Ice Cream Cone Recipe
Make Ice Cream Cone Recipe in just 6h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Ice Cream Base (Makes about 6 cups)
Optional Mix-ins / Flavors
Cones & Toppings
Method
Ice Cream Base (Makes about 6 cups)
- 1
Warm dairy and dissolve sugar
In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and steam begins to rise but it does not boil (about 5–7 minutes). Remove from heat.
- 2
Temper egg yolks
In a medium bowl, whisk 4 large egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks to temper them (add in a thin stream while whisking). Then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture, stirring constantly.
- 3
Cook custard to nappe
Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (nappe), about 4–6 minutes. Do not let it boil. The mixture should reach about 170–175°F (77–80°C) if you have a thermometer.
- 4
Finish and cool
Remove the pan from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and a pinch of fine sea salt. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Let cool at room temperature for 15–20 minutes, then cover surface with plastic wrap (touching the custard) and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- 5
Churn
Once chilled, churn the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency (usually 20–30 minutes). If you don't have an ice cream maker, transfer the chilled custard to a shallow metal pan and freeze, stirring vigorously every 30 minutes to break up crystals, until evenly frozen (about 3–4 hours).
Optional Mix-ins / Flavors
- 6
Fold in mix-ins
At the final minutes of churning, add 1/2 cup chocolate chips or 1/2 cup crushed toasted pecans if using. For a swirl like strawberry, ripple in 3/4 cup fresh strawberry puree by layering spoonfuls into the churned ice cream and giving 3–4 gentle folds with a spatula to create ribbons rather than fully mixing. Transfer churned ice cream to an airtight container and freeze 2–4 hours to firm up.
Cones & Toppings
- 7
Prepare cones
If dipping cones in chocolate, melt 1/2 cup chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 20–30 second bursts, stirring between, until smooth. Dip the top rim of each waffle cone into melted chocolate, then immediately dip into sprinkles or chopped nuts. Place cones upright in a glass or cone holder until chocolate sets (about 10 minutes).
- 8
Scoop and serve
Scoop the firmed ice cream into prepared waffle cones using a warmed (run under hot water and shake dry) ice cream scoop for clean scoops. Serve immediately. Store any leftover ice cream in an airtight container with a piece of parchment pressed to the surface to minimize ice crystals; freeze for up to 2 weeks.
