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Watermelon shaved ice is one of those summer desserts that looks fun but could not be easier to make. I freeze fresh watermelon, grate it right back into the watermelon boat, then finish it with lime and sweetened condensed milk for that sweet, tangy, creamy moment. It’s cold, juicy, and exactly what I want when it’s too hot to turn on anything but the freezer.
Ingredient Breakdown
- Mini Seedless Watermelon – The base of the dessert and the serving bowl, because we love a built-in presentation moment. If you don’t want to make a watermelon boat, you can absolutely just grate the watermelon into a bowl or cup.
- Lime Wedge – Adds brightness and keeps the watermelon from tasting too flat. I love the tangy citrus element the lime adds to the shaved ice. Watermelon is pretty sweet so it adds a nice contrast and balance. When I originally tested this recipe, I didn’t add any lime and found it just a tad too sweet for my liking.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – Adds creamy sweetness and gives the shaved ice that dessert feel. Sweetened condensed milk just takes shaved ice up a notch always. It reminds me of a sno-ball from New Orleans.
Do I need a special machine to make shaved watermelon ice?
No fancy equipment is needed for this recipe. All you need is freezer space, a knife and a cheese grater. The cheese grater is used to shave the watermelon to give it that shaved ice appearance. A standing cheese grater works best in my opinion for better control when shaving the frozen watermelon.
Plan Ahead
For this recipe be sure to freeze the watermelon chunks ahead of time. They need at least six hours to freeze, so plan ahead for when you’d like to enjoy. However, once the watermelon is frozen and ready, shave just before eating for the best texture.
Variations
There’s so many different toppings you can add to this fruity shaved ice to jazz it up. Skip the condensed milk and add tajin, honey and lime. This will give it a real Mexican feel which is delicious. Mint is a great addition also to make it even more refreshing.
Viral Watermelon Shaved Ice
Ingredients
- 1 mini watermelon
- 2 Lime wedge
- 2 tablespoons Sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Cut the watermelon in half horizontally so there are two halves. These will be our "cups".
- Cut the inside of the watermelon flesh horizontally then vertically. The bigger the chunks, the easier it will be to grate later. Be careful not to pierce the skin. Scoop out the watermelon chunks and freeze them for at least five hours but I like to do overnight. The watermelon needs to be rock solid.
- Wrap the watermelon halves in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
- Once the watermelon chunks are frozen, grate the watermelon into the watermelon boats using the large side of a cheese grater.
- Top with a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of condensed milk. Eat and enjoy immediately!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to make watermelon shaved ice
Cut the watermelon: Slice the watermelon in half horizontally.
Score the fruit: Cut the watermelon flesh horizontally and vertically, being careful not to pierce the skin.
Scoop and freeze: Scoop out the watermelon chunks and freeze them for at least 2 hours.
Save the watermelon boats: Wrap the empty watermelon halves in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Keep them in the fridge until ready to use.
Shave the watermelon: Once frozen, grate the watermelon chunks into the watermelon boats using a cheese grater.
Finish: Top with a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. Eat immediately while the watermelon ice is still fluffy and frozen.
