Make Easy Fall Cocktails With A Genius Ice Cube Trick

Fall means cooling temperatures, changing leaves, and cozy cocktails. There are many different boozy recipes that can bring a spirited boost to classic fall flavors, either hot or over ice. If you're going for cold autumnal drinks, however, one trick can make your ice cubes enhance — not dilute — your cocktails' flavor.

Ice cubes can be a fantastic vehicle for fall spices and other seasonal notes that will make your drinks tastier. When made with autumnal spices and other additions, these ice cubes can improve the taste of your beverage while they melt rather than just watering it down. To achieve this, simply fill an ice tray with water (or a liquid of your choice), drop in items like sliced apples or cinnamon sticks to each cube, and freeze.

You can also use this trick with ground or powdered seasonings, with a few caveats. Fresh seasonings will work best, as older bottles may have lost too much flavor. If you're using ground seasonings, also make sure they're fully mixed into whatever liquid you freeze them in. Otherwise, they'll sink to the bottom of the ice cube tray and release their flavors unevenly while melting.

Bloody Mary ice cubes are great for the classic version of this cocktail, but you can also give them a fall twist. When making the drink, replace the typical horseradish with a kick of fresh ginger, and add apple cider and pumpkin pie spice for a Fall Harvest Bloody Mary (via Dishing out Health.) For complementary ice cubes, just mix up all your ingredients (except for the alcohol) and freeze.

Perhaps the most recognizable fall beverage is the pumpkin spice latte, which you can use as inspiration for your next cocktail's ice cubes. Pumpkin spice is a fantastic addition to espresso martinis, and while ice in a martini is usually considered heretical, pumpkin spice latte ice cubes would only increase the creamy, coffee flavor as you finish.

Bourbon and rum are also good choices for this trick. They're already the best spirits for spiked apple cider, and they pair well with other fall flavors, too. Ice cubes made of apple cider can be filled with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or allspice to add a flavor boost to boozy fall drinks.