Healthy HomeThis homemade dairy-free snow ice cream tastes JUST like real vanilla ice cream–and it’s dairy-free to boot! It’s such a fun, seasonal winter treat!
I’ve eaten more vanilla ice cream this week than I’ve eaten in, well, I can’t remember when.
You see–I’ve been dairy-free for over a year now.We don’t own an ice cream maker (although I’ve been eyeing this one), and I’ve never paid for a dairy-free vanilla ice cream. So I’ve been sticking to sorbet or smoothies whenever I get a craving for a cool treat.
Until it snowed. And when I say it snowed, I mean it snowed–big time–at least for the South.
The state of North Carolina doesn’t see much snow. But about once a decade our definition of a “blizzard” hits.
In North Carolina, a blizzard may constitute anywhere from six to 12 inches of snow. (Go ahead, Northern friend, laugh. Laugh your heads off!)
But, truly, we got about a foot of snow over the course of a 24-hour period, and the girls were ecstatic! (Let’s be honest: hubby and I were pretty excited ourselves!)
Hubby suggested we try our hand at homemade snow ice cream. One problem: all the recipes online called for sweetened condensed milk. We needed a dairy-free option!
Have no fear. We pulled out the almond and rice milk. And the result was so delicious that I can’t seem to stop eating it!
Without further ado, here is our recipe for dairy-free homemade snow ice cream (that truly does taste better than “real” vanilla ice cream!):
Dairy-Free Homemade Snow Ice Cream
Dairy-Free Homemade Snow Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup organic sugar
- 1 cup almond, oat, rice or coconut milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 8 cups snow
Instructions
- Combine sugar, milk and vanilla.
- Add snow to mixture and mix well.
- Top as desired (we topped with dark chocolate chips--yum!).
- Enjoy!
Notes
Eat this quickly, as it melts fast! Store extras in the freezer.
Seriously, I wish we could make this every day! I guess we’ll have to settle for once per decade–unless North Carolina has a major shift in weather patterns. 😉
Jeanine
We live in Alaska and have lots of snow for 6 month of the year. Since my son has food allergies I will definitely try this one!!!
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Hope you enjoy it! I bet Alaska is SO beautiful!
julie
What an adorable sweater/coat on the little one! Did you make it?
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I wish I were that talented! We got it at a consignment sale! It’s lasted through 3 girls. Love it!
Jennifer
We have the same sweater coat <3 it's from the GAP….many years ago
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We got it at a consignment sale…has lasted us through 3 girls. LOVE it!!
Angela McMurry
I look forward to Fall each year because you can get the “cream based pumpkin frappucino” (ie no coffee in it)– and it tastes just like snow ice cream! (I live in Texas so we don’t get our share of snow either!!)
Erin
I don’t think I’ve tried that–sounds SO yummy!
Michelle S
I’m so glad you shared this as we have moved to where it snows and I wanted to try this.
Ginger
See if you can find a machine that does Hawaiian shaved iced and you can continue
to enjoy your treat after the snow melts. They make great snow cones, slushies,
and frappes too! I found one for under $20.
Erin
That sound absolutely delicious!
Heather-Joan Carls
Hi Erin! What could I use as a substitute for the almond, rice, or coconut milk? Would regular 1% milk do? Hope your weekend is going well. Thanks 🙂
Erin
I’m so sorry I missed this earlier! I would try regular dairy milk.
Suzanne
Just found your blog through Facebook, I love it! We just got about 2′ of snow here, more expected tomorrow I guess, so I can’t wait to try this recipe! My girls are going to go crazy for it! Thanks for sharing….
Erin
How did it turn out?!
Rebecca
Hehe, never thought I’d see the word ‘snow’ in a recipe! Looks yummy though! I eat very little dairy myself, and considering that we can hardly see over the snow piles on either side of our walkway, I think we have plenty of snow to give it a shot… Think I could use coconut milk instead? I am sensitive to tree nuts also.
(Here in Maine, we have been getting a nice 6 – 8 inch snowstorm about 3 times per week recently, and it’s starting to stack up. Yes–we’re getting a little tired of it now!)
Erin
I think coconut milk would be delicious!
Reba
i love this recipe – so I’ll pass it on to anyone who is lactose intolerant, like my grandchildren were when they were born – but have outgrown it.
I was born and raised in Eastern N.C. in Fayetteville, but have moved quite a bit – my husband was in the Army. Living in Colorado now with my daughter – so we get plenty of snow. Haven’t made any snow cream since I was a child living in N.C. – so you know I didn’t get it often. I also miss the best BBQ in the world – from Wilson, N.C. (Bill’s BBQ – in case you ever get over that way.
Erin
Thanks for the BBQ rec…my hubby loves it! We live in the Lake Norman area, north of Charlotte…we are having our first (and only) snow for the year (most likely!) right now!
Tara
we live in NC on the coast. Today February 24, 2015. We got some nice snow, which I am sure you did as well seeing it covered the whole state. Big beautiful flakes!
Thank you for this recipe, my 2 year old loved this treat, as did I.
Erin
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s been a great two weeks for snow in NC!!
Jmama
We made some today, too. Almond milk, coconut cream, vanilla and sugar. I blended them together, poured into the snow and stirred it all together, it was delightful. The fat from coconut cream makes it even tastier.
Erin
Sounds delicious!!
bea terthanew
1 foot! we have so much snow in the boston area its almost as tall as me!!! 1 foot is below average!!!!
Erin
Oh my!!! One foot is a huge amount of snow for us!! LOL!!
Gina Fuhrmann
I don’t think you are aware- eating snow could be harmful. It is just water and seems ok but as the snow falls to the ground it captures pollutants in the air when it falls. Eating a little here or there wouldn’t be a problem but 8 cups- that is another story- just research it-
Lee
8 cups of snow does not equate to much when it melts into water. You would be surprised. 8 cups sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t. Otherwise, people would be making a lot more of it!
That being said, depending on WHERE you live, you may want to be cautious about the snow. To test, grab a ball of snow and use a lighter and see if the snow melts. If it doesn’t melt and chars, then you have pollutants.
Further caution…. take 8 cups of snow (it will melt down to very little water) and taste test it by taking a couple of sips. Then, run what’s left of the melted snow through a water purifier and taste again. If there is a noticeable difference, then you may want to be cautious.
All in all, 8 cups will be okay. Better than the crap you buy from the store where you have no clue when was the last time they changed their filtration system and many brands have HFCS in it.
Looking forward to making my ice cream from this recipe!