30 New Years Eve Drinks & Cocktails

Here’s the easiest New Years drink with the most stunning result: the classic Champagne cocktail! Are you celebrating the new year? Because this is the drink for you. Adding a sugar cube to champagne makes a fountain of bubbles that positively sparkles! It takes any party to celebration status with just a few simple ingredients.

Oh hello, Espresso Martini. The 1980’s cocktail vaulted back into popularity in 2021, and it’s easy to see why. Bittersweet coffee pairs perfectly with the rich sweetness of Kahlua. Add vodka and the trio makes a full-flavored sophisticated drink that’s cool, frothy, and bittersweet.

Want an easy drink that’s festive and sophisticated? There’s nothing better as a New Years cocktail than a Kir Royale! This famous French cocktail stars black currant liqueur and sparkling wine: and the berries and bubbles suit each other perfectly. The best cocktail recipes are simple perfection, and there’s nothing better than this 2 ingredient combination. Here are a few tricks to making the very best Kir Royale.

Here’s one of the most sophisticated and refreshing New Years cocktails out there: a French 75! It’s got a mysterious name, but it’s made with a few simple ingredients. It’s tangy, bubbly, and a bit botanical, and it makes every occasion more festive! Really, any occasion is better with this drink in hand.

Looking for a cocktail to please a chocoholic? Try this chocolate martini recipe! This drink is rich and creamy, basically a dessert in a glass. It stars Irish cream and creme de cacao for maximum flavor, like the liquid version of your favorite chocolate bar. Mix this up as an after dinner drink to impress guests, or anytime you need a sweet treat in cocktail form. 

Here’s an effortlessly easy New Years Eve cocktail: Chambord and Champagne! These two go together like one of those famous pairings: tomatoes and basil, peaches and cream or peanut butter and jelly. Simply mix the raspberry liqueur with bubbles and you’ve got a sophisticated Chambord cocktail perfect for celebrations of all kinds. The bubbly sweet tart flavor is refreshing and unexpectedly nuanced for two ingredients.

A fun New Years cocktail is the cranberry Aperol spritz! It's sweet tart, fruity, and even tastier than a standard Aperol spritz (we think)! It’s simple to make and looks stunning—the idea signature drink for parties or a cozy evening. As a mocktail version, make our Cranberry Orange Mocktail.

Looking for a festive drink? Try the French 77! This champagne cocktail is a spin on the classic French 75 that adds St Germain elderflower liqueur. And dare we say it: it makes this classic cocktail even better. It’s bubbly and effervescent, with the floral undertones and the zing of fresh lemon juice.

Meet the Negroni Sbagliato, a mixed up version of the classic cocktail using sparkling wine instead of gin. The lightly sweet Prosecco against the bitter Campari and sweet vermouth makes for a better balanced flavor than with gin. This Negroni spin-off has gone from relatively unknown to trending recently, and for good reason. Who can resist a little bubbly?

Try this sparkling Champagne Punch! Bubbly wine is ideal for a punch because of its effervescent bubbles. This beautiful bowl is full of flavor, pairing sparkling wine with ginger ale, orange liqueur and fruity pineapple juice. Each sip is enormously refreshing! Even better, you can make this with any type of sparkling wine: in fact, our preference is Prosecco.

Here’s an impressive New Years drink: the Pomegranate Gin Fizz! The Gin Fizz is one of our favorite classic cocktails: sweet tart and refreshing, with a festive egg white foam. Take it over the top with this pomegranate spin: it elevates the sweet tart flavor and gives the drink a brilliant jewel-toned color!

Looking for a signature New Years Eve drink featuring cranberry and orange? Try this Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail! It’s balanced, sweet tart, and complex, fruity with intriguing notes from sweet vermouth.

The French 75 is one of our favorite cocktails, so it’s high time we’ve discovered its vodka-based cousin. Meet the French 76! This classy cocktail is just as sophisticated as its cousin drink, using vodka instead of the traditional gin. It’s got a light, bright flavor and effervescent bubbles: ideal for any time you need a festive signature drink. 

You don't only need bubbly for New Years drinks! Try this Pomegranate Margarita! Sweet tart pomegranate juice pairs perfectly with tequila and lime, balanced with the orange perfume of Cointreau. You can use either pomegranate juice or fresh-squeezed juice from the fruit, making it perfect for whatever you have on hand. It’s a great winter cocktail for when pomegranate is in season: but honestly: we drink it anytime.

Here's a sophisticated, boozy New Year's drink: the Oaxaca Old Fashioned! This modern classic cocktail is the pristine union of smoky mezcal, tequila, sweet agave and chocolate bitters. Take one sip, and you’ll take your hat off to the bartender who cooked this one up in 2007. This one’s already solidified itself in the cocktail lexicon and for good reason: it’s just that perfect.

Here’s a drink that takes just 2 minutes and hits the spot in any season: the White Russian! This cocktail mixes vodka with coffee liqueur and cream in a decadently creamy, searingly sweet beverage. You may know it from the 1990’s movie The Big Lebowski, but this drink has been around since the 1950’s. It’s a total treat, and couldn’t be easier to make!

