How to make Snow Candy

Get ready for an epic winter activity for kids that will have your children making snow candy. This snow candy recipe is super simple to make and will delight kids of all ages from toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade and the whole family! Is is really easy and we will show you two yummy recipes for how to make snow candy.

Snow Candy

I am always on the lookout for creative things to do with my kids. So when my friend Lisa mentioned that her mom use to make snow candy I was immediately intrigued. I love adding memorable activities throughout the year to makethe most of these precious years with them at home. Our family already loves making snow ice cream, but this snow candy recipe is something completely different, fun, and don’t miss winter activities. Making snow candy is quick and easy and a yummy winter treat for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, and kids of all ages.

Snow candy recipe from 1800’s

After doing some research, I learned that this was a traditional treat from back in the 1800s. It is even included in Little House in the Big Woods book by Laura Ingles Wilder! So now it was not only a fun idea, but a historical fun idea! That is right up my alley.

There are actually several different types of snow candy you can make. The pictures in this post are from when we made Molasses Snow Candy. (Yum!)

Molasses Snow Candy

1/2 cup butter
2 cup brown sugar
4 TAB molasses
1/2 teas vanilla
2 TAB water
2 TAB vinegar

Maple syrup snow candy

1 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup butter instead

Add all ingredients from one of the above snow candy recipes to a stock pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until you have a soft ball stage (240 F) for chewy candy or hard ball stage (310 F) for hard candy ideal for sucking on or crunching.

Snow candy recipe brown sugar

If you don’t have a candy thermometer you can just put a drop of the hot mixture in a cold glass of water. If the candy drop becomes firm but pliable you have soft ball stage. If the candy becomes hard and cracks when pressed it is at hard ball stage. This takes about 7-12 minutes.

Brown sugar snow candy

Now comes the fun part. pour the candy on clean, fresh snow that is at least 2” thick. The candy will sink down ever so slightly (less than 1/2”).

Pick & Eat Snow Candy

Now let your kids pick up the candy & enjoy!

Winter Activity for Kids

This is such a fun, memorable snowy day treat! So enjoy a treat from the past that is still fun today! This is just one of all recipes I’ve shared on this blog of our family tested recipes!