How to Make Shave Ice – All our best supplies, tips, and tricks

Summer might finally be here for us and that means Shave Ice and lots of it!
It’s a staple summer treat for our family- around the pool, lazy evenings at Papa and Nana’s, and of course anytime we are in Hawaii! Keep reading to learn all the tips and tricks for how to make Shave ice.

Shave Ice Machine

My parents own a high quality, older model shave ice machine. Theirs was bought years ago in Maui by my Uncle Dwight and when he passed away my Mom and Dad were able to have it. Here’s 3 options that range in price. The first is like my parents and more commercial. The middle is what we have and love, and the more affordable option is from Snowie and I have heard works awesome for a good price. Click any picture to shop.

Flavors

Quality matters. We buy all our flavors from: Real Hawaiian Ice. We purchase the sample size concentrates because we don’t go through that much in one summer and we love to have lots of flavors to try and choose from.

We love so many flavors. From Root Beer to Passion Fruit to Cherry to Green Apple! The reason we buy flavors from a real shave ice company as opposed to something like a snow cone flavor is because the fullness and quality of flavor is so much better. This is one of the key parts that makes it a Real Hawaiian Shave Ice versus a Snow Cone.

 
I did a poll for you of flavor favorites
Papa- Mango
Nana- Creamsicle 
Rachel- Grape 
Micah- Grape
Caitlin- Lilikoi 
Tim- Coconut Mango 
Me- Green Apple  

If you are just starting out – here is a list of must-have flavors:
Blue raspberry 
Grape
Cherry
Strawberry 
Green apple
Lime 

How to make the flavors

2 3/4+ cups sugar
2 T concentrate 
2 cups hot water

First, mix sugar, hot water, and concentrate together with a whisk until sugar is completely dissolved. Tip from my Mom: work carefully and on towels because the concentrates can stain really easily.

Fill squeeze bottles with a funnel. Any leftover flavor mix goes into 1/2 gallon plastic jugs- you can save milk jugs for this. It’s pretty simple – just takes a lot of sugar! Be sure to label your flavors because so many look alike and it’s really easy to get them mixed up.  Just use masking tape for the labeling unless you want to get fancy.

Here’s the squeeze bottles we like the best – the snapping cap for the spout is really nice! We do 16 ounce but any size works. Here is another great option.

Prep/Supplies

First, we freeze several round rubbermaid type bowls of ice. We like to keep 3-5 bowls of ice always frozen. One ice block can make about 10 shave ices. For our machine this tub has to be a specific size to fit in it.

Foam cups for serving seems to work best. We love 12 ounce for adults and 8 ounce for younger kids. 

And plastic spoons like these.

If you want to do a sno-cap, fill a squeeze bottle ahead with Sweetened Condensed Milk.  

How to make Shave Ice

+Freeze ice ahead. We keep 3-5 bowls frozen at all times. 
+Make flavors ahead so they are cold. They can easily last the whole summer. Store in the fridge. 
+Shave the ice-according to instructions on your particular machine. 
+Pack ice into an individual foam bowl using your hand to pack & shape. 
+Skewer the ice so the flavors can get down to the lower parts of bowl. We use these skewers.

+Pour the syrup over. Use as many flavors as you want. 
+Add sno-cap drizzle if you want.
+ENJOY!!!

Our usual go to is that everyone picks a 3-flavor combo or a rainbow Shave ice and most of us have sno-cap. 

Hopefully I’ve enticed you to want to have a Shave ice if you ever get to Hawaii OR Papa & Nana’s house! Or better yet-get a machine and make it a summer tradition for your family. 
Be sure to leave me a comment below with your favorite flavor combo or your fave spot to get Shave ice.

xo, Sarah

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