I found these gluten-free ice cream cones in my local store one night. I bought them, tried one, and it was perfect -- fresh and crispy overall, with that nice chewiness where the cone gets damp from the ice cream. Then I put the box on a shelf in my pantry, where it sat for months, until the recent visit of my young nieces and nephew. During their visit, we served ice cream to all the kids and grownups. The cones were still crispy and delicious, and no one suspected they were gluten-free. When I wanted one, too, everyone looked up in shock and asked, "You can have this?"
Goldbaum's Gluten-Free Ice Cream Cones: The Specifics
The cones come 12 to a box, divided into two cellophane-wrapped packs of 6 each. They are made with potato starch, cornstarch, demerara sugar, water, palm oil, salt, cocoa powder, xanthan gum, and baking soda. Each cone is 14 calories. According to the package, all ingredients are GMO-free. The cones may contain traces of nuts, soy, or sesame. They're Kosher (pareve) and vegan.
As I mentioned above, mine were still fresh months after I'd opened the package, but the manufacturer advises that if the cones lose crispness, you can preheat your oven to 300 degrees, and then turn it off and put the cones inside for 2 minutes.
Where to Find Them
I found mine at Stop & Shop, and I've read that they're also available at the Christmas Tree Shops. If you can't find them near you, you can order them online from Amazon or from one of many gluten-free vendors, including the Gluten-Free Mall. As of this writing, in the fall of 2009, the usual price per box seems to be in the range of $3 to $4.
Reasons to Try Them
Do you really need reasons to buy ice cream cones? I don't think I need to tell you why it's nice to eat ice cream in a cone, but here are some other things you might not have considered. You can take them along to ice cream parlors and have your scoop served to you in your gluten-free cone. (Same goes for kids' parties.) You can use them for other desserts, too. Serve pudding in them, or diced fresh fruit with custard.
The Bottom Line
Often when I review a gluten-free product, my main complaints have to do with cost, calories, and availability. With Goldbaum's Gluten-Free Ice Cream Cones, the first two -- cost and calories -- are not bad. They're low in calories, and relative to other gluten-free treats, the price is not exorbitant, especially if you can find them locally and don't have to pay for shipping. Availability is my only issue. If you do need to order these cones, try getting together with members of your local celiac support group for a bulk order that will reduce or eliminate the shipping expense.
