This quick, easy Snow Ice Cream recipe makes the perfect snow-day treat! It requires only four simple ingredients and five minutes, and it's easy enough for kids to make all by themselves!
Snow ice cream is a cold-weather treat that creates lasting memories! It could not be easier to put together, and makes a great family activity.
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Snow Cream Ingredients
- Fresh snow: How much snow you need depends on the type and texture of your snow. If you have light, powdery snow, you may need more than if your snow is heavier and wetter.
- Cream: You can use any milk or milk alternative to make snow cream. (We prefer half-and-half, or a mixture or heavy cream and whole milk. Keep in mind that the richer and creamier the milk product added is, the creamier and richer your ice cream will be.
- Sugar: Use plain, white granulated sugar.
- Vanilla: Use vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
- Salt: A pinch of salt added to the mixture enhances the flavor of the ice cream, but is totally optional. (A very small pinch will do it.)
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make this Easy Snow Cream Recipe
Scoop clean, fresh snow into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Combine cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a medium bowl or measuring cup and stir until sugar completely dissolves.
Drizzle the cream mixture over the fresh snow, folding it in gently to combine.
The consistency of snow ice cream should be light and airy; scoopable, and somewhere between homemade ice cream and a very thick milkshake. If yours seems too heavy or watery, add more snow until it reaches the consistency you like.
Hint: Drizzling the liquids into the snow (instead of pouring) allows them to cool more quickly, resulting in a creamier, airier ice cream.
Substitutions & Variations
- Snow: Instead of using fresh snow, you can substitute fresh shaved ice. The amount of snow you need is totally dependent upon the texture of the snow.
- Cream: Any milk or alternative milk product will work.
- Vanilla: You can use any kind of extract or flavoring. Mint, almond, and coconut are all tasty options.
- Sugar: Use plain white granulated sugar. We've never tried using brown sugar in this recipe, but I supposed you could; however, do not use any liquid sweeteners (i.e., honey, agave, etc.).
- Vegan: Sub in an alternative milk to make vegan-friendly snow cream.
- Condensed milk: You can replace the cream and sugar with one cup of sweetened condensed milk.
Top Tip
Snow cream is best eaten immediately after it is made.
Snow cream can be frozen for up to a week; however, the smooth, delicate structure of the snow turns to hard, crunchy ice crystals when refrozen, so the ice cream will not be as light and airy the second time around.
FAQ
Fresh, clean, pristine white snow is generally safe to eat. There are, however, a few caveats:
• Never use snow that has been in contact with the ground or soil.
• Do not collect snow near roads, cars, smokestacks, active volcanos, or radioactive areas.
• Do not use yellow snow, black snow, brown snow, gray snow or snow any color other than white.
• Do not use snow containing particles of grit or grime.
More Snow Day Recipes
When the weather outside is frightful, these recipes will warm you from the inside out!
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Snow Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 small mixing bowl
- 1 mixing spoon
Ingredients
Instructions
- Scoop clean, fresh snow into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Combine cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a medium bowl or measuring cup and stir until sugar completely dissolves.
- Drizzle the cream mixture over the fresh snow, folding it in gently to combine. The consistency of snow ice cream should be light and airy; scoopable, and somewhere between homemade ice cream and a very thick milkshake. If yours seems too heavy or watery, add more snow until it reaches the consistency you like.
Notes
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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Originally published February 8, 2014. This post has been updated with new content, images, and recipe instructions for better user experience.
Ned says
We just got a bunch of snow where I'm at so I had to try this with my kids! They loved it! Thank you for an awesome recipe!
Renée B. says
You are so welcome!
Glenda says
This recipe took me back 50+ years. It's still as tasty as I remember and it was fun to make with our grandkids! Thanks!
Renée B. says
Your grandkids will remember making it with you forever!
Jeff says
This is so much fun. I don't have snow where I live but the shaved ice should do well.
Renée B. says
Shave ice works very well for this - sometimes even better than snow!
Kathleen says
This is such a fun recipe. The kids will enjoy helping make this one.
Lily says
What a fun way to enjoy a snow day! I remember as a kid collecting snow and sticking it in the freezer, so I could have snow on-demand. Now, you can have ice cream on demand on your snow day!
Renée B. says
It's one of those simple recipes that makes for lasting memories.
Marlynn @UrbanBlissLife says
A neighbor made snow milkshakes, and these look like so much fun too! You are all tempting me with your creative weather-influenced desserts! This somehow seems a tad healthier than the buttery sugar cookies we baked... and I fully approve of your use of the official blogger term "blecky" 🙂
Yvonne @ Dress This Nest says
Great idea! I was thinking of going to get some snow cone syrup but I can make this without leaving my house. WIN!
Adventures in Dressmaking says
Looks pretty good!! Might have to try this - there is SO much snow out there! I do have some coconut milk and coconut palm sugar to do this with!
Renée ♥ says
Let me know how that turns out – I haven’t made it with coconut milk before, but it sounds delicious. (Wish I had thought of it myself!)