How to Make Clear Ice Balls

Co-authored by Mimi Perryman and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: January 17, 2023 References

If you want an eye-catching way to keep a drink cool, a crystal clear ice ball is a perfect thing to drop in your glass. While it might seem like you can only get clear ice balls or cubes at a bar or restaurant, they’re actually really easy to make at home. There are a few simple tricks for making ice balls clear, so keep reading to learn everything you need to know!

Things You Should Know

Boil distilled water twice to remove impurities and get the clearest ice. Filtered and tap water will also work, but may make the ice a little cloudy.
Fill an ice ball mold or ice cube tray with the water and freeze it for at least 24 hours. Once the balls or cubes are frozen solid, pop them out of the mold.
Store clear ice balls and cubes in a resealable bag in your freezer to keep them from absorbing odors.

1

Boil distilled water twice for the clearest ice.

Distilled water has fewer impurities that cause cloudiness. While tap or bottled water works fine, distilled water doesn’t have any additives that cloud up the ice as it freezes. Fill a pot with distilled water and bring it to a rolling boil. Let the water cool down for 5 minutes before bringing it to a boil a second time.^{[1]
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- Give the water a chance to cool down until it’s warm before you use it to make your ice.

2

Use a sphere mold to make single ice balls.

Sphere molds are the cheapest option for making ice globes. Sphere molds are made from silicone, and the 2 halves push together to make a sphere. However, sphere molds usually freeze cloudy since they don’t have as much insulation, so you have to set it on top an insulated thermos filled with water in your freezer.^{[2]
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3

Get a tray mold to make balls or cubes.

Tray molds slow freezing down to make sure ice balls or cubes are clear. Tray molds come with a silicone tray and an insulated cooler box. The tray slides into the insulated cooler to help slow down freezing, which makes it easier to make clear ice globes.^{[3]
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- If you want clear ice cubes, just get a mold with a square-shaped tray instead.

4

Fill the ice ball mold with the boiled distilled water.

Pouring water up to the fill lines ensures the ice has room to expand. If you’re filling a sphere mold, pour the water into the hole on top until it’s completely full. If you’re freezing clear ice balls in a tray mold, pour the water into the insulated cooler up to the fill line and slide the tray into the opening.^{[4]
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- Ice ball molds may work differently depending on the brand, so always double-check the instructions that came with yours.

5

Freeze the water for at least 24 hours.

Water needs time to freeze slowly to prevent cloudy ice. Stick your ice ball mold in the freezer and leave it alone for a minimum of 24 hours. The water will freeze starting from the top down to the bottom of the mold, pushing out gas bubbles that could leave a cloudy appearance inside the ice spheres.^{[5]
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- Set a sphere mold on top of a short thermos with a diameter just smaller than the mold. Fill the thermos up with water and put the sphere mold on top so the hole is submerged in the water.
- Open your freezer gently while you’re making clear ice balls since sudden sharp movements can cause bubbles to form in the ice.

6

Pop the ice balls or cubes out of the mold.

The ice balls will be easy to push out of the mold once they're frozen. Gently take a sphere mold off of the thermos or a tray mold out from the insulated cooler. Separate the halves of the mold carefully so you don’t damage or crack the ice balls. Then, push on the outside of the mold so the ice ball comes loose.^{[6]
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- If you have trouble pulling the mold out or apart, try running some cold water over it to help loosen the ice.
- If there’s ice sticking to the bottom of the mold, just knock it off the excess with a wooden spoon. Be careful not to hit too hard so you don’t crack the ice balls.

7

Store the ice in a resealable bag until you use it.

Ice might absorb odors from your fridge and freezer if you leave it out. If you’re not putting your ice ball in a drink right away, toss it into a resealable plastic bag and put it back in your freezer. Since food odors could come through your fridge into your freezer, the bag will keep your ice fresh so it doesn’t change the flavor of your drink.^{[7]
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Expert Q&A

Question

How do you make crystal clear cubes?

Mimi Perryman
Business Owner & Bartender
Mimi Perryman is a Bartender and the Owner of Events with LML, an events company based in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area but serving the full state of California. With over 15 years of experience in the serving industry, she specializes in traveling bartender services and event planning. She earned a BS in Marketing from California State University-Dominguez Hills, is ServSafe & RBS Certified, and carries a bartending license. She also has a Marketing & Graphic Design background and is a member of the American Marketing Association. Events with LML has a 5-star rating on Yelp and is a featured vendor on The Knot.

Mimi Perryman

Business Owner & Bartender

Expert Answer

Fill a small cooler with tap or filtered water so it's about two-thirds of the way full (leave about 2 inches/5.08 cm of the cooler unfilled). Stick the cooler in the freezer for about 18-24 hours—once it's frozen, let it sit out for about 5 minutes. Then, turn the cooler upside-down on a cutting board so the ice slides out. Keep in mind that there will be water at the bottom that hasn't froze yet (this is the water with all the dust, air, and minerals). Using a knife, cut off any excess chips from the mold of the bottom of the cooler to get the perfect clear block of ice. Using the knife again, cut this large block into smaller cubes.