Fact: There are literally millions of toppings you can put on shaved ice.

Alright so maybe not millions. But definitely a lot. There’s just something about shaved ice and snow cones that makes them an excellent foundation for putting lots and lots of toppings on. Sweet, salty, spicy, sour – no matter what you’re craving for you can bet someone’s tried putting it on top of an iced dessert at some point.

Here’s a list of some of the most popular shaved ice toppings from around the world:

 

Adzuki Beans – For shaved ice, adzuki beans are usually boiled with sugar to sweeten them and they’re a very popular shaved ice topping in most Asian countries. And because Hawaiian style shave ice originated from Japanese immigrants, it’s not surprising that sweet beans are a popular topping on Hawaiian shave ice. Check out our article on how to make sweetened adzuki or mung beans for shaved ice.

Almonds – Almonds have loads of healthy fats, fiber, and protein, so they’re a nice healthy topping choice. You may want to use sliced or crushed almonds, since the full size ones can be a little large.

Banana – Sliced and sometimes sweetened by boiling it with sugar and a pinch of salt. Fresh is most popular, but dried banana chips work great too!

Bee Pollen – Rich in vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, minerals, and anti-oxidants, natural bee pollen is considered an immune system builder and is a great way to make a super-healthy shave ice.

Blueberry – Especially good combined with sweet coconut milk!

Bread – Popular in Thailand, Taiwan, and the Philippines, this one is a little surprising but give it a try – it’s awesome! It adds a cake-like taste and texture to the ice. Any kind of white bread will do.

Cereal – Breakfast cereal is an extremely popular addition to shaved ice in many asian countries. Generally sweeter cereals like the ones made for kids are used. Some favorites include Fruity Pebbles, Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes, and Fruit Loops.

Cheese – In the Philippines there is a version of their native halo-halo shaved ice dessert served called halo-halo in tiwi. It’s typically served with shredded Velveeta-type American cheese on top. Don’t knock it ’til you try it!

Chia Seeds – Chia seeds deliver a huge number of nutrients and add very few calories, making them an excellent health-conscious topping for shave ice.

Chocolate Chips – You can add chocolate chips to pretty much anything. And you should.

Coconut Milk – Sweetened coconut milk adds a creamy dimension to shaved ice. Drizzled over the top and combined with other toppings – coconut milk is a perfect finishing touch for extra decadent shave ice.

Condensed Milk – Canned milk that has been made thicker by the process of evaporation and sweetened with sugars, condensed milk is a very popular addition to shaved ice desserts. Condensed milk is commonly drizzled over the tops of Hawaiian style shave ice, where it’s often referred to as a “snow cap”. As a vegan substitute, we recommend using sweetened condensed coconut milk instead.

Corn – Called mais con yelo in the Philippines shaved ice with corn is sometimes is an excellent, if unexpected, combination. Any kind of canned corn will do. Since corn is something many people have in their kitchen, this is an easy one to try.

Evaporated Milk – Evaporated milk is milk that has been slightly thickened by evaporation. It’s very similar to condensed milk, except that it generally is not sweetened and isn’t as thick. Evaporated milk is also poured on top of shaved ice sometimes, especially in a lot of Asian shaved ice varieties like Halo-Halo of the Philippines.

Granola – Adds a healthy bit of fiber and a nice crunch

Grass Jelly – Kind of like Asian gelatin, this minty sweet treat is similar to wheatgrass, and doesn’t actually contain gelatin. You can find it at local Asian grocery stores or even on Amazon.

Gummy Bears – Or of course you can substitute your favorite gummy such as worms, sharks, frogs, fish, etc.

Hemp Seeds – Hemp seeds add a nutritional crunch to many dishes – especially shave ice. Don’t worry, there’s no THC in hemp seeds.

Ice Cream – Hawaiian shaved ice is often served with a scoop of ice cream at the bottom. Likewise, many Asian varieties of shaved ice are also served with scoops of ice cream on top. At most shave ice shops, your best option is probably to skip the ice cream unless they have a milk-free vegan ice cream option. If you’re vegan, there are lots of great vegan ice creams available such as ones made from almonds, rice, coconut, or soy. Check out this article for more vegan shave ice options.

