Low-Carb Ice Cream Sugar Cones
Martina Slajerova- Ready in 30m
- 1.7 g net carbs
- 127 kcal
- Serves 10
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I've always loved ice-cream waffle cones and craved them ever since I gave up grains and sugar. While I mastered keto ice-cream, grain-free bread, and even low-carb tortillas, sugar cones seemed impossible due to their perfectly crisp texture thanks to the main ingredient: sugar.
After much experimentation with different nut and seed flour mixes and sweeteners, I finally came up with this recipe. These cones are guilt-free and likely the closest you'll get to real sugar cones!
Recipe Tips and Swaps
There are two ways to make these waffle cones: using a cone maker or a DIY approach with cone shapers and an oven. I prefer using a cone maker because it's less work, easier, and you can make the cones really thin and crispy.
Can't eat nuts? Need a different sweetener? Here are some easy recipe
- Almond flour: If you can't use almond flour, try sunflower seed flour as a substitute.
- Sweetener: Brown sugar substitute or erythritol blends work well. Adjust to your taste preference. If you don't have brown sugar substitute, you can add a teaspoon of blackstrap molasses, or up to a tablespoon of yacon syrup. Although allulose is generally a better option, I would not recommend it in this recipe. Allulose would make the cones soft and you need to keep them crunchy.
- Fat: You can use melted ghee, butter, or coconut oil depending on your dietary needs and taste preference.
- Milk: Coconut milk works great, but you can also use almond milk or any other low-carb milk alternative. Heavy whipping cream is an option too (use half cream and half water).
DIY Approach VS Cone Maker
When I first made these sugar cones, I didn't have a cone maker and used DIY cone shapers made from paper and aluminum foil. While it worked, the result wasn't ideal. The cones were thicker, unevenly cooked, and slightly burnt on the edges. Here's a comparison to help you decide which method to use:
DIY Approach
- Preparation: Make cone shapers using paper and aluminum foil. This requires some crafting but can be fun if you enjoy DIY projects. Here's a quick tutorial to help you with the cones.
- Baking: Spread the sugar cone dough in round shapes on a silicon baking mat and bake at 150°C/300°F (fan-assisted) or 170°C/340°F (conventional) for 15-18 minutes.
- Forming: Once the wafers are baked, use a spatula and the DIY cone shaper to fold the hot dough around it. Allow it to cool for 1-2 minutes.
Pros:
- No special equipment needed.
- Great for a hands-on, crafty kitchen project.
Cons:
- More time-consuming and labor-intensive.
- Cones may not be as thin or crispy.
- Uneven cooking can result in burnt edges.
Cone Maker
- Preparation: Preheat your cone maker to medium. This step is crucial for even cooking.
- Cooking: Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter per wafer into the cone maker and close the lid. Cook for 3-6 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Forming: Use a spatula and cone shaper to fold the hot wafer around it. Let it cool for 1-2 minutes before removing the shaper.
Pros:
- Quick and easy with consistent results.
- Cones are thinner and crispier.
- Less chance of burning.
Cons:
- Requires purchasing a waffle cone maker (Although there are more expensive, professional options, a basic one can be purchased for as little as $15!)
Final Tip
You could also try cooking the batter on a crepe maker or non-stick pan (like a thin pancake), then quickly shaping it into a cone while still warm. I haven’t tested this method, but it may work if you don’t have a cone maker.
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Looking for more tasty ice cream recipes that are sugar-free, low-carb and keto-approved? Check out The Ultimate Ice Cream Guide!!
Step-by-step
Preheat your waffle cone maker to medium. In a bowl, place the almond flour, psyllium, vanilla powder and salt. In another bowl, mix the eggs, coconut milk, sweetener and melted ghee.
Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the eggs and mix well. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. This will help the batter thicken so it's not too runny.
Pour the batter (about 3 tablespoons per wafer) in the waffle cone maker and close the lid. Cook for 3-6 minutes, or until it's lightly browned and cooked through (the time depends on the cone maker and temperature setting). Once ready, use a spatula and cone shaper to fold the hot wafer around it. Place on a plate or a chopping board and let it cool down for 1-2 minutes.
As it cools down, the wafer will harden. Then, you can remove the cone shaper and let it cool to room temperature.
Repeat for the remaining cones (9-10 per recipe). Once cooled, place them gently one inside another and store in an airtight container for up to a month.
Serve with a scoop or two of your favourite keto ice-cream!
Recipe
Low-Carb Ice Cream Sugar Cones
★★★★★4.8How to make crunchy low-carb sugar cones at home in a few easy steps. These are the best keto ice cream waffle ...
- Hands on
- 30m
- Overall
- 30m
- Servings
- 10
- 1.7 g
- Net carbs
- 2.9 g
- Protein
- 12.4 g
- Fat
- 127
- kcal
Ingredients makes 10 cones
Instructions
Preheat your waffle cone maker to medium. In a bowl, place the almond flour, psyllium, vanilla powder and salt. In another bowl, mix the eggs, coconut milk, sweetener and melted ghee.
Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the eggs and mix well. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. This will help the batter thicken so it's not too runny.
Pour the batter (about 3 tablespoons per wafer) in the waffle cone maker and close the lid. Cook for 3-6 minutes, or until it's lightly browned and cooked through (the time depends on the cone maker and temperature setting). Once ready, use a spatula and cone shaper to fold the hot wafer around it. Place on a plate or a chopping board and let it cool down for 1-2 minutes.
As it cools down, the wafer will harden. Then, you can remove the cone shaper and let it cool to room temperature.
Repeat for the remaining cones (9-10 per recipe). Once cooled, place them gently one inside another and store in an airtight container for up to a month.
Serve with a scoop or two of your favourite keto ice-cream!
Nutrition per cone
Carbs 5%Protein 9%Fat 86% of calories
- Net carbs
- 1.7 g
- Total carbs
- 10.3 g
- Fiber
- 1.2 g
- Sugars
- 0.6 g
- Protein
- 2.9 g
- Fat
- 12.4 g
- Saturated fat
- 6 g
- Calories
- 127 kcal
- Sodium
- 33 mg · 1.44% RDA
- Magnesium
- 24 mg · 6.12% RDA
- Potassium
- 87 mg · 4.35% EMR
Nutrition by ingredient
| Per cone | Net carbs | Protein | Fat | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almond flour (blanched ground almonds, almond meal) | 0.6 g | 1.4 g | 3.5 g | 39 |
| Psyllium husk powder | 0.1 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 |
| Vanilla powder, dried (from vanilla beans, vanilla pods) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 1 |
| Salt, pink Himalayan rock salt | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 |
| Sukrin Gold, brown sugar substitute | 0.6 g | 0 g | 0 g | 1 |
| Ghee | 0 g | 0 g | 5.5 g | 50 |
| Egg, whole, fresh, raw (free-range or organic eggs) | 0.1 g | 1.3 g | 1 g | 14 |
| Coconut milk (full-fat, unsweetened) | 0.3 g | 0.2 g | 2.4 g | 22 |
| Total | 1.7 g | 2.9 g | 12.4 g | 127 |
Serving size cone
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nightshade free
- Pork free
- Avocado free
- Fish free
- Shellfish free
- Beef free
- Pescatarian
- Vegetarian
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Comments & ratings (58)
Hi. Thank you for the recipe, can't wait to try them!! Do you think I could use almond milk ot 1/ & 1/2 instead of the coconut milk? Just curious if you had tried using one of those before? Thank you!!
Hi Jennifer, yes you can use almond milk instead. I hope you like it! 😊
I tried making these cones but I subbed almond flour with coconut flour (im allergic to almonds). It was never liquidy at all, like I never needed them to sit they were too doughy. The first one I made in my cone maker ended up falling apart, the 2nd time I rolled the dough myself first like a meat ball to make sure it suck together. The 2nd one worked much better, but was only able to make 4 cones out of this. Gonna try adding cinnamon to it next time, but how would I make it more liquidy? Add more milk, eggs? (I assume eggs would just make it more fluffy so maybe not), butter?
I haven't tried these with coconut flour so I'm afraid I won't know for sure. You could swap the almond flour with ground sunflower seeds (same amount, similar fat content and can be used 1:1).
If you used coconut flour, I suppose you did adjust the amounts (only about 1/3 cup coconut flour for every cup almond flour as it's more absorbent). You can see the consistency of the raw batter from the video recipe - that is what you will need to achieve.
Another way to thicken the dough and keep it nice and flexible would be to add a tablespoon of flax meal, possibly 2 depending on the consistency.
Hi!
this looks very interesting 😊
do you reckon I could make the batter in advance, let's say one day before and keep it in the fridge? considering that I would replace the eggs with flax eggs 😊
thanks!
I think you could make the dough in advance but I haven't tried it. It might get too thick. When it comes to flax/chia eggs, I'd love to know myself because I haven't tried that. I wouldn't dare guessing in this case but I think you may need to add some xanthan gum, otherwise it would be too fragile. When I try it I'll update the post. If you do that first, let me know! 😊
Most interestingly they won‘t work - they just fell apart. I tried them in a cone maker and an waffle maker afterwards - you just can‘t get them out without falling apart (in the cone maker they fall apart in an instant, i even turned the heat down a lot - didn‘t help though).
So no sugar cones for tomorrow’s birthday party, what a pity.
Oh no, that must have been disappointing! Interestingly I found the thicker ones more fragile that the thin ones made in the cone maker :-( Have you seen the video recipe in case any ingredient looks different? I'm thinking you could use a pinch of xanthan gum too - if this is too fragile with psyllium.
Can you use almond milk instead of coconut milk?
Yes you can! Just keep in mind this will affect the nutritional values (more fat in coconut milk).
sorry - see someone already asked and you answered my question about pizzelles - i was just so excited didn't read all the comments - Yes please create a Keto pizzelle recipe !!!!
