Sure you can purchase a million different flavors of colorful pre-made syrups for snow cones and shaved ice – but what’s really inside them? Often it’s stuff like heavily refined sugars, corn syrup, artificial colors, artificial flavors, and preservatives.

As you already know, food additives are used in almost every kind of food to “enhance” the products. Sometimes they replace the nutritional value for a quick and cheap fix in flavor and shelf life at the expense of our health.

These additives may be labeled as safe according to the FDA, but not always without concerns from the scientific community.

Luckily though, making your own organic and natural syrups at home can be a super easy thing. With a few inexpensive ingredients you can make your syrups at home and be 100% sure of exact what you or your kids are eating.

In this article, we’ll give you everything you need to know to make your own organic syrups for shave ice and snow cones. We’ll also go over some popular natural-sweetener alternatives so you can avoid so much refined sugar.

But first, take a look at a simple recipe for simple syrup – which will be the basis of any flavored syrup.

Basic Simple Syrup Recipe

The common step in making every natural snow cone syrup is the mixture of water and sugar (or other natural sweetener) which are boiled down to a syrup consistency. It’s always crucial to make sure that the liquid is thick enough to adhere to the ice without quickly melting it.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of granulated sugar (scroll down for other natural sweetener options)
• 2 cups of water

Preparation

For basic syrup, stir the sugar and water together in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium until sugar dissolves.

Cook while stirring thoroughly until the sugar dissolves.

Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.

For more details and other methods of making simple syrup, check out our expanded article on making simple syrup step by step.

Preparing the Final Syrup

Now that you’ve got an idea how to make simple syrup, you can add a thousand of different fruits, flavors, or even herbs to obtain the exact taste you’re after.

Preparation is pretty much the same for all of the recipes we list below.

If you use fresh fruits, you’ll have to first wash, chop and mash them before adding into the simple syrup.

Heat the mixture over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until syrup starts to thicken and some of the residual moisture from the fruits is reduced.

As the syrup is reducing, continually mash the fruit with a mashing tool to make sure there are no big chunks.

Keep stirring over heat until it is thickened down to a good syrup-like consistency and then remove from the heat and allow the mix to cool down to room temperature.

At this point you can then strain the syrup into a bowl to remove the fruit pulp, or use it as it is.

If you plan on dispensing the syrup from a squeeze bottle, you might prefer straining the pulp since it can sometimes clog the nozzle tip.

Some Useful Tips and Tricks For Homemade All Natural Shave Ice Syrup

• Your saucepan should be 3x larger than the mixture because the syrup will expand during cooking.
• Always make sure to keep the liquids cold before pouring over ice, to ensure the ice stays frosty and compact while the syrup makes its way to the bottom of the bowl or cup. If you melt the ice too much, you’ll just have a fruity drink instead of deliciously flavored ice.
• Although it may seem like the recipes call for a lot of sweetener, remember that you’ll be heavily diluting these syrups by pouring them over ice. If you don’t make them sweet enough, the flavor of the finished dessert won’t be strong enough.
• The snow cone syrup must boil enough to reduce and thicken. If it’s not thickened enough, reheat the syrup and let it simmer until syrup thickens.
• You can store your homemade all natural syrup in the fridge up to 2 months (or longer if you add a preservative like citric acid)
• The quantity of syrup depends on how long you boil the syrup. In general, 2-3 cups of syrup cover 10-30 snow cones depending on their size. The usual ratio is 2-3 tablespoons per cup of shaved ice.
• After you make the shave ice you can also add all kinds of delicious toppings if you want to. Some are healthy, and some not-so-much. Check out our ultimate shave ice topping guide for more info.
• Make sure you don’t forget to stir the syrup while it’s cooking or you might burn it and get a weird aftertaste.

How To Shave (or Crush) Your Ice

The right amount of quality crushed or shaved ice is crucial for the perfect shave ice or snow cone.

You can get away with something super-simple like a handheld ice shaver for occasional home use.

Alternatively, you can just put the ice in a powerful blender (Ninjas work awesome!) and then place it in a mesh colander for 20 seconds to drain it of the excess water. Just make sure the ice is firm enough that it holds it shape but so that syrup can find its way to the bottom at the same time.

If you really want to do things right, there’s nothing like having a legit shave ice machine around. The texture of the ice just can’t be matched by anything else. Check out our top recommendations for home shave ice machines to learn what to look for in a good machine.

Don’t have any of these appliances around? Don’t fret. There are a few ways to shave ice without a blender or machine.

