These Holiday Ice Cubes are such an easy and fun way to elevate the drinks you serve at your holiday parties. Just a few simple ingredients and a little time in the freezer before your drink goes from mediocre to bartending masterpiece.
Viral Festive Ice Cubes
I love to go the extra mile during the holidays. It is literally the time to be ‘extra’ and the small details matter. And when it comes to ‘extra’ these Holiday Ice Cubes are nothing short of that.
They’re just a few ingredients, but they really take an at home bartending for your holiday party to the next level. The homemade ice cubes are made with oranges, rosemary, and cranberries – ingredients I often have leftovers during the holiday season, anyway.
These holiday cranberry ice cubes go well in a handful of holiday beverages including this Pomegranate Champagne Punch, this Thanksgiving Sangria, these Cranberry Whiskey Sours, you name it. Let me know how you you enjoy these festive cubes!
Recipe Inspiration
Variations of this ‘recipe’ go viral every holiday season! It’s such an easy way to make the holidays extra festive and impress your guests.
Ingredients Needed
- Distilled Water – Filtered water is better as it’ll freeze more clear instead of white to really let the orange color and cranberry’s red color shine through.
- Fresh Cranberries – Have leftover cranberries after making this recipe? This Cranberry Apple Crisp is a great way to use them up!
- Rosemary – Give off a Christmas tree vibe.
- Orange Slices – Cranberry pairs so well with orange! Just like in these Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies (coming soon!).
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Cranberries: Instead of cranberries, use sliced strawberries, pomegranate seeds or raspberries. Most any of your favorite fruits will work.
- Oranges: Instead try blood oranges or grapefruit.
- Herbs: Use any sprig of herbs. Try mint leaves or basil instead of (or in addition to) the rosemary. You could do edible flowers, too if you can find them!
- Liquid: Plain water does the job, but sparkling water, ginger ale, coconut water, juice (pomegranate juice would give a nice pop of color) or even champagne are fun options to switch things up. Yes!!! Champagne freezes!!!!
How to Make This Recipe
1. Add Cranberries
2. Add Orange Slices
3. Add Rosemary
4. Add Liquid
Freeze
- Wash the rosemary sprigs, cranberries, and cut orange slices into quarters.
- Fill the silicone ice mold with cranberries, an orange slice or two, and a small rosemary sprig. Feel free to arrange it however you’d like. It’s okay if they stick out of the mold.
- Pour water into each mold.
- Freeze for 2+ hours or until the ice is completely solidified. Note: freezing time will depend on the size and thickness of each ice cube.
- Serve your fruit infused ice cubes in holiday cocktails and enjoy!
PRO TIPS
Place the ice cube mold onto a small tray before filling. This will give it the sturdiness it needs while at room temperature to make transportation to the freezer easier.
Recipe FAQs
If you have extra ice cubes, they can remain in the freezer for up to 3 months. Place them in a freezer bag or airtight container if you want to reuse the ice cube tray.
I first like to slice the orange in half. Then place the fruit flat on your cutting board (flat, open flesh side down) and cut lengthwise into half moons. Then cut your half in half to make quartered slices. I find this to be the best method to keep most of the orange juice in the fruit.
I like a larger ice cube tray like this one from Amazon, but really any size will do, you will just have to adjust the size/amount of fruit and herbs that you add. These holiday shaped ice cube trays are fun if you want to get really festive.
Serving suggestions
Obviously these festive ice cubes go so well in a variety of holiday drinks like an Apple Cider Spritz or this Cranberry Fizz Cocktail, but it’s also fun to serve them over some sparkling water or plain juice for kiddos, too! These Christmas Ice Cubes gives the most festive twist to whatever is on your drinks menu.
To use up any extra cranberries, this Cranberry Brie Bread Bowl would be the perfect appetizer to go with your winterys cocktail at the next holiday gathering.
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Holiday Ice Cubes
Equipment
- large silcone ice cube mold makes 8 cubes
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Measuring cup
Ingredients
- 2 cups distilled water
- 40 fresh cranberries, ~1.5 cups
- 8 small rosemary sprigs
- 8-16 quartered orange slices
Instructions
- Wash the rosemary sprigs, cranberries, and cut orange slices into quarters.
- Fill the silicone ice mold with cranberries, an orange slice or two, and a small rosemary sprig. Feel free to arrange it however you’d like. It’s okay if they stick out of the mold.
- Pour water into each mold.
- Freeze for 2+ hours or until the ice is completely solidified.
- Serve your fruit infused ice cubes in holiday cocktails and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
more of our favorite Thanksgiving Cocktail Recipes…
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you’re using MyFitnessPal, search ‘A Paige Of Positivity’ and find HOLIDAY ICE CUBES calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Made these cubes with champagne instead of water and added to an aperol spritz. So many compliments!!!
My husband used these for our holiday old fashioned cocktails and they were so festive! Going to make different variations for different holidays!