How to Dutch Crown Finish Pre-Rolls

The simplest way to close a pre-roll may be to twist the paper at the top, but brands looking for a cleaner and more polished finish often choose a Dutch Crown.

Sometimes referred to as a folded finish, a Dutch Crown creates a flat top by folding the remaining pre-roll paper or wrap inward over the flower, producing a clean, uniform closure that give pre-rolled joints a more professional appearance.

Many producers (and consumers for that matter) also prefer the Dutch Crown because the flat surface can be easier to light evenly than a tight twist. An uneven light can contribute to canoeing or running, where one side of the joint burns faster than the other, which can turn off customers.

Folded finishes have also become increasingly popular with pre-roll manufacturers. In Custom Cones USA's 2026 State of the Pre-Roll Market report covering the American pre-roll market, 55% of surveyed U.S. pre-roll producers said they use a Dutch Crown-style fold compared to 35% who finish their pre-rolls with a twist.

So, what is the best way to create a Dutch Crown finish?

First, fill your pre-rolled cone as you normally would on your production line. A consistent filling process makes Dutch Crowning much easier. Filling equipment and volumetric metering systems help producers fill a more precise and repeatable amount of flower into each cone.

Although Cones Canada does not currently sell the popular semi-automated tabletop pre-roll machines, the Fill N' Fold and King Kone, producers interested in these machines can connect with our North American parent company, Custom Cones USA.

Once the cone is filled, grab a packing or tamping tool with a flat end. The packing sticks included with many bulk pre-rolled cones work well, although a narrow metal tamping rod or similar flat-ended tool can also be used.

Before folding the paper, make sure the flower at the top of the cone has been properly packed as you'll need a firm surface to fold against. Lightly tamp the material down until about 3 to 5 millimeters of empty paper remains above the flower, this will leave enough paper to create the folded top without having excessive material bunching into the fold.

Use the edge of your tamping tool to fold one section, approximately one-quarter to one-third of the paper, of the exposed paper inward, folding it over the flower while applying light pressure. Give the tool a small twist to help crease the fold into place.

Rotate the near-finished pre-roll and repeat the process on the next section of paper, continue around the opening until the paper overlaps toward the center of the cone. We find that three folds generally create a clean Dutch Crown, although four folds also produces a professional finish.

Finally, place the flat end of your tamping tool in the center of the pre-roll and give the top one last push and twist to flatten the folds and lock the crown into place. You now have a clean Dutch Crown-style finish.

One of the most common problems when creating a Dutch Crown is working with a cone that has been filled too loosely. If there is not enough density near the top, pressing down with your tamping tool can push flower deeper into the cone, creating an uneven pack while also leaving too much empty paper at the top.

When the remaining paper is too long, it can also become difficult to create a clean fold. Instead of forming a clean, compact crown, the paper can bunch up and overlap unevenly, which is why consistent fill volumes and proper cone selection are so important.

Be sure to choose a pre-rolled cone size that matches your intended fill weight. For example, 109mm king-size cones are commonly used for 1-gram pre-rolls. An 84mm 1¼ size cone is often used for half-gram products, while smaller 70mm dogwalker cones are used for mini pre-rolls around 0.3 grams.

And remember, exact capacity can vary depending on the grind size, moisture content and density of the flower, so producers should test their own material in their specific production process. The goal is to leave approximately 3 to 5 millimeters of paper after the flower has been properly filled and tamped.

Another common mistake is using too much pressure. You don't need to force the tamping tool into the pre-roll to create a Dutch Crown, in fact, pressing too hard can tear the paper or over compress the flower near the top, making it difficult to light.

Instead, use controlled pressure to fold each section inward and a slight twist to crease the paper, then finish the crown with a final push and twist in the center. Over time, the process becomes relatively quick and easily repeatable.

The first benefit of a Dutch Crown is obvious: it looks good. A folded top gives a more professional and uniform appearance than an inconsistent twist, which is especially important for multi-packs, where several pre-rolls are displayed next to each other inside the same package.

