The Simple Trick for Making Every Drink Look Fancy and Special

Everyone loves a holiday hosting hack that doesn’t require a ton of work, whether it's for a delicious dish or a centerpiece solution. But when it comes to a party, everything is in the details—and even the beverages deserve some attention.

For a show-stopping sipper, Katie Lee’s festive ice cubes will do the trick. After watching the television chef make them on an episode of The Kitchen last year, I knew I had to give them a try. They turned out so great that I’ve made them a bunch of times since, and they always wow my guests.

The Key to Next-Level Holiday Drinks

Katie's holiday-inspired cubes even are simply ice with fruits and herbs frozen inside. They look fancy but are actually so easy to make. They’re also versatile, which means you can add in just about any ingredients you like.

I’ll walk you through a few of my favorite pairings later, but Katie says these dolled-up ice cubes are perfect for making a piscine—a French drink typically featuring a dry sparkling wine poured over ice. Whether you decide to serve these beauties with an adult beverage, mocktail, or carbonated water, you’ll love that they’re a classy way to present and stretch drinks, especially when serving a crowd.

How To Make Festive Ice Cubes

To make ice cubes for the holidays, you'll need twice-boiled and cooled water. Doing this helps create clearer ice cubes; however, you can use distilled water as a shortcut. The filler ingredients include orange slices, pomegranate arils, and fresh rosemary sprigs.

First, to a silicone ice cube tray, you'll add a small rosemary sprig, a quartered (or smaller) orange slice, and a few pomegranate arils. Then, fill each compartment with the cooled water. Note that lighter ingredients may float to the top, and that's OK. Finally, you'll freeze the tray for at least 3 hours (and likely longer for larger ice cubes) before removing.

More Ways to Deck Out Your Ice Cubes

• Fresh mint leaves and crushed peppermints canes look festive—and they taste great when the ice cubes dissolve into a White Russian, Moscow Mule, and eggnog.

• Pop a few lemon slices, fresh or frozen raspberries, and thyme sprigs into ice cube trays to freeze up the perfect garnish for light gin and vodka cocktails, like a French Martini. This refreshing combination also adds a ton of flavor and color to plain sparkling water.

• Cinnamon and apple are a classic holiday pairing. Add cubed or sliced apples and trimmed cinnamon sticks to drinks, including apple cider, sangria, and Christmas punches.

• Adding whole star anise to ice cubes will infuse drinks a warm, licorice-mint flavor. Try pairing them with iced coffee for a flavorful twist, or with a Greta Garbo cocktail for upscale vibes.