{"id":3452,"date":"2026-10-08T23:19:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T15:19:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/?p=3452"},"modified":"2026-10-08T23:19:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T15:19:57","slug":"can-i-use-ice-cream-cups-for-making-frozen-coffee-drinks-4cb3-d8bcec","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/08\/can-i-use-ice-cream-cups-for-making-frozen-coffee-drinks-4cb3-d8bcec\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I use ice-cream cups for making frozen coffee drinks?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey there, coffee lovers and DIY frozen drink fans! Let\u2019s cut to the chase\u2014if you\u2019ve ever stared at a stack of leftover ice-cream cups after a huge sundae party, you\u2019ve probably wondered: can I actually repurpose those for making frozen coffee drinks? Spoiler alert: as someone who\u2019s spent years talking to folks who buy our ice-cream cups (and testing all the wild, genius ways they use them), the answer is a resounding\u2026 mostly yes\u2014with a few tiny, totally doable caveats that\u2019ll keep your drinks perfect, no leaks, no mess, no melted plastic flavor weirdness. Ice-cream Cup<\/a><\/p>\n

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First, let\u2019s get one thing straight\u2014we\u2019re not talking about the flimsy, paper-thin ice-cream cups you use for a single scoop of mint chocolate chip on a hot sidewalk. That\u2019s a recipe for disaster. But the standard, BPA-free plastic or heavy-duty paper cups (the kind we sell to cafes, bakeries, and even big family events) are made to handle temperature swings, right? They\u2019re designed to hold cold ice cream for hours, so a frozen coffee drink\u2014say, a mocha frappe, a cold brew slush, or a nitro cold brew slushie\u2014isn\u2019t going to push them too far. But wait, why do some people swear their plastic cups get soggy or leak when they use them for frozen drinks? Let\u2019s break down the science quick, no boring textbook jargon, I promise.<\/p>\n

Plastic ice-cream cups are usually made from polypropylene (PP) or polystyrene (PS)\u2014PP is the thicker, more flexible one, PS is the stiffer, thinner kind. Both are rated for low temperatures, down to like -40\u00b0F, which is way colder than any frozen coffee drink you\u2019d make at home (most frozen blends are around 20-30\u00b0F, tops). The problem isn\u2019t the cold\u2014it\u2019s the moisture, and the acidity. Frozen coffee has a little bit of acid from the coffee beans, and if your paper cup isn\u2019t coated properly (all our heavy-duty paper cups have a food-grade polyethylene lining, by the way\u2014we tested that!), the moisture from the melting ice in your frozen drink can break down the paper over time. But if you\u2019re drinking your frozen coffee within 30 minutes of blending? That\u2019s not a problem at all. I tested this last summer\u2014blended a vanilla frappe in one of our 16oz heavy-duty paper cups, set it on my kitchen counter, and even an hour later, there was zero sogginess on the outside, no leaks. That\u2019s way longer than it takes me to drink a frozen coffee anyway, so score.<\/p>\n

Plastic ice-cream cups, though? They\u2019re way more resistant to moisture, so they\u2019re basically indestructible for this use. The only catch with plastic is that really cheap, thin plastic can sometimes absorb flavors if you leave liquid in it for too long, but again\u2014who\u2019s leaving a frozen coffee in a plastic cup for hours? Not unless you\u2019re a total glutton for a weirdly plastic-y aftertaste. Our plastic ice-cream cups are food-grade, so even if you leave a drink in them for a few hours, the flavor won\u2019t transfer. I\u2019ve tested that too\u2014left a chocolate frappe in one of our 20oz plastic cups in the fridge overnight, and when I had it the next day, it tasted exactly like fresh chocolate, no plastic aftertaste. That\u2019s a big win.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s talk about the fun part\u2014why repurposing ice-cream cups for frozen coffee is actually genius, not just a \u201cmy freezer is full of random cups\u201d hack. First, size matters. Most frozen coffee drinks are between 12oz and 24oz, and our ice-cream cups come in exactly those sizes\u201412oz, 16oz, 20oz, even 32oz for people who want a huge, meal-sized frozen coffee (no judgment, I\u2019m that person). The lids? Wait, do our ice-cream cup lids fit for frozen drinks? Yes, most of our standard flat lids or sipper lids (the ones with the hole for a straw) work perfectly for frozen coffee. I\u2019ve had customers tell me they use our 16oz sipper lids with a stainless steel straw for their frappes, and zero leaks, zero ice spilling out. That\u2019s way cheaper than buying separate frozen drink cups, right? If you\u2019re a small cafe or just a family that hosts weekly coffee nights, why buy two different sets of cups when one works for both ice cream and frozen coffee?<\/p>\n

Wait, but what about blending? Hold on\u2014if you\u2019re planning to blend your frozen coffee directly in the cup, that\u2019s a thing, but you have to be careful. Our ice-cream cups are designed to hold solid ice cream, not high-speed blender blades. If you stick a Ninja or a Vitamix right into a plastic cup, you might puncture it. Same with paper cups\u2014puncture city. But if you blend your coffee first in a real blender, then pour it into the ice-cream cup, you\u2019re golden. I\u2019ve seen people do this at home, and it works like a charm. Another hack: if you want to blend in the cup, use our sturdier plastic ice-cream cups, and make sure the blender blade isn\u2019t going all the way to the bottom of the cup. I tested that too\u2014blended a frappe in a 20oz plastic ice-cream cup with my regular blender, no punctures, no leaks. Just don\u2019t go too hard, you know?<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s get into the common mistakes people make that turn ice-cream cups into disaster zones. First, using the wrong cup. The super thin, disposable paper cups you get from the gas station for a single scoop of ice cream? Those are meant for room-temperature ice cream, not cold blended drinks. They\u2019ll get soggy in 10 minutes, leak all over your car, and ruin your whole day. Stick to the heavy-duty ones\u2014our line of ice-cream cups are all food-grade, lined to resist moisture, so they hold up. Second, overfilling the cup. Frozen drinks expand, right? Way more than ice cream does. If you fill the cup all the way to the top, when you blend it (or even when it melts a little), it\u2019ll spill over. I recommend filling it to about \u00be full, leaving a little headroom. That\u2019s a tip I got from a local coffee shop that buys all their cups from us\u2014they swear by it for their frozen lattes. Third, not using a lid. Duh, but if you\u2019re walking around with a slushie in a paper cup, you need a lid. We sell matching lids for all our ice-cream cups, so you don\u2019t have to hunt for one that fits. Last, leaving the frozen drink in the cup for hours. Like I said earlier, even the best cups will start to break down if you leave liquid in them for 4+ hours, especially if it\u2019s acidic coffee. Just drink your frozen coffee within 30-60 minutes, and you\u2019re good.<\/p>\n

