Snow Balls Vs Snow Cones: What's The Difference?

Getting a cool treat during the summertime should be fairly straightforward, but there are so many options out there that it can be hard to distinguish the differences, let alone choose one to actually eat. From custard and soft serve to gelato and ice cream, there is a lot of overlap and confusion. Snow balls and snow cones are no different.

The biggest difference between these two frozen treats is texture, due to the different types of ice used in each. Snow balls have a lighter consistency due to the ice being finely shaved, which helps the ice absorb more flavor. Meanwhile, snow cones have a lot more crunch due to the fact that they are made with pieces of crushed ice, which are larger in size and less absorbent when it comes to flavored syrups.

Both are flavored with syrups, but snow balls, sometimes called sno-balls, are mostly a regional thing, primarily appearing in the south. Despite having the same name, snow balls should not be confused with the coconut ball packaged snack or the 1960s coconut covered ice cream dessert. In reality, snow balls are just a type of snow cone in of itself.

Snow balls are an icy treat made using specifically finely shaved ice. This creates a texture that is often compared to snow; it is light and easy to scoop. The lighter texture also makes it super absorbent of any flavored syrups that are used. Snow balls can also be topped or stuffed with add-ons and come in various sizes.

Snow balls are specifically a southern invention, with Louisiana laying claim to the sweet treat. The story goes that snow balls were originally made by street vendors in New Orleans who would hand shave giant blocks of ice into paper cones. Originally, snow balls came in three flavors: strawberry, pineapple, and spearmint.

Today, snow balls can be found all over Louisiana and in neighboring southern states, although New Orleans specifically is one of the most popular places to get this treat. The flavor menu has also grown quite a bit and now includes unique flavors that are not typically found on snow cones, like wedding cake, Fuzzy Navel, and pecan praline. One particular flavor, known as King Cake, is specifically unique to New Orleans.

Snow cones are easily confused with snow balls; after all, both desserts are made using ice and flavored syrups. The key difference is that snow cones are made with crushed ice, not shaved ice. This results in a chunkier texture that has a lot more crunch to it. However, it is also notorious for being harder to scoop than the shaved ice found in snow balls.

One thing that is great about snow cones is that they are more widely available than snow balls. Snow cones can be found nearly across the entire United States while snow balls are limited to the southern states. However, the trade off is that snow cones do not have access to certain snow ball flavors, especially those unique to Louisiana only.

One major difference between snow cones and snow balls is the way they hold syrup. Snow cones' chunkier texture means they do not hold onto syrup as well as snow balls. This means that snow cones need to be eaten rather quickly or else you run the risk of the syrup melting towards the bottom of the snow cone, leaving the top half lacking in flavor.