Snow Ice Cream
This snow ice cream is made with fresh snow, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract for a quick treat that comes together in about 5 minutes. It’s cold, creamy, and just sweet enough for a fun snowy-day dessert.
This is one of my absolute favorite winter recipes. It comes together in one large bowl, uses simple ingredients, and turns a good snowfall into a quick dessert you can serve right away with sprinkles or other toppings.
I think the best snow cream is soft and creamy, not overly milky or watery. The texture of this recipe is easy to adjust to your liking. You can also add your favorite toppings.
All you need to get started is the main ingredient. Snow!
What You’ll Need
You only need a few ingredients for this recipe:
- Fresh snow: Clean, newly fallen snow works best.
- Sweetened condensed milk: This adds sweetness and gives the snow ice cream a creamy texture.
- Vanilla extract: A teaspoon adds flavor and rounds everything out.
- Sprinkles or other toppings: Optional, but fun for serving.
Things to know before you start
I recommend collecting the snow first and mixing the recipe right away. Snow melts fast, so the texture is best when everything is fresh.
Add the sweetened condensed milk slowly. How light or heavy the snow is will affect exactly how much you need.
How to make snow ice cream
Getting the consistency right
I think snow ice cream is best when it’s light, creamy, a little thick, and a tiny bit slushy. If it seems too dry, stir in a little more sweetened condensed milk.
If it turns slushy too quickly, the snow may have been a bit wet or started melting before you mixed it.
Because fresh snow can vary from one snowfall to the next, you may need to adjust as you go. That’s normal with snow cream, and it’s one of the reasons I like to add the milk gradually instead of all at once.
Serve it immediately
Snow ice cream is best the minute it’s made. You can place it in the freezer, but I don’t recommend it because the texture hardens and loses the soft, creamy texture.
What is fresh snow?
For this recipe, fresh snow means clean, newly fallen snow that hasn’t been scraped up from the ground.
I recommend catching it in a large bowl while it’s still falling or scooping a layer from the top of a clean outdoor surface like a porch railing, table, or fence.
Can I make this without sweetened condensed milk?
Yes, but it will be a different recipe. You can make a version with milk, sugar, and vanilla, but I prefer sweetened condensed milk because it gives the snow ice cream a creamier texture.
If you want to dress up your bowl a little, a spoonful of homemade whipped cream is an easy addition. For something richer, try a drizzle of hot fudge or homemade caramel sauce, or swap in a dollop of chocolate whipped cream.
How to Video
Ingredients
- 16 cups fresh snow
- 21 ounces sweetened condensed milk, 1 ½ (14 Ounce) cans
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Instructions
- Gather clean snow, and place in a large mixing bowl.16 cups fresh snow
- Pour in sweetened condensed milk (adjust to taste and desired texture), and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.21 ounces sweetened condensed milk1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Top with sprinkles, and divide into individual bowls. Enjoy immediately!