5 kid-friendly takes on the viral snow-day ice cream trend

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Letting your kids play with their food might be the solution to their winter blues.
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Letting your kids play with their food might be the solution to their winter blues. As an unprecedented snow storm continues to blanket roughly two-thirds of the country, families are making the most of the frosty weather with a sweet TikTok hack made popular by Jennifer Kalynuik. Amid freezing temperatures, parents and kids are bundling up in beanies and mittens to make homemade ice cream out of snow. “Genius. Just did this with my kids!” one parent commented on TikTok. “We made chocolate peanut butter ice cream, and it was delicious!”
Equipped with silver mixing bowls, families are stepping out of their literal comfort zones and into makeshift “dessert labs,” aka the nearest pile of fresh snow, to recreate the viral snow day ice cream trend. (Note: This is not the same as the viral snow ice cream trend, which involves mixing sweetened condensed milk and flavorings with actual handfuls of freshly-fallen snow. Still, clean snow is best just in case any happens to get into the bowl.)
The perfect hands-on activity for kids, the recipe involves pressing a metal bowl into the snow, making a “nest” for the bowl to sit in. Before the real fun starts, be sure to sprinkle a generous amount of salt—preferably rock salt or coarse sea salt—into the hole. This step is crucial because it significantly lowers the freezing point of the ice, which means you can expect to make your ice cream and snap a few photos before anyone needs to rush inside for a potty break.
Next come a few traditional kitchen ingredients: a cup of heavy whipping cream, ⅓ cup of powdered sugar, and a splash of vanilla. This is also where you would add in any base flavors, like chocolate syrup or sprinkles. After about 15 minutes of whisking—yes, everybody can take turns—the cold should firm the mixture up so it’s scoopable. From there, children can serve up their snow day sundaes a la carte with fresh fruit, gummy bears, cookie crumbles, and any other family favorites.
Similar to the classic ice-cream-in-a-bag summer activity kids know and love, this hands-on technique encourages children to get outside and play with their food. Sounds worth a shot next time the kids are climbing the walls.
Maintaining realistic expectations (read this before you try it)
If you’ve never made ice cream by hand before, patience is key. Making it in the snow demands a little extra patience with your tiny sous chefs given the freezing temperatures. When whisking the ice cream mixture, take turns with your children so everyone has a chance to participate.
Kalynuik’s recipe calls for three ingredients and three simple steps:
- Have your child press a metal bowl into the snow to make a divet for the bowl to sit in. This will be your work station.
- Pick the bowl up and sprinkle the hole with rock salt or coarse sea salt. This will help the ice cream freeze later.
- Replace the bowl and add a cup of whipped cream, a splash of vanilla, and ⅓ cup of powdered sugar. You can also add in any flavorings or mix-ins you might have on hand.
- Whisk the mixture on and off for about 15 minutes, after which time it should freeze up to a thick, and creamy consistency.
- Scoop the homemade ice cream into cups or cones and add your favorite toppings: sprinkles, cookie crumbles, chocolate sauce, sliced strawberries, gummy bears, the works!
Disclaimer: According to most cookbooks, Kalynuik’s original recipe is technically chilled whipped cream. For many parents, the difference is minimal, with most families focused on getting their kids outside to build lasting memories.
Still, some parents are going the extra mile and adding sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks to mixtures they pre-boiled on the stove before stepping into the snow. This often results in richer, creamier ice cream that would be perfect in a bowl or on top of a waffle cone.
How an ancient ice cream recipe went viral
For many parents who grew up making ice cream in the snow with their own parents, the trend brought back waves of childhood nostalgia. “This brings back child hood [sic] memories. My mom taught us how to do this growing up,” one TikTok user said. For others, the snow day ice cream trend is a lesson in history.
Sheer-yakh—which means frozen milk or ice milk in Dari—is a traditional Afghan dessert made from milk, sugar, cardamom, and rosewater, and topped with pistachios. The best part? Sheer-yakh, which dates back centuries, is traditionally made by submerging a bowl in snow and salt, and seems to have heavily inspired the recent snow day ice cream trend—a fun fact to share with your kids as they’re whisking away in the snow.
Building core memories with your kids
When snowmen and snowball fights have had their moment, there are still ways to keep your kids engaged. Not only are they actively participating in the process of creating the ice cream—a science lesson all on its own, they’re also learning to explore what nature has to offer, which may spark even more curiosity about their environment in the future.
Family movie nights with mugs of hot cocoa may still top the list of snow day activities, but making ice cream in the snow is a memory you and your children can hold onto for years to come.
Chocolate Snow Ice Cream
For an even creamier, more decadent version of the snow ice cream trend, you can’t go wrong with a little bit (or a lot of chocolate) mixed in.
Cookies ‘n’ Creme Snow Ice Cream
Even by hand, cookies blend seamlessly into this snow day ice cream recipe. Oreos, snickerdoodles, chocolate chip cookies—let your kids pick their favorite mix-ins for an even more interactive experience.
Raspberry Snow Ice Cream
If you happen to have some freeze-dried fruit lying around the house, crush it up in a bag or your food processor to flavor your ice cream. Whether it’s freeze-dried raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries, the fruit powder adds a bright flavor—and fun color!—to this dessert that kids will love.
Banana Chocolate Chip Snow Ice Cream
After following the base recipe, mix in a ripe mashed banana and a handful of chocolate chips for a banana bread-inspired take on the snow day ice cream trend.
Snow Ice Cream with Sprinkles
Most of us have put sprinkles on top of our ice cream, but mixing them in can be a game changer. If you have multiple containers of sprinkles lying around, you can even mix and match different shapes to create a fun—and colorful—textural experience.
















































































