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‘Tis the season for all things festive and what better way to add a festive touch to holiday gatherings than with these pretty, homemade cocktail ice cubes. They are also a surefire way to wow your guests.
I’ve been admiring fancy ice cubes on Pinterest and in hosting magazines for some time now. I don’t know what took me so long to take the plunge into making my own. The holidays present the perfect time to add a little something extra to wow guests like these cocktail ice cubes. The best part? They couldn’t be any easier to make…and the returning wow factor far surpasses the ten minute investment put into them.
I so enjoyed making them and was utterly obsessed with the outcome, that I am all in with making fancy ice cubes year round to complement the season. I have so many ideas swirling in my head so stay tuned for that (hint: lemon and lavender are on the top of my list).
Juice– For this batch I used apple cranberry. I wanted to use something a bit lighter in color so the fruits and herbs were visible. I followed up this batch with pomegranate juice and they were just as jewel-toned and pretty. Consider using apple, pomegranate, cranberry, cherry or white grape juice.
Festive fruit– Fresh whole cranberries and small orange sections are the perfect accompaniment to apple cranberry juice and rosemary. Also consider pomegranate arils to add festive flair.
Herbs– I chose fresh rosemary for these because they mimic the greenery of the holiday season. Plus as the ice melts, the rosemary flavor infuses beautifully. Mint, thyme or even cinnamon sticks could work with the right combination.
In summary, utilize red fruits with green herbs to give off that holly jolly holiday vibe.
First prep the fruits and herbs that you will be using. To start, snip the rosemary into approximately 1.5-inch sections. (Note: it’s ok if the rosemary sticks out of the ice cube a bit.)
Next, prep the orange by slicing it into ¼-inch half moon slices, which you will then cut in half crosswise again (see pictures).
Then fill the ice tray by placing the snipped rosemary, slice of orange and two fresh cranberries into each section of the tray.
Finally fill each section of the tray nearly to the top with the apple cranberry juice.
Transfer the tray to the freezer. It will take roughly 6 hours for the ice cubes to fully freeze and be ready to use.
As I pointed out earlier, when the ice melts it infuses flavor into the beverages, therefore keep in mind what you pair the ice cubes with. I used ginger kombucha with my holiday ice. The ginger paired with the cranberry, apple, orange and rosemary are a match made in culinary heaven.
Other beverage options include:
Serve alongside appetizers such as fig and caramelized onion flatbread or garlicky white bean crostinin with arugula.
Meet Jaime
I’m a registered dietitian who’s obsessed with all things food! From growing to recipe development, my life is centred around food and how it can nourish us from the inside out.
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