How to Make Cocktail Ice Cubes

You've bought fancy liqueurs, premium vodka and classy glasses, so why get lazy when it comes to ice cubes?

It can be a major bummer when, after mixing up a fancy cocktail, the ice begins to melt and waters down the flavor of your drink. Even worse is using a shaker and going sans ice, only to be left with lukewarm remnants of a classic Manhattan.

The clear solution here is to put as much effort into making your ice cubes as you do into stocking your bar.


Those are some zesty cubes

Most drinks will benefit from the addition of a little citrus zest. For instance, this Clementine Cocktail can get a big boost of flavor by adding a teaspoon of orange zest to each ice cube.

I know, you don't put ice cubes in a martini normally. But dropping just one cube enhanced with lemon zest into a dirty martini will help keep the gin cold, and citrus is a fantastic complement to olives. Another classic that could use a boost from a citrus-packed ice cube is the Old Fashioned, since it's already packed with fruity flavor that will be intensified with some orange and lime zest.

What a stud

Fruit-studded ice cubes are not only tasty, but visually appealing. Serve 'em in the already flashy Hurricane Cocktail or a simpler bevy. Just place cherries, lemon slices, berries, pineapple chunks or pretty much any bite-size pieces of fruit you like into water or juice in an ice cube tray and pop it in the freezer. Heck, you could even mix it up. Go crazy.

The best part about embellished ice cubes is that they can make even a simple vodka tonic look fancy. Just picture the sparkly, crystal clear drink with bright red cherries or vibrant yellow lemons floating in it. Pretty as a picture, right?

Shape shifting

The popularity of silicone kitchen goods has fortunately brought on a trend of ice cube trays shaped like robots, aliens, stars and other adorable – and sometimes gross – items.

Rather than simply filling these with water, use a brightly colored juice to match your cubes. For example, if you're making alien ice cubes, use lime juice enhanced with a drop of food coloring. You could also make your cubes different colors for a little rainbow effect in your drink.