Best Ice Cubes Recipes

ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Empty the ice cubes that are left in the trays (if there are any left) into the bin.
• Take the trays over to the sink and fill them with cold water. (Hot water will freeze faster and more clear).
• Place the water filled ice trays back in the freezer.
• Replace the ice bin if you had to remove it.
• Shut the door to the freezer.
• Be sure to leave for around 4-6 hours at least to make sure it is frozen.
• If you want to experiment, you can freeze things like fruit infused waters or juices.

VODKA CRANBERRY PUNCH WITH APPLE CIDER ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Fill two ice cube trays with apple cider and freeze 8 hours or overnight. You may need a bit more or less of the cider, depending on the ice cube tray that you use.
• Meanwhile, heat the sugar, cinnamon and 1/3 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking the entire time. Cook until the mixture begins to bubble, then remove it from the heat. Allow it cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Combine the cranberry juice, vodka, orange juice, cinnamon sticks and the cinnamon simple syrup in a large punch bowl or pitcher. Stir well and refrigerate for a few hours before serving-this will marry the flavors. Before serving, add the apple cider ice cubes and cranberries to the bowl or pitcher.

WATERMELON ICE CUBES

Steps:

• In a blender, puree the watermelon with the Simple Syrup and lime juice. Pour into a silicone ice cube tray and freeze about 8 hours.

DECORATIVE ICE CUBES OR ICE MOLD

Steps:

• FOR DECORATIVE ICE CUBES: put small chunks of fruit or mint sprigs into an ice tray, fill with water and freeze.
• Serve the ice cubes directly in drinks, or put them out in a glass bowl or ice bucket with tongs.
• FOR THE DECORATIVE ICE MOLD: you will need a glass bowl that is smaller than your punch bowl, plus a second shallow container of equal volume.
• Fill the shallow container with water and let it sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes, stirring it from time to time to get rid of any air bubbles.
• Line the bottom (but not up the sides) of the empty glass bowl with fruit and/or flowers of your choice.
• Take a tablespoon or so of water from the shallow container and pour this water over the fruit/flower layer, then put the glass bowl in the freezer, leaving it there until the fruit/flower layer is anchored in ice.
• Next, pour another tablespoon or so of the reserved water over the first (now frozen), and allow this to freeze; continue adding water and letting it freeze until the fruit/flower layer is just barely covered in ice.
• Now start going up the bowl, laying fruit and/or flowers against the side of the bowl, and pouring water over them a little at a time, allowing the water to freeze to anchor the fruit and/or flowers against the side of the bowl.
• Continue adding water and allowing it to freeze until the bowl is full of ice.
• When you're ready to use the mold, let the bowl sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes; or alternatively, put it in a slightly larger bowl containing warm water for a couple of minutes.
• When the ice has melted just enough so that it's no longer stuck to the side of the bowl, invert the whole thing inside your punch bowl; the result will be a mound of ice with fruit and flowers all over its surface (Note: when you pour some punch over it, the ice surface will become clear, though it's usually opaque when it first comes out of the mold).

LIME COCKTAIL WITH WATERMELON ICE CUBES

Steps:

• For the watermelon ice cubes: Puree the watermelon, honey and lime juice in a blender until smooth. Pour into a square ice cube tray. Freeze until firm, 3 to 4 hours.
• For the simple syrup: Combine the sugar and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and shut off the heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Cool.
• For the cocktails: Mix the vodka, lime juice, mint leaves and 2 ounces simple syrup in a pitcher filled with ice. Top with club soda. Put 3 watermelon cubes in each of 2 highball glasses and pour the cocktail over.

SPICY LEMONADE WITH JALAPEñO ICE CUBES

Steps:

• For the jalapeñoice cubes: Place a jalapeño slice in each well of 2 ice cube trays. Fill with water and freeze until solid, about 4 hours.
• For the lemonade: In a beverage dispenser or pitcher, add the lemonade, jalapeño slices and lemon slices. Let sit, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour before serving.
• Serve in glasses filled with jalapeño ice cubes.

HOT CHOCOLATE ICE CUBES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, whisk together chocolate, milk, cocoa and sugar over medium heat until chocolate is melted and sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
• Use a liquid measure or small pitcher to pour chocolate mixture evenly among two ice cube trays. Freeze, uncovered, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days. Transfer to zip-top bags and store up to 3 weeks.

BLACK CHERRY VODKA WITH SMOKED ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Fill an ice cube tray with water; add 1 drop liquid smoke to each cube and freeze until firm. Combine 2 cups chilled black cherry soda, 1/2 cup chilled vodka, the juice of 2 limes and a few dashes of chipotle hot sauce in a pitcher. Fill 4 glasses with the smoked ice cubes; pour in the cocktail and garnish with lime twists.

