March and April are typically the snowiest months in Colorado. This past Thursday was a typical March day in Colorado in that it snowed. A lot.

It was also a typical Thursday in that Benjamin and Robert spent the day at my house.

Having gobs of snow outside and my two grandsons inside provided the perfect opportunity to introduce Benjamin and Robert to snow cream.

When I first mentioned the plan to Benjamin, he was adamantly opposed. He did not want to eat snow “with dirt in it.”

Snow cream doesn’t have dirt in it, I assured him. Gramma makes it with snow scooped from what’s landed on my table on the deck, I explained, certainly not from snow on the ground. And I use only the freshest of freshly fallen snow, scooped while the snow is still falling.

Which didn’t much impress the three-year-old. Until I pulled out the bowls and ingredients and told him it would be helpful if he stirred the milk and sugar while I filled a bowl with snow.

Soon both boys were at the table, and snow cream making ensued.

Benjamin stirred the milk and sugar.

Next, I brought in the main ingredient.

Then we mixed some snow with a little milk mixture. And added more snow. And more milk. Then mixed and mixed til it was mixed just right.

And that was it!

Together we savored …

… and slurped our snow cream.

Making sure to devour every last drop!

Snow days have likely ceased for most parts of the country until next season, but for those interested in mixing up a batch of snow cream the next time there’s snow outside and grandkids inside, here’s how I do it:

Gramma’s Snow Cream

1 cup milk

1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, depending on sweetness preference

Few sprinkles of cinnamon (optional)

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients until sugar is dissolved.

Using a large bowl and large mixing spoon, collect fresh, clean snow from outside. Fill the bowl without tamping down snow. (It’s best to get more than you need; what you don’t use can be tossed back outside.)

In a medium bowl, add a few big scoops of snow. No need to measure. Slowly add a bit of the milk/sugar mixture, quickly stirring snow to absorb it. Add more snow and more milk mixture — ensuring all snow you add gets mixed into the sugary milk — until snow cream is the consistency of barely frozen ice milk or a soft-freeze sherbet of sorts.

Scoop into serving dishes and eat quickly because it melts fast! 

Yum!