Avoiding Artificial Sweeteners

Everyone knows that too much refined sugar is bad for overall health.

Nowadays, it’s widely understood that sugar contributes to a huge list of health issues like obesity, tooth decay, and heart disease, among others.

But we also know that there are many health concerns surrounding artificial sweeteners.

Aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose are commonly used artificial sweeteners. They can be found in many “Sugar-Free” products. These sweeteners are used in place of sugar to make products low-calorie. But they may have negative long term health effects.

In general, we don’t recommend using artificial sweeteners. Instead, why not try an alternative natural sweetener for your shaved ice?

The Best Sugar-Free Natural Sweeteners For Shave Ice Syrup

There are many sugar alternatives which can be easily substituted in your all-natural shave ice syrup. Here are some of the most available options.

Coconut Palm Sugar

Coconut sugar is an excellent sugar alternative. It retains naturally high mineral and vitamin content since it’s minimally processed and made from tapping the stems of the coconut palm then dehydrating the sap at a very low temperature. It has a great toffee-like flavor & color and is considered low GI, so it provides a slow energy release for your body. It’s rich in microelements and amino acids, making it an excellent alternative to cane sugar. It has been reported as the single most sustainable sweetener in the world by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Coconut Sugar is an ideal substitute for brown sugar. It can also be used instead of agave and honey in recipes, desserts, coffee, and tea.

Stevia Leaf

This a great natural sweetener that doesn’t get as much attention as others but should. It is merely the leaf of the Stevia plant ground into a powder. Stevia sweetener has a zero glycemic index, no kilojoules, no carbohydrate. Research is showing that stevia doesn’t affect blood glucose levels or interfere with insulin.

Stevia is a highly concentrated sweetener – 1 cup of sugar is equal to 1 tsp of Organic Stevia Leaf Powder and 1 tsp of sugar equals a pinch of stevia powder so be careful when measuring out your quantity!

Monk Fruit

You can add monk fruit sweetener to foods and beverages pretty much just as you would with refined sugar! It can also be used for all your regular baking and cooking, so it’s a great sugar replacement overall. It’s equally as sweet as sugar, but totally guilt-free!

Xylitol

Xylitol is a natural sweetener produced from hardwood sources. It is a lower kilojoule sugar substitute and also has a low GI (7). It is a good option for those with diabetes, as xylitol is metabolized slowly and doesn’t cause the ‘sugar spike’ leading to a subsequent drop in blood sugar and a craving for more sweets. If you want to prepare your all natural shave ice syrup with xylitol be aware that it will not thicken as the sauce cooks, so you will be left with a watery consistency.

Honey

Honey is a great sugar alternative in baking, sauces, and of course natural shave ice syrups. Honey is known to be anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory and has a wide array of vitamins and minerals! The key is to buy raw honey which maintains its health properties in the raw state – being the electrolytes, antioxidants, amino acids, and antimicrobial compounds that have a good influence on your immune system. Generally, go for darker varieties, the darker they are they are richer in bioactive compounds.

Raw Agave Syrup

This delicious syrup is produced from Mexico’s Blue Agave cactus plant. It has been extracted by hand from its pineapple shaped core, the flower shoot is cut out and the sap collected. Owing to agave syrup’s popularity is the fact that it has a low GI (30) and is 1.4 times sweeter than other natural sweeteners. Raw food enthusiasts love it as well because it’s not heat treated above 45 degrees during processing!

Although it is a great substitute for sugar, Agave Syrup is sweeter than sugar and doesn’t follow the 1:1 ratio so you will need to do a taste test during your cooking!

Coconut Syrup

Extracted from the sap of the coconut blossom, coconut syrup uses the ‘tapping’ process for the sap. Once collected into clay pots, the sweet sap is then heated and evaporated to form this rich coconut nectar. It has a deliciously sweet caramel flavor and goes delicious with pancakes, toasted cereals, hot beverages, smoothies, and all of your favorite dessert recipes!

As a sugar substitute, it is slightly sweeter than sugar and can be used 1:1.

Maple Syrup

Pure maple syrup is very versatile. It’s primarily used as a classic pancake topping and it’s made from the sap of the maple tree, which is boiled to evaporate the water and produce a syrup with the characteristic flavor and color! It contains less fructose than other sweeteners like agave and more calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, and potassium than honey.

