These Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes are one of my favorite little things to keep in the freezer! They're made with fresh lemons, ginger root, turmeric, a little cayenne pepper, and water, then frozen so they're ready whenever you want them.
Drop the strained juice cubes into cold water to make refreshing lemon ginger water, or freeze the pulp separately and use it to make a warm ginger root lemon honey tea.
If you love easy homemade drinks like this, you might also like my Immune Orange Juice, made with fresh oranges, pineapple, carrots, lemon, and turmeric.
And my favorite part about these lemon ginger cubes?
We are not throwing away the pulp!
One batch gives you three different ways to use it: cold lemon ginger water, a cozy hot drink, and a honey ginger mixture with the remaining pulp.
I LOVE recipes where nothing goes to waste!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How to Make Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes
- How to Make Lemon Ginger Water
- How to Make Ginger Root Lemon Honey Tea
- What to Do With the Remaining Lemon Ginger Pulp
- My Best Tips for Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes
- More Ways to Use Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Homemade Drinks to Try
- If You Make These Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes...
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love These Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes
I've been loving having these little golden cubes waiting for me in the freezer. Instead of pulling out lemons, peeling ginger, and getting the blender dirty every time I want lemon ginger water, all the prep is already done.
Just grab a cube and go!
Here's why I think you'll love them too:
- Made with simple ingredients – Fresh lemon, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, and water.
- Perfect for prepping ahead – Do all the chopping and blending once.
- Enjoy them hot or cold – Make refreshing cold water or a cozy hot drink.
- Nothing goes to waste – Even the leftover pulp gets used.
- Easy to customize – Adjust the ginger and cayenne depending on how much of a kick you like.
- Freezer-friendly – Make a batch and keep the cubes ready whenever you want them.
And if you're looking for another easy make-ahead option, my Ginger Lemon Honey Syrup is another one I love having in my kitchen.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Lemons: You'll need 3 fresh lemons. Wash them really well, chop them into pieces, and remove all the seeds before blending.
- Fresh ginger root: I use one large piece of fresh ginger, about 3–4 inches. Peel it and roughly chop it before adding it to the blender. If you LOVE ginger, you can always add a little more.
- Fresh turmeric: You'll need about 1–2 inches of fresh turmeric root. Peel and roughly chop it. I also use fresh turmeric in my Immune Orange Juice, and I love the beautiful golden color it gives homemade drinks.
- Cayenne pepper: Just a little! I like about ⅛ teaspoon, but you can start with a small pinch and adjust it to your taste.
- Water: Start with 2 cups. If your blender needs a little extra liquid to get everything moving, add a splash more.
Quick Tip: Fresh turmeric stains very easily! I like to wear gloves when peeling it and wash my cutting board, blender, and countertops right away.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How to Make Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes
These are SO easy to make, and we're going to use both the juice and the pulp.
Step 1: Prep the Lemons, Ginger, and Turmeric
Wash the lemons really well, then cut them into chunks.
Make sure you remove all of the seeds.
Peel and roughly chop the ginger and turmeric.
Nothing needs to look perfect because everything is going straight into the blender!
Step 2: Blend Everything Together
Add the chopped lemons, fresh ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and 2 cups of water to a high-powered blender or food processor.
Blend until everything is as smooth as possible.
If the mixture is too thick or isn't moving around the blender easily, add a little more water and blend again.
If you love quick blender recipes, try my Easy Green Smoothie next. It's another easy way to blend fruit and greens into a delicious homemade drink.
Step 3: Strain the Lemon Ginger Mixture
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl or measuring cup.
Pour the blended mixture through the strainer and gently press it with the back of a spoon to get as much of that beautiful golden juice out as possible.
But don't throw away the pulp!
We're going to use that too.
I use the same basic straining technique in drinks like my Huckleberry Lemonade to get a smoother finished drink.
Step 4: Make the Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes
Pour the strained lemon ginger juice into ice cube trays.
Carefully transfer the trays to the freezer and freeze for about 4–6 hours or overnight, until completely solid.
Once frozen, pop the cubes out and transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container.
Now you have lemon ginger ice cubes ready whenever you want a quick drink!
