DIY Flavored Ice Cubes

These DIY Flavored Ice Cubes are a fun, festive, and flavorful way to take any cocktail or mocktail to the next level, without watering it down. Here’s some inspiration – all sorts of shapes, sizes, and add-ins – to make your own designer DIY flavored ice cubes.

Ice cube trays are for SO much more than just making ice. While this idea is still an ice cube, ice cube trays are great for saving extra chicken broth, tomato paste, pesto, you name it! Freeze it so you don’t waste and use as needed. Win win for wasting less food and having items on hand when needed. Now back to these DIY Flavored Ice Cubes.

A flavored ice cube is simple: make ice cubes with flavorful liquids and add-ins that jazz up everything from a cocktail to mocktail or coffee. Not only will the flavored ice cubes make your drinks taste better, no more watering down, but they’ll look gorgeous too! Insta-worthy pictures will ensue, but really the best part of these flavored ice cubes is that they look impressive, but are so simple to make. The hardest part is planning ahead! Flavored ice cubes melting, adding flavor to your drink is what I call genius!

How To Make DIY Flavored Ice Cubes

1. Choose Your Add-Ins: Depending on what drink you’re mixing up, this is how you’ll choose. You can use fresh herbs, fruit, and edible flowers. Make sure the flowers and herbs are small enough to add to the ice cube tray. Thyme, Rosemary, and Mint are some of my favorite. Oranges, blueberries, and slices of strawberries are great for infusing flavors.
2. Add Liquid: Again, this will depend on what you’re making. However, top off the ice cube tray with the liquid to cover. You could use water, but again, we’re going for ‘not watering down’ so add in juice like pomegranate, orange, and/or grape juice. Lemonade or tea if you’re making a summertime drink. And if you’re making coffee and/or tea, add those. Alcohol doesn’t freeze, so use a liquid that would pair well with the alcoholic drink you’re making.
3. Freeze and Serve: Freeze until solid. They’re really that simple. Take the cubes out of the tray and store them in a resealable bag until you’re ready to use them. Make the next flavor combination or simply add water and have plain ice ready to go.

Ingredients: Holiday Pomegranate Ice Cubes

These DIY Flavored Ice Cubes have a fun holiday twist. They’re delicious and easy to prep ahead. They’ll keep your cocktails cool, without watering them down. Using pomegranate juice here for an upcoming holiday cocktail I’ll be making (stay tuned!), so that when they melt, they’ll add a delicious pomegranate flavor, with a hint of orange and rosemary. No watered down drinks during the holidays!

• Cranberries: Opted for cranberries here since they are only available around the holidays. However, you could use pomegranate seeds to keep with the theme of my upcoming cocktail. Remember, these are easy to change and switch out ingredients.
• Oranges: Use a few slices of oranges cut into little triangles. These will add a slight zest and tang to the cocktail.
• Fresh Rosemary: This is the herb that I still have successfully growing in my yard, so I used what I had on hand. However, rosemary and pomegranate pair well together. Make sure to use fresh herbs in your ice cube combinations.
• Pomegranate Juice: The star of this ice cube is the pomegranate juice. However, if you want to use cranberry juice cocktail that too would work nicely for a fun holiday color. These will be used in my Holiday Pomegranate Mimosas.

A Few Flavor Ideas

Here are a few ideas of flavor combinations to get you thinking for you next round of DIY Flavored Ice Cubes!

• Thyme, Slice of grapefruit, and Grapefruit juice ice cubes in a Paloma
• Sage, Slice of Lime, and Blood Orange Juice in my Blood Orange Gin Sour
• Mint, Slice of Lemon, and Cranberry Juice Cocktail in my Bourbon Smash
• Star Anise, Apple Chunk, and Apple Cider in my Fall Sangria
• Jalapeño, Slice of Lime, and Watermelon juice in my Tajín Watermelon Margarita
• Piece of a peppermint candy cane and Cold Brew and/or regular brewed coffee for my Peppermint Mocha

How To Make Holiday Pomegranate Ice Cubes

1. Chop: to make these ice cubes, start by chopping your oranges into small slices. Additionally, cut your rosemary into smaller sprigs as well. (4 sprigs of rosemary and I was able to get 4 pieces from one sprig).
2. Add: the cranberries into the ice cube trays. I used 2 cranberries per cube. Next, add your chopped oranges and rosemary sprigs.
3. Fill: each cavity of the ice cube trays to the top with pomegranate juice.
4. Freeze: the ice cubes overnight.
5. Pop: once they’re done, pop 3-4 ice cubes into a glass along with some Prosecco (or beverage of choice), serve, and enjoy! Coming soon – my Holiday Pomegranate Cocktail.
6. Store: any leftover cubes back in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Print