Molasses

Blackstrap molasses is a thick, dark, strong flavored syrup made from the extraction process of sugar cane juice. It has a rich, full-boiled, robust flavor which gives natural caramel color when baking. Unlike processed sugar, molasses is very rich in vitamin inositol, copper, B Vitamins, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and potassium. The darker the color, the richer the nutrients!

Blackstrap Molasses is popular in baking biscuits, bread, in sauces, marinades, as a flavor enhancer and of course, you can use it in your natural snow cone syrup recipes. If you’re substituting this for a recipe that calls for sugar, remember you will be adding liquid so you may need to remove a little liquid elsewhere.

Rapadura Sugar (AKA Cane Sugar)

If you just can’t resist to normal sugar, Rapadura is the best choice as it is simply dehydrated sugar cane juice, i.e. obtained by evaporating the water from the sugar cane juice. It has high nutritional value and it retains most of the natural micronutrients. It has a unique fine grain, caramel flavor, and golden color.

Rapaduar Sugar can serve as a substitute for other granulated sugar and will not alter the texture of your food when used instead of processed sugar.

Erythritol

Although it sounds a little scary, erythritol is just a type of carbohydrate called a sugar alcohol. It’s often used as a sugar substitute and can be found naturally in some foods. It’s actually what makes things like wine, beer, and cheese ferment.

Erythritol sweetener has zero calories and tastes and bakes just like regular sugar. You can easily substitute erythritol at a 1:1 ratio in all recipes that call for sugar.

Unlike stevia and monk fruit, which can sometimes have a slightly bitter aftertaste, there is no bitter aftertaste associated with erythritol.

 

All Natural Snow Cone And Shave Ice Syrup Recipes

The simplified recipes below can be used as is, or blended with other fruits and extracts to create more unique mixes.

Since all you’re really doing is mixing water, sweetener, and fruit and reducing it down it’s really hard to mess this up.

You can do this! Don’t be afraid to experiment.  Have a little mint from your garden? That would go awesome with a lemon or lime flavored syrup!

 

 

 

Strawberry Syrup

Ingredients:

1 pound Strawberries (fresh or frozen, hulled and roughly chopped)

1 Cup Sugar (or other sweetener, if desired)

1 Cup Water

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries begin to soften and break down, 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour the syrup into a blender (or use an immersion blender), and puree until it is smooth. The syrup can be strained through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother texture, or left as is for a slightly thicker syrup.

 

Blueberry Syrup

Ingredients:

4 Cups Blueberries (fresh or frozen)

¾ Cup Water

5 Tbsp. Sugar

Juice from 1 Lemon

 

Preparation:

• Follow the procedure for Strawberry Syrup. Add more water if needed to adjust the consistency of the syrup after blending and straining. 

 

Cherry Syrup

Ingredients:

1 Cup Cherries (tart or sweet, pitted)

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

 

Preparation:

• Follow the procedure for Strawberry Syrup. Add 1 tsp. of lemon juice if using sweet cherries to enhance and balance the flavor. 

Note: For a Cherry Vanilla Syrup variation, add 1 tsp. of vanilla extract to the mixture before blending. 

 

Cranberry Syrup

Ingredients:

2 ½ Cups Cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the cranberries have begun to pop and break down, 15-20 minutes. 
• Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender), and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the skin and seeds. Add more water as needed to adjust the consistency.

 

Grape Syrup

Ingredients:

2 Pounds Concord Grapes (halved or roughly chopped)

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Coconut Sugar

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the grapes have fully broken down, 10-15minutes.
• Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Mash the mixture with a fork or potato masher until any remaining large pieces of grapes have been broken down. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve. 

Note: Chopping the grapes before cooking, and using a fork or potato masher instead of blending allows the skins to be removed from the syrup in larger pieces. Blending the skins can make the syrup bitter.

Mango Syrup

Ingredients:

2 Ripe Mangos (peeled and diced, frozen will also work)

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract (optional)

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients except the vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mango is very tender and beginning to break down, 10-20 minutes.
• Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. For a slightly chunky and thick syrup, mash the mango with a fork or potato masher. For a smoother syrup, transfer the mixture to a blender (or use an immersion blender), and puree until smooth. The syrup can be strained through a fine-mesh sieve if desired. 

Note: Slightly less ripe mangos tend to work better for this since they will be slightly sour, and will make the overall flavor more interesting. Very ripe mangos work as well, but the syrup will be extremely sweet and more one-dimensional in terms of flavor.

 

Kiwi Syrup

Ingredients:

3 Cups Kiwi (peeled and diced)

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

 

Preparation:

• Follow the procedure for Strawberry Syrup. Be careful not to overcook the syrup, as the kiwi will take on a brown or grey tint.  

