As the New Year draws near, it’s essential for me to concoct the ideal cocktail to ring in another trip around the sun. I figure most people probably do the same.
While (bold and bright) citrus is definitely having a moment, and pomegranate seems to be the go-to mixer of the season, I’m still a fan of the solid, tried-and-true cocktail recipes of my drink-making ancestors. So for this post, I present you some of the originals and some with a twist.
One tip is if you hit the right amount of juice, the right kind of mixer, and the right base spirit, and if you make it effervescent, you’ve got a good cocktail that anyone can enjoy.
