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Here’s how to crush ice: the easy way! It makes the perfect powdery crushed ice for cocktails and mixed drinks.
Making a cocktail that calls for crushed ice? Oddly enough, it’s a little trickier than you might think. Some methods call for whacking the ice with a rolling pin. While it’s kind of fun to get your aggression out that way, it’s very loud: and it doesn’t result in even pieces of ice!
After making hundreds of cocktail recipes, we knew we had to get this one right. So we’ve mastered how to crush ice: the easy way!
How to crush ice, the easy way!
We’ve tested all the different methods for how to crush ice: the rolling pin, the blender, and the food processor. The best method by far was the blender. Here’s the key: if you add a little water to the mix, it makes it much easier to pulse. Here’s the specifics:
- Place your ice cubes in a blender with water. You can use any amount of ice, but it’s easiest with at least 2 to 3 cups. Then add cold water to cover half the ice.
- Pulse. Pulse until you see a majority of chunks that are 1/4-inch in size.
- Strain. Use a mesh strainer to strain out the water. If necessary, use your hands to pull out large chunks of ice. Voila!
Alternative method: crushed ice tray
Don’t want to make crushed ice? You can also use a crushed ice tray. Here’s the one we use: Mini Ice Cube Tray. Here are the pros and cons to this handy invention:
- The pros: You don’t have the mess and effort of using the blender.
- The cons: The tray makes little square cubes, which isn’t exactly crushed ice. The real stuff has a slushy texture that’s not quite replicated by the tray (see the photo below). Personally, we prefer the blender method: it gets just the right texture.
Storage info
Once you’ve made your crushed ice, you can store it in the freezer until you need it. Place it in a sealed container until you’re ready to use it. If you need to, break up any chunks that have frozen together. Then you’re ready to use it in cocktails and mixed drinks!
How to Crush Ice
Here’s how to crush ice: the easy way! It makes the perfect powdery crushed ice for cocktails and mixed drinks.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: Varies
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Cocktials
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- Ice cubes
- Cold water
Instructions
- Add the ice to a blender. Add cold water to cover about half the ice. Pulse until the majority of the ice forms chunks about 1/4” in size.
- Dump the mixture into a mesh strainer. If necessary, pick out larger chunks of ice. Store the crushed ice in the freezer.
A few crushed ice cocktails
There are lots of cocktails that call for crushed ice: and we’ve got recipes for all of them! Crushed ice adds a very specific texture to a mixed drink that’s important to preserve. Here are our favorite cocktails that use it:
- The Bramble is a unique drink with gin and sweet blackberry liqueur.
- A Whiskey Smash, Bourbon Smash, or Berry Vodka Smash are classic and refreshing.
- The Blue Hawaii and Blue Lagoon feature crushed ice with Blue Curacao.
- The Vodka Cranberry cocktail uses a load of slushy ice.
- Or, try a Mint Julep with bourbon, crushed ice, and lots of fresh mint.
Love making cocktails at home? Learn How to Muddle Mint, How to Make Clear Ice, and How to Make a Lemon Twist.