Kiwi Fruit – Kiwi adds a nice tartness to the shaved ice.

Kool-Aid Powder – Popular in the American southwest, the powder usually sprinkled on top as the last topping for an extra dose of sweetness.

Lilikoi (AKA Passion Fruit) – A very popular topping on Hawaiian style shave ice, lilikoi has incredible sweet, tangy flavaor that really compliments shaved ice. Lilikoi is the Hawaiian word for passionfruit.

Macadamia Nuts – Macadamia nuts are high in healthy fats and one serving contains loads of dietary fiber, protein, manganese, thiamin, and a good amount of copper. They’re incredibly delicious and, unfortunately, usually incredibly expensive.

Mango – A tropical favorite, the buttery smooth texture of mango is an excellent counterpoint to the shaved ice texture.

Marshmallow Cream – Since they contain egg whites, marshmallow creams like Fluff are another shave ice topping that is not vegan friendly. When ordered shaved ice, skip the marshmallow cream or make your own easy vegan marshmallow fluff.

Matcha Tea Powder – Popular in Japanese kakigori shaved ice, matcha powder adds a complex and alluring flavor as a topping. It starts with a slightly vegtal flavor but follows with a delicious lingering sweetness.

Mochi balls – Mochi is a sweet 100% vegan dessert made from pounded glutinous rice. It’s usually filled with some sort of fillings such as red beans, matcha paste, or other sweet sauces.

Nata De Coco – A chewy, translucent, jelly-like food produced by the fermentation of coconut water, nata de coco is a popular shave ice topping all over the world. The jelly like texture of the nata de coco is a great counterpoint to the texture of the ice.

Nutella – What isn’t Nutella good on? Nothing.

Orange Slices – I like to leave the skins on to give extra flavor and because they just look beautiful that way.

Oreo Cookies – Typically crushed ones, but whole ones make a good presentation.

Frosted Flakes – Maybe not the healthiest option, but totally free of animal-based ingredients. Adding cereal to the top of shaved ice is extremely popular in Southeast Asian countries.

Palm Fruit – Typically sold in jars preserved as a brightly colored, jelly-like fruit.

Papaya – Papaya is fantastic on shaved ice, and if you’ve never tried it with a squeeze of lemon and some mint on it – do it!

Peanuts – Or you can also use…

Peanut Butter – Because the coldness of the ice tends to make the peanut butter more solid it can be a little tricky to eat, but the taste is amazing.  As expected, it goes excellent with Nutella or with chocolate Sryup drizzled on top.

Pickles – A strange one, but if you’re a fan of pickles you may totally dig putting sliced pickles on top of a strawberry or cherry shaved ice. In the Southwest united states this is often called a Picadilly snow cone.

Pineapple – Pineapple chunks make a great topping, and you can also make very healthy shaved ice simply by pouring fresh pineapple juice over shaved ice.

Rice Cakes – Lots of different varieties of sweetened rice cakes in many different countries where rice is eaten. Since they’re already sweet, they make an excellent compliment to shaved ice.

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups – Crushed or whole. Reeses Pieces are great too!

Shredded Coconut Flakes – Sprinkle these over the top of any fruits you put on your shave ice for a delicious and beautiful finishing touch.

Sprinkles – Any color will do. Rainbow is best.

Strawberries – Especially good with vanilla ice cream over strawberry flavored shave ice. Try it with some sliced bread on top for a cake-like taste!

Tapioca Pearls – Another topping that’s very popular in Asian countries, tapioca pearls can be made any color and add a bright colorful look to shave ice.

Toasted coconut flakes – Toasting flakes of coconut gives them a slightly nutty flavor and a cripier texture.

Walnuts – So good. Especially crushed up.

Whipped Cream – Just like on an ice cream sundae, whipped cream is delicious on shaved ice.