How to Make Crushed Ice

Reviewed by Ashley Crawford

Last Updated: November 9, 2023

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Making crushed ice is pretty straightforward when you have the right tools on hand. There's no need to buy pre-crushed ice when you're in the mood for an ice-cold mint julep, or perhaps a mojito. Just grab some ice from the freezer, throw it in a blender or food processor, or inside of a Lewis bag or cocktail shaker, and crush away!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using a Food Processor or Blender

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1
Put a few handfuls of ice from the freezer into a blender or food processor. Take out ice cubes or pieces of ice from the freezer and put them directly into your blender or food processor. Put in as much as you plan on using, or make a big batch to store in the freezer.^{[1]
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- It will work best if all the pieces of ice are approximately the same size.
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Pulse the ice until you have crushed ice of the desired size. Put the lid securely on the blender or food processor. Use the pulse button to blend the ice in short bursts until there are no large pieces.^{[2]
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- If your blender or food processor doesn't have a pulse button, then just use the highest speed setting for short bursts.
Tip: A good rule of thumb is to stop blending the ice when there are no pieces that are bigger than ¹⁄₄–¹⁄₂ in (0.64–1.27 cm) in diameter.

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Pour the crushed ice into a strainer to drain the excess water. The heat of the motor in the blender or food processor will melt some of the ice. Pour it through a strainer so that you are left with just the ice and you won't get watered-down drinks.^{[3]
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- If you don't have a strainer, you can hold something over the top of the blender or food processor to block the ice, then slowly pour the water out.
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Use the crushed ice right away or store it in a bag in the freezer. Store any left over ice in a plastic, sealable freezer bag, and put it in the freezer for when you need it next. Try to make your drinks as fast as possible, since crushed ice melts faster than bigger pieces.^{[4]
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- If you do freeze crushed ice, some of it will probably freeze back together. However, it will be easy to break it apart again by hitting it inside of the bag you stored it in.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Smashing Ice in a Lewis Bag

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Take the ice out of the freezer right before you are going to crush it. The ice needs to be as cold and dry as possible to make really good crushed ice out of it. Any shape or size of ice will work.^{[5]
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- Note that it will be easier to crush the ice if the cubes or pieces are all roughly the same size.
- You will need more ice than you think, since it will take more crushed ice to fill up a glass than it would take ice cubes. It's a good idea to use about twice as many ice cubes or pieces of ice as it would take to fill your glasses halfway.
2
Place the ice in a Lewis bag right away and roll up the end. A Lewis bag is a canvas bag that is primarily used for crushing ice. Put the ice inside the bag as soon as you remove it from the freezer so that it doesn't start melting.^{[6]
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- You can get a Lewis bag online or at a bartending supply store. They usually come with a wooden mallet for crushing the ice as well.
- What makes a Lewis bag so good for crushing ice is that the canvas absorbs any extra liquid. This way, you are left with dry pieces of crushed ice.
Tip: If you don't have a Lewis bag, you can use a clean, lint-free towel, or a piece of canvas cloth instead. Wrap the ice up tightly in the towel or cloth so nothing flies out when you smash it.
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Place the Lewis bag on a hard surface and hold the end shut. Choose a surface that won't get damaged in any way while you hammer away at the ice in the bag. Use your non-dominant hand to hold the bag closed so that your dominant hand is free to crush away.^{[7]
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- You want to do this whole process as quickly as possible because the ice will start to melt as soon as you remove it from the freezer.
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Smash the ice inside the bag with a wooden mallet or other heavy object. Lewis bags often come with a wooden mallet to use for crushing the ice. Use another heavy kitchen utensil, such as a rolling pin or meat tenderizer, if you don't have a wooden mallet.
- You can even use a regular hammer or rubber mallet if you don't have any heavy kitchen utensils to use.
- It's possible to do this with ice in a plastic bag if you have no cloth bags or towels to put the ice in. Just keep in mind that a plastic bag won't absorb the excess water, and it's easy to smash a hole in the bag and make a mess.
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Stop when there are no big pieces left. Open the bag to check the ice and see if there are any pieces bigger than ¹⁄₄–¹⁄₂ in (0.64–1.27 cm) in diameter. Roll the bag back up and keep smashing until there are no chunks bigger than that.^{[8]
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- The finer you smash the ice, the quicker it will melt in your drinks. With a little practice, you will find the best consistency of crushed ice.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Muddling Ice in a Cocktail Shaker

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1
Put enough ice for one drink in a cocktail shaker. Fill the cocktail shaker about halfway with ice cubes. Take them straight from the freezer and put them directly into the cocktail shaker at the moment when you plan to make your drink.^{[9]
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- This method is great for when you just want to make a single drink. Not to mention that if you're making a cocktail, you can just go ahead and pour the ingredients in over the ice when you're done smashing it!
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Hold the cocktail shaker upright on a hard surface. Use your non-dominant hand to hold the cocktail shaker in place on a hard surface, like a sturdy table or countertop. Make sure it is at a comfortable working height for you to smash it.^{[10]
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- If you don't have a cocktail shaker, you could also do this in a very sturdy pint glass. Just make sure it has thick enough glass that it can take a bit of a beating from the muddler.
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Use a sturdy muddler to smash the ice until it is the desired consistency. Hold the muddler firmly with the fist of your dominant hand. Smash down directly into the ice in the cocktail shaker until the ice is broken up into the size and texture that you want for your drink.^{[11]
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- Either a standard wood or stainless steel cocktail muddler will work fine for this.
Tip: Whether you're making a cocktail or any other type of drink, pour it over the ice, put the lid on the shaker, and shake it all together to get your beverage nice and cold.

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Question

What if I don't have a hammer?

Community Answer

You can use a heavy object, like a thick, hard cover book.

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Question

Are there simpler ways to do this?

Community Answer

These are all pretty simple methods. You could always get a refrigerator that has a crushed ice option in the door.

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Question

Did you just need to put a bag of water in the freezer then when it was all done you smashed it?

Gavin Donnelly

Community Answer

It is best to start with ice cubes or pieces of ice that are all about the same size to make crushed ice. It is much harder to crush ice from a large block.

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