Gluten Free Waffle Cones

Summer just got a whole lot better with this recipe for Gluten Free Waffle Cones. Crisp, golden, and perfect for holding your favorite scoop of ice cream, they’re surprisingly easy to make at home and bring that classic ice cream shop feel right into your kitchen.

Recipe Ingredients Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I have tested this recipe for Gluten Free Waffle Cones with King Arthur Measure for Measure, Bob's Red Mill 1-1 and my Cup4Cup Copycat Recipe. For the best texture, I highly recommend using Cup4Cup. Its higher starch content allows the cones to bake up thin, crisp, and golden brown. Plus the cones have that signature snap once cooled.

Egg Whites: Make sure to only use egg whites in this recipe. They are the key to achieving a light, thin, and crispy texture. Egg whites are rich in protein and contain no fat. This allows the batter to set quickly and bake into crisp waffle cones with that signature snap. Unlike whole eggs, egg yolks add fat and richness, making waffle cones softer, thicker, and slightly chewy rather than crisp.

Vanilla: Don't skip the Vanilla Extract/Paste. This really helps with the flavor of the waffles cones.

Tools needed to make Gluten Free Waffle Cones

You will need a Waffle Cone Maker to make this recipe. Unlike traditional waffle irons, a waffle cone iron has much thinner, shallower plates. This spreads the batter into a very thin layer, which is exactly what you need for cones that can be rolled while warm and still turn out crisp and sturdy once cooled.

Make sure you purchase one that includes a cone shaper and a bowl shaper. The cone shaper helps you roll them into a classic ice cream cone, while the bowl shapers give you an easy way to create waffle bowls for sundaes or desserts. Without them, it’s much harder to get consistent shapes before the waffle sets and crisps up.

Recipe Testing Notes

Gluten free waffle cones are notoriously expensive at the grocery store. An to be honest, most of them don’t even taste that great, often arriving broken or stale. I wanted something better: waffle cones that actually taste like the real deal.

My first test batch was made with whole eggs and King Arthur Measure for Measure (and way too much sugar). While the waffles looked promising coming off the iron, they baked up too thick. They also cracked and broke when I tried to shape them.

Thinking the whole eggs were the main issue, my next batch was made with egg whites only and Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1. The waffles did cook up thinner this time, which was an improvement. But I still ran into issues with cracking during shaping, and they did not crisp once cooled.

For my final test, I used egg whites only and my Cup4Cup copycat recipe - and bingo! This was the winning combination. The waffles cooked up thin and even, were easy to shape straight off the iron, and most importantly, they held their cone shape without cracking. Once cooled, they set into a crisp, sturdy waffle cone with that classic snap, making them perfect for scooping ice cream without breaking.

Gluten Free Waffle Cone Batter

The batter for gluten free waffle cones can be made with just a mixing bowl and a whisk, with a stand mixer, or an electric hand mixer.

1. Step 1: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and allow it to cool. The butter needs to be melted but should not be hot when adding it to the waffle cone batter.

2. Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg whites, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, and kosher salt until the mixture looks light and frothy.

3. Step 3: Add HALF of the gluten free flour to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.

4. Step 4: Pour the cooled, melted butter into the batter and stir into the mixture.

5. Step 5: Add the remaining gluten free flour and mix until smooth.

6. Step 6: The gluten free waffle cone batter will be thick and glossy, similar to a sponge cake batter. Allow the batter to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes while you preheat the waffle cone maker.

How to make Gluten Free Waffle Cones

Make sure to properly preheat your waffle cone maker. I like to set the dial of my Waffle Coner Maker halfway between Min and Max.

1. Step 1: Once the waffle cone maker is fully preheated, lightly spray it with non-stick spray or brush it lightly with some oil.

2. Step 2: Using a large cookie scoop, place a scoop of the gluten free waffle cone batter in the center of the hot waffle iron. Keep in mind the batter will be thick and sticky. I like to lightly spray the scoop as well, so the dough will release more easily from the scooper.
3. Step 3: Carefully close the waffle iron and lightly press down on the top piece to make sure the batter spreads out evenly.

4. Step 4: Cook the Gluten Free Waffle Cone Waffle for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Check the color of the waffle after about 90 seconds. It should be golden brown.
5. Step 5: As soon as the waffle comes off the iron, you’ve got maybe 20 - 30 seconds before it starts to stiffen. If it cools too much, it’ll crack instead of bend.

6. Step 6: Once the waffle is ready, carefully transfer it to a clean kitchen counter, then use the cone-shaping tool to shape it into a waffle cone.
7. Step 6: Lay the cone shaper along one edge of the waffle, slightly angled so the tip will form a tight point.

8. Step 7: Quickly roll the waffle around the cone, keeping it snug. Overlap the edges slightly so the cone holds together.
9. Step 8: Use your fingers to pinch the bottom tip closed gently. This keeps ice cream from dripping out later.

9. Step 8: Keep your hand around the cone for about 20–30 seconds until it firms up and holds its shape. Then slide the shaper out. I like to place my cooled waffle cones on a cooling rack so they can cool completely.
10. Step 10: Repeat the process until all the waffle cone batter is used up. Make sure to allow the waffle cone maker to reheat and always close the machine to make sure it stays hot.

How to serve Waffle Cones

It goes without saying that the best way to serve waffle cones is right away, filled with your favorite ice cream and maybe even topped with some homemade hot fudge sauce. That’s the classic for a reason.

But in Austria, waffle cones often take a slightly different turn. Instead of ice cream, they’re sometimes served with whipped cream and fresh fruit. A personal favorite is whipped cream with fresh strawberries - simple, light, and completely irresistible.

Honestly, I may or may not prefer this over traditional American strawberry shortcake.

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.