Turn store bought ice cream cones into brightly colored Sugar Cone Party Horns for your New Year’s Eve celebrations or birthday parties. They are as fun to make as they are to eat and will bring the kid out in everyone.
Many (oh, so many) years ago, my siblings and I would sneak out of bed, sit on the stairs, and watch the festivities during our parent’s New Year’s Eve parties. If we were lucky someone would bring us a plate of food to share before we were hurried off to our beds.
The noise would keep us up for a while, but inevitably we’d fall asleep before the ball dropped in Time Square, missing out on all of the fun.
Before we knew it the sun was peaking in through our windows awaking us with the hope of a wonderful new year.
I knew that there were treasures to be found downstairs amidst the party mess, so I would hop out of bed to see what I could find. Hats, horns, blowers, beads, poppers, and confetti, which had all been used to ring in the new year, were now left abandoned on tables, chairs, and even the floor.
I’d search for the prettiest tiara and the most colorful beads to wear with my pajamas then would spend the day having fun tooting horns, rattling noise makers, and throwing confetti.
Oh, to be a kid again!
For New Year’s this year we are invited to a friend’s house and there will be young children, teens, and adults celebrating together so I decided to create a sweet treat that everyone will enjoy.
Being I have such fond memories surrounding New Year’s party favors, I decided to make an edible version of a colorful party horn by dipping a sugar cone into white chocolate then sprinkling on colorful sanding sugar. Each horn is completed by adding a white modeling chocolate blower.
Yep, I’m using modeling chocolate (candy clay) again. It is just so versatile. I hope many of you have, by this point, tried your hand at making it and are comfortable with it. If not, you can always use store bought fondant. For this recipe you can even use vanilla Tootsie Rolls or any kind of white taffy.
These edible horns will, I am sure, be a huge hit with kids, and adults who love sweets. You can serve them for dessert on New Year’s eve or wrap them in cellophane bags, and give them as party favors to your guests. For an extra special treat, why not fill them with some candies or nuts.
These treats would also make perfect favors to give away or desserts to serve at a birthday party.
Sugar Cone Party Horns for New Year’s Eve or Birthday Celebrations (makes 12)
Before you begin, be sure to read my Chocolate Making Tips page for detailed instructions on making modeling chocolate and working with and melting or tempering chocolate or confectionery coating.
You can find products needed to make these Sugar Cone Party Horns on Amazon.com (commission earned for sales).

- 12 sugar cones ice cream cones
- 22 ounces melted and tempered pure white chocolate with cocoa butter OR melted white confectionery coating/candy melts
- variety of colored sanding sugars
- white modeling chocolate recipe here - you'll need a 1/4 recipe*
- * you can also use 1/3 pound white fondant or 12 vanilla Tootsie Rolls or white taffy
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Pour melted and tempered white chocolate or melted confectionery coating/candy melts into a tall glass.
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Hold onto the tip of a sugar cone and dip it into the glass.
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Coat all but the very tip of the sugar cone with white chocolate.
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Remove the cone from the glass and allow the excess chocolate to drip off.
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While wet, sprinkle colorful sanding sugar all over the cone (inside too, if you'd like).
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Set on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
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Place the dipped cones in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes until the white chocolate hardens.
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Pinch off pieces of white modeling chocolate and roll them into 1 1/4"-1 1/2" long logs.
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Insert a skewer into the log, creating a hole.
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Move the skewer around making the hole a bit bigger.
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Remove the skewer.
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Press one log onto each dipped cone.
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Reshape the log, if needed.
Special equipment needed:
tall glass (a little wider than a sugar cone)
parchment paper or wax paper
rimmed baking sheet (helps to keep the colored sugar contained)
skewer
Instructions:
Pour melted and tempered white chocolate or melted confectionery coating/candy melts into a tall glass.
Hold onto the tip of a sugar cone and dip it into the glass. Coat all but the very tip of the sugar cone with white chocolate. Remove the cone from the glass and allow the excess chocolate to drip off.
While wet, sprinkle colorful sanding sugar all over the cone (inside too, if you’d like.) Set on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Place the dipped cones in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes until the white chocolate hardens.
Refill the glass with more chocolate as needed. When you start to run out of white chocolate, you’ll need to use a spoon or spatula to get the chocolate up to the tip of the cone.
You will have left over white chocolate. This could be used to make your modeling chocolate or you can spread it on a parchment lined baking sheet, harden it, and use it for another project.
