Are you ready to eat the ice cream of your dreams? Meet Caramel Waffle Cone Ice Cream – a rich caramel ice cream studded with chocolate-covered waffle cone pieces and a ribbon of caramel swirl.
If you haven’t been following my recent adventures, I spent the last few weeks sampling ice cream around Pittsburgh to find the most memorable spots. Because I make my own ice cream, my expectations are a bit higher than most.
I look for two things: creativity and execution. Typical flavors like chocolate, cookie dough, or mint chocolate chip are easy to find. I want a stand that surprises me with unique combinations or executes classics exceptionally well.
On one visit I ordered a sundae that fell short: the chocolate flavor lacked depth compared to the fudgy chocolate ice cream I usually make. The shop was busy, and it may satisfy many customers, but it didn’t meet my personal standard. That’s the difference between a scoop you eat and a scoop that transports you into a quiet moment of bliss.
When I say bliss, I mean those face-first, unashamed bites that make you lose track of everything else. The kind of scoop you try to savor slowly but end up devouring before it melts. For me, that experience came from this Caramel Waffle Cone Ice Cream. From the moment I imagined it to the first taste, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Crunchy waffle cone pieces add a texture I adore. I once almost bought a waffle cone maker at a flea market and never stopped regretting not doing it. I hadn’t had a proper waffle cone in a long time, so it felt right to recreate that flavor and crunch inside my ice cream.
The idea came to me on a Target run looking for peanut butter ice cream for another project. While they had many fun flavors, the store version of caramel waffle cone was vanilla with mix-ins. I wanted a true caramel base intensified with homemade caramel sauce folded in for a double hit of caramel.
A key trick to keeping the waffle cone pieces crunchy in a frozen base is coating them in chocolate. The chocolate not only introduces a complementary flavor but also seals the cone pieces so they resist sogginess once folded into the ice cream.
Caramel Waffle Cone Ice Cream
1 pint
20 minutes
20 minutes
40 minutes
Are you ready to eat the ice cream of your dreams? Meet Caramel Waffle Cone Ice Cream – caramel ice cream with chocolate covered waffle cone pieces and a caramel swirl.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into 2 pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup waffle cone pieces
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
- 2 tablespoons caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of milk to form a smooth slurry.
- Combine the heavy cream and corn syrup in a measuring cup.
- Heat the granulated sugar in a heavy saucepan without stirring until the center begins to change color. Scrape the edges into the center with a heatproof spatula, continuing until the sugar reaches an amber color. Remove from heat and carefully add some of the cream mixture—watch for spattering—then finish adding the cream. If the caramel seizes, return to low heat and stir until smooth.
- Return the pan to medium heat, add the remaining 1 cup of milk, and bring to a boil. Boil for 4 minutes, then whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Boil 1 more minute until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt until melted, then stir in the vanilla.
- Transfer the mixture to a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap so it touches the surface to prevent a skin, and cool in an ice bath to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until thoroughly chilled.
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Drizzle half the melted chocolate, scatter the waffle cone pieces over it, then drizzle the remaining chocolate to coat as many pieces as possible. Let the chocolate set, then store the pieces in an airtight container until ready to use.
- Churn the chilled ice cream base according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the chocolate-covered waffle cone pieces. When transferring to a freeze-proof container, layer with caramel sauce to create ribbons. Freeze until firm, preferably overnight.
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Source: Ice cream base adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home
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