Cup, Cake Cone Or Sugar Cone Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, fine corn starch, and a pinch of salt until evenly combined.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Stir in the milk, melted butter (cooled slightly), and vanilla extract until blended.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk just until smooth and free of lumps. The batter should be thin and pourable—similar to crepe batter. If too thick, add up to 1 teaspoon of milk at a time to reach correct consistency. Let the batter rest 10 minutes at room temperature to relax gluten and remove air bubbles.

Preheat and prepare iron

Preheat your waffle-cone maker, pizzelle maker, or thin-waffle iron according to manufacturer instructions to medium-high heat. Lightly brush or spray the plates with a small amount of neutral oil if your device is not nonstick.

Cook batter

Place about 2 tablespoons of batter (for thin cones) or 3 tablespoons (for slightly larger cups) in the center of the hot iron. Close and cook 30–60 seconds or until the waffle is golden brown and crisp. Exact time depends on your iron—watch closely on first few.

Shape into cone

Work quickly: remove the cooked wafer from the iron and set it on parchment. Immediately roll it around a cone roller or wooden dowel to form a cone shape, starting at one edge and wrapping tightly so the tip is sealed. Hold for 15–20 seconds until the wafer cools and sets. For sugar-cone style (thicker, sturdier), wrap slightly less tightly and allow more cooling time.

Make cups

To form a cup instead of a pointed cone, wrap the still-warm wafer partially around the dowel leaving the top open and press the bottom into a small cup-shaped mold (or invert over a small cup) so it forms a flat-bottomed cup. Hold until set.

Repeat cooking and shaping with remaining batter. If wafers cool before shaping, briefly warm them in a hot oven (200°F / 95°C for 2–3 minutes) or microwave for 3–5 seconds to soften, then reshape. Yield: about 10–12 cones or 8–10 cups depending on portion size.

Chocolate dip and decorate

If desired, dip the rim and inside of each cooled cone/cup into melted chocolate and immediately sprinkle with sprinkles or chopped nuts. Place on parchment until chocolate sets (about 10–20 minutes at room temperature or 5–10 minutes chilled).

Store cones in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days for best crispness. Avoid refrigeration (will soften).