Homemade Sugar Cubes - Whisked Away Kitchen

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These homemade Flavored Sugar Cubes are a fun and super easy way to up your cocktail game! You’ll need just a few ingredients and 10 minutes of time to make these little gems.

While this batch of red, white and blue stars was Fourth of July themed, these easy sugar cubes can be made in almost any shape and flavor you can dream up — perfect for everything from holiday cocktail parties to bridal showers.

glass full of fourth of july themed sugar cubes

Ingredients and flavoring ideas

To make basic sugar cubes you need two ingredients:

Granulated sugar
Liquid (water or flavoring)

Here are the combinations I used for these stars:

Blue: Blue curacao liqueur
Red: Hibiscus infused water
White: Coconut extract and water

Choosing a mold: I find that small silicone candy molds work best. If you’d prefer the traditional shape, you can simply spread the mixture into a small pan and then use a knife to cut out cubes.

Recipe variations

Here are a few more ideas for creative flavored sugar cubes:

Floral waters, such as orange blossom or rosewater
Angostura bitters
Grenadine
Extracts: Mint, vanilla and almond extracts all make excellent additions, but have a strong flavor so a straight substitution would be too much. Start with ¼ teaspoon extract and ¾ teaspoon water.

Adding color

While the ingredients I used for this batch of sugar cubes already imparted color, you could also use food coloring to get your perfect shade. If using food coloring, I recommend choosing gel food coloring and mixing it into your liquid before adding it to the sugar. This will help you get vibrant colors without adding too much liquid to your mixture.

The process

Combine ½ cup (100 grams) sugar and one teaspoon of water in a small bowl and mix until evenly coated. Add up to an additional ½ teaspoon of liquid as necessary.
Pack the sugar into your silicone mold and let it sit at room temperature until set. This usually only takes about one hour for me, but can take up to eight hours depending on humidity and amount of water used.

Expert tips and tricks

Don’t use any more water than you need or the sugar will begin to dissolve. One teaspoon to 1 ¼ is usually just the right amount for me.
Make sure your water is cold or at least room temperature before adding to the sugar.
The size of your candy molds will also affect the amount of time needed for your sugar cubes to set. For reference, my silicone molds needed about one heaping teaspoon of sugar per cavity.

overhead view of star-shaped sugar cubes

Serving ideas

If you need a little inspiration, here are just a few of our favorite cocktail ideas for sugar cubes:

Give the old fashioned a new twist
Add a coconut sugar cube to tropical drinks
Use an angostura bitters flavored cube to make champagne cocktails (or really add any flavored sugar cube to champagne for a festive treat)
Pour water over a flavored cube to dilute your absinthe

And if you’re not an alcohol drinker, you can also use these sugar cubes in mocktails or coffee and tea (especially if you use a flavoring such as vanilla or almond).

dropping hibiscus sugar cube into a cocktail

FAQs

How do I get the texture right?

You’ll probably need less liquid than you think. The mixture should be crumbly and slightly damp. Adding too much water will cause the crystals to dissolve, giving the sugar cubes a more compact texture. If you’ve added too much water, just add a bit more sugar until you reach the right consistency.

How long do the sugar cubes need to sit before I can remove them from the mold?

My sugar cubes usually set after about an hour sitting out at room temperature. They can take up to eight hours to set depending on humidity and how much water was used in your mixture.

Besides cocktails, how can I use these sugar cubes?

They’re also great in coffee and tea and make wonderful homemade gifts!

close up of red, white and blue star-shaped sugar cubes

And if you’re looking for more ideas to transform your next cocktail party, make sure to check out these recipes:

Limonada de Coco
Fruit Infused Vodka
Rhubarb Infused Vodka
Cranberry Gin Fizz

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Description

These flavored sugar cubes are a fun and super easy way to up your cocktail game!

Ingredients

Blue Curacao Sugar Cubes

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons blue curacao liqueur

Coconut Sugar Cubes

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 – 1 1/4 teaspoon water
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

Hibiscus Sugar Cubes

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dried hibiscus flowers
1/4 cup (60 ml) hot water

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Instructions

Each of the following recipes will yield 18-20 sugar cubes if working with a small candy mold*, such as the star-shaped mold that I used.

Blue Curacao Sugar Cubes

Combine the sugar and 1 teaspoon blue curacao in a small bowl. Mix until it has an even, crumbly texture similar to slightly damp sand. Add an extra 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of curacao as needed.
Add a heaping teaspoon of sugar to each of your molds and firmly press down. Use the back of a knife to scrape off any excess.
Allow to set at room temperature for at least 1 hour* and up to 8 hours before transferring to an airtight container.

Coconut Sugar Cubes

Combine the sugar, 1 teaspoon water and 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract in a small bowl. Mix until it has an even, crumbly texture similar to slightly damp sand. Add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of water as needed.
Add a heaping teaspoon of sugar to each of your molds and firmly press down. Use the back of a knife to scrape off any excess.
Allow to set at room temperature for at least 1 hour* and up to 8 hours before transferring to an airtight container.

Hibiscus Sugar Cubes

Pour the hot water over the dried hibiscus flowers and allow to infuse until the mixture comes to room temperature. Discard the hibiscus.
Combine the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the hibiscus-infused water in a small bowl. Mix until it has an even, crumbly texture similar to slightly damp sand. Add an extra 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of hibiscus water as needed.
Add a heaping teaspoon of sugar to each of your molds and firmly press down. Use the back of a knife to scrape off any excess.
Allow to set at room temperature for at least 1 hour* and up to 8 hours before transferring to an airtight container.

Notes

Molds: Any silicone baking mold that can hold about a teaspoon (or a bit more) of the sugar mixture will work well. I used these star-shaped molds.

Set time: My sugar cubes were almost all ready after one hour at room temperature. If you used a bit more liquid or live in a humid area, this may take longer.

Other flavor ideas: Other flavoring options include floral waters (such as orange blossom or rosewater), angostura bitters, grenadine or extracts. If using extracts, use only 1/4 teaspoon of the extract in combination with water.

Storing: Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Hello, we're Brit and Viktor! Welcome to our kitchen where you’ll find globally inspired recipes featuring seasonal ingredients for the adventurous home cook!