During the holidays, we often are making dinner for guests and also trying to find the time to make a homemade dessert. Here is a solution to a delicious dessert that is all assembly, no baking or measuring cups required!

Peppermint ice cream is a seasonal flavor which happens to be my favorite ice cream. I’m not sure why this is seasonal, but along with candy canes, peppermint flavored ice cream is something you need to take advantage of when it’s available. Thus, a fancy way to serve it is something I am all about!

first-photo-peppermint-snow-ballsPin
Peppermint snowballs are easy to make and festive — as well as delicious!

When you start forming the balls, you’ll simply scoop out ice cream and, in a similar fashion to packing a snowball, you’ll start forming the ice cream ball. Beware … it’s SO COLD! But, the sooner you can get it into the shredded coconut, the better. Once it’s rolled in the white flakes, it’s far easier to handle. Then, you simply place them on wax paper and put in the freezer for 4 hours, or a couple days … it’s a great make ahead dessert. Once they are fully frozen, I supposed you could transfer them to a freezer Ziploc and keep for far longer, but none have lasted that long in my house!

peppermint-ice-cream-snow-balls-3Pin
Here are the peppermint snowballs just out of the freezer.
peppermint-ice-cream-snow-balls-4Pin
Take them and place on a holiday platter, like this one. I’m a fan of red for this presentation … but green or gold would be really pretty as well. Then, add your favorite chocolate syrup.
peppermint-ice-cream-snow-balls-5Pin
Up close. This is after the chocolate syrup and peppermint sugar dust were added (see details below on how to make).
peppermint-ice-cream-snow-balls-6Pin
I wrote with the syrup “Merry Christmas” to make it more festive!
peppermint-ice-cream-snow-ballsPin
The opening of a chocolate syrup container is simply too big to be able to make the presentation as “refined” as I wanted this. So, I transferred the entire Hershey’s Simply 5 to the squeeze bottle, the clear type that sometimes ketchup is served in. These bottles come in really handy for this type of thing.
peppermint-ice-cream-snow-balls-10Pin
Making powdered candy cane sugar is easy. Just place candy canes in a Ninja or other high-powered blender. In a few seconds, you will have powdered sugar, but it’s peppermint flavored. We call it peppermint dust in my family!
peppermint-ice-cream-snow-balls-7Pin
Serve straight from the platter.
peppermint-ice-cream-snow-balls-9Pin
Serve each peppermint snow ball in a bowl. Have the chocolate syrup on hand for those who prefer more.

Got it?

Run to Kroger and get the following ingredients:

  • Purity peppermint holiday edition ice cream
  • Hershey’s Simple 5 Syrup
  • Candy canes
  • Shredded coconut

Directions: Scoop ice cream out of the container for about 1/2 cup to 1 cup sized balls. Pack, just like you would a snowball, which you can do better once the ball is coated in coconut. (When you try one, you’ll see what I mean.) Then, place on wax paper in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Take two candy canes and put them in a Ninja or other high powered blender for a few seconds. This will make the “peppermint dust.” When the ice cream snowballs are ready, place on a festive plate. Use chocolate syrup in a decorative manner, crisscrossing the ice cream snowballs. Then, sprinkle with the peppermint dust. Voila! Desert is served.

For more recipes, be sure to check out our entire recipe collection.

Liza Graves
About the Author
Liza Graves

As CEO of StyleBlueprint, Liza also regularly writes for SB. Most of her writing is now found in the recipe archives as cooking is her stress relief!