, 2016 and updated May 15, 2021.