Snow Day Recipes Grandma Made When School Was Canceled: 13 Cozy Favorites From Snow Cream to Cinnamon Toast

Snow day recipes are the ones we remember long after the storm melts: the phone call that school was canceled, the boots by the door, and Grandma already pulling out the big pot. None of it was fancy. It was snow cream scooped from the yard, cinnamon toast bubbling under the broiler, tomato soup with a grilled cheese for dunking, and cocoa that kept everyone warm between sled runs. With the first storms of the season rolling into the Midwest and Northeast, this is the menu to keep handy. Every dish below uses pantry staples, most cook while you are outside, and a few can be made by kids with a little help. Pick a breakfast, a lunch, a treat and a pot for supper, and the whole day takes care of itself..

Snow Day Recipes Start With a Bowl of Fresh Snow Cream

Every snow day story starts the same way: someone runs outside with the biggest mixing bowl in the house. Snow cream is the treat kids beg for, and it takes about five minutes. Sweetened milk and vanilla turn fluffy snow into something close to soft serve. Safety first: use only fresh, clean snow that has just fallen, gathered from an untouched surface like a patio table, never snow from the ground, near roads or anything yellow, and skip it if the air quality is poor. The classic snow ice cream recipe on Allrecipes is the version most families started with..

You will need: 8 cups fresh, clean snow (gathered right after it falls), 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk or 1 cup cold milk with 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, sprinkles for the top.

How to make it: 1. Set a large clean bowl outside on a table as the snow starts so it collects fresh flakes. 2. Bring it in and work quickly while the snow is cold. 3. Stir the condensed milk and vanilla together in a small bowl. 4. Pour over the snow and fold gently until creamy, adding more snow if it is runny. 5. Scoop into cups, add sprinkles and eat right away.

Grandma’s Broiler Cinnamon Sugar Toast

Of all the snow day recipes Grandma kept, this is the breakfast that tasted most like a day off. Grandma never used the toaster for this one. She buttered soft white bread all the way to the edges, buried it in cinnamon sugar and slid it under the broiler until the top melted into a crackly, glittering crust. The broiler is the secret, because the sugar caramelizes instead of just sitting there. Make a full sheet pan at once, since nobody stops at one slice when the snow is still coming down outside.

You will need: 8 slices soft white or brioche bread, 6 tablespoons softened butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, a pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Heat the broiler with a rack about 6 inches from the heat. 2. Mix the sugar, cinnamon and salt. 3. Spread butter to the very edges of each slice and lay them on a sheet pan. 4. Sprinkle a thick, even layer of cinnamon sugar over the butter. 5. Broil 1 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until bubbling and crisp. 6. Cool 1 minute, then cut into triangles.

Tomato Soup and a Buttery Grilled Cheese for Dunking

Lunch on a snow day was always the same, and nobody ever complained. A pot of creamy tomato soup and a stack of golden grilled cheese halves made soggy mittens and red cheeks feel worth it. This quick stovetop soup comes together from canned tomatoes in about 25 minutes, and a splash of cream makes it taste like it simmered all morning. If you want to try more versions of this classic, our cozy tomato soup recipes for cold rainy days roundup has plenty of ideas.

You will need: 2 tablespoons butter, 1 small onion (chopped), 2 cloves garlic, 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 8 slices bread, 8 slices cheddar, extra butter.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter in a pot and cook the onion 5 minutes, then the garlic 1 minute. 2. Add the tomatoes, broth and sugar and simmer 15 minutes. 3. Blend until smooth and stir in the cream; season with salt and pepper. 4. Butter the outside of the bread, fill with cheese and cook in a skillet over medium-low heat until golden on both sides. 5. Cut into strips and serve with the soup.

Stovetop Hot Cocoa With a Marshmallow Raft

Powdered packets have their place, but real stovetop cocoa is what Grandma made when the kids came in soaked from the sledding hill. Whisking cocoa powder with a little hot water first is the old trick that keeps it smooth, with no dry lumps floating on top. A spoonful of chopped chocolate at the end makes it rich and silky. Then comes the important part: a raft of marshmallows big enough to cover the whole mug, so every sip comes with a sweet, melty foam. No list of snow day recipes is complete without it.

You will need: 4 cups whole milk, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup hot water, 2 oz chopped semisweet chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla, a pinch of salt, mini or large marshmallows.

