Maybe you love them just as much as we do: ice cream cups. Not the disposable ones from the ice cream parlor, but dessert bowls made of glass, porcelain, or stainless steel. At least, we are fans of our Gelato Cups. So much so that we don’t just want to use them for ice cream in summer—but all year round. In different rooms. For different occasions. Inspired by the iconic shape of ice cream cups from the ice cream parlor, but crafted from handmade porcelain, our Gelato Cups are beautiful ice cream cups that can do much more than conventional dessert bowls made of glass or stainless steel. Here are five ways to enjoy them all year round.
Glass, stainless steel, or porcelain—which material is worth it?
Anyone looking for beautiful ice cream cups or dessert bowls will quickly come across different materials. Glass dessert bowls look light and elegant—but they are fragile, cool down quickly, and cannot withstand high oven temperatures. Stainless steel ice cream cups insulate well and are robust, but are hardly suitable for warm preparations and have a cool, minimalist industrial look.
Porcelain dessert bowls combine the best of both worlds: they are durable, hygienic, oven-safe up to 220°C, dishwasher-safe—and have a tactile feel that neither glass nor metal can offer. With their satin-matte and glossy glaze, they look high-quality and give any decoration a classically elegant touch. Porcelain ice cream cups are subtle, but not completely inconspicuous. You decide whether you want to make them the center of attention or if they are “only” intended as an accompaniment and fulfill their purpose.
5 ways to use ice cream cups all year round
1. The obvious: ice cream and cold desserts
Let’s start with the obvious. Porcelain ice cream cups hold the temperature better than thin glass—the thickness of the porcelain insulates briefly before the cold is released. But you can use them not only for ice cream, but also for any other cold dessert. This could be a mousse, granola with yogurt, a sorbet, or matcha tiramisu.
2. Warm desserts—crème brûlée, soufflé, fondant
Because our porcelain ice cream cups are oven-safe up to 220°C, they are just as suitable for warm desserts. You can bake crème brûlée in individual portions directly in the cup. You can serve a soufflé directly from the oven. Muffins rise perfectly in them. Or you can enjoy a warm brownie that is still runny in the middle. The shape of the porcelain cup keeps the portion size controlled—and looks much more elegant than a regular casserole dish.
3. At the aperitivo—for dips and snacks
Hummus, labneh, aioli—small dessert bowls are perfect dip containers at an aperitivo or for a buffet. Served in several cups side by side on a tray, they immediately create a harmonious look. What also works, of course: salted snacks and hearty little treats like olives, cheese cubes, and crackers. Beautiful porcelain ice cream cups visually enhance any snack.
4. In the coffee corner—for coffee pods, sugar, and more
Anyone setting up a coffee corner at home will also be looking for small jars. Because besides the coffee machine and cups, small containers are also part of the setup. Ice cream cups—whether made of porcelain, stainless steel, or glass—can be repurposed perfectly and give any coffee corner more order and structure. Suddenly, your dessert bowl is a sugar bowl or the ideal place to store coffee capsules and more.
5. As a decorative object—even without contents
The characteristic shape of our Gelato Cups—slim, with clean lines, inspired by the ice cream parlor look—makes them a timeless design object even without contents. On the shelf, on the sideboard, or in a loose group on the dining table: arranged individually or in groups as ice cream cups, they look like small sculptures. You can fill them with a tealight candle, a single blossom, or a branch. Or simply leave them as they are.
Our Gelato Cups: porcelain ice cream cups in the ice cream parlor look
Our Gelato Cups are inspired by the iconic shape of to-go ice cream cups from the ice cream parlor—with clean lines, a satin-matte feel on the outside, and a glossy glaze on the inside. Handcrafted from porcelain, they are durable, oven-safe, and dishwasher-safe. Available as a set of 2 or as a set with matching borosilicate glass spoons.
For those who want the full ice cream parlor nostalgia moment: The borosilicate glass spoons match perfectly in feel and appearance—and hardly scratch at all. You can find further care instructions in the Care Guidelines for the Gelato Cups.
These are the questions you ask us frequently
Are porcelain ice cream cups dishwasher-safe?
Yes—our porcelain Gelato Cups are dishwasher-safe. This also applies to the matching borosilicate glass spoons.
Can porcelain ice cream cups be put in the oven?
Yes, our Gelato Cups can withstand up to 220°C. This also makes them suitable for warm desserts like crème brûlée or soufflé—directly from the oven to the table.
What is the difference between an ice cream cup, a dessert bowl, and an ice cream bowl?
The terms are often used synonymously. An ice cream cup usually refers to the narrower, taller shape—derived from the classic ice cream parlor cup. Dessert bowls and ice cream bowls are wider and flatter. As for our Gelato Cups: The shape is clearly inspired by the ice cream parlor look, but the range of uses is significantly broader.
