Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Imagine the sweet aroma of fresh strawberries topped with decadent cream. Now, picture that scent dancing through your home, creating a delightful ambiance that evokes the carefree joy of an ice cream cone on a hot, sunny day. Ice cream candles are the perfect DIY project for anyone who loves a touch of whimsy and a whole lot of fragrance in their home. Not only are they incredibly fun to create, but they also make fantastic treats for you or for personalized gifts for weddings, bridal showers, or birthdays.
This tutorial , inspired by candlescience, will take you through everything you need to know about crafting your own strawberry ice cream candle. From gathering the perfect supplies to achieving those mesmerizing scooped wax layers, we’ll cover every step of the process, ensuring your ice cream candle becomes a delightful centerpiece, a conversation starter, and a source of pure olfactory bliss.
How To Make Strawberry Ice Cream Candles
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.
Makes 4 Container Candles
Ingredients and Supplies
Ingredients Needed:
- 25 oz Golden Brands 444 Soy Wax*
- 1.6 oz Strawberries & Cream fragrance oil
- ½ tsp of red mica
- Pale Pink Candle dye block
Equipment Needed:
- 2 Measuring Cups (4 cup capacity) or plastic containers
- Double Boiler
- Silicone embed or bar mold**
- Pipettes
- Digital Scale
- Digital Thermometer
- Paring knife
- Heat gun or hairdryer
- Aluminum Wax Melting and Pouring Pitcher
- Stainless Steel bowl
- Ice cream scoop
- Silicone spatula
- Paper towels
- Parchment paper
Candle Container Supplies Needed:
- Four 6 oz candle tins
- Votive wick pin or bamboo skewer
- CD 18 6″ Pre-tabbed Candle Wicks
- Wick Stickers
- Wick Bars or chopsticks
- Candle Warning Labels
- Container Labels Round 2” White Glossy
- Container Labels 4”x 1” White Glossy
* I made this recipe using Golden Brands 444 wax because I wanted a higher melting point due to the summer heat, but you can also use Golden Brands 464
* I used a raspberry mold for making this recipe, but you can also use a strawberry mold or a soap bar mold. For this project, it does not make a difference as the embeds will be chopped into pieces.
Directions
Make the embeds (strawberry pieces)
Place the measuring cup on your digital scale and tare the weight. Weigh 3 oz. of 444 soy wax flakes into the measuring cup and then melt using a double boiler.
When the wax reaches 185ºF, remove from the heat, add ½ tsp of red mica and .2 oz. of the Strawberries & Cream fragrance oil and mix thoroughly for 2 minutes.
Use a pipette to fill the silicone embed mold or pour wax into a soap bar mold. Once the wax has cooled completely (about 30 minutes to an hour), remove from the mold and chop into ¼ inch pieces. Set aside for use in the scoops.
Make the ice cream scoops
Place the measuring cup on your digital scale and tare the weight. Weigh 8 oz. of 444 soy wax flakes into the measuring cup and then melt using a double boiler.
While the wax is melting, prepare your dye block. Use a paring knife to scrape off several small shreds of the dye block, about the size of ½ a dime.
When the wax reaches 185ºF add the dye shavings to the wax and mix thoroughly. Remove from the heat, add .5 oz. of the Strawberries & Cream fragrance oil and stir gently for 2 minutes.
Pour the wax into the stainless steel bowl.
When you see the wax beginning to solidify around the edges of the bowl, stir the wax every 30 minutes or so with the silicone spatula to avoid clumps from forming.
When the wax reaches 100 F, add the embeds and mix thoroughly and let the mixture cool until it reaches around 90°F – it should be stiff and hold its shape.
Use an ice cream scoop (with a thumb press) to scoop out the mixture and make the scoops. Place the scoops onto parchment paper and while warm create a hole for the wick by using a bamboo skewer or a wick pin to poke a hole down the center of each scoop. Allow scoops to cool for 1 hour.
Make and assemble the ice cream candles
Use the aluminum pitcher and place it on your digital scale. Tare the weight and weigh out 14 oz. of 444 soy wax flakes.
Begin to melt the wax flakes with a double boiler.
While you’re waiting for your wax to melt, prepare your 6 oz candle tins. Apply a wick sticker in the center of each tin and attach the wick.
Slide the cooled ice cream scoops into the center of the container.
When the wax reaches 185°F, remove from the heat and add 0.9 oz. of Strawberries & Cream fragrance oil. Stir gently for 2 minutes. When the wax cools to 120°F, pour 1.65 oz. of wax into each container and allow to cool.
Candle Top Drizzle (Optional)
While your candle is cooling melt an additional ounce of the 444 wax in a double boiler. Once the wax reaches 185F, remove from heat and add ½ tsp of white mica and .05 ounces of fragrance oil. Mix thoroughly and cool to 120 F. Use a pipette to drizzle/drop over the top of the candle. Allow candle to cool completely (8 hours or overnight).
Trim the wick, label and enjoy!
That’s it! Allow the candle to cool completely (8 hours or overnight). Trim the wick to ¼ inch, cap with the container lid and label. Allow the candle to rest (cure) for two weeks before lighting.
For more DIY pampering or gift ideas, you might like to try our Match Tea Face Mask Recipe or our Sweet Orange Lip Balm Recipe