How to Make Lemon Ginger Water
This is probably my favorite way to use these cubes.
Add 1–2 lemon ginger ice cubes to a big glass of cold water and let them melt.
That's it!
You have an easy lemon ginger water without having to chop and blend fresh ingredients every time you want a glass.
I like to start with one cube and add another if I want a stronger flavor.
You can also add fresh lemon slices, basil or mint. And if you want something a little more fun, try dropping a cube into sparkling water!
During the warmer months, I love homemade fruit drinks like this Watermelon Juice.
Don't Throw Away the Lemon Ginger Pulp!
Now let's use that beautiful pulp we saved.
Divide the pulp into two equal portions.
We're going to freeze half of it for hot drinks and use the remaining half with honey.
Nothing goes to waste!
Make Lemon Ginger Pulp Cubes for Hot Drinks
Spoon half of the reserved lemon ginger pulp into a clean ice cube tray.
If the pulp is too thick to easily portion, mix in a little of the strained juice or water.
Freeze until completely solid.
Once frozen, transfer the pulp cubes to a separate freezer-safe bag or container.
TIP: Make sure you label your containers so you know which cubes are strained juice cubes and which ones contain pulp.
How to Make Ginger Root Lemon Honey Tea
This is my favorite cozy way to use the pulp cubes.
Place 1-2 frozen lemon ginger pulp cube into your favorite mug.
Pour hot water over the cube and let it steep for 5–10 minutes.
This gives the lemon, fresh ginger root, turmeric, and cayenne time to infuse into the water.
Then strain the tea before drinking it.
Pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean mug to remove the lemon, ginger, and turmeric pulp.
Stir in honey to taste, and enjoy!
You have an easy ginger root lemon honey tea without having to chop fresh ginger and lemon every time you want a cup.
If you're a ginger-and-honey lover like me, definitely try my Ginger Lemon Honey Syrup too. You can stir it right into warm water or tea.
What to Do With the Remaining Lemon Ginger Pulp
We still aren't throwing anything away!
Take the remaining half of the pulp and blend it with honey to make a sweet lemon ginger honey syrup.
You can spoon a little into warm water or tea whenever you want it.
So from ONE batch of ingredients, you get:
1. Strained lemon ginger ice cubes → for cold lemon ginger water.
2. Lemon ginger pulp cubes → for hot ginger root lemon honey tea.
3. Remaining lemon ginger pulp → blend it with honey.
One blender. Three ways to use it.
And nothing goes to waste!
My Best Tips for Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes
- Start with less cayenne. A little goes a long way! I recommend starting with about ⅛ teaspoon. You can always add more the next time you make them.
- Adjust the ginger to your taste. If you're a ginger lover like me, use a nice big piece. If you're new to fresh ginger, start with a little less.
- Remove all of the lemon seeds. Take a minute to check your lemon pieces before putting them into the blender.
- Wash the lemons really well. We're blending the lemons with their peel, so give them a good scrub first.
- Use a high-powered blender. Lemon peel and fresh ginger are fibrous, so a good blender makes this recipe much easier.
- Don't throw away the pulp. I know I keep saying this, but it's one of my favorite things about this recipe!
- Use silicone ice cube trays if you have them. The frozen cubes pop out so easily.
- Keep the two types of cubes separate. The strained cubes are for cold drinks, while the pulp cubes are meant to steep and then be strained for hot drinks.
More Ways to Use Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes
You definitely don't have to use these only in plain water.
Try adding the strained juice cubes to:
- Cold water
- Sparkling water
- Herbal tea
- Homemade lemonade
- Smoothies
- Fruit-infused water
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely!
If you don't have fresh turmeric or don't like the flavor, simply leave it out.
You'll still have delicious lemon ginger cubes that you can add to water or use to make a warm drink.
You can, but I prefer fresh turmeric in this recipe.
Ground turmeric may settle at the bottom of your glass as the ice cube melts.
If ground turmeric is all you have, start with a small amount because the flavor can be pretty strong.
I leave the peel on for this recipe, which makes it even easier.
Because we're using the whole lemon, make sure you wash and scrub your lemons really well first.
