13 Festive New Year’s Eve Cocktails to Ring in the New Year
There’s no better way to ring in a new year than with something festive in your glass!
These New Year’s Eve cocktails are perfect for everything from a big party with friends to a cozy celebration at home. You’ll find plenty of Champagne and Prosecco, elegant martinis, a fun Champagne jello shot, and a few special cocktails that feel just right for celebrating until midnight.
Whether you’re looking for a bubbly drink for the countdown or an easy cocktail to serve throughout the evening, these festive drinks will help make your New Year’s Eve celebration feel extra special.
And don’t forget the food! Pair your drinks with our New Year’s Eve food ideas and appetizers for an easy party menu guests can snack on all night long.
Now, let’s pop the bubbly and get ready to celebrate!
Champagne Cocktails for New Year’s Eve
Champagne and New Year’s Eve were made for each other.
If you want a traditional midnight toast with a little more personality, these bubbly cocktails are the perfect place to start.
1. Champagne Jello Shots
Put a fun spin on the traditional Champagne toast with Champagne Jello Shots. Made with Champagne and vodka, these festive little shots are especially fun for a New Year’s Eve party and can be served right in mini Champagne glasses.
2. Champagne for New Year’s Eve
Sometimes you just want to keep the bubbly front and center. This Champagne recipe is an easy choice when you want something celebratory for the countdown without turning the midnight toast into an overly complicated cocktail.
3. Snowglobe Champagne Cocktail
The Snowglobe Champagne Cocktail makes a festive addition to a winter celebration and feels especially fitting for New Year’s Eve. Serve it when you want your Champagne cocktail to make just as much of a statement as the party decorations.
4. Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail
A Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail adds beautiful color to the New Year’s Eve table while still giving you those celebratory bubbles everyone expects at midnight.
It’s an elegant option for dinner parties as well as larger New Year’s gatherings.
5. Kir Imperial
The Kir Imperial is an elegant French Champagne cocktail made with Chambord and bubbly. The raspberry flavor and pretty pink color give it a sophisticated look that feels right at home at a New Year’s Eve celebration.
It’s also incredibly simple, making it a great option when you want a special cocktail without spending the night mixing complicated drinks.
6. Strawberry Ice Cubes in Prosecco
Make a glass of bubbly feel extra special with Strawberry Ice Cubes in Prosecco. It’s a simple way to dress up Prosecco for a party and gives guests another sparkling option for the evening.
7. Strawberry Basil Champagne Punch
If you’re hosting a crowd, Strawberry Basil Champagne Punch makes serving cocktails much easier.
Instead of preparing drinks one at a time, make a pitcher and let guests pour their own while you enjoy the party too.
8. Pomegranate Aperol Spritz
The Pomegranate Aperol Spritz gives you another bubbly cocktail with a festive twist. Its vibrant color makes it especially pretty for a holiday party, while the spritz-style presentation keeps things light and celebratory.
New Year’s Eve Martinis
Champagne may get most of the attention on New Year’s Eve, but a great martini fits the occasion just as well.
Martinis are ideal for a cocktail party because they feel classic, festive, and just a little dressed up.
9. Dirty Martini
For guests who prefer savory drinks over sweet ones, you can’t go wrong with a classic Dirty Martini.
It’s bold, briny, and especially fun to serve alongside the Dirty Martini Deviled Eggs in our New Year’s Eve appetizer collection.
10. Vesper Martini
A Vesper Martini brings a classic cocktail-bar feel to your New Year’s Eve party. Made with gin, vodka, dry vermouth, and lemon, it’s a sophisticated choice for anyone who wants something crisp instead of fruity or sweet.
11. French Martini
The French Martini is a pretty, elegant cocktail that works beautifully for a celebration.
Serve it earlier in the evening while guests are mingling, or shake one up when you want something different from all the Champagne.
Love martinis? Browse our 20+ Martini Recipes You Need to Try for even more cocktail ideas.
12. Chocolate Espresso Martini
A Chocolate Espresso Martini may be one of the best drinks to save for later in the evening.
The combination of chocolate and espresso makes it an indulgent after-dinner cocktail—and the coffee-inspired flavor feels especially appropriate when everyone is staying up for the midnight countdown.
A Bourbon Cocktail for New Year’s Eve
Not everyone wants Champagne or a martini, so I like including one good whiskey cocktail in the mix.
13. Bourbon Infused Cranberry Old Fashioned
A Bourbon Infused Cranberry Old Fashioned gives your New Year’s Eve cocktail menu a richer option.
The cranberry adds a festive winter touch while the bourbon makes this a great choice for sipping slowly as the evening winds down and midnight gets closer.
What to Serve With New Year’s Eve Cocktails
New Year’s Eve is one of those nights when appetizers can easily take the place of a traditional dinner.
Set out a combination of warm appetizers, dips, finger foods, seafood bites, and a charcuterie board so guests can snack throughout the evening.
Our New Year’s Eve Food Ideas and Appetizers includes more than 25 party-ready ideas, including cranberry brie bites, shrimp shooters, wonton sausage stars, smoked salmon cucumber bites, Dirty Martini deviled eggs, dips, charcuterie, and plenty of easy finger foods.
Then add a few bottles of bubbly and one or two cocktails from this list and your New Year’s Eve menu is ready to go.
Easy New Year’s Eve Drink Menu
You definitely don’t need to make all 13 drinks for one party.
For an easy New Year’s Eve cocktail menu, I’d choose:
- Something bubbly: Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail
- Something fun: Champagne Jello Shots
- Something for a crowd: Strawberry Basil Champagne Punch
- A classic cocktail: Dirty Martini
- Something sweet for later: Chocolate Espresso Martini
- A midnight toast: Champagne
That gives guests plenty of variety without turning you into the bartender all night.
Cheers to the New Year!
Whether you’re throwing a big New Year’s Eve party or celebrating quietly at home, a festive drink makes the countdown to midnight even more fun.
Keep it traditional with Champagne, try an elegant Kir Imperial, shake up a classic martini, or surprise everyone with Champagne Jello Shots.
Pick a few favorites, add plenty of appetizers, get the Champagne chilled, and enjoy ringing in the New Year.
Cheers!
