A crispy chocolate-coated sugar cone filled with the creamiest homemade Nutella ice cream, dipped in chocolate and toasted hazelnuts!
As long as I can remember, I’ve been OBSESSED with Drumsticks.
And who wouldn’t be?? It has EVERYthing–a crispy sugar cone lined with rich dark chocolate, dreamy creamy ice cream, and a delicious shell of chocolate and crunchy nuts. It’s truly the best ice cream cone to ever exist on this planet, and most likely, the entire universe!
Not too long ago, I attempted to make my own version of the Drumstick. Check out the recipe for my Butter Pecan Drumsticks here. Needless to say, these homemade Drumsticks were a tremendous hit in my household, and I was SUPER pleased with their heavenly results. However, I’m a little disappointed in myself seeing as it’s been FIVE whole years since I’ve made them.
So this week I decided to break this extremely inexcusable Drumstick dry spell by making up a batch of Nutella Drumsticks!
GUYS. Divine doesn’t even come close to describing how exquisite these Drumsticks truly are. I mean, just LOOK at them…
Not to toot my own horn, but every single bite of this Nutella Drumstick is PERFECTION. Just like the original, this sugar cone is lined with dark chocolate, keeping the cone nice and crisp. Instead of the usual vanilla ice cream, however, the cone is filled with the easiest and most unbelievably creamy no-churn Nutella ice cream. And when I say easy, I mean EASY. It only requires 3 ingredients, and it can all be done in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer. No ice cream machine required!
To make the ice cream, you’ll first whip up some heavy cream until super fluffy. Then you’ll combine a can of sweetened condensed milk with some Nutella. Take your whipped cream and fold it into the Nutella mixture. Pour it all into a freezer-safe container and chill in the freezer for at least 4 hours. I usually let it chill overnight so that it has extra time to firm up.
Now that the ice cream is made, let’s talk about the cones. Previously, I used Smucker’s Magic Shell to line and dip the cones with chocolate, but this time I went the more “natural” route by melting some chocolate chips with a little coconut oil. You can also use vegetable oil if you don’t have coconut oil on hand.
To line the cones, simply spoon 2-3 teaspoons of the melted chocolate into the cone, rotating a few times so that the entire interior is coated as well as the very top edges. You want to make sure that any part that touches the ice cream is covered in chocolate, so that the cone doesn’t get soggy.
Make sure to set the chocolate-lined cones upright in a glass or jar before placing them into the freezer to set up–this usually takes just a few minutes. Once all of the cones have been lined with chocolate, it’s time to prepare the Nutella dollops. Simply line a plate with some parchment or wax paper, and scoop out teaspoon-sized dollops of Nutella. You’ll need a total of ten dollops–one for each cone. This needs to be done beforehand so that it has enough time to firm up in the freezer, making it easier to insert into the ice cream when it comes time to fill the cones.
To make the parchment paper cones, you’ll need to cut out a circle that’s 12 inches in diameter. I recommend finding a plate or object that’s about that size, so that you can use it to trace on the parchment paper. Once you’ve got your circle, cut it out, then cut it into four equal quarters. This recipe makes 10 drumsticks, so you’ll need to have 10 quarters.
To make the paper cone, grab one of your chocolate-lined sugar cones and wrap the paper quarter around the cone, using a piece of tape to secure it. Repeat this with the rest of the cones.
Now it’s time to fill the cones! This is where you’ll have to work kind of quickly since the ice cream gets softer the longer it’s out of the freezer. Working with one cone at a time, spoon some ice cream into the cone until it’s just above the rim of the cone. Take one of your frozen Nutella dollops, placing it in the center of the ice cream, then spoon more ice cream on top until you almost reach the top of the parchment. Place the cone back into the glass/jar so that it’s upright and straight into the freezer. Repeat with the rest of your cones. Depending on how soft your ice cream gets, you might have to take a 30-45 minute break by placing everything back into the freezer to firm up again.
I recommend allowing the filled cones to chill in the freezer for AT LEAST two hours, so that they’re firm and easier to dip into the chocolate and nuts. Once the cones are ready to dip, peel off the paper cone, dip the top half of the ice cream into the melted chocolate, and then immediately into the chopped hazelnuts. Feel free to use chopped peanuts, pecans, or almonds, if you like! I went with hazelnuts since it’s the nut that Nutella is made with.
Now if you have the patience of a gnat (like myself), you’re more than welcome to eat these drumsticks right after they’ve been dipped. The chocolate hardens up within seconds, so they’re ready to eat immediately.
Now, I must warn you. Once you’ve tried one of these Nutella Drumsticks, you’ll NEVER want to go back to eating those boring ol’ Drumsticks that the ice cream truck gives out. They simply won’t measure up to all that this homemade version has to offer–incredibly creamy Nutella ice cream with a surprise Nutella center…a rich and satisfyingly snappy chocolate shell coated in toasty hazelnuts…and a perfectly-crisp-never-soggy sugar cone lined with chocolate.
Actually, I’d say I’m doing you a HUGE favor. Those ice cream truck Drumsticks are a major ripoff…
Nutella Drumsticks
Equipment
- Parchment paper
- An object 12 inches in diameter (for tracing)
- Pen or Pencil
- Scissors
- Tape
Ingredients
Nutella Ice Cream:
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- ¾ cup Nutella
- 2 cups heavy cream
Drumsticks:
- 10 teaspoons Nutella
- 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 Tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil*
- 10 sugar cones
- â…” cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
Instructions
Make the Ice Cream:
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir the sweetened condensed milk and Nutella together until combined.
- In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Stir 1 cup of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture until combined. Pour this mixture in with the rest of the whipped cream and fold together until no more white streaks remain.
- Pour mixture into a freezer-safe container, covering the top with aluminum foil. Freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight.
Assemble the Cones:
- Prepare the Nutella centers by lining a plate with parchment or wax paper. Using two small spoons, scoop teaspoon-sized dollops onto the plate until you have 10 dollops. Place in the freezer to harden completely.
- Place the chocolate chips and oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and heat in the microwave until smooth and melted--I recommend removing the chocolate and stirring every 30 seconds so that you don't risk burning the chocolate**.
- Drizzle 2-3 teaspoons of the melted chocolate into each cone, swirling to coat the interior. Allow excess chocolate to fall to bottom for the chocolate "plug". Set cones upright in a glass and place in the freezer for at least 5 minutes. Reserve the rest of the chocolate for the tops of the Drumsticks.
Prepare the Parchment Cones:
- Trace a plate (or anything round) that is 12 inches in diameter on a piece of parchment paper. Cut out the circle, then cut it into 4 equal quarters. Repeat process until you have 10 quarters.
- Remove cones from freezer, then wrap each one with a parchment quarter, securing with a piece of tape.
Assemble Drumsticks:
- Take the ice cream and Nutella dollops out of the freezer. Working one at a time, use a small spoon to scoop the ice cream into a cone, filling to just above the rim of the sugar cone. Place a Nutella dollop onto the center of the ice cream, then scoop more ice cream on top, filling almost to the top of the parchment paper. Immediately return to the freezer, and repeat with the rest of the cones.*** Allow cones to chill in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
- If melted chocolate has hardened, re-melt in the microwave at 30-second increments until smooth. If possible, pour melted chocolate into a smaller, flat-bottomed dish to make dipping easier. Place chopped nuts into a small bowl.
- Again, working one at a time, remove a cone from the freezer, dip the top of the cone into the chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip off, then immediately dip (or sprinkle) in chopped nuts. Return to the freezer and repeat process with the rest of the cones. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.