From fairy lights to wine slushies to desserts served in mason jars, Pinterest never fails to deliver creative entertaining ideas that’ll make your friends squeal with delight. And this summer is no different.
Right now, you can't scroll the site for more than a minute without seeing ice cubes filled with fruit, flowers, herbs and even edible glitter. Decorative ice cubes are an easy way to make drinks feel festive—plus, they add an extra shot of refreshing flavour to just about anything, making them the perfect addition to your next summer cookout! Here are 6 easy, eye-popping ideas to try:
Photograph by The Harvest Kitchen
Blueberry Ice Cubes
Sure, you can freeze the rest of those blueberries from the farmers' market. Or, you can turn them into pretty purple ice cubes like Deborah from The Harvest Kitchen. All you have to do is puree whole fresh blueberries and add a splash of lemon juice, a drizzle of honey, and enough water to make the mixture thin enough to pour into ice cube trays. Add them to lemonade, iced tea or water for a delicious, fruity refreshment.
Photograph by The House That Liars Built
Floral Ice Cubes
Edible flowers are everywhere right now, and why shouldn't they be? They’re adorable, easy to find at the farmers' market, and their mildly sweet flavour works practically anywhere. Include them in your next batch of ice cubes, like these easy-to-make ones from The House That Lars Built.
Photograph by The Sassy Life
Coffee & Milk Ice Cubes
Save these cool cubes from The Sassy Life for dessert. They're made with layers of black coffee (decaf works!) and half-and-half, and add an extra boost of flavour to after-dinner iced coffees. The best part: The leftovers can be used to cool your java and iced lattes throughout the week.
Photograph by A View From The Grand Island
Layered Ice Cubes
If you’ve been looking for a low-kJ way to amp up the taste of water, these ice cubes are the answer. Brightly coloured juices are a must for making great layered ice cubes. But you should try using ones with bold flavours, too—like lemon juice, lime juice or sour cherry juice, recommends Sue of The View from Great Island. That way the cubes look great in your drink—and the flavour pops, too.
Photograph by A Subtle Revelry
Glitter Ice Cubes
Nothing says PARTY! quite like glitter. So when you want to pull out all the stops for your next summer shindig, make these sparkly ice cubes from A Subtle Revelry. They’re made with food-safe glitter, so you can actually put them in your drink to get the festive look you’re after.
Photograph by Let's Mingle
Spa Water Cubes
Clearly, the only limit to making decorative ice cubes is your imagination. You can add practically any ingredients you have on hand, from leftover cucumber slices to thinly sliced lemon or orange rind (hooray, upcycled fruit!), says Ashley of Let's Mingle. And don’t be afraid to get creative with your flavour combos: Have some extra strawberries and mint from last night’s salad? Or a few sprigs of lavender and tarragon from that baking project? If it sounds like it would be delicious in a drink, it’s probably worth using to make a batch of cubes.
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