These charming Halloween witch ice cream sundaes use just a few simple ingredients and take about 10 minutes to prepare. They’re a fun, hands-on treat kids can help assemble—each child can create their own silly, grumpy, or smiling witch face on their sundae!
Quick note: this recipe was first published in 2019 and updated in 2020 with clearer instructions and new photos.
With Halloween approaching, these festive witch ice cream sundaes are an adorable and easy option for a holiday dessert. They require only about 10 minutes of active prep time (plus about 30 minutes to set) and use a handful of readily available ingredients.
Set out a selection of candies and everyone can decorate their own witch face—little hands especially enjoy designing eyes, noses, mouths, and hair. The result is a playful, shareable dessert that’s perfect for parties or family celebrations.
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Pizzelle cookies: Chocolate pizzelles create a dark, classic witch hat brim, but plain pizzelles work too—just note the underside will be lighter.
- Chocolate chips: Use your favorite type of chocolate chips for melting. Dark, milk, or semi-sweet all work well.
- Ice cream: A scoop of chocolate for the body and a greenish scoop (pistachio, mint chocolate chip, or lime sherbet) for the face look especially witch-like. Some pistachio ice creams are pale rather than green—choose one with visible green color if you want a green face.
- Assorted candies and nuts: Use what you have to make faces—pistachios or almonds for noses, thin licorice for hair and eyebrows, mini M&M’s or chocolate chips for mouths, and candy eyes if you like.
Step-by-step photos
1. To form the witch hats, first melt the chocolate and let it cool until it’s warm but not hot. Paint a thin layer of melted chocolate on the outside of an ice cream cone, leaving the very tip unpainted so you can hold it while assembling. Paint the underside edge of the cone as well.
2. Center the cone on a pizzelle cookie and paint a layer of chocolate along the top and outer edge of the pizzelle. Be generous with the chocolate where the cone meets the pizzelle to make a secure seal between the two pieces. Don’t forget to paint the tip of the cone, too.
3. Allow the chocolate to set either at room temperature or in the refrigerator until fully firm.
4. When the hats are set, assemble the sundaes. Place a scoop of chocolate ice cream in a sundae glass, add a scoop of green/baseline ice cream for the face, and arrange candies or nuts to create eyes, a nose, a mouth, and hair. Top with the chocolate-covered pizzelle hat and serve right away.
Tips and tricks
- Make sure the melted chocolate has cooled enough so it isn’t uncomfortably hot—you’ll likely touch it while painting the cones.
- Work on parchment paper to prevent sticking and to make cleanup easier.
- Hats will set in about 90 minutes at room temperature or about 30 minutes in the refrigerator, depending on how thick the chocolate is.
- If chilling in the fridge, place the parchment with the hats on a small tray so you can move them in and out without smudging the chocolate.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. The chocolate witch hats can be made a few days in advance as long as the chocolate is completely set before storing.
Once fully set, store hats gently in a sealed plastic bag or in a container with a tight lid. Avoid packing them too tightly to prevent the pizzelle edges from chipping.
Candy eyes are cute but unnecessary. Use mini M&M’s, mini chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins—anything you have on hand. The goal is to have fun creating faces and enjoy a delicious sundae.
If you try these Halloween Witch Ice Cream Sundaes, please leave a star rating or a comment below—I’d love to hear how yours turned out! You can also follow the recipe author on social media or sign up for the weekly newsletter to receive more recipes.
📖 Recipe
Halloween Ice Cream Sundaes
5 from 2 reviews
Create these delightful Halloween Ice Cream Sundaes using a few simple ingredients and decorate with candies to make playful witch faces.
- Author: Kate
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 sundaes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 2 sugar ice cream cones
- 2 chocolate or plain pizzelle cookies
- Pistachio ice cream (or another green-colored ice cream)
- Chocolate ice cream
- Assorted candies and/or nuts for decorating (candy eyes, licorice, mini M&M’s, etc.)
Instructions
- Place chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted. Let the chocolate cool until it is warm but safe to touch.
- Use a pastry brush to paint the outside of an ice cream cone with melted chocolate, leaving the very tip unpainted so you can hold it. Repeat for the second cone.
- Paint the top and outer edge of a pizzelle with chocolate. Using the unpainted tip as a handle, center the cone on the pizzelle and press gently. Add extra chocolate around the seam to seal the join. Paint the cone tip if desired.
- Repeat the process for the second pizzelle and cone. Allow both hats to set at room temperature (about 90 minutes) or in the refrigerator (about 30 minutes).
- To assemble each sundae: place a scoop of chocolate ice cream in a sundae glass, top with a scoop of pistachio (or green) ice cream, and decorate the top scoop with candies or nuts to form a face. Place a chocolate pizzelle hat on top and serve immediately.
Notes
Place wet chocolate hats on parchment paper to prevent sticking. If chilling in the fridge, put the parchment on a tray to move the hats easily. Hats can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days once fully set. Feel free to use any ice cream flavors you like—these are just suggestions.