Festive Ice Cubes

I like to post a festive and relatively simple cocktail in December. Something that is good for the holidays but doesn’t involve too much work.

Before Thanksgiving, I sent our niece, Atlee T, a video from Instagram about making fun ice cubes for drinks (with or without alcohol) over the holidays and a few days later, her mom (my sister-in-law), Annie T, sent me something similar. Definitely a sign.

Instead of providing an exact recipe for a cocktail, I’m providing some guidance on how to create ‘centerpiece’ ice cubes that can be used in a variety of ways. The ingredients are simple, but you do need to have extra large ice cube trays.

I procured two extra large ice cube trays at Target (the box said Houdini but the actual tray said Rabbit)  before Thanksgiving. They are also available on Amazon. Each cube holds about 4 ounces.

With trays in hand, Atlee and her brother, Shep T, and I set out to prepare the cubes. We used cranberry juice cocktail as the base liquid. I wanted a pure cranberry flavor and a bit of sweetness, which is why I chose a cranberry juice cocktail. Cranberry juices that are labeled 100% juice often contain apple juice along with cranberry juice which is not the flavor profile I’m looking for in a cocktail. We added cranberries – fresh or frozen (no need to thaw) both work well. Then we added a few sprigs of rosemary which should stick out above the cubes.

Since the cubes are large, they take some time to freeze. I recommend making them at least 24 hours in advance and up to a week.

What to do with these festive cubes? Put one in a coupe glass and pour sparkling wine (Prosecco, Cava or Crémant) over it. Add to a gin and tonic – you may need to be creative in your choice of glassware. Put it in a fun glass and add seltzer for a non-alcoholic version. In all of these options, as the ice melts, it will flavor the drink.

The combination of cranberry juice, cranberries and rosemary is merely a suggestion. How about pomegranate or tangerine juice, pomegranate seeds, slices of citrus or a few berries, or thyme or mint?  You could also use water in place of the juice – you’ll still get some nice flavor and color from the cranberries and rosemary. 

Need a larger quantity, but don’t want to purchase lots of trays? Prepare a batch at a time, remove them from the silicone tray, transfer to a glass or plastic container with a lid and pop them back in the freezer. Repeat. These cubes would also be a great addition to a traditional punch bowl.