How To Make Gorgeous Cocktail Garnishes With Ice

Fun cocktails are more popular than ever, and everyone is searching for ways to pump up the volume on their party game. Why not give the bubbles a break and try freezing colorful and flavorful garnishes into ice cubes for custom cocktails? It's a simple idea, but one that still manages to wow. These frozen garnishes only require an ice cube tray, water, and your preferred ingredients. Et voilà, it looks like maximum effort was spent artistically creating these vibrant beauties. For those who enjoy a gorgeous cocktail (or mocktail), turning your garnishes into ice cubes gives parties an extra touch of style.

While they are indeed eye-catching, garnish ice cubes are primarly functional. By freezing the garnish, your drink doesn't get as watered down as the ice melts; it becomes more flavorful. Also, you'll save a lot of time by simply placing an ice cube in each glass instead of compiling several intricate components and arranging them as guests wait for their drinks.

Of course, before you can get started, you'll want to select your ice mold. There are all kinds of unique shapes and size options, from cubes to miniature pebbles to spherical ones. You can even split the difference with something like the Morfone Silicone Ice Cube Tray, which freezes multiple shapes at once. In a pinch, you can also use a mini muffin tin to make artistic cubes.

To make your infused ice cubes, first decide on a cocktail and clean and chop the necessary garnishes. Then, fill the ice cube trays until they are not quite full, dropping in anything from fruit to herbs to edible flowers. To stop more delicate garnishes from floating to the top of the trays, fill them halfway with the garnish included and freeze, add more liquid, and freeze again.

Keep in mind that this is a visual art, so consider color, contrast, and variety as much as the flavors you want for your drink. Red and purple berries, green herbs, colorful edible flowers, and orange, yellow, and green citrus zest are great options. Try freezing watered-down olive juice and a green olive for a dirty martini. For a holiday look, try using a rosemary sprig with cranberries. Don't worry; the entire garnish does not need to be submerged to make this work.

For even more of a flavor boost, use fruit juice in the trays instead of water to make fancy ice — just make sure to water it down slightly to help with freezing. You could even make your cubes with canned fruit cocktail or other fruits in juice. Not only will they look gorgeous, but the intensity of flavors will ensure guests savor their drinks as the ice melts. Trust that these ice cube garnishes will be a hit, so you may want to be proactive and create many extras from the start.