Chocolate Tuile Ice Cream Cones

These chocolate tuile ice cream cones are the ultimate warm-weather project. Crisp and delicate, they’re perfect for a special occasion and will turn a simple scoop of ice cream into a celebration-worthy treat. You don’t need any special, pricey ingredients to make them—just gather some butter, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, flour, and egg whites. After mixing the batter until thoroughly blended, you’ll spread it onto a stencil (which you can cut from a piece of acetate or simply a plastic lid). Bake them briefly, then roll them around a wooden citrus reamer to form the cone shape. The perfect vessel for a scoop of homemade or store-bought ice cream, these sweet and special cones are sure to delight.

What Is a Tuile?

Tuile is a thin, wafer-like cookie made with butter, flour, confectioners' sugar, and egg whites (or whole egg). When hot from the oven, they can be rolled or molded to form a variety of shapes, from the cones in this recipe to cylinders. (The word tuile is French for tile since traditionally, tuiles are formed into a rounded "C" shape that resembles French roof tiles.) They often accompany ice cream or sorbet, but can be piped and filled with mousse or pastry cream, or served on their own as a delicate cookie.

What Does a Tuile Taste Like?

A traditional tuile has a sweet, buttery flavor similar to that of a shortbread cookie. This recipe uses cocoa powder to give the cookies a chocolatey twist, but they can also be flavored with vanilla or almond extract, or spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Equipment Needed for Making Chocolate Ice Cream Cones

Mixer: While some recipes for tuiles can be made by hand, our version calls for an electric mixer to create a thick, frosting-like batter that bakes up incredibly light and crisp. A stand mixer or hand-held machine will work equally well.

Baking mat: Lining the baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, such as a Silpat, will make it easy to remove the hot tuile with a spatula. A baking mat can also come in handy when making cookies or other baked goods, so it can be a smart investment for future baking projects.

Baking sheet: Baking the tuile on an upside-down rimmed baking sheet will make them easier to lift up and roll once they're cooked.

Offset spatula: With its thin, flexible edge, an offset spatula is an ideal tool to use when spreading the batter and handling the freshly baked tuiles. You may find it easier to achieve an even layer of batter using a large offset spatula, but a small one will still get the job done.

Stencil: For functional, even-looking cones, you'll want to make perfectly round tuiles using a stencil. Make one from a piece of acetate—available at craft stores, cooking supply stores, or online—or from a plastic lid, like one from a can of coffee. (If using a plastic lid, be sure to trim off the raised edge before cutting out your stencil so that it lays flat.)

Reamer: A wooden citrus reamer is the perfect shape and size for shaping the cones. Note that you'll need a handheld reamer for this task, not one that sits upright on the counter.

Drinking glasses: While not essential, it can be helpful to set out a few drinking glasses to hold the tuile cones upright as they cool.

Tips for Working With Tuile Batter

Don't rush the batter: Once you've added your egg whites to the batter, beat it for a solid four minutes. It should go from looking wet and shiny to dull and creamy and be very smooth, similar to a chocolate buttercream frosting.

Spread thinly: Be sure to spread the batter as thinly and evenly as possible over the stencil. That'll ensure the tuile bakes evenly in the oven, giving you the lightest and crispiest result.

Work quickly: As soon as each tuile comes out of the oven, you'll want to begin shaping it around the reamer. It'll only be flexible for a short amount of time before it begins to harden and hold its shape, so it's important to work quickly, but also carefully.

Bake one at a time: Until you get into the rhythm of baking and shaping your tuile, we strongly recommend only baking one at a time. Otherwise, you'll risk the tuile cooling before you get the chance to shape it.