Holiday Cocktail Cubes

Make ahead · Freeze · ServeHosting is so much more fun when I’m not stuck behind the counter mixing drinks while everyone else is laughing in the next room. That’s why these flavored cocktail cubes have become my go-to for the holidays. I make them in advance, and when guests arrive, I drop one into a glass, add a little mixer, and the drink tastes finished from the very first sip. As the cube slowly melts, the flavor keeps building instead of getting watered down.

The best part is that the cubes themselves contain no alcohol, so they work just as well for a mocktail. Skip the spirit and top the cube with sparkling water, ginger beer, or a splash of sparkling juice, and everyone at the table gets a drink that feels special. Below are three of my favorites: a bright spritz, a cozy mule, and a savory martini. Read on and start freezing!

Orange · pomegranate · thyme

Golden Hour Spritz

Makes about 4 large, ¼-cup cubes.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey syrup*
• 2 small thyme sprigs
• 4 teaspoons pomegranate seeds

Method

Gently press the thyme into the juice mixture with a spoon. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, then strain. Divide the pomegranate seeds among the wells and pour the mixture over them. Add thyme on top of each cube.

Turn it into a cocktail

Place 1 cube in a wineglass. Add 1 ounce orange juice and 3 ounces chilled brut prosecco. Garnish with a thin orange half-moon and a tiny thyme sprig.

Why this is better: Lemon brightens the orange, while dry bubbles balance the sweetness. The pomegranate seeds give you that jewel-like holiday look.

*Honey syrup: mix equal parts honey and warm water; cool before using.

Apple cider · rosemary · ginger

Sweater Weather Mule

Makes about 4 large, ¼-cup cubes.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 small rosemary sprig

Method

Warm the cider just until steaming. Remove from the heat, add the rosemary, and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the sprig, stir in the remaining ingredients, and cool completely before freezing. When freezing, add a rosemary sprig on top of each cube.

Turn it into a cocktail

Add 1 cube, 1½ ounces bourbon, 1 ounce apple cider, and 3 ounces ginger beer to a rocks glass. Stir gently.

The finishing touch: A paper-thin apple fan. Skip loose rosemary needles in the cube; the infused flavor makes this much nicer to sip.

Olive · lemon peel · rosemary

A Little Dirty

Makes about 4 smaller, 2-tablespoon cubes.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive brine
• ¼ cup water
• 1 small rosemary sprig
• 4 pitted green olives
• 4 small strips lemon peel, with minimal white pith (optional)

Method

Warm the water, steep the rosemary for 5 minutes, then remove it and cool. Mix with the olive brine. Place one olive and one lemon-peel strip in each well, then add the liquid.

Turn it into a cocktail

Stir 2 ounces gin or vodka, ½ ounce dry vermouth, and ¼ ounce olive brine with regular ice until cold. Strain into a small rocks glass over 1 olive cube.

Why this is better: Lemon adds aroma, rosemary stays subtle, and the drink gradually gets dirtier. Keep this cube small so it doesn’t overwhelm the cocktail.