Note: You can add about 1/4 Cup of chopped fresh spinach leaves for natural green color. You won’t really taste it much, but it will make the syrup look more kiwi-ish.

 

Apple Cinnamon Syrup

 

Ingredients:

4 Cups Apple Juice

½ Cup Sugar

1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and cool completely. Stir the syrup well before using. 

Note: You can stick some cinnamon sticks in the finished shaved ice or snow cone to make it look really crafty!

 

Caramel Syrup

Ingredients:

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

½ Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Water

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

 

Preparation:

• Combine all of the ingredients except the vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugars are fully dissolved and no longer gritty, and the mixture has started to bubble and thicken slightly. Do not stir too aggressively, or the syrup will begin to crystalize. 
• Remove the mixture from the heat and gently stir in the vanilla extract. 

Note: For an extra-rich topping, stir in 1-2 Tbsp. of butter when adding the vanilla. To use the syrup, warm it slowly in the microwave. 

 

Green Apple Syrup

Ingredients:

2 Cups Green Apple (cored and diced, with peel)

1 Cup Coconut Sugar

1 Cup Water

½ Cup Raw Spinach Leaves (for color)

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apple is very soft, 10-15 minutes.
• Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool slightly. Transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender), and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. 

 

Honeydew Melon Syrup

Ingredients:

3 Cups Honeydew Melon (peeled, seeds removed, and diced)

1 Cup Coconut Sugar

1 Cup Water

¼ Cup Raw Spinach Leaves (optional, for color)

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the melon is soft, 5-10 minutes.
• Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool slightly. Transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender), and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. 

 

Peach Syrup

Ingredients:

1 Cup Peaches (fresh or frozen, diced)

1 Cup Coconut Sugar

1/3 Cup Water

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the peaches have begun to break down. If the mixture seems too thick, add more water to adjust the consistency. 
• Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool slightly. Use a fork or potato masher to crush the mixture for a slightly chunky, thicker syrup, or transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender), and puree until smooth. Syrup can then be strained through a fine-mesh sieve or left as-is. 

 

Peppermint Syrup

Ingredients:

1 Cup Coconut Sugar

1 Cup Water

5 Drops Food Grade Pure Peppermint Oil (or use 1 tsp. Peppermint Extract)

 

Preparation:

• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has fully dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the peppermint oil or extract.

Note: If using peppermint oil, be sure to purchase a brand meant for food use. DO NOT use “essential” peppermint oil, as these varieties are not approved for ingestion, often contain unsafe preservatives and additions, and are not manufactured in a food-safe facility.

 

Pineapple Syrup

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Pineapple Juice

1 Cup of Coconut Sugar

 

Preparation:

• Combine juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved completely. 

 

Pomegranate Syrup

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cup Pomegranate Seeds (or 1 Cup Pomegranate Juice)

1 Cup Coconut Sugar

1 Cup Water

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. If using fresh pomegranate seeds, cook over low heat, stirring occasionally,  until the seeds have released their juices, 10-15 minutes. If using pomegranate juice, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved. 
• If using seeds, remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing down on the seeds gently with a rubber spatula, until all of the juice has been removed. 

Note: Do not blend syrups that contain seeds, as they will make the finished product bitter. 

 

 Watermelon Syrup

Ingredients:

4 Cups Watermelon Juice

1 Cup Coconut Sugar

 

Preparation:

• Combine juice and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved. 

 

Warm Vanilla Spice Syrup

Ingredients:

1 Cup Coconut Sugar

1 Cup Water

2 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp.  Nutmeg

2 tsp. Cloves

1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients except the vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved. 
• Remove mixture from heat and stir in vanilla. If desired, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove some of the spice solids, or leave as-is. If not straining, be sure to mix or shake the syrup well before using. 

 

Lemon Syrup

Ingredients:

2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Lemon Juice

1 Cup Water

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved. 

 

Raspberry Syrup

Ingredients:

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

2 Cups Raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the raspberries are very soft and broken up, 10-15 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing down on the seeds and pulp with a rubber spatula to remove all of the juice. 

 

Mashed Orange Syrup

Ingredients:

1 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Water

5 Oranges (peeled, separated, and diced)

 

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the oranges have begun to break apart, 10-15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the syrup mixture lightly, leaving some chunks of oranges. 

 

 

 

 

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