There are some things that sound pretty straightforward, mostly because they are straightforward! For instance, ice cube trays. What do they do? It’s pretty clear: they’re meant to make ice cubes to keep your drinks nice and cool.

But, with this particular item, the name isn’t everything.

Sure, ice cube trays are great for, well, making ice cubes, but they have other uses — most of which you would never have tried. Here are four unusual yet extremely clever ways to use ice trays like you’ve never thought to before.

Herb Butter Bombs

Looking to make dinner delicious but also ten-times easier? Who isn’t, honestly. Well, this ice cube tray hack is exactly what every home chef needs.

Pull out your ice cube tray and chop up any herbs of your choice; we love using thyme or rosemary for this hack. Put the chopped up pieces into your empty ice cube tray.

Next, melt some butter. Pour the butter into the trays over the herbs and finish with some olive oil in each hole. Then pop the whole thing into the freezer to harden.

When you pop out the cubes and throw them into your frying pan pre-meal, you’ll get herbs, butter, and olive oil cooking up all in one go! Throw your ingredients into the pan — they’ll cook up faster and more flavorful than usual.

Coffee Cubes

One thing all ice coffee lovers know is that ice cubes are the enemy of your perfectly balanced brew. Ice waters down the taste of your java, but it also helps to keep your coffee nice and cold.

So what’s a caffeine addict to do?

Simply pour extra coffee into an empty ice cube tray and freeze. These coffee ice cubes will keep your morning cup of Joe cold without watering it down. You can also make creamer ice cubes for a similar effect.

Homemade Ravioli

This hack makes for an easy, delicious dinner that you can pop out of the freezer whenever you’re in the mood. All you need is some cooking spray, two sheets of egg pasta (or any sheet of pasta, egg pasta is just used in this example), and any dip of your choice.

Start by laying the first sheet of pasta over your ice cube tray, pushing the pasta down into each divot. Then, fill each hole with a scoop of dip; it looks like they use maybe a spinach and artichoke dip, but French onion or ranch would be equally as yummy!

Next, put another sheet of pasta over the dip to seal them and freeze them for a while. Once the pasta as hardened, pull the sheets out of the tray and cut the ravioli. Now you can easily toss them into a pan to heat them up and top them with sauces.

 

For the final brilliant way to use ice cubes, make sure to watch the Blossom video below!

Do you use ice cube trays in a unique way? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.