bowl of snow ice cream

We Made Snow Ice Cream (Yes, Really)

Last week, we experienced one of the larger snow storms we’ve had since moving to Springfield seven years ago. While it was still fairly modest in our area (coming in at around eight to nine inches total over a few days), we took the opportunity to stay home and observe the snow from the comfort of our apartment. However, a suggestion put forth by our local meteorologist Abby Dyer caught our attention: make snow ice cream. When we first heard her say this sentence, we figured she must be joking. But, once the recipe hit the screen, we knew we had to give it a shot.

So what is snow ice cream, exactly? Well, it starts by collecting half a gallon of fresh snow. Obviously, you’ll want to be cautious in your sourcing to ensure it’s clean. In our case, we looked to our deck, where enough accumulation allowed us to scoop off of the top without coming close to the wood planks below.

Once you’ve collected your snow, the next step is to grab one can of evaporated milk. Sidenote: as someone who doesn’t do much cooking or baking, evaporated milk has always struck me as being one of the most confusing names for a product – is the can just empty? Dad jokes aside, you’ll also need one cup of sugar to sweeten things up. Lastly, you’ll also add no more than one teaspoon of vanilla extract for flavor.

With these ingredients in the bowl, it’s just a matter of mixing it all up. My wife says she started by whisking the evaporated milk, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and then stirring the mix into the snow bowl a bit at a time. Once everything was added, she continued to stir until she got the consistency she was seeking. Then, once you’re done, just scoop the finished product into a bowl and serve. While we didn’t bother adding any extra toppings, I imagine they’d actually work pretty well if you did.

The first thing that surprised us with our batch of snow ice cream was the consistency. While it wasn’t as smooth as real ice cream, it was also far from the Sno Cone-esque texture I was fearing. Next, I was also fairly impressed with the flavor, which was refreshingly creamy and rich (all things considered). That said, it also wasn’t the best ice cream I’ve ever had and the icy elements did become more obvious as I continued to eat.

Now for the question I’m sure you’re wondering: what does this have to do with personal finance? Well, I suppose that if you’re looking for a thrifty treat, then you can save a trip to the story and rely on mother nature instead. However, I think that this would actually be a great, fun snow day activity for families with kids — and, yes, still might save you a bit of money. Nevertheless, childless 36-year-old me still enjoyed our snow ice cream experiment and will look forward to our next serving… whenever that might be.

Author
Founder ~ Moneyat30
Kyle is a freelance writer - including being the head writer for Fioney.com. He also serves as editorial director for the Disney fan site LaughingPlace.com and the founder of Money@30.com. In 2015, Kyle and his wife Bekah moved from Los Angeles to Springfield MO in pursuit of greater financial freedom. Together, the pair enjoy travel, coffee, and spending time with their dog Rigby. Additionally, as of 2023, they become first-time homeowners.
Other Articles by Kyle Burbank
email tiles on a keyboard
Why I Love Using the Ultimate Burner Email Addresses
In my line of work (yes, I just referred to blogging as a "line of work"), there are times when I want to get more info on a product or service but doing so requires me to enter an email address. However, knowing how annoying these companies can be once I've provided them with this...
woman holding an Anker MagGo UFO 3-in-1 Charger
Travel Tuesday: Anker MagGo UFO 3-in-1 Charger Review - Travel With Fewer Cables
To me, one of the most annoying parts of traveling in 2025 is ensuring that I pack chargers for all of the various devices I plan on bringing with me. That's why, in the past, I've been a fan of Rolling Square's InCharge multi-purpose cables that have built-in adapters. But, even then, I still find...
Bilt Mastercard
Bilt is Surveying Cardholders — The Glimpse Inside is Fascinating
At the end of last year, Bilt sent a letter to customers teasing some of their visions for the future of the program and the Bilt Mastercard. Then, earlier this week, they announced that cardholders would soon be receiving a survey on the topic. Now that said survey has arrived, it's revealing some intriguing insight...

Leave a Reply

Featured Articles
Why I Love Using the Ultimate Burner Email Addresses
In my line of work (yes, I just referred to blogging as a "line of work"), there are times when I want to get more info on a product or service but doing so requires me to enter an email address. However, knowing how annoying these companies can be once I've provided them with this...
Travel Tuesday: Anker MagGo UFO 3-in-1 Charger Review - Travel With Fewer Cables
To me, one of the most annoying parts of traveling in 2025 is ensuring that I pack chargers for all of the various devices I plan on bringing with me. That's why, in the past, I've been a fan of Rolling Square's InCharge multi-purpose cables that have built-in adapters. But, even then, I still find...
Bilt is Surveying Cardholders — The Glimpse Inside is Fascinating
At the end of last year, Bilt sent a letter to customers teasing some of their visions for the future of the program and the Bilt Mastercard. Then, earlier this week, they announced that cardholders would soon be receiving a survey on the topic. Now that said survey has arrived, it's revealing some intriguing insight...
Welp. I Got Another Credit Card — Why I'm Excited About Mesa
I love writing about credit cards and, in turn, I also love having solid rewards cards... up to a point, that is. Unlike some other bloggers I follow who regularly apply for and churn rewards cards, I've tried to be more selective and thoughtful about what cards I ultimately add to my wallet. But every...