Homemade Snow Cone Syrup is perfect for a cool summer treat! This snow cone syrup recipe is made with fresh fruit, which is a much healthier and more delicious option than the store-bought syrups.

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Homemade Fresh Fruit Syrup makes the best shaved ice and snow cones! It’s the perfect treat for those hot summer days!

HOMEMADE SYRUP FOR SNOW CONES

You can make snow cone syrup from pretty much any type of fruit. We love strawberry and pineapple the most, but watermelon, blackberry and raspberry are absolutely delicious! Or maybe a combination of all of them? The syrups are made by blending fruit in a blender and then adding some water, lemon juice and sugar. Boil all of the ingredients together and then strain out any seeds and pulp

These fresh fruit syrups can be stored in the refrigerator for several days so you can make snow cones all week from one simple batch. Pour the syrup over ice anytime you need a cold treat!

HOMEMADE SNOW CONE SYRUP

My kids absolutely love making and eating shaved ice (aka snow cones), but I am not a huge fan of whatever it is that is in those syrups you buy at the store. So I have been experimenting with fresh fruit for healthier options. The kids love them, and I am happier knowing what ingredients are in them, so it is a win-win for everyone. There is still a bit of sugar in this recipe, so I am not going to call it healthy, but there are only a few basic ingredients and a lot less chemicals!

Another great thing about this recipe is that the syrups can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can spend time one day making a flavor or two and you can enjoy shaved ice all week. This recipe saves time and money!

How to make shaved ice

Shaved ice can be made in a blender or by using a shaved ice machine. The best snow cones are made with shaved ice.

I was actually surprised at how well my blender works at producing very finely shaved ice. The trick is to make sure you do not put in too much ice at once. Only fill your blender about halfway and then pulse a few times at the highest speed before blending on high until all the ice is shaved.

I have had the most success with making the shaved ice right before using it. If you try to freeze it after shaving it, it tends to clump together and does not have the best consistency. If you have extra shaved ice, make another snow cone right away or use it to chill your water instead of trying to save it for the next batch! Because it is so easy to make you do not have to worry about “saving for later”, just whip up the shaved ice when you need it.

Ingredients in Homemade Fresh Fruit Shaved Ice

Fresh fruit: You will need 1 ½ cups of any type of fruit. For these pictures, we used strawberries and pineapple. But you can choose whatever your favorite fruit is – watermelon, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries are all fantastic options.

Juice: Using 2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice will provide a nice citrus blast that will give these a nice kick of flavor.

Water: You need ¾ cup water for the base of the fruit syrup.

Sugar: Use ¾ cup sugar to give the syrup a nice sweet flavor. If you want to reduce this amount by ¼ of a cup, you can! Especially with fruit that is already naturally very sweet.

Ice: You will need a bunch of ice, depending on how many cups you are making will determine how much you need. I suggest starting with filling half the blender with ice and starting there.

How to make homemade snow cone syrup

Syrup

Start by cleaning all the chosen fresh fruit well. Remove stems, core berries if needed, clean as well as you would if you were just snacking on the fruit.

Next, place the fruit in a blender or food processor and blend until it is pureed.

Then, pour the mixture into a medium size saucepan and add the lemon or lime juice, water and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until boiling. Turn heat down slightly and continue to simmer for 5 minutes before removing from heat.

Let syrup cool completely and then strain with a fine mesh strainer to remove all seeds and pulp. You can use the syrup immediately or store in the refrigerator. I prefer to use the syrup once it has been chilled for at least an hour or two so that the ice doesn’t melt so quickly.

Step by step instructions on how to make Pineapple Snow Cone Syrup

Shaved ice

When your syrup has cooled, it is time to make the shaved ice.

Fill your blender about half way with ice, pulse a few times on high until all is blended and shaved consistency.

Continue to place shaved ice into individual bowls or cups, then pour the syrup over crushed ice until well coated.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

NOTE: If you are using fruit that has an extremely high water content (like watermelon), reduce the amount of water you add by about ¼ cup. Also, if you are using fruit like watermelon that is extra sweet, you can easily reduce the amount of added sugar without even noticing!

Each batch of syrup makes enough for about 6-8 snow cones. This will depend on the size of the snow cone and the amount of syrup you are using.

HOMEMADE SNOW CONE SYRUP

4.50 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert, Snack, treats

Cuisine: American

Keyword: shaved ice

Prep Time: 15

Syrup cooling: 1

Total Time: 1 15

Servings: servings

Calories: 131kcal

Author: Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

1 ½ cups fruit strawberries, pineapple, etc
2 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
¾ cup water
¾ cup sugar
ice