Custom Nut Paper Cones

Sizing Cones to Your Scoop

Most nut sellers sell by scoop or by weight bands, such as a small and a large portion. The cone should hold the portion with a little room at the top for folding over. If the cone is too big, the scoop looks mean; too small, and the nuts tumble out.

The easiest way to size a cone is to take your scoop and pour it into a paper cone mock-up of the size you are considering. A cone with a height of around 180 mm suits a small scoop of almonds, while a 230 to 250 mm cone handles a generous portion of mixed nuts or a large scoop of peanuts.

Remember that candied nuts often clump, which takes up more space than loose roasted nuts. If you sell both, size by the bulkier product.

If you price by portion, it helps to print the size on the cone itself, or to use two different colourways for small and large. Staff can then grab the right cone without thinking, and customers can see they are getting what they paid for. Our guide to sizing packaging by portion works through the mock-up method.

Cone Styles and Tops

The basic cone is open at the top. A fold-over top, with extra paper above the fill line, lets customers close the cone. Some traders add a printed sticker to seal it, which turns the cone into a small gift.

Cones can also be made with a flat base, so they stand on a counter, or with a pointed base that fits a cone stand. A simple card cone holder on the stall keeps a row of filled cones upright and ready to hand over. Snack-size boxes for the same counter are shown on our mini popcorn boxes page.

• Open cone with a straight or wavy rim
• Fold-over top for closing and saving
• Cone with a printed seal sticker
• Flat-bottomed cone that stands upright
• Double-layer cone for hot or very oily nuts
• Matching card cone stand for the stall

Printing on Paper Cones

Cones print best with simple, bold designs. The shape tapers, so artwork that runs across the full width will be distorted when the cone is rolled. A logo placed in the middle of the wider top area, with a pattern or colour around it, reads clearly from all sides.

One or two colours on kraft gives a hand-stamped look that suits markets and fairs. Full colour on white greaseproof allows illustrations and photos. Keep the design away from the very top edge, where fingers and lips touch, and leave a plain band there instead.

Our free design proof shows the flat template and a mock-up of the rolled cone, so you can see how the artwork wraps around before it is printed. Upload the logo through the free proof request and we will place it in the wide band.

Cones for Markets, Fairs and Shops

Street food stalls and market traders sell roasted nuts, sugared almonds and spiced seeds in cones to people walking past, so speed and visibility count. A bright, simple design makes the stall easy to find again.

Sweet shops, cinemas and zoos sell nuts and popcorn in cones as a treat. Cafes and delis sell small cones of mixed nuts alongside drinks. Event caterers use cones for canapé-style servings of nuts and crisps at drinks receptions.

Each of these customers values different things: speed for markets, presentation for delis, and capacity for cinemas. Tell us where your cones will be used and we will suggest the right paper and size.

A good test is to stand a few metres from your stall and look at the cones in people’s hands. If you can read your name from there, the design is doing its job. If all you can see is a brown blur, a stronger colour or a larger logo will help.

Some traders also print a short line about their recipe on the cone, such as the spice blend or the fact that the nuts are roasted on the stall. It gives people something to read while they eat and makes the product feel more personal than a supermarket bag. Delis that sell the same nuts to take home use dried fruit and nut boxes with a window.

Pour Your Scoop Into a Paper Mock-Up

A nut cone is sized by the scoop, so the quickest check is to roll a paper mock-up at each height you are considering and pour a real portion in; the right one leaves room to fold the top over. Size by your bulkiest product, since candied nuts clump and take more space than loose roasted ones, and tell us if the nuts are served hot, because a double-layer or heavier grease-resistant paper then keeps the cone stiff.

Keep the logo in the wide upper band and a plain strip at the rim where lips touch. Send the heights, paper, print and quantity, and a custom quote comes back by email within one working day, with simple cones from £0.25 and low minimums set per job. The free proof shows the flat template and a rolled mock-up. Production takes 4–7 working days after approval and tracked delivery to UK mainland addresses is free, taking 2–3 working days. Misprinted or crumpled cones reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded. Stalls that also sell popcorn usually add printed popcorn bags in the same colours.