Charming Paper Cones for the Holidays

The festive season is upon us, and I thought it would be fun to share a quick and easy project that you might enjoy. Paper cones are a classic way to present homemade cookies or sweets, and they couldn't be easier to put together. They're also a great way to use left-over bits of decorative paper from gift-wrapping, always a good thing.

You can make paper cones in any size: 12-inch squares make a nice cone for cookies, and six-inch squares make a nice small cone for sweets. If you prefer precision, you can mark your paper as shown to get a perfectly proportioned cone.

All you need is a square of decorative paper, some tape or a glue stick and a decorative sticker to seal your cone. I think my choice of paper will surprise no one this year! Construction is simple: position the square like a diamond with the south point down, and fold the east and west sides in towards the center, approximately in thirds. Glue or tape the two side flaps together, and fold the top corner down to form a closure. That's it!

On the left, a cone made from an eight-inch square for sweets, and on the right, a twelve-inch cone for cookies. A fancy sticker makes a great finishing touch.

I like to make small cones filled with nuts or sweets to decorate place settings for festive gatherings, and larger ones filled with homemade cookies make lovely host gifts if you're visiting with friends and family this season. Depending on the treats you choose, it might be a good idea to make a slightly smaller liner cone from parchment paper as shown below, to prevent any oils from marking the decorative paper exterior.

A nice generous cone filled with homemade pistachio amaretti, my favorite cookies to share at the holidays. For this 12-inch cone, I made a smaller eleven-inch liner cone from parchment paper to protect the decorative paper.

A gold seal or sticker is all you really need to close your paper cones, but you can add decorative flourishes if you're particularly inspired. A ribbon threaded under the top flap makes a charming hanging loop, too.

It's been quite a productive year here, and I'm thankful for all of the lovely collaborations and projects that have made the year so colorful and creative. I'm already looking forward to the exciting new projects in the works for 2025, but for now, I hope we'll all enjoy a rest and recharge with our dearest people. Have a beautiful holiday and a peaceful new year!