Create your modeling chocolate blowers. Pinch off pieces of white modeling chocolate and roll them into 1 1/4″-1 1/2″ long logs. Insert a skewer into the log, creating a hole. Move the skewer around making the hole a bit bigger. Remove the skewer.
Press one log onto each dipped cone. It is helpful if you stick the modeling chocolate log on the tip of the cone then twist it upwards until the white modeling chocolate touches the colorful sugar on the cone. Reshape the log, if needed.
Work over a rimmed baking sheet so the sanding sugar doesn’t go all over your floor. As you work with these horns and touch the sugar, some of it will come off, so be careful where you place your modeling chocolate, as you don’t want the sugar to stick to it.
The sanding sugar may color your fingers (temporarily, until you wash your hands.) So, as to not turn your white modeling chocolate a color, use one hand to hold the white modeling chocolate and the other to hold the cone. Wash or wipe your hands after handing each cone and keep the work surface clean.
I used a variety of colorful sanding sugars, and when I was finished , I mixed the sugars that had fallen onto my baking sheet all together and sprinkled this mixture over one of my horns (upper left.)
UPDATE: in 2016 I created a video tutorial. I thought it would be fun to use edible glitter to decorate some of the Sugar Cone Party Horns. They are really sparkly. I prefer the taste of the sugar coated cones, but the look of the glitter covered ones are undeniably festive.
If you recreate these Sugar Cone Party Horns
be sure to link to this tutorial and send a picture to beth@hungryhappenings.com,
so I can share it in my Readers’ Gallery.
For more fun New Year’s Eve Appetizer and Dessert Recipes, check these out…
I love this idea – bookmarking it for the kids on New Years!
Thanks Danielle, I hope your kids enjoy making and/or eating them!
This is ingenious. Everyone has to love these.
What a great idea! I have tons of extra white choclate left over from my holiday baking so i'm going to make these for new years eve. Thanks for posting!!
you are so dang creative! I can't wait to share!
hugs! Kim @ Party Frosting!
I love your super creative party horns! My kids would love these and I love that you could use any color sugar to match any New Years theme!
I would love it if you would share these at my "It's a Celebration" link party. I know my readers will love these too.
Christina
http://www.inspirationforcelebration.com/2011/12/its-celebration-link-party-december.html
Wow, thanks so much everyone. When I create an edible craft, I never know how people will react, but this idea is proving to be a big hit. I've had almost 700 visitors just from Pinterest postings already today with over 4,000 page views. I am so happy to read here and on Pinterests that so many people are planning to make these for their New Year's parties. I'd sure love to see pictures!!!
Your project caught my eye over at "Mom Ideas for Busy Moms". Love these edible horns!! I'm pinning them to my New Year's board.
Happy New Year!
Jenn/Rook No. 17
Super cute! I wanted to invite you to link up at TGIF Linky party – http://livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com/search/label/Linkey%20Parties – I know my readers would love this & any other kid friendly posts!
Happy New Year,
Beth =-)
Oh my word those are AMAZING!!! Would you please share these with our readers for Fun Stuff Fridays? http://www.toysinthedryer.com/2011/12/fun-stuff-fridays-4-3-weeks-long-for.html
These are too fun! I found you via pinterest and featured this on my facebook page today!
Kara
http://www.mineforthemaking.com
Thanks for all the pins and Facebook posts. I really appreciate you sharing this idea. I linked up to several sites too. I wish I had much more time to link up to all the linky parties. I've been in the kitchen today making food for my friend's New Year's party.
So cute gift for kids! i love it.
You have the best ideas!
Este blog é uma representação exata de competências. Eu gosto da sua recomendação. Um grande conceito que reflete os pensamentos do escritor. Consultoria RH
These are fantastic!!!
I love these horns!
Congrats! You were one of my most clicked blog post on the Mommy Solutions link up last week! http://www.crystalandcomp.com/2012/01/the-mommy-club-share-your-resources-and-solutions-25/
You rock! Thanks for sharing and I look forward to more of your mommy solution link ups! I did feature you on my Facebook page! So love this!
Have a super week, Crystal
Thanks everyone!
Crystal, I'm so happy to hear that this recipe was one of the most clicked posts on your site. How exciting. Thanks for featuring it on Facebook too.
Do they actually make noise
Only when you bite into them – you hear a nice "crunch!"
Oh how cute! I'd love for you to share anything from your site 🙂 at my new party:
http://flourmewithlove.blogspot.com/2012/01/mix-it-up-monday.html
I hope to see you soon 🙂
This is a great idea! I love it, not just for New Year's but for a cheer party too! Thanks for sharing on Crazy Sweet Tuesday. 🙂