Patbingsu is a refreshing Korean shaved ice dessert topped with sweet red beans and fruity toppings. This direct kitchen-made version uses milk and canned red beans, so you can make it with or without an ice shaver.

Nothing beats shaved ice on a hot summer day. In Korea, we call it bingsu (빙수), the umbrella term for fluffy shaved ice desserts.

Among its many variations, Patbingsu (팥빙수) remains the classic favorite. “Pat” means sweet red beans, so Patbingsu is bingsu topped with sweetened red beans. Modern Korean cafés also serve bingsu with fruit, cheesecake cubes, matcha, cereal, or mochi. If you love fruit-forward desserts, try our Mango Bingsu.

Korean shaved ice dessert in a bowl with a spoon.

Fluffy milk ice, sweet red beans, juicy fruit, and chewy bites in one cold spoonful.

In the old days, people used plain ice for bingsu. But tastes have evolved, and now we use milk instead of water. When frozen, it shaves into snowflake-like ice, hence the name “snowflake bingsu” (눈꽃빙수).

We love milky shaved ice so much that we bought an inexpensive ice shaver. Now, we can make patbingsu at home anytime, saving money since a bowl at a bingsu shop can be quite expensive.

With our direct patbingsu recipe, you can make this delightful Korean dessert at home without much effort. Plus, you can customize it with your favorite toppings.

What you’ll need

Ice Shaver (Optional)

An ice shave machine is a great kitchen tool if you make shaved ice often. While electric shaving machines can be costly, we found an inexpensive manual ice shaver that works like a charm.

You might wonder, “Do we need a shaving machine?” Not really. If you want to invest a few bucks in one, go for it. If not, we'll share alternative methods at the end of this post, so you can still enjoy the great taste.

Sweetened Red Beans for Patbingsu

The key ingredient is, of course, the red beans. Known as adzuki beans, these sweetened beans (dan-pat, 단팥) are common in many Asian desserts, such as danpatjuk (sweet red bean porridge).

While you can make dan-pat from scratch, it requires a long cooking time since red beans need to be cooked at a low temperature. Who wants to stand next to a hot stove in the summertime?

For convenience, we always use store-bought canned sweetened red beans. They taste just as good as kitchen-made and have an excellent texture. Look for whole red beans, not red bean paste, at Korean or other Asian markets or online.

Milky Shaved Ice

We recommend using whole milk instead of low-fat for a keeper taste. Add a little sweetened condensed milk to make it even better.

How to Get Fluffy Bingsu at Home

A keeper bingsu has fine, snow-like ice that melts softly on the tongue. Using milk or lightly sweetened milk creates a creamier texture than plain water, which is why kitchen-made bingsu can still feel café-worthy.

Mix milk and sweetened condensed milk, then pour into shallow containers and freeze until solid, about 4 hours or overnight. Shallow containers freeze more evenly and are easier to shave.

Once frozen, run the milk ice through your shaver and pile it gently into chilled serving bowls. Work quickly so the texture stays light and fluff.

the cook’s Tip: Freeze your serving bowl:. his will keep the shaved ice cold longer.

Garnish with Toppings

Every spoonful gives you something different: creamy ice, chewy bites, sweet beans, and fruit.

Classic Patbingsu is topped with sweet red beans, misugaru (roasted grain powder), and injeolmi for nutty flavor and chewy contrast. Be creative with toppings.

Modern Korean cafés top bingsu with summer fruits (watermelon, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, mango), cheesecake cubes, mochi, or crunchy Jolly Pong on top. If you love that nostalgic sweet flavor, our Jolly Pong MilkShake is another fun Korean treat to try.

Serve immediately. Good bingsu should taste airy, creamy, and cold before the ice begins to melt.

No ice shaver? Try these direct methods

Using Food processor or blender

If you don’t own an ice shaver, a food processor or blender will work. Pour the milk mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze. When the milk is frozen, transfer the cubes to a food processor or heavy-duty blender and blend until smooth. Avoid over-processing.

Using Freezer zip bag

If you don’t own any small appliances, try a freezer zip bag. Your ice will be like slush instead of shaved ice, but it will still make an equally great Korean dessert. Here’s how you make it:

Pour the milk mixture into a zip-top bag and freeze it flat.
Let it sit at room temperature for a minute, or run the bag under cold water briefly to soften the surface.
Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to crush the ice into fine pieces.
Fluff with a fork, then pile into bowls and add toppings right away.

If you’re in the mood for another icy Korean summer favorite, our Subak Hwachae watermelon punch is always a fun one to make.

Yield: 4 people
Prep: 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 cup (960 mL) whole milk
6 tbsp (90 mL / about 120 g) sweet condensed milk, plus extra
1 (16 oz / 454 g) can sweetened whole red beans
6 tbsp (45 g) misugaru (roasted grain powder)
18-12 pieces (about 180–270 g) optional Injeolmi (Korean sweet rice cake), optional
assorted summer fruits to garnish, optional, see note below

Method

In a bowl, whisk together the milk and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Pour into containers that fit your ice shaver and freeze until solid, 4 hours or overnight. Smaller containers freeze faster and are easier to shave.
Remove the frozen milk and run it through the ice shaver. Divide the fluffy shaved ice among serving bowls.
Top with misugaru, sweet red beans, fresh fruit, and injeolmi if using. Drizzle extra sweetened condensed milk over the top. Serve immediately.
Pour the milk mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Blend the frozen milk cubes in a food processor or sturdy blender until finely crushed and fluffy. Pulse in short bursts to avoid melting the ice. Transfer to bowls, add toppings, and serve right away.

Notes

No machine? Zip Bag Method

Pour the milk mixture into a zip-top bag and freeze flat. Let it sit for a few minutes to soften slightly, then crush with a rolling pin until slushy and finely broken. Scoop into bowls and add toppings.