The flat finish also makes a pre-roll easier to light. Instead of burning through a twisted paper tail, consumers can apply the flame more evenly across the top of the joint. A more even initial light also greatly reduces the chances of early canoeing or running.

And from a brand perspective, the finish of a pre-roll is another small detail that can influence the customer's perception of the product and brand alike. Consumers may not know every step of your production process, but they can immediately see whether a pre-roll looks clean and consistently finished.

Dutch Crowning does require slightly more work than a simple twist, however, for brands focused on creating a premium final product, the extra step may be worth it. Plus, with practice, it doesn't add too much more time than a twist.

Creating Dutch Crowns by hand is manageable for smaller batches, but at higher volumes, individually folding each and every pre-roll can quickly bog down the finishing stage of production.

Thankfully, there are pre-roll machines and finishing systems designed to help speed up this process. And while Cones Canada does not directly offer these machines, the Fill N' Fold and King Kone equipment discussed below, Canadian pre-roll manufacturers can contact our North American parent company, Custom Cones USA, for additional information or to purchase these systems.

The Fill N' Fold cone filling machine includes a specialized folding and tamping tool designed specifically to help producers create folded tops at scale. The machine can fill up to 121 pre-rolled cones in a cycle, and the folding tool allows operators to work across a row of 11 pre-rolls at a time rather than folding every cone completely by hand, speeding up the tail end of pre-roll production.

The benefits of this machine's Dutch Crown folding tool were demonstrated during Custom Cones USA's Battle of the Pre-Roll Machines test.

In the single-operator test, the Fill N' Fold produced 837 Dutch Crown-finished pre-rolls per hour, while the King Kone produced 585 pre-rolls per hour, and finally the Knockbox producing 529. And the King Kone and Knockbox pre-rolls were finished with twists during that test.

In the two-operator test, the Fill N' Fold produced 1,361 Dutch Crown-finished pre-rolls per hour, compared to 1,170 for the King Kone and 1,000 for the Knockbox, and again, with a twist finish.

The Fill N' Fold's specialized tamping and folding tool helps streamline a production step that can otherwise require significant time and repetitive labor.

For Canadian producers interested in the Fill N' Fold cone filling and Dutch Crown closing machine, contact Custom Cones USA for more information.

Since the Battle of the Pre-Roll Machines testing, King Kone has also introduced a dedicated system for creating Dutch Crown-style finishes. The King Kone Dutch Crown Closer is a standalone device designed to close a full tray of up to 169 King Kone-filled pre-rolls.

The system uses holding trays and a dual-sided star and pin assembly to help create the folded tops. Operators follow a simple closing process and pull the machine's handle to engage the system across the tray. Rather than folding every cone individually, the device is designed to speed up the finishing stage for larger pre-roll production operations at scale.

Again, The King Kone and Dutch Crown Closer attachment are not sold directly through Cones Canada, but manufacturers interested in this King Kone equipment can contact Custom Cones USA for more information.

A Dutch Crown can give pre-rolled joints and blunts a cleaner, more professional finish than a traditional twist, and the flat top is also easier for consumers to light evenly and can help reduce canoeing as the pre-roll starts to the burn.

While Dutch Crowning requires slightly more technique than a simple twist, the basic process is quite simple. Fill and tamp the cone evenly, leave approximately 3 to 5 millimeters of paper, fold the remaining sections inward three or four times and finish with a final press and twist.

With a little practice, production teams can quickly master the technique.

For high-volume producers, filling and finishing equipment greatly reduces labor while improving production speed. Brands interested in the Fill N' Fold or King Kone machines can contact Cones Canada's North American parent company, Custom Cones USA to purchase.

Looking for the right pre-rolled cones for your production line? Contact the Pre-Roll Experts at Cones Canada to find the cone sizes and paper types that fit your production needs.