Ice Cream Cones: The St. Louis World’s Fair Accident That Went Viral

It’s 1904, the sweltering summer of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. The World’s Fair is buzzing with visitors marveling at new inventions, foreign exhibits, and the novelty of buying prepared food from bustling stands.

One treat — ice cream — is especially popular, but vendors are facing a serious problem: they’re running out of dishes.

The waffle-maker next door

As legend has it, Syrian-born waffle vendor Ernest Hamwi was set up near an ice cream stand when he saw the vendor struggling to keep up with demand.

Thinking fast, Hamwi rolled one of his thin, crispy waffles into a cone shape while it was still hot and handed it over to hold the ice cream (source). Customers loved the edible container, and the ice cream cone was born.

Other vendors at the fair also claimed to have invented the cone, including Italian immigrant Italo Marchiony, who had patented a mold for a similar concept in 1903 (source). Regardless of who was truly first, the fair catapulted the cone into the American mainstream.

From fair novelty to factory staple

After the fair, cone production was industrialized. By the 1910s, large-scale manufacturing allowed cones to be sold alongside ice cream everywhere from street carts to soda fountains.

The portability, fun factor, and zero cleanup made them an instant hit.

Then vs. now

• Then: Cones were hand-rolled from waffles or wafer-like batter, varying in size and texture.

• Now: Cones come in styles like sugar cones, cake cones, and waffle cones, with uniform shapes and crispness from commercial molds.

Why the original waffle cone still wins hearts

• Warm, toasty flavor that pairs perfectly with cold ice cream.

• Slightly chewy in the center with a crisp edge.

• That nostalgic fairground feeling in every bite.

Homemade Waffle Cones

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

• 3 tablespoons whole milk

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until pale and slightly thickened.

2. Whisk in melted butter, milk, and vanilla.

3. Sift in flour and salt, stirring until smooth.

4. Heat a waffle cone maker or nonstick skillet over medium heat.

5. Pour about 2–3 tablespoons of batter onto the surface, spreading into a thin circle. Cook for 1–2 minutes until golden on one side, then flip for 30 seconds.

6. While still hot, quickly roll the waffle around a cone mold (or the handle of a wooden spoon) and hold until it firms up.

7. Let cool completely before filling with ice cream.