No – not unless they’re specifically made that way. In fact, a standard cake cone (the flat-bottomed “ice cream cup” style) is usually baked from wheat flour, which contains gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat (and related grains like rye and barley), so any cone made with wheat isn’t safe for someone on a gluten-free diet. For example, Joy Cone – a leading cone manufacturer – labels “Contains: Wheat” on all its cake cones. In short, if a cone isn’t labeled gluten-free, assume it has gluten.
What Are Cake Cones and Why Do They Contain Gluten?
Cake cones (also called wafer cones or cake cups) are the flat-bottomed, wafer-style cones often used for serving scoops of ice cream. They’re light golden-brown, crisp, and have a neutral flavor that lets the ice cream shine. Traditionally, cake cones are made with wheat flour and sugar. Because wheat flour contains gluten, a regular cake cone is not gluten-free. In fact, Joy Cone’s own website confirms that “Wheat” is listed on all their ice cream cup products. In other words, unless a cake cone is specially made without wheat, it will contain gluten.
Cake cones are just one of three main ice cream cone types – the others being sugar cones and waffle cones. All three traditional varieties start with a wheat-based batter. As a gluten-free advice column notes, sugar, cake and waffle cones “are all traditionally made with wheat flour”.
Tips for Enjoying Ice Cream Safely on a Gluten-Free Diet
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Read labels carefully. When buying cones at the store, look for a clear “Gluten-Free” claim or certified GF symbol. Avoid any cone that lists wheat flour (or malt extract, rye, barley, etc.) on the label.
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Ask or pack ahead. If you’re going out for ice cream or to a dessert shop, call ahead or ask if they have gluten-free cones. Many shops still only stock regular (wheat) cones. If no GF cones are available, opt for a cup instead of a cone. In that case, double-check that the ice cream and toppings themselves don’t contain gluten, and that the serving scoop is clean. (Food experts advise treating scoops carefully to avoid cross-contamination.)
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Consider cross-contact. Even if a cone is gluten-free, it could touch other gluten products (flour-dusted toppings, a shared scoop). Some people with severe celiac choose to eat their ice cream in a bowl or use a GF napkin on the cone to be safe.
Gluten-Free Cake Cone Alternatives
If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, don’t despair – there are now specialty gluten-free cake cones on the market. These substitutes use alternative flours (and strict manufacturing) to keep them gluten-free.
Aside from brand names, the key is always to check the label. Only trust cones marked “gluten-free” or bearing a certified gluten-free logo. As a medical advice site points out, the safest way to know if a packaged food is gluten-free is to look for the “certified gluten-free” label, which by law means the product has been tested below 20 ppm gluten. If you see that label on a box of cake cones, it’s designed to be safe for celiacs. In contrast, if you see wheat, barley, rye, malt or similar on the ingredients list, it’s not gluten-free.
Popular gluten-free cake cone brands include:
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Joy Cone (Gluten-Free Cake Cups): A long-time cone maker, Joy now offers a gluten-free version of its cake cups made with tapioca starch, rice flour, and corn starch. These are sold in boxes (often 12 or 24 per box) and are certified GF.
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Let’s Do Gluten Free: This company sells gluten-free ice cream cones (round pointy cones) made from potato and tapioca starch. While these look like sugar cones, the same concept applies: no wheat, no gluten.
Conclusion
Cake cones are often baked with wheat flour, therefore they are not gluten-free. But today there are speciality gluten-free cake cones because of the increased demand. You may have ice cream on a cone without risk if you choose cones that are certified gluten-free and produced from alternative flours (such as rice, tapioca, or potato). Always check the label, and avoid cross-contact risks. You can make your next ice cream cone crispy and celiac-friendly in this method.