The peel can add some bitterness. If you prefer a milder lemon flavor, remove some or all of the peel before blending.
They definitely have a little kick!
Both fresh ginger and cayenne bring some heat, but you can easily adjust them to your taste.
For a milder batch, use less ginger and just a tiny pinch of cayenne.
The pulp cubes contain pieces of blended lemon, ginger, and turmeric.
Letting the cube steep in hot water gives those flavors time to infuse into the drink. Straining it afterward gives you a much smoother tea without all of the fibrous pulp.
Once the cubes are completely frozen, transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
For the best flavor and quality, I like to use them within about 2–3 months.
Don't forget to label your container with the date!
More Homemade Drinks to Try
If you love having easy homemade drinks ready to go, here are a few more Munchkin Time favorites:
- Immune Orange Juice – made with oranges, pineapple, carrots, lemon, and fresh turmeric.
- Ginger Lemon Honey Syrup – a natural companion recipe for this one and a great way to enjoy lemon, ginger, and honey.
- Easy Green Smoothie – an easy 5-minute smoothie with fruit and spinach.
- Watermelon Juice – so refreshing during the warmer months.
- Huckleberry Lemonade – sweet, tart, and made with fresh lemon juice.
If You Make These Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes...
Please leave me a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!
Your reviews mean so much to me and help other readers know they can trust the recipe too.
And I would LOVE to see your little golden cubes!
Take a picture and tag me @munchkinrecipes on Instagram so I can see your ice cube creation.
Save this recipe for later and send it to a friend who needs these little lemon ginger cubes waiting in their freezer too! ❤️
📖 Recipe
Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes with Turmeric
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 large lemons washed and chopped, seeds removed
- 1 large ginger root fresh, about 3–5 inches, peeled and chopped
- 3-5 inch turmeric fresh, peeled and chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- 2 cups water filtered
- honey to taste
Instructions
- Prep everything. Wash the lemons really well, then cut them into chunks and remove the seeds. Peel and roughly chop the fresh ginger and turmeric.
- Blend. Add the lemons, ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and 2 cups of water to a high-powered blender. Blend until nice and smooth. If it needs a little help getting everything moving, add a splash more water.
- Strain the juice. Pour the lemon ginger mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl or large measuring cup. Use the back of a spoon to gently press out as much juice as you can. And don't throw away that pulp—we're using it too!
- Freeze the juice cubes. Pour the strained juice into an ice cube tray and freeze for 4–6 hours or overnight. Once frozen, pop the cubes out and store them in a freezer-safe container or bag.
- Make lemon ginger water. Add 1–2 lemon ginger ice cubes to a glass of cold water and let them melt. Give it a stir and enjoy! I like starting with one cube and adding another when I want a stronger lemon ginger flavor.
- Save that pulp! Divide the reserved pulp in half. Spoon one half into another ice cube tray. If it's a little too thick, mix in a splash of water or some of the strained juice. Freeze until solid.
- Make a cozy hot drink. Add 1 frozen pulp cube to your favorite mug and pour hot water over it. Let it steep for about 5–10 minutes so all those lemon, ginger, turmeric, and cayenne flavors have time to infuse.
- Strain and sweeten. Pour the hot drink through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean mug to remove the pulp. Add honey to taste, give it a stir, and enjoy!
- Use the rest of the pulp. Take the remaining lemon ginger pulp and blend it with honey to make a sweet lemon ginger honey mixture. Nothing goes to waste— I LOVE that about this recipe!
Notes
- Cayenne: Start with ⅛ teaspoon. A little goes a long way!
- Ginger: Adjust the amount depending on how strong you like your lemon ginger water.
- Lemons: Remove all seeds before blending. For less bitterness, remove some or all of the peel.
- Turmeric: Fresh turmeric stains easily, so wash your blender, cutting board, and countertop right away.
- Keep the cubes separate: Store the strained juice cubes and pulp cubes in separate, labeled containers.
- For hot tea: Strain the drink after steeping a pulp cube.
- Serving: Start with 1 cube per drink and add more to taste.
- Storage: For the best quality, use frozen cubes within about 2–3 months.
- Honey: Never give honey to a child under 12 months old.
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