How to make it: 1. In a saucepan, whisk the cocoa, sugar, salt and hot water into a smooth paste over medium heat. 2. Whisk in the milk and heat until steaming, but do not boil. 3. Take off the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate and vanilla until melted. 4. Ladle into mugs and float a thick layer of marshmallows on top.

Snow Day Recipes Need a Big Pot of Chili

Every family has a chili that only comes out when the weather turns, and a snow day is the perfect excuse. Brown the beef in the morning, stir in the beans and spices, and let it bubble low and slow all afternoon while everyone is outside building forts. The longer it simmers, the deeper it tastes. This is one of those snow day recipes that also feeds the neighbors who stop by after shoveling, so make the big pot and set out the toppings.

You will need: 2 lb ground beef, 1 large onion (diced), 1 green pepper (diced), 3 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, 2 cans kidney beans (drained), 2 cups beef broth, cheese, sour cream and onions to serve.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef in a large pot, breaking it up, and drain extra fat. 2. Add the onion and pepper and cook 6 minutes, then the garlic and spices for 1 minute. 3. Stir in the tomatoes, beans and broth. 4. Simmer on low, partly covered, for 1 to 3 hours, stirring now and then. 5. Season with salt and serve with toppings.

Oven Puffed Dutch Baby That Feeds Everyone at Once

When the whole family is home and hungry at the same time, nobody wants to stand at the stove flipping pancakes one by one. A Dutch baby is one of the smartest snow day recipes for a crowd. The batter goes into a screaming hot buttered pan, and in the oven it puffs up into a tall, golden, custardy pancake with crisp edges that kids love to watch rise through the oven window. Dust it with powdered sugar, squeeze on some lemon, cut it into wedges and breakfast is done in about 25 minutes.

You will need: 3 large eggs (room temperature), 3/4 cup milk, 3/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, a pinch of salt, 3 tablespoons butter, powdered sugar and lemon wedges or berries to serve.

How to make it: 1. Put a 10 or 12 inch oven-safe skillet in the oven and heat to 425 F. 2. Blend the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. 3. Carefully take out the hot pan, add the butter and swirl until melted. 4. Pour in the batter and bake 18 to 20 minutes until puffed and golden. 5. Dust with powdered sugar and serve right away.

Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup in 30 Minutes

Grandma made hers from scratch with a whole bird, but a store-bought rotisserie chicken gets you surprisingly close in half an hour. It is the soup for the kid who stayed out too long and came in with a runny nose, and for everyone else who just wants something warm. The trick is to simmer the vegetables in good broth first and add the noodles near the end, so they stay tender instead of turning mushy. Leftovers taste even better the next day.

You will need: 1 rotisserie chicken (meat shredded), 2 tablespoons butter, 1 onion, 3 carrots, 3 celery ribs (all diced), 2 cloves garlic, 8 cups chicken broth, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 3 cups wide egg noodles, fresh parsley.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter in a pot and cook the onion, carrots and celery 7 minutes. 2. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaf for 1 minute. 3. Pour in the broth and simmer 10 minutes. 4. Add the noodles and cook until just tender, about 7 minutes. 5. Stir in the chicken and heat through; season and finish with parsley.

Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders Wrapped in Foil

These little sandwiches are the ones you can make ahead, wrap in foil and pull out of the oven whenever the sledding crew comes stomping back inside. Soft sweet rolls get layered with ham and Swiss, then drenched in a buttery mustard and poppy seed sauce that bakes into a glossy, golden top. The foil keeps them soft while the cheese melts into gooey pull-apart strings. They are the most requested of all our snow day recipes, and one pan disappears in minutes.

You will need: 1 package (12) sweet dinner rolls, 3/4 lb thin sliced ham, 6 slices Swiss cheese, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, 1 tablespoon minced onion.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F. 2. Slice the whole slab of rolls in half sideways and set the bottom in a baking dish. 3. Layer the ham and cheese, then add the tops. 4. Whisk the butter, mustard, Worcestershire, poppy seeds and onion and pour over the rolls. 5. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then uncover for 5 minutes. 6. Pull apart and serve warm.

Snow Day Recipes for Movie Time: Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn

By mid-afternoon, wet coats are hanging everywhere and everyone is ready for a movie under the blankets. That is when the big pot of stovetop popcorn comes out. Grandma made it in a heavy pot with a lid, shaking it over the burner until the popping slowed. A drizzle of melted butter and a shake of cinnamon sugar turns it into a sweet, crunchy snack that is somewhere between kettle corn and a churro. Make extra, because the bowl always gets passed back for more.

