Ring in the new year with one of these celebratory cocktail recipes! Here is a round-up of the 25 Best Celebratory Cocktails for New Year's Eve that would be perfect for your next holiday party.
This post was first published December 26, 2018. It was updated and republished December 28, 2020 and then updated on December 26, 2022 with additional New Year's cocktails, photos, and details.
It's that time of the year: when we reflect on the past year, celebrate the holiday season, and welcome in a brand new year!
Each special occasion calls for festive cocktails. We've rounded up 25+ of the favorite celebratory cocktails to help you ring in NYE in style.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]🥂 About these recipes
From champagne cocktail recipes to citrus cocktail recipes to classic American cocktails, you're sure to find a new fave festive cocktail recipe in this collection!
Most of these cocktail recipes call for simple ingredients. But if you're new to making craft cocktails at home, here are some tips about ingredients to stock up on for your holiday dinner party or other festive affair.
🍋 Ingredient notes
You can click on the links to get to each cocktail recipe, but here are some notes about ingredients to help you make a great party drink with a seasonal twist.
Champagne cocktail recipes – Only sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France is allowed to be officially labeled as Champagne. In these recipes, your favorite sparkling wine is the perfect option to substitute for traditional Champagne to create an elegant cocktail.
Citrus cocktail recipes – Citrus is an amazing ingredient in these simple cocktail recipes! Depending on the recipe, you may need orange peel; fresh lemon juice, lemon peel, or a twist of lemon; lime wedges or fresh lime juice.
Fruit juices – In some recipes, fruit juices are often main ingredients that make each festive drink shine. It helps to have pineapple juice, pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, and orange juice on hand.
Herb cocktail recipes – Those who enjoy cocktails with a unique flavor and modern twists might go for the savory garden-inspired cocktails on this list. Ingredients like fresh mint, basil, rosemary all make for great cocktail recipe ingredients!
Warm cocktails – When it's chilly outside, stock up on warm spices, cinnamon sticks, hot cocoa, and red wine to make warm holiday cocktails.
From classic cocktail recipes to fun & funky cocktails to elegant cocktail recipes, find a great cocktail to make for your next party right here!
🍾 Champagne cocktail recipes
There's no better time to break out the bubbly than New Year's Eve! You can use Champagne or your favorite sparkling wine for most of these cocktails.
Wine note: any wine labelled as Champagne must be made in the traditional method and only made in the Champagne region of France. Everything made outside of the Champagne region must be labeled as sparkling wine. In some of these recipes, you may also substitute Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine), Cava (Spanish sparkling wine), or Sekt (German or Austrian sparkling wine).
Champagne Floats
With simply two ingredients, these Champagne floats are a fun and festive way to toast in the new year!
Airmail Cocktail
Made with sparkling wine or Champagne, rum, lime juice, and simple syrup, this classic cocktail is a tasty combination of sweet, tart, and bubbly. It's a great celebratory cocktail that's down to earth and not too fancy or fussy.
Champagne Margarita
Margarita lovers will love this Champagne Margarita recipe! It's a great casual cocktail to celebrate the holidays.
Photo Credit: tasty tableNYE Sparkling Champagne Cocktail
These Champagne Sparklers are glittering gold and made with simply a few ingredients. Perfect to toast in New Year's Eve!
Photo Credit: pinchandswirl.comFrench 75 Cocktail Recipe
The French 75 is a classic cocktail that makes for a beautiful and elegant celebratory drink! It's simple to make with Champagne, gin, lemon juice and sugar.
Champagne Jello Shots
Combining the classic celebratory New Year's Eve drink of choice - Champagne - with the classic party jello shots, this recipe will help your NYE party be the talk of the town!
Photo Credit: www.thekitchenismyplayground.comSparkling Limoncello Cooler
With it's refreshing combination of fresh lime juice, Limoncello, and bubbly sparkling wine, how could this Sparkling Limoncello Cooler not be the perfect spring and summer cocktail?
Photo Credit: whatagirleats.comClassic Kir Royale Cocktail
The Kir Royale cocktail is a classic French aperitif (a cocktail served before dinner) made with champagne and creme de cassis. It is also frequently served as an elegant starter to afternoon tea. Its beautiful, pale pink color makes it delightful at a bridal or baby shower.
Photo Credit: www.thefrugalfoodiemama.comFrench 7UP5 Champagne Cocktail
This French 7UP5 Champagne Cocktail is a crisp, refreshing, & bubbly champagne cocktail perfect for ringing in the New Year!
Raspberry Bellini
This Prosecco cocktail is brightly colored and festive for Christmas, New Year's or Valentine's Day!
Raspberry Mimosas
With fresh raspberries, Champagne or your favorite sparkling wine, orange juice and orange peel and sugar, these Raspberry Mimosas are perfect for your New Year's Day Brunch!
🍋 Citrus Cocktails
The bright flavors of orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime add a lovely zip and zing to New Year's cocktails.
