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You are here: Home / Desserts / Frozen / How to Make Ice

How to Make Ice

April 1, 2019 By Sam 53 Comments

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Best! Ice Recipe

This is it! The BEST Ice Recipe that’s been in my family for generations! Just one easy ingredient, who would’ve thought it could ever be this easy to make your own ice!?

Be sure to check out the how-to VIDEO at the bottom of the post!

Ice cubes in a clear glass blue background

World’s Best Ice Recipe

Ice.

It’s what separates us from the animals. Scientists have probably argued for years that it is the practice of adding frozen water to room temperature water that differentiates human beings from all other species, and I couldn’t agree more.

Today I’ll be showing you exactly how I make my own homemade ice cubes in my own kitchen. It might sound intimidating, but so long as you have a freezer, an ice cube tray, and some water, you too can make perfect ice at home.

Get ready to impress your guests with the best ice recipe of all time.

Overhead view of ice cube trays and water bottles

Ice, An All-Inclusive Treat

Gluten-free, dairy-free, fat-free, and low calorie, this ice recipe is not only simple but perfect for serving to friends and family members with allergies or dietary restrictions. I always keep a stash of ice in my freezer in case I have a guest who has an allergy and can’t enjoy a slice of chocolate cake or whatever other decadent baked good I’ve prepared, and they are always so grateful.

Overhead view of ice in a glass

Tips for Making Ice

Don’t be intimidated by the thought of making your own ice! It’s really much easier than you probably think, and I’ll walk you through all the steps. Here are a few helpful tips so that your ice comes out perfect every time.

  • Always use an ice cube tray to make ice. If you just pour the ingredients directly into the freezer it won’t turn out quite right (been there, tried that, it was disappointing).
  • Neve use an ice maker when trying to make ice. I get it, you’ve had a long day and it’s so easy to just hit a lever on the front of your freezer for ready-made ice cubes. But I think you’ll agree with me that nothing tastes as good as made-from-scratch ice. You can taste the love and hard work in your glass and it’s worth all the extra effort.
  • No Substitutions. Ice is meant to be made with water. I strongly advise you do not use any substitutes as they will not turn out the same. I attempted this recipe using milk, soy sauce, natural puddle water, and ketchup, and unfortunately each time it made my water taste terrible. Stick to the recipe, it’s been the same for generations for a reason.
  • Watch the video before you attempt to make ice for the first time. It can be a little tricky if this is your first time making ice and the video shows you exactly how to do each step properly.

Follow these tips and you’ll have perfect ice every time!

Ice cubes in a clear glass

I hope you enjoy today’s perfect ice recipe, and Happy April 1st!

Other Recipes You Might Like:

  • The Worst Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ice cubes in drinking glass

The BEST Ice Recipe

A generations-old recipe for making perfect homemade ice every time! 
Be sure to check out the how-to VIDEO at the bottom of the post! 
4.45 from 20 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: ice recipe
Prep Time: 1 minute
Chilling Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 1 minute
Servings: 16 ice cubes
Author: Sam Merritt

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle water extra virgin

TOOLS YOU WILL NEED

  • 1 16-count ice cube tray
  • 1 small spatula recommended but not required

Instructions

  • Preheat freezer to 32F (0C)
  • Uncap water bottle (do not skip this step) and evenly distribute water into ice cube tray.
  • If using a spatula, now is its time to shine. Use spatula to carefully smooth out ice, eliminating the chance of any wrinkles.
  • Transfer ice cube tray to freezer and allow to chill overnight.
  • The next morning, check your ice. It should be frozen solid and can be used at once. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

*Please note that in the video I stated that you should preheat your freezer to negative 32F. While this will work perfectly fine, I meant to say 32F and this is a more standard temperature for preparing ice.

How to Store

Keep leftover ice in freezer for up to 7 years or longer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ice cube
Tried this recipe?Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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Comments

  1. Alice says

    September 24, 2020 at 3:59 pm

    1 star
    Yeah, no. I feel so bad that you poor people are actually falling for this horrible woman pathetic attempt a recipe.