Thank you for your kind words! Great news! We actually have one in the plan for this month's posting (already done and photographed) so you will see the pizzelles very soon 😊
thx - looking forward to it
Can you use a pizzelle maker ? it doesn't have a heat setting and pizzelles are made of eggs & butter - do you know if the keto cone recipe will still or how long it might take to cook...
ALSO if anyone can create a Keto recipe for Pizzelle cookies - please share - i make them every christmas season and I would love to have a low carb version
Yes, a pizzelle maker will work for this recipe too! I think the time should be about the same but you may need to do some tweaking as I'm not sure about the temperature settings. The dough should be set and lightly golden but not too crisped up ad it might break when rolling.
Hi Martina. I can't wait to try these recipes. Is it possible to substitute xanthan gum for the psyllium husk powder? Thanks
Hi Tamara, I'd try adding 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum. I hope this helps - let me know if you try it, I'd love to know how it went 😊
Hi! I clicked on the link for the cone maker but it takes me to a krumkake maker- which appears to make the same design as the one in the directions but much smaller. I compared cone pictures of both krumkake maker and the waffle coneexpress maker and the waffle cone ones resemble your cones but they have no design- just plain. Which one do you recommend?
Thank you!
Hi Milena, apologies for the late reply. Thank you for noticing! I didn't realise that there was a smaller size, my mistake - I fixed the link so it should now link to the correct size 😊
Can I use a Pizzelle maker for these? It looks like the cone maker to me, but I'm not sure. Thank you.
Yes you can! It looks exactly the same to me... Which makes me wonder about keto pizzelles - next task! 😊
Interesting post. but just wondering if these cones r soft like our usual keto bakes or are they crispy like normal cones?
They are very crispy once they cool down 😊
Can you use a waffle maker?
I don't think so because the dough would be too thick - you need to spread it out thin.
These look awesome! Just curious, if I were to use Swerve/Erythritol, should I use granular or powdered?
I can’t wait to try these....the cone maker is going on my amazon wish list right now! 😊
Thank you! I tried both and found no difference so you can use either. If you substitute, make sure to go by the "gram/oz" values as 1/2 cup powdered sweetener will weigh less than granulated.
I made these, and they are delicious - thank you! However, I found just one tablespoon of mixture was plenty for each cone - and I made 8 cones - so I am puzzled how you could make 9 - 10 using 3 tablespoons per cone . . . . Of course my machine may have been a different size, but judging from your pictures, they look about the same size. I made them as a special treat for a birthday dinner - everyone loved them!
Thank you Christiana! Could it be that you used "heaped" tablespoon? I used a small ladle which was 3/4 full per each cone... (that should be equal to about 3 "level" tablespoons per cone). I hope this helps! 😊
I make my own fortune cookies and with dietary changes I'm going to try this recipe and see how it works. Maybe change the vanilla to almond flavoring. Looks delicious
Thank you Jo! That sounds like something I need to try too! 😊
I want to buy some cones
Me too - not really a cook (tho i will try) - Let me know if you find anywhere to buy low carb/keto cones
Sadly, Surkin Gold has MALT in it which comes from BARLEY.
We do not eat any grains in our house. Have you found any other substitutes for the molasses/brown sugar flavor?
Thank you!
Robin
Hi Robin, as far as I know, Sukrin use gluten-free malt extract from corn (not barley) so it shouldn't be an issue. Or you could use Erythritol or Swerve instead.
You can make your own brown sugar substitute by mixing in a teaspoon of real molasses to a cup of erythritol (I personnaly do this using Swerve)... no grains... super minimal carbs...
Hi Martina,
I just tried making these and the flavor is awesome, just like regular cones. However, they were so lacy that I couldn't keep them together. Any suggestions?
Hi Jill, sorry about the late reply, I haven't seen your comment. Were they too thin? Did you use the first method (cone maker), or the second one? (DIY cones)
Mine were WAY too thin and I'm using the cone maker recommended and I can't even get the batter out because it is so thin and lacey
That's odd. I wish I could help but I didn't have the same issue. Did you se any substitutions?
Hi,
I also had lacy cone on first attempt and realised it was because the batter was too thin. I did add another 1tsp of psyllium powder but I on hindsight I don’t think you need it. You just need to let the batter set up for a few mins to become thick, because then I had no issues with lacy cones after that.
Thank you Mel, that could be it. Thinking about it now it may have taken about 5-10 minutes before I made them because I was also taking photos.
Maybe you could add this info to the instructions, the part about letting the batter sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken, so people don't have the lacy cone issue and give up! It is a great recipe and if I didn't read all comments before starting, I wouldn't have known this very valuable bit of info!!😃❤️😘
Thank you and will do! ❤️
I really love your recipes!, I wonder if you added cocoa powder or dark chocolate for a chocolate cone?.
Thank you Kelly, yes, that's an excellent idea! For a chocolate cone, I'd add 1-2 tablespoons of cacao powder and use just about 1/2 cup of almond flour.
I wonder if you ever come with a recipe using a pasta machine😊 you are so creative! Thank you
Thank you! I did buy a pasta maker a while ago to see if I can make keto pasta. I'll share it when I do 😊