Photo Credit: www.mykitchenlove.comBlood Orange Gin and Tonic Recipe
This Blood Orange Gin & Tonic is a refreshing and seasonal spin on a classic G&T! This gin and tonic recipe is bright and naturally pretty thanks to blood orange juice.
Lillet Blanc Cocktail
For a simple cocktail with a sophisticated twist, try this Lillet Blanc cocktail. With tonic water and grapefruit bitters, it's an elegant drink to toast in the new year.
Photo Credit: www.craftbeering.comWinter Beer Sangria
Winter beer sangria is a smooth blend of fruity rye whiskey, spiced winter lager and seasonal fruit. If you're looking for a tasty and not overly sweet sangria, this is it!
🍓 Other fruit cocktail recipes
Pomegranate, watermelon, cranberries, and more make for tasty cocktails, too!
Watermelon Mimosas
These Watermelon Mimosas are the perfect party drink for friends who love a good fruity cocktail.
Photo Credit: www.smells-like-home.comThe Mistletoe Kiss (Christmas Cocktail)
The Mistletoe Kiss: A holiday drink for the ages with vodka, lemon juice, and a special and insanely simple simple syrup that ties the whole drink together.
Photo Credit: www.easycookingwithmolly.comPomegranate New Year's Punch
This sweet-tart tasty punch is absolutely gorgeous and can be made in advance.
Photo Credit: www.goodlifeeats.comCranberry Rosemary Shrub Cocktail
This holiday cocktail is a cross between a Moscow Mule and a Margarita, with a cranberry orange twist. Perfect for holiday sipping!
Photo Credit: www.supergoldenbakes.comRed Queen cocktail
The Red Queen cocktail: beautiful, capricious and a little dangerous… this festive gin-based cocktail was named after the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland.Cranberry Moscow Mule Margaritas
This holiday cocktail is a cross between a Moscow Mule and a Margarita, with a cranberry orange twist. Perfect for holiday sipping!
Garden-inspired cocktails
Herbs like sage, mint, rosemary, and basil lend themselves to colorful cocktails.
Rosemary Citrus Old Fashioned
This Rosemary Old Fashioned with Citrus cocktail is an excellent cold weather cocktail. The orange wakes you up with a bit of zing and the rosemary gives it a warm herbal, earthy taste to help round out the deep undertones from Pendleton Midnight Whisky.
Photo Credit: www.mightymrs.comThin Mint Cocktail
This simple frozen cocktail is made using ice, Kahlua Mudslide and creme de menth. Tastes simply like a Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie! A fun green drink to make for holidays, especially St. Patrick's Day.
Photo Credit: www.panningtheglobe.comBasil Vodka Gimlet (Bsil Dazzle) l Panning The Globe
A refreshing lime and basil infused vodka cocktail with a touch of sweetness.
Warm cocktails
Winter Bourbon Cocktail: The Winter Warm-Up
Hot coffee is spiced up with some cinnamon whipped cream and given a whisky kick. This Winter Warm-Up is the perfect Winter Bourbon Cocktail!
Photo Credit: www.accidentalhappybaker.comHot Buttered Kahlua
A spin off of the original hot buttered rum, this hot cocktail is creamy, rich, and spicy with a nice coffee kick. It's the perfect end to a cold winter's day that will leave you feeling warm and cozy!
Photo Credit: theforkedspoon.comMulled Wine Recipe
Mulled Wine is a traditional holiday drink made with red wine, brandy, and mulling spices like cloves, star anise, and cinnamon. It's tasty, cozy, and guaranteed to warm you from the inside out.
🍸 Simple syrup
Many of these recipes call for simple syrup. You can make a batch of your own simple syrup using our simple simple syrup recipe. It's SO simple, truly!
🧊 Essential bar tools
To make any of these tasty cocktails, you'll need simply a few classic cocktail bar tools:
- Champagne glasses – We prefer the tulip glasses to flutes.
- Highball glasses – you can use highball glasses like these for some of the cocktails
- Cocktail shaker – If you get a cocktail making set, you usually get the shaker, strainer, juicer, stirrer, and more.
- Bitters – you'll find angostura bitters in many of these cocktails
🍽 New Year's Eve appetizer recipes
To go with these celebratory cocktails, consider making one or more of these tasty appetizers. Perfect appetizers to go with a great cocktail at your next party!
- Curry Chicken Salad with Grapes
- Marinated Feta Cheese
- Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese
- Smoked Salmon Artichoke Dip
- Gougere Bites (Dairy-Free Cheese Puffs)
- Meatballs with Romesco Sauce
- Antipasto Skewers
- Crostini with Ricotta and Berries
- Cranberry Meatballs
Hope you all have a happy, fun, and safe New Year's Eve celebration! Please remember to drink responsibly. Plan ahead to have an Uber, Lyft, taxi, or a sober friend as a designated driver to take you to and from your NYE festivities.
Did you make any of these recipes? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating and comment below letting us know which one you made and how it turned out. Thank you!
More cocktail recipes
This post was first published December 26, 2018. It was updated and republished December 28, 2020, with additional New Year's cocktails, photos, and details.
