The Simple Trick To Prevent Your Ice Cream Cone From Dripping

Most of us will ice cream in whatever form it comes: in a bowl with a spoon, as a luxurious affogato, or sandwiched between two cookies. One universal favorite, however, has got to be the classic ice cream cone. Cold, creamy goodness piled mountain-high in a crispy, golden wafer ... it's perfection. Well, until the ice cream starts melting and you're left with a soggy cone and sticky forearms. Luckily, there's a way around this.

To prevent your ice cream cone from dripping, try coating the bottom first with something like chocolate or peanut butter. Not only does this stop the ice cream from seeping through the bottom of the cone and onto everything around you, but it also gives you a tasty treat to look forward to at the end of your dessert-eating experience.

To coat the bottom of your cone, first choose your edible barrier. Melted and cooled chocolate is a crowd favorite, as it pairs well with many ice cream flavors. Or, try experimenting with other ingredients like a thick dollop of rich peanut butter or a drizzle of salted caramel spread. You don't have to stop at wet ingredients — a firm layer of crushed nuts or even a marshmallow can help prevent a leaky bottom.

Now that you've decided never to eat another ice cream cone without coating the bottom first, it's time to learn the best ways to do it. For chocolate lovers, start by melting chocolate in a bowl in the microwave (you can use either chocolate chips or a chocolate bar) until smooth and liquid. If it's still clumpy, thin it out by adding a bit of fat like cocoa butter or coconut oil. If your ice cream cone has a hole in the bottom, simply dip the cone's base into the chocolate until the interior is filled with about an inch or two of chocolate. Or, if you're using a cone that's fully sealed at the bottom, transfer the melted chocolate into a piping bag or use a spoon to fill the bottom. Then, let it cool in the freezer until set (about 10 to 20 minutes) before scooping in your ice cream.

No chocolate? Peanut butter and caramel are also fantastic options. Since these ingredients are semi-liquid already, all you need to do is spoon or pipe them into the bottom and freeze the cones until set. If your peanut butter is extra thick and giving you a hard time, try heating it up first. To add extra flavor and flair to your cones, you can also try dipping the top in chocolate and rolling it in nuts, or drizzling your tasty cone-coating ingredient on top of the ice cream.