Elevate Your Fall Drinks With Apple Cider Ice Cubes

Once the weather cools down and the leaves start changing, we love to ramp up the coziness of our drinks. Simple cocktails have to be decked out with cinnamon sticks and every cup of coffee we have requires some type of pumpkin spice flavor. To really take things up a notch, even the flavor of our ice cubes need a boost of autumnal flair. To amp up your fall drinks, use apple cider ice cubes.

We're no stranger to fancying up a drink with gussied up cubes — making infused ice cubes for cocktails makes the drinks much more refreshing for the summertime, particularly when they're filled with mint and citrus. Fall drinks, however, are cozy, filled with spiced ingredients that are only made better with apple cider. The drink is made with tart apples, oranges, warming spices like cinnamon and cloves, and brown sugar or honey. It's simple, yet delightful, making it perfectly complementary for any autumnal-themed drink you have in mind — be it a more complex boozy apple cider or a classic cocktail like an old fashioned.

The method works with both store-bought and homemade apple cider. If you're going to be making the cider from scratch, make sure it cools down completely before pouring it into the ice cube tray. Allow it to harden in the freezer for around eight hours before placing them in your drinks.

Although the blend of sweet and tart apples is the most dominant flavor, cider is known to contain rich, warming spices like allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon that give it a distinct taste. The cider cubes make a great pair with a spiced rum cake holiday cocktail. The dessert-inspired drink calls for spiced rum, which is flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves. It also contains allspice dram and toasted almond bitters, giving off a warm, nutty flavor that's similar to apple cider.

Sweet apple cider ice cubes are also perfect for a gingerbread old fashioned cocktail. While the drink does have similar ingredients to apple cider like cinnamon, allspice, oranges, and brown sugar, the ginger remains the most prominent ingredient. The zesty apples bring out the sweetness of the root while keeping the fiery flavor at bay. The cocktail is complete with some dashes of cardamom bitters, giving the drink an earthy finish.

The spice makes a delicious addition to apple cider, particularly when it's inside the ice cubes. If you're looking for a way to further take the ice cubes up a notch, add in some herbs or spices that will flavor the cubes and melt into the drinks. A cinnamon stick or piece of star anise adds a decorative flair while bringing richness to your cocktail. You can also add in chopped candied ginger or cinnamon sugar for a spicier drink.