COLD AS ICE CHOCOLATE ICE CUBES

Steps:

• 1. Bring the milk, water, unsweetened cocoa powder and sugar to a simmer in a pan. Whisk til the lumps dissolve
• 2. Remove from heat and add 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and stir til chocolate melts. Let cool for 5 minutes, then pour into an ice cube tray and freeze.

WATERMELON-MINT ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Puree watermelon in processor (there should be about 4 cups). Mix in sugar by tablespoonfuls to sweeten to taste. Pour into 2 to 3 ice cube trays. Rinse mint leaves and place 1 leaf atop puree in each cube. Cover and freeze until cubes are solid, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.

STRAWBERRY ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Purée all ingredients in a blender until smooth; strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large glass measure. Freeze in ice-cube trays until solid, at least 4 hours.
• Add 1 cube to a glass of sparkling wine; 2 or 3 cubes for a glass of lemonade.

COFFEE ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Let brewed coffee cool to room temperature.
• Pour into ice cube trays and freeze completely.
• Use in place of ice cubes in your favorite cold coffee beverage.

MOJITO ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Mix lime juice and sugar till dissolved.
• Add water mix and pour into 2 ice cube trays.
• Place 1 lime wedge and 1 mint leaf in each section. Top with additional water if need. Freeze till solid.
• Enjoy!

CITRUS ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Place fruit on a tray and put into the freezer for at least 4-5 hours. Use them in place of ice cubes to chill drinks.

LEMON VERBENA ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Fill 2 ice trays halfway with water, and freeze. Top each cube with a lemon verbena leaf, cover with water, and freeze for up to 1 week.

HALLOWEEN GUMMY WORM ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Add a gummy worm half to each compartment of an ice cube tray.
• Fill ice cube tray with water or sparkling water and freeze until solid, 3 to 4 hours.

ICED TEA WITH HIBISCUS TEA ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Place the hibiscus flowers in a teapot. Bring 1½ cups (360 ml) of the filtered water to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes, until it reaches 180°F (82°C). Pour the water over the hibiscus and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain.
• Fill an ice cube tray with the concentrated hibiscus tea and freeze until set.
• Place the black tea leaves in a large spouted container. Bring the remaining 8 cups (2 L) water to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes, until it reaches 180°F (82°C). Pour the water over the tea and let steep for 5 minutes.
• Fill a pitcher with the plain ice cubes. Strain the black tea through a fine-mesh sieve into the pitcher and discard the tea leaves.
• Pour the tea into glasses filled partway with hibiscus ice cubes. Garnish each glass with a lemon wheel and serve.
• For an Inside-Out Arnold Palmer, pour San Pellegrino Limonata over black tea ice cubes and garnish with a lemon wheel.
• For a Green Tea Glee, pour Topo Chico over green tea ice cubes and garnish with a mint sprig.

PINEAPPLE GINGER PUNCH WITH CITRUS ICE CUBES

Steps:

• CITRUS ICE CUBES: Fill each compartment of an ice cube tray with 1 piece of cut up fruit. Fill with water and freeze until solid.
• PUNCH: In a large pitcher combine the punch ingredients except for the ginger ale and sliced oranges. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours but up to 24 hours.
• Strain and discard ginger and the pulp.
• Slowly stir in the ginger ale. Serve the punch over citrus ice cubes in chilled glasses.
• Garnish with scewered orange slices.
• Each serving approximately 3/4 cup.

LEMON ICE CUBES

Steps:

• 1. 1st roll each lemon on the counter. Slice in half. Squeeze out all the juice into a cup.
• 2. Pour carefully into the ice trays. Freeze until solid.
• 3. Remove from trays. Place in ziplock bag. Makes perfect add in to any glass of ice water, lemon aid or any lemon sauce.
• 4. Note: this will keep for up to 6 months.

BLOODY MARY WITH PICKLE JUICE AND HORSERADISH ICE CUBES

Steps:

• Rub the edge of a pint glass with the cut side of the lime half and upturn the glass into a saucer of celery salt to create a salt rim.
• Add the tomato juice, pickle juice, vodka, lime juice, horseradish, hot sauce and a good pinch of celery salt to the pint glass. Stir to combine. Fill the glass with Horseradish Ice Cubes.
• With a short skewer, impale the top of the pickle spear, the beef stick and the cheddar cube, and set the skewer across the glass so that the pickle and beef stick are submerged in the drink and the cheddar hangs over the surface of the drink. Serve immediately.
• Mix the celery seeds, salt and black pepper together in a small bowl.
• Whisk together the milk, horseradish, sugar and salt. Pour into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid, 4 hours to overnight.