What Makes the Dairy Queen Dipped Cone So Good?

When it comes to fast food treats, Dairy Queen reigns supreme. With a menu that’s seen dozens of Dilly Bars, sundaes, and over 170 flavors of Blizzards, DQ has earned its reputation as one of the best frozen dessert-makers in the business. 

But, all of that treat innovation would have never happened without the landmark dessert that started it all—the cone. And, with a sweet spin-off of the original recipe shortly after, we now have the DQ Dipped Cone that still reigns as the queen of dairy.

No, it might not be the flashiest or most trendy item in the treat repertoire, but that’s what makes it one of the best of all time.

The History of the DQ Dipped Cone 

Suppose we’re talking about the beginning of the DQ Dipped Cone. In that case, we have to go back to the beginning of DQ itself, when J. F. “Grandpa” McCullough developed a creamy frozen treat that would mimic the style of ice cream his son Alex loved—swirled around in a bowl with a spoon until it was soft and smooth. 

His soft-serve frozen dairy product was unique to any of the hard-packed ice creams in stores and became the foundation of Dairy Queen’s success. The iconic “cone with the curl on top” was the treat that launched the business to fame, originally selling for just a nickel a cone. 

And while the soft, creamy treat was pretty perfect on its own, DQ decided to take it for a dip in the 1950s. 

What Makes the DQ Dipped Cone So Good?

The secret to the Dipped Cone’s long-standing popularity lies in a simple, yet timelessly tasty duo. 

It all starts with the ice cream itself—a carefully crafted combination of butterfat, milk solids, sweeteners, and stabilizers served at just the right temperature. The company attributes the treat’s superior taste to two key factors: thoughtful sourcing of the dairy supply and less overrun (incorporated air) in the ice cream. The result is a richer, more flavorful, and more satisfying soft-serve product.

The DQ cone’s serving style is quintessential to the treat, and believe us, that two-tiered bubble shape with a swirl is not easy to achieve on your first try. But after the first 100 or so fails, staff members say crafting the trademarked shape is “just like riding a bike.”

Now comes the second most important element: the Dip. DQ’s unique flavored coating hardens on contact with the cold ice cream to create a thin, distinctly crisp shell. The crunch of the hardened coating, paired with the super-soft vanilla ice cream, has kept fans coming back to the counter for decades. 

Each dipped dessert is made to order, which ensures you get a fresh and hand-crafted treat every time. While the chocolate dip is far and away the most popular order (and the only one mandatory on the menu year-round), the fast food chain frequently offers butterscotch and cherry (a seasonal favorite)—plus it’s starting to experiment with more fun shell flavors (like the Cookie Monster cone).

There’s something about the sweet, thin crackle of magic shell (Jennifer Garner can attest) that makes soft serve extra special. It’s this perfect balance of flavors and textures, along with its nostalgic charm, that has kept the DQ Dipped Cone a beloved menu item for generations. So, whether your midday treat of choice is the ever-popular Oreo blizzard or the more under-the-radar DQ cupcake, don’t forget to revisit the classic cone that helped start it all.