You will need: 1/2 cup popcorn kernels, 3 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot with 3 kernels over medium-high heat. 2. When they pop, add the rest of the kernels, cover and shake the pot often. 3. When popping slows to 2 to 3 seconds apart, take it off the heat. 4. Pour into a big bowl and drizzle with butter while tossing. 5. Mix the sugar, cinnamon and salt, sprinkle over and toss again.

Baked Mac and Cheese With a Cracker Crumb Top

The blue box is fine on a school night, but snow day recipes call for the real thing. This is the baked mac and cheese that came out of Grandma’s oven bubbling at the edges, with a crunchy buttered cracker topping that everyone fought over. The sauce is a simple cheddar white sauce, so it stays creamy under the crust instead of drying out. Assemble it in the morning, keep it in the fridge, and bake it when the kids come in for supper.

You will need: 1 lb elbow macaroni, 4 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup flour, 3 cups whole milk, 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar, 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, 1 teaspoon mustard powder, 1 sleeve butter crackers (crushed), 3 tablespoons melted butter.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and butter a 9×13 dish. 2. Cook the macaroni 2 minutes less than the package says; drain. 3. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and simmer until thick. 4. Off the heat, stir in the cheeses and mustard; season and fold in the pasta. 5. Spread in the dish, top with crackers tossed in butter and bake 25 minutes until golden.

Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies While the Snow Falls

These fudgy cookies were the first recipe many of us made on our own, standing on a chair by the stove. Butter, sugar, milk and cocoa boil for exactly one minute, then peanut butter and oats get stirred in and spooned onto wax paper to set. No oven, no mixer, and they are ready by the time the next round of snow angels is finished. Timing the boil is the only rule, and kids love being the official timer for snow day recipes like this one.

You will need: 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, a pinch of salt, 3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats.

How to make it: 1. Line a sheet pan with wax or parchment paper. 2. In a saucepan bring the butter, sugar, milk and cocoa to a full rolling boil. 3. Boil exactly 1 minute without stirring, then take off the heat. 4. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and salt until smooth, then the oats. 5. Drop by spoonfuls onto the paper and let set about 30 minutes. Adult help: an adult handles the hot pot.

Snow Day Recipes for Supper: Slow Cooker Beef Stew

The smartest move on a snow day is starting supper before anyone goes out to shovel. Brown the beef, load the slow cooker with potatoes, carrots and onions, and let it go low all day. By the time the driveway is clear and the gloves are drying on the vent, the house smells incredible and the meat falls apart with a spoon. Of all the snow day recipes on this list, this is the one that makes the whole evening feel slow and easy. Serve it with crusty bread.

You will need: 2 1/2 lb beef chuck (cubed), 1/4 cup flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 onion, 4 carrots, 1 1/2 lb small potatoes, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, 3 cups beef broth, 2 teaspoons thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 cup frozen peas.

How to make it: 1. Toss the beef with flour, salt and pepper and brown in oil in batches. 2. Put the potatoes, carrots and onion in the slow cooker and add the beef. 3. Whisk the tomato paste, Worcestershire, garlic and broth and pour over with the thyme and bay leaf. 4. Cook on low 8 hours or high 5 hours. 5. Stir in the peas for the last 10 minutes and season.

Warm Apple Cider Simmering on the Stove

The last of these snow day recipes is the drink Grandma kept barely simmering on the back of the stove at the end of the day. Orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves and a star anise or two turn plain apple cider into the coziest drink of the season, and the whole house smells like a holiday. It is caffeine free, so the kids can have a mug before bed while the grown-ups watch the snow pile up outside. Keep the heat low so it never boils and the flavors stay bright.

You will need: 1/2 gallon apple cider, 1 orange (sliced into rounds), 4 cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon whole cloves, 2 star anise, 2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup (optional), extra orange wheels and cinnamon sticks to serve.

How to make it: 1. Pour the cider into a large pot. 2. Add the orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves and star anise. 3. Warm over medium-low heat until steaming, then turn to low and keep it just below a simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. 4. Taste and sweeten if you like. 5. Ladle through a strainer into mugs and garnish with an orange wheel and a cinnamon stick.