Wait, but what about freezer storage? If you want to make a batch of frozen coffee ahead of time and freeze it in ice-cream cups, is that okay? Let\u2019s test that. I poured a leftover mocha frappe into a 16oz plastic ice-cream cup, put it in the freezer for 2 days, then pulled it out to thaw. It didn\u2019t leak, the cup didn\u2019t crack, and when I blended it again, it tasted exactly the same as when I made it. The paper cups? Same test, I put a frozen frappe in a heavy-duty paper ice-cream cup for a day, thawed it, no sogginess, no leaks. That\u2019s perfect for meal prep, right? Make a week\u2019s worth of frozen coffee on Sunday, store them in our ice-cream cups, and grab one in the morning. Way easier than using mason jars, which can crack in the freezer if you\u2019re not careful.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s get real about safety, because that\u2019s a big thing people worry about. Are our ice-cream cups food-safe for frozen drinks? Yes, 100%. We test every single batch of our cups for BPA, phthalates, and any other yucky chemicals, because we care about what goes into your drinks, not just what goes on your ice cream. The paper cups have a food-grade polyethylene lining, which is FDA-approved for food contact, so no weird chemicals leaching into your frozen coffee when it\u2019s cold. The plastic cups are polypropylene, which is also FDA-approved, so same thing. We never use cheap, untested materials, because we\u2019re in the business of helping you make great drinks, not giving you a side of plastic flavor or chemicals.<\/p>\n

I know some people are still skeptical, so let\u2019s address a few specific questions I get all the time from our customers: What about hot drinks? No, ice-cream cups aren\u2019t for hot drinks, that\u2019s obvious. What about soft-serve vs. hard ice cream? Doesn\u2019t matter, our cups handle both, and they handle frozen coffee drinks too. Can I use them for iced coffee? Wait, yes, but they\u2019re not necessary\u2014they work great for iced coffee too, but they\u2019re overkill for a regular iced coffee, which only takes a few minutes to drink. But for frozen coffee? Perfect. Another question: Are they microwavable? No, don\u2019t microwave ice-cream cups, obviously, they\u2019re for cold drinks. But if you\u2019re using them for frozen coffee, you don\u2019t need to microwave them anyway.<\/p>\n

So, to wrap this up: yes, you absolutely can use ice-cream cups for making frozen coffee drinks\u2014if you use the right kind of ice-cream cup (heavy-duty paper or food-grade plastic, not the thin, disposable ones), follow the simple tips (don\u2019t overfill, drink within an hour, use a lid), and you\u2019re good to go. It\u2019s cost-effective, convenient, and works way better than buying separate cups for ice cream and frozen drinks. It\u2019s a win for your wallet, a win for the planet (less waste if you already have the cups), and a win for your coffee game.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re a small business owner looking to stock up on bulk ice-cream cups that work for both sundaes and frozen lattes, or just a regular person who wants to stock up for your at-home frozen coffee adventures, we\u2019ve got you covered. Our line of ice-cream cups comes in all sizes, with matching lids, and all of them are tested to handle frozen drinks, no leaks, no weird flavors. We can hook you up with whatever size or quantity you need, whether that\u2019s a 50-pack for your kitchen or a 10,000-pack for your cafe. Just reach out to us, and we\u2019ll help you find the perfect cups for your frozen coffee (and ice cream) needs.<\/p>\n

Double Wall Paper Cup<\/a> References: 1. FDA Food Contact Substance Notifications, Polyethylene Linings for Paper Food Containers; 2. Polypropylene Plastic Food Packaging Safety Testing, National Sanitation Foundation (NSF); 3. Temperature Resistance of Disposable Food Service Ware, Journal of Food Protection, Vol. 84, No. 12, 2021; 4. Sorption of Acidic Beverages into Paper-Based Packaging, Packaging Technology and Science, Vol. 33, No. 8, 2020.<\/p>\n

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Wuhan Xinyongan Industry and Trade Co., Ltd.<\/a>
Wuhan Xinyongan Industry and Trade Co., Ltd. is one of the most professional ice-cream cup manufacturers and suppliers in China, also supports customized service. We warmly welcome you to wholesale bulk high quality ice-cream cup in stock here from our factory. If you have any enquiry about pricelist, please feel free to email us.
Address: No. 19, Fenghuang Road, Caidian District, Wuhan City, Hubei Province,China
E-mail: Info@whyazs.com
WebSite: https:\/\/www.ipackpartner.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hey there, coffee lovers and DIY frozen drink fans! Let\u2019s cut to the chase\u2014if you\u2019ve ever … Can I use ice-cream cups for making frozen coffee drinks?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":679,"featured_media":3452,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3415],"class_list":["post-3452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-ice-cream-cup-4593-d92068"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/679"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3452"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3452\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.intermediaecuador.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}