Also try: Peppermint White Russian or Baileys White Russian

The Naked and Famous cocktail is as impressive as its name…from first sip! It’s got only four ingredients but beautifully balanced, the perfect harmony of smoky, citrus, bitter and sweet. This modern cocktail was created in 2011, but it’s got nods to the past alluding to a historic cocktail that we know and love. It’s crisp, fresh, modern with a retro flair…in fact, it might be kind of perfect.

Here’s one of the most stunning and unique cocktails out there: the New York Sour! This spin on the Whiskey Sour takes the classic up two notches. First you have the whiskey sour layer: sweet tart and perfectly balanced. Float a layer of red wine over the top and it adds intrigue, complexity, and a fruity acidity: not to mention a stunning vibrant two-toned layer.

Another New Years drink without bubbles: the French Martini! This martini is hardly related to the classic dry martini at all. It’s a fruity and balanced, featuring a fancy French black raspberry liqueur (Chambord) and pineapple juice. Each sip is so intriguing and nuanced, it’s hard to put the glass down! This one’s become a favorite over here.

Here’s one of the best classic cocktails of all time that's perfect as a New Years drink: the Sidecar! This drink is perfectly balanced between sweet and tart, with a boozy edge from the Cognac and a citrus essence from orange liqueur. It’s a complex and layered drink: warm, crisp, dry, rich, and full at the same time.

Here’s a drink that’s made for New Years celebrations: a St Germain champagne cocktail! It’s sophisticated and refreshing: floral, botanical, tangy, and bubbly all at once. If you’ve never purchased a bottle of St Germain, now’s the time! This bottle of fancy liqueur should be part of your alcohol arsenal. Try this cocktail for holiday parties, New Year’s Eve, or celebrating getting that big promotion or anniversary.

Want to whip up a Brandy Alexander? Making this creamy, boozy delight is easier than you think. This sophisticated cocktail wasn’t on our radar until we started mixing up dessert drinks along with our regular fare. The Alexander is equal parts creamy, intriguing, and delicious: a mix of Cognac with cocoa liqueur. 

Another New Years Eve drink without champagne: a Cranberry Martini! Here’s a tasty, sweet tart spin on the vodka martini that you’ve got to try: the Cranberry Martini! It’s refreshing, zingy and perfectly balanced, starring Cointreau orange liqueur and fresh lemon juice. PS if you think this drink bears a striking resemblance to the classic cocktail the Cosmopolitan, you’re right.

Let's move on to New Years Day cocktails! There's nothing better than the classic Mimosa: it wins the award for the best brunch drink! How to make a perfect mimosa? Use Prosecco instead of champagne for a sweeter, nuanced flavor! Use it with a heavy hand, and add a dash of orange liqueur. It’s tart, just sweet enough, and bubbly as all get out. 

Here’s a sparkling cocktail that’s full of beautiful fresh flavor: the Bellini! The bellini is a classic cocktail that comes from Italy. The combination of bubbly Prosecco and sweet peaches couldn’t be more refreshing! And of course, it’s natural for brunch like its cousin the mimosa. In winter, use a storebought version of peach puree instead of homemade.

Need an easy New Years Day brunch cocktail that looks impressive? Try the Vodka Sunrise! This layered cocktail looks like a gradient of a summer sunrise, and it’s ideal for brunch or a laid back afternoon drink. The way that orange juice fades into bright pink grenadine is truly magical. All you need are three ingredients for this spin on the classic Tequila Sunrise.

What's better as a New Years drink for brunch than a great Bloody Mary? We’ve spent a considerable amount of time tweaking this Bloody Mary mix recipe to perfection. Turns out, making the absolute perfect version of this classic cocktail requires a few secrets. Here’s how to make the best Bloody Mary: savory, spicy, tangy, and salty all at once. 

Also try: 5 Bloody Mary Variations!

When it comes to festive cocktails…well, this one might take the cake. Try this Pomegranate Mimosa! The combination of sweet tart pomegranate, orange perfume and airy bubbles is one of the most satisfying in our list of 200+ cocktail recipes. In fact, you can even serve it as a New Years Eve cocktail and call it Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail or Pomegranate Prosecco Sparkler!

Here's a fun New Years day cocktail: the Red Snapper! The name doesn’t betray this drink: though it’s both red and snappy. But it’s holding a secret: it’s essentially a classic Bloody Mary with gin. Switching out the vodka leads to a whole new drink: savory, spicy, tangy, spicy, with a hint of botanical on the finish from the gin. It’s a fun variation on the standard: and even more so to surprise everyone with this unique spin.

Last up in our New Years drinks: a brilliant brunch drink that works for any season. Try the Cranberry Mimosa! Tart cranberry is an ideal pairing for subtly sweet orange juice. Pair the two and the glass is full of fiery red color and crisp flavor. It’s bubbly, it’s refreshing, and it’s downright fun. It’s easy as pie to mix up and perfect for entertaining.