Vegan Drumsticks: The Perfect Treat for Ice Cream Lovers with a Conscience

Discover the coolest and creamiest vegan drumsticks around! From the best brands to recipes and fun facts, our ultimate guide has everything you need to know to indulge guilt-free with a sweet beat.
post featured image
Vegan Drumstick dipped in chocolate and topped with chopped peanuts with pints of ice cream behind it.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you. Please read my policy page.

Are you ready to rock out with some vegan drumsticks? No, not the musical kind or the chicken kind—the delicious ice cream cone kind!

Drumsticks are the perfect nostalgic treat for ice cream and chocolate lovers. But the official Drumstick brand is not vegan, nor do they have any dairy-free options. They snooze; they lose! Because many other ice cream brands have stepped up to the plate and released their own spin on vegan drumsticks.

And want to know a little secret? It’s shockingly easy to make your own Drumsticks at home! And you can save money and have complete control over the ingredients.

Either way you scoop it, with so many great vegan options available, you don’t have to miss out on this memorable frozen dessert.

In this guide, you’ll find the best vegan drumstick brands, a recipe for making your own drumsticks, and some fun facts about this famous American treat. So please sit back, relax, and let’s get ready to drum up some excitement!

Delicious homemade vegan drumsticks on a counter with a bite out of one to expose the dairy-free vanilla ice cream inside.

Vegan Drumstick Brands That Are Totally Moo-velous!

When it comes to kindly crafted drumsticks made without dairy, there are plenty of great brands to choose from. Here are a few of the best brands you can find in stores.

Cool Haus

Cool Haus offers a vegan versions of popular ice cream sandwiches and drumsticks! Their dairy-free drumsticks are made with almond milk and they have released several fun flavors including: Farmer’s Market Strawberry, Cookies & Cream, and Cookie Dough Lyfe. Just beware, Cool Haus sells dairy ice cream too, so be sure to look for the dairy-free label!

Three boxes of different flavors of nondairy drumsticks from the brand Cool Haus.

So Delicious (100% Vegan Brand)

These vegan drumsticks are made with Wondermilk and come in delicious flavors like salted caramel sundae and vanilla peanut sundae.

A box of vegan caramel drumsticks from the brand So Delicious.

Jolly Llama (100% Vegan Brand)

Jolly Llama’s vegan drumsticks are made with coconut cream and come in a few flavors including: salted caramel and white mint chip. While these aren’t coated in a crunchy chocolate shell like the most traditional drumsticks, they are quite similar and enormously delicious. Plus, they’re gluten-free and made with all-natural ingredients.

Jolly Llama's dairy free and gluten free ice cream cones in a box.

Tofutti (Discontinued)

We’d like to give a moment of silence for Tofutti’s discontinued dairy-free Yours Truly drumsticks. They were around since way before most people knew how to pronounce the word “vegan.” Tofutti is the OG of both vegan ice cream sandwiches (they call them “Tofutti Cuties”) and drumsticks, and we hope they bring them back one day.

An unopened box of dairy-free kosher drumstick ice cream cones from the brand Tofutti.

Fun Facts About Drumsticks

Did you know that the first ice cream cone was invented back in 1904 at the World’s Fair event in St. Louis? Since then, the ice cream cone has become a beloved treat around the world. Here are some fun facts about drumsticks:

  • Drumsticks were first introduced in the 1920s by the Parker Brothers’ Dairy.
  • The chocolate coating on drumsticks was invented in the 1930s by the Harry Burt Company.
  • The word “drumstick” comes from the shape of the ice cream cone, which is similar to a chicken drumstick. Hint: you can get vegan chicken drumsticks too!
  • Drumsticks are sometimes called “King Cones” in the United Kingdom.

How to Make Vegan Drumsticks at Home

Making your own drumsticks is easy and fun! Here’s a simple recipe to get you started: Ingredients:

  • Vegan ice cream of your choice
  • Vegan chocolate chips or other chocolate chunks or bars
  • Your favorite toppings (such as chopped nuts, sprinkles, or crushed cookies)
  • Ice cream cones
Vegan woman holding out a homemade drumstick in her hand with Craig's dairy-free cashew ice cream pints in the background.

Get Creative With Toppings for Your Vegan Drumsticks

One of the great things about homemade drumsticks is that they’re customizable to your taste buds! You can experiment with different ice cream flavors and coatings, but don’t forget about the toppings. Here are some topping options to try on your drumsticks.

Chopped Nuts – Whether it’s almonds, peanuts, or cashews, adding some chopped nuts to your drumsticks will give them a crunchy texture and a nutty flavor.

Chopped nuts topping.

Vegan Sprinkles – Who doesn’t love a little extra color on their desserts? Sprinkles are a fun and easy way to add some pizzazz to your drumsticks.

vegan rainbow sprinkles on a small dish

Crushed Cookies – For a cookies and cream flavor, try crushing up some vegan cookies and sprinkling them on top. Did you know even Nutter Butters and Oreos are vegan?

Coconut Shreds or Flakes – If you’re a coconut lover, try adding some coconut flakes. They’ll add a tropical flavor and a chewy texture.

Chocolate Chips – You can never have too much chocolate! Sprinkle some vegan chocolate chips for an extra indulgent treat. Or add an extra chocolate drizzle on top for a fun aesthetic effect!

Vegan Caramel Sauce – For a gooey, sweet topping, try drizzling some vegan caramel sauce.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match these toppings to find your perfect vegan drumstick combination! If you are looking for a fun twist on ice cream cones, try this fun fruit cones idea!

Have Fun With Different Ice Cream Flavors

You can also get creative with different ice cream flavors. Check out the Vegan Ice Cream Guide at World of Vegan, a comprehensive resource for all the best vegan ice cream brands and options out there. From classic flavors to unique and innovative options, this guide has everything you need to know to satisfy your sweet tooth without any animal products.

Holding a vegan ice cream cone drumstick with Craig's vegan ice cream and a bite taken out.
flower icon
Send This Recipe to My Inbox
Drop your email below to receive this recipe in your inbox. Plus, we’ll send you our favorite seasonal plant-based recipes weekly!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Vegan Drumsticks

5 from 13 votes
If you've never made your own Drumsticks, you need to! And this recipes makes it oh-so-easy. With just a few simple ingredients you can bring your favorite childhood dessert to life the vegan and dairy-free way. These are perfect for summer, pool parties, kids parties, movie nights, and any other occasion you can imagine. Happy scooping!
Vegan Drumstick dipped in chocolate and topped with chopped peanuts with pints of ice cream behind it.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Chilling Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 6 sugar cones
  • 2 pints vegan ice cream, vanilla (or your favorite flavor)
  • ½ cup peanuts, chopped

Instructions

  • In a small ramekin, melt chocolate chips and coconut oil and mix until smooth.
  • Using a spoon, drizzle a small amount of the melted chocolate into the bottom of each cone.
  • Allow ice cream to soften on the counter until it's easy enough to scoop and shape, but not so melty that it drips. One cone at a time, scoop and press ice cream into the basin of the cone, top with a scoop, and use your hand to quickly shape the ice cream into a sphere. Immediately place ice cream cone in a small jar (to keep it upright) and into the freezer to set (for at least 30 minutes). Repeat with each cone.
  • Dip each hardened ice cream cone into the melted chocolate to coat, allowing excess chocolate to drip off, and immediately sprinkle on chopped peanuts before the chocolate hardens.
  • Place chocolate dipped cones back into the freezer to harden. Store hardened drumsticks in airtight containers in the freezer until you're ready to enjoy.

Notes

Get creative with different toppings (like sprinkles), types of ice cream (so many flavors to choose from), and even the chocolate coating (white chocolate would be really fun). 

Nutrition

Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 406mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 664IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 2mg
Course — Dessert
Cuisine — Amercan
Love this Recipe? Leave a Rating!And follow @Vegan on Instagram for more.

Vegan drumsticks are a delicious and cruelty-free alternative to traditional ice cream treats. With so many great brands to choose from, you’re sure to find one that satisfies your sweet tooth. And if you’re feeling creative, try making your own homemade drumsticks with your favorite flavors and toppings.

With vegan drumsticks, you can have your ice cream cone and eat it, too—without involving cows! So let’s raise a cone to cruelty-free treats and happy cows!

newsletter offer

Enter to Win Our Monthly Giveaway!

New winner evert month! Drop your name below for a chance to win hundreds of dollars of vegan prizes from our brand partners. You’ll also receive our weekly e-newsletter with plant-based recipes galore!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Leave a Comment

5 from 13 votes (1 rating without comment)

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.
Recipe Rating




12 comments
  1. 5 stars
    Delicious options love it

  2. Beatriz Buono-Core says:

    5 stars
    Can’t believe how easy it is to make these! Childhood favorite 🙂

  3. 5 stars
    Oh my! I’ve not come across drumsticks before, but now I know about them I’m going to have to start experimenting. It’s got to be a nutty topping for me.

  4. 5 stars
    These are so freaking good! Wow! Perfect for summer!

  5. 5 stars
    Loved this recipe; with its crunchy chocolate shell and creamy vanilla ice cream filling, this recipe is a game-changer for those who miss the taste of traditional drumstick ice cream cones.

  6. Andrea White says:

    5 stars
    Excited to try them all!!!!

  7. 5 stars
    Oh, this looks so fun and easy! Can’t wait to make this over the summer, miss this childhood treat!

  8. 5 stars
    Oooh! So nostalgic and adorable! I love these dairy-free ice cream drumsticks with all my heart!

  9. 5 stars
    So delicious! And fun to make. Get creative and enjoy!

  10. 5 stars
    These are so good and incredibly fun to make.
    Kiddos love this project! (Big kiddos too!)

  11. 5 stars
    I can’t wait to make these all summer!

Stay Inspired!

Thank you for subscribing!