Why It Works
- Fresh citrus balances the sugar in the fruit syrups, preventing the sno-balls from being cloying.
- Chilling the syrups completely before using prevents them from melting the shaved ice on contact.
- Pulsing a small amount of ice at a time in a high-speed blender produces the fine, powdery texture characteristic of New Orleans–style sno-balls.
For years, when someone asked me if I wanted to get sno-balls in New Orleans, I’d decline. With the city’s famous beignets, bourbon-soaked bread pudding, pralines, and bananas foster, there wasn’t room in my stomach—even in my dessert stomach—for the ice-based dessert. That changed one sweltering day when a family friend insisted I try the sno-balls at Hansen’s Sno-Bliz, a Crescent City institution that’s been in business for more than eight decades. One bite of the impossibly fluffy shaved ice saturated with real fruit syrup (satsuma in this case), and sno-balls shot to the top of my New Orleans food list.
Before I tried a proper sno-ball, I assumed the confection would be like other snow cones I had eaten: crunchy ice chunks with artificial-tasting sugary syrup. Here’s what I learned that day: A sno-ball is not a snow cone. A snow cone is barely a shadow of a sno-ball. Instead of chunky ice, a sno-ball is made from ice that’s light and almost powder-like, and instead of being flavored with a sickly sweet watery concoction, a good sno-ball is drenched in syrups made from real fruit with a perfect balance of sweet and tart. On a hot South Louisiana day, I can’t think of anything more refreshing than slurping up a sno-ball before it melts.
While Hansen’s and other New Orleans sno-ball shops sell creamy and chocolaty sno-balls in addition to fruit, my favorite versions feature tart flavors, such as satsuma, lemonade, and the raspberry-lemonade nectar included in this recipe developed by our Birmingham, Alabama-based colleague Jasmine Smith. Along with the raspberry-lemonade, Jasmine’s recipe includes instructions for making two other syrups—cherry and peach—both of which get a bright lift from fresh citrus. Feel free to make all three and let people top their own sno-balls, or choose the one that speaks to you the most.
One key thing that sets Jasmine’s sno-balls apart from many snow cones is her use of real fruit, which can be fresh or frozen, rather than “extracts with a bunch of food dye.” Making the syrups involves nothing more than simmering the fruit, adding a few flavorings such as vanilla, and sugar, then straining and chilling. They’ll last in the fridge for two weeks, and also taste great on ice cream and cakes, in case you don’t use them all making sno-balls.
Once you’ve made your syrups, all that’s left to do is blitz some ice in a high-speed blender until it’s fluffy like new fallen snow—you want what Coloradans call “Champagne powder,” not chunky, icy snow. To achieve this, you’ll need to work in batches to ensure that the ice has plenty of room to fluff up—in her testing, Jasmine found that processing more than one cup of ice at a time left large chunks of ice, while pulsing a cup at a time created a light and fluffy consistency. Keep a metal bowl in the freezer to transfer the snow to as soon as it’s blitzed while you work on each batch. Once you have your “sno,” scoop it into cups and top with as much syrup as you like. Other topping and layering options include whipped cream, crushed fruit, vanilla ice cream, and—my favorite—sweetened condensed milk.
This summer, New York City, where I live, has had Louisiana’s swamp-like humidity and heat more days than I can count. It’s miserable for outdoor exercise, but absolutely perfect for sno-balls. But really, I’d eat a sno-ball any time of year—perhaps even before I’d reach for a beignet. Though now that I think of it, beignets with a side of sno-balls would be a pretty great way to get into a Big Easy state of mind.
Editor’s Note
This recipe was developed by Jasmine Smith; the headnote was written by Megan O. Steintrager.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Prissy Montiel
These Homemade New Orleans Sno-Balls Put Snow Cones to Shame
Cook Mode
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For the Raspberry-Lemonade Nectar:
2 cups fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries, thawed and drained well (9 ounces; 255 g)
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces; 198 g)
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice (from 3 medium lemons)
1/2 cup (120 ml) tap water
For the Cherry Syrup:
3 cups fresh pitted dark cherries or frozen pitted cherries, thawed and drained well (15 ounces; 425 g)
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces; 298 g)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lime juice (from 1 medium lime)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
For the Peach Syrup:
6 medium peaches, cut into 1/2-inch slices or 4 cups frozen sliced peaches (540 g)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces; 289 g)
1 cup (240 ml) tap water
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice (from 1 medium lemon)
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric, optional (for color)
For the Shaved Ice:
4 cups (14 ounces; 396 g) ice cubes
For the Raspberry Lemonade Syrup: Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring raspberries, sugar, lemon, and water to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and gently mashing raspberries with the back of a spoon or spatula, until thickened to a thin syrup consistency, about 10 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a simmer. Strain through prepared strainer, pressing with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Chill, uncovered, until completely cold, about 1 hour. Cover and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Prissy Montiel
For the Cherry Syrup: Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring cherries, water, sugar, lime juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and gently mashing cherries with the back of a spoon or spatula, until liquid thickens to a thin syrup consistency, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain through prepared strainer; discard solids. Chill, uncovered, until completely cold, about 1 hour. Cover and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
For the Peach Syrup: Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine peaches, sugar, water, lemon juice, and turmeric (if using). Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid thickens to a syrup consistency and is a deep yellow color, 22 to 25 minutes. Pour peach mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl, pressing with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Skim and discard foam. Chill, uncovered, until cold, about 1 hour. Cover and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
For the Shaved Ice: Place a large bowl in the freezer. Add 1 cup of ice to a high-speed blender. Pulse until ice is finely crushed to a snow-like consistency, 8 to 10 pulses. Transfer shaved ice to bowl in freezer. Repeat process with remaining 3 cups of ice (you will have 6 cups shaved ice total).
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Prissy Montiel
To Assemble and Serve: Divide shaved ice evenly among 8 (6-ounce) paper snow cone cups or small serving bowls. Drizzle each sno-ball with about 3 to 4 tablespoons of desired flavor of prepared syrup. Serve immediately.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Prissy Montiel
Variations
For a peaches-and-cream variation, layer each paper snow cone cup or small glass with 1/3 cup shaved ice, drizzle with 2 tablespoons peach syrup, then add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Top with another 1/3 cup shaved ice, and finish with 2 to 3 tablespoons peach syrup.
Special Equipment
Fine-mesh strainer, medium saucepan, high-speed blender, 8 (6-ounce) paper snow cone cups or small serving bowls
Notes
Each syrup makes enough for 8 sno-balls. Feel free to make multiple flavors to mix and match, and save the rest for other uses like drinks, pancakes, or ice cream.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The cooled syrups can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. The “sno” is best eaten immediately.
