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Yes, you can make ice cream out of snow! 

Jack Frost is still making his rounds, so it’s the perfect time to answer the age-old question: can you make ice cream out of snow? This is what the ice cream experts have to say!

Remember the joy of snow days, when school closed and you found fun and cold adventures with friends and family? Snow might take on different meanings as you grow up, but it’ll always spark joy in your inner kid! In the spirit of this fun, we’re here to tell you that you don’t just have to play with it – you can totally turn snow into the world’s favorite treat! This is the ice cream expert’s guide to making ice cream out of snow.

 

Snow Ice Cream

Remember the joy of snow days, when school closed and you found fun and cold adventures with friends and family? Snow might take on different meanings as you grow up, but it’ll always spark joy in your inner kid!

In the spirit of this fun, we’re here to tell you that you don’t just have to play with it – you can totally turn snow into the world’s favorite treat! This is the ice cream expert’s guide to making ice cream out of snow.

What snow is safe to eat?

Before you can even start making your wintry treat, we need to talk about where you’re harvesting your snow from! Here are a few basic rules to follow when collecting snow that’s safe to consume.

  1. Never, EVER eat snow that’s been freshly plowed! It’s likely to have bits of asphalt, chemical salts and dirt mixed in, which definitely won’t be pleasant additions to your dessert.
  2. Thinking of getting your snow off your lawn or backyard? You might want to avoid it if you use pesticides on your foliage for obvious reasons! While the trace amounts of pesticide in garden snow could be pretty negligible, it’s best to err on the safe side!
 

Try collecting snow in a clean bowl as it falls – but maybe not immediately when it starts coming down! Atmospheric scientists say that the first wave of snowfall often traps and soaks up pollutants in the air and can even mix in with fine dirt particles if there’s heavy wind! If you want to be super safe, start collecting your snow about an hour or two in. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of milk (any kind)
  • 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • 8 cups of clean snow or shaved ice

Optional topping: sprinkles!

 

Pink snow ice cream

Instructions:

  1. Begin by placing a large bowl in the freezer before you begin. Cold bowls help keep your snow ice cream from melting quickly.
  2. Once all of your sugar, vanilla extract, salt and milk are ready, take your large bowl out of the freezer. 
  3. Now, in the large bowl, whisk together milk, sugar, vanilla and salt until well combined.
  4. Next, head outside and scoop up some clean, fresh snow! 
  5. Immediately after adding the snow with the other ingredients, stir! Do this until it looks as close to ice cream as possible. 
  6. Time to eat! Dive in right away before your homemade sweet treat melts away! 
 

Optional: Elevate your snow ice cream with some sprinkles of your choice. If you’re looking for a sparkly topping to stay on the frosty theme, why not go for some edible glitter or shiny sprinkles?

Recipes like this are the best way to celebrate the nostalgic joy of this season. With every homemade snowy scoop, you can savor the magic of winter this recipe captures- winter has never been so sweet!