    Reply
    • Sam says

      September 24, 2020 at 4:30 pm

      Alice, are you just jealous that you did not come up with this recipe yourself? Please don’t feel bad! Not everyone has my same level of culinary genius.

      Reply
  2. Mallory, a REAL chef says

    August 13, 2020 at 6:32 pm

    1 star
    Is this a joke? Here’s a real recipe.

    Step 1: get the materials. You’ll need water, a freezer, and and I cube tray mold or and type of container that you’d like to make ice in.

    Step 2: pour the water into the container or mold.

    Step 3: put it in the freezer.

    Step 4-just Kidding! That’s ALL there is to it. No weird bottled water, or spatula smoothing. Enjoy your ice humans!

    Reply
    • Sam says

      August 13, 2020 at 8:50 pm

      Mallory, your recipe might work for an amateur ice-ist such as yourself, but for true aficionados such as myself and many others who frequent this site you really need to follow the steps in my video. Any other way just isn’t authentic.

      Reply
  3. Jackie V says

    May 8, 2020 at 3:12 pm

    5 stars
    I spoke too soon when I reviewed your recipe on how to make toast. Thanks for a good laugh! Loving the site! 🙂

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      May 8, 2020 at 3:34 pm

      I am glad that you were able to laugh and are now fully educated on how to make PERFECT toast. 🙂

      Reply
  4. D says

    April 27, 2020 at 10:15 pm

    Do you assume all your readers are idiots?

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      April 27, 2020 at 10:18 pm

      Not at all! I try to make things easy to follow and fun. This recipe was posted on April 1st and the feedback from it was well received. 😉

      Reply
  5. Emi says

    April 18, 2020 at 7:17 pm

    This recipe changed my life Sam. I’ve always been intimidated to make my own ice, but you broke it down into small steps (though a little tricky) and made it so easy. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Sam says

      April 19, 2020 at 12:05 pm

      🤣 I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Emi! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Linda Zummo says

    April 2, 2020 at 4:29 am

    Question? Does ice taste better the longer you keep it? Didn’t know it would keep for 7 years.

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      April 2, 2020 at 8:44 am

      7 Years! Wow! Good to know, Linda. I think like wine, it tastes better once it has aged. 😉

      Reply
  7. Cindy says

    April 1, 2020 at 9:24 pm

    5 stars
    Another hit out out of the ballpark! I LOVE these posts! I once tried making ice cubes out of booze. Failed miserably!

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      April 1, 2020 at 9:41 pm

      I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Cindy! I hope that with the tips I have listed and guidance from the video you can MASTER this recipe. 😉

      Reply
  8. eric says

    January 20, 2020 at 5:16 pm

    Thanks for the great tips. My problem was that my ice was very cold to the touch. Is there a way to make warmer ice. Thanks

    Reply
    • Sam says

      January 20, 2020 at 8:35 pm

      Hi Eric! Usually if I want my ice warmer I pop it in the oven at 350F for a half an hour, that usually helps!

      Reply
  9. Carrie says

    April 18, 2019 at 10:40 am

    5 stars
    So,my ice didn’t set for some reason, should I use cold water at first? Also,I still have wrinkles in the ice tray. Can I substitute it for another beverage? Also,I was thinking of tweaking it a little with salt, as this recipe seems very bland to me. 😂

    Reply
  10. Diana M. says

    April 13, 2019 at 4:20 pm

    5 stars
    Hoot! This was delightful!

    Reply
  11. Debbie N. says

    April 6, 2019 at 11:36 am

    5 stars
    So cute! So many funny comments as well.

    I wonder , am I the only person who is persnickety about having great tasting ice ?

    When visiting someone’s home or even restaurant and a kind host offers a refreshing cold drink and you take that first anticipated sip and you think, oh no! keep smiling..be polite..bad or old or “fridge smell” ice has ruined your lovely frosty bevvie!

    I don’ t own an ice maker, but have experienced it at homes that do, ( I would never embarrass anyone by commenting ), but it has taught me to be sure my ice is always fresh and great tasting.

    Reply
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The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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