How to make ice cream from snow for a winter weather treat

With a vast winter storm blanketing a large swath of the country, many Americans are prepping to deal with significant snowfall beginning this weekend.

For those willing to venture out into the cold, the arrival of several inches of the fluffy white stuff means the chance to whip up snow ice cream and other frosty delicacies.

If you are the type to keep a can of sweetened condensed milk in your pantry at all times, you should have what you need to make classic snow ice cream as soon as you collect the main ingredient: fresh, clean snow.

If you don't have sweetened condensed milk handy, don't fret. Whatever milk you undoubtedly bought to go with the snowstorm-required bread will work, too.

In the mood for something dairy-free and extra colorful? Kool-Aid packets, sugar and water can be turned into real-snow snow cones with little effort.

Plus, mixing snow and coffee has become a social media trend in recent winters, with the Food Network recommending turning the fluffy frozen precipitation into a version of affogato, a simple Italian dessert where espresso is poured over ice cream. It's a tasty treat that might even warrant keeping two cans of sweetened condensed milk on hand for the rest of winter.

However you decide to mix it up, make sure the snow you use is clean and fresh, and carefully scoop it off the top so that you don't get grass or dirt in your chilly concoction.

Kyla McDonnell, the 8-year-old daughter of The Oklahoman Features and A&E Writer Brandy McDonnell, eats snow ice cream on January 10, 2025.

And, remember, these recipes are less about precise measurements than about making fun and delicious wintertime memories.

Classic snow ice cream

• About 8-12 cups fresh, clean snow
• 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Chocolate syrup, sprinkles and other toppings

Gather all your ingredients and utensils before you gather your snow into a large (preferably chilled) bowl.

Working quickly, add the vanilla and then pour the sweetened condensed milk over the snow a little at a time, mixing thoroughly to combine until the mixture has reached the desired consistency.

How much snow and milk you use depends on how wet the snow is, how thick and creamy you want your ice cream and how much ice cream you want to make. Add toppings as desired and serve immediately.

Snow ice cream is an easy and tasty treat to make when you you have an abundance of fresh, clean snow available.

Snow ice cream with milk

• About 8-12 cups fresh, clean snow
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Dash of salt
• Chocolate syrup, sprinkles and other toppings

Gather all your ingredients and utensils before you gather your snow into a large (preferably chilled) bowl. Whisk together milk, sugar, vanilla and salt until sugar and salt are dissolved.

Working quickly, pour the milk mixture over the snow a little at a time. Mix thoroughly to combine until the mixture has reached the desired consistency. Add toppings as desired and serve immediately.

How much snow and milk you use depends on how wet the snow is, how thick and creamy you want your ice cream and how much ice cream you want to make. Snow ice cream made with regular milk doesn't get as thick and creamy as the version made with condensed milk, so you may need more snow to get the desired consistency.

Kool-Aid packets, sugar and water can be mixed to make easy and tasty real-snow Kool-Aid snow cones when there's an abundance of fresh, clean snow available.

Real-snow Kool-Aid snow cones

• Fresh, clean snow
• 1 Kool-Aid packet, any flavor
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water

Whisk together Kool-Aid powder, sugar and water to make a syrupy liquid. Pack 16-ounce (preferably chilled) plastic cups with snow, mounding the snow at the top like a classic snow cone. Drizzle some of the mixture over the packed snow and serve immediately.

Each Kool-Aid packet can flavor a couple of 16-ounce snow cones, depending on how wet the snow is and how syrupy and sweet you want your snow cone.

Remember, a lemonade real-snow snow cone is the only good and safe reason to eat yellow snow.

Fresh, clean snow is packed into plastic cups to make real-snow Kool-Aid snow cones, an easy and tasty treat that uses Kool-Aid packets, sugar, water and snow.

Coffee snow

• Fresh, clean snow
• Strong coffee or espresso, cooled
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Whipped cream
• Chocolate chips or shavings

Mix together sweetened condensed milk and coffee until you get a syrupy liquid; the amount you use will depend on how sweet and milky you like your coffee.

Pack clean, fresh snow into oversized (preferably chilled) coffee mugs. Pour on the coffee and milk mixture until the snow is saturated but can still be eaten with a spoon. Top with whipped cream and chocolate chips (or chocolate shavings if you want to get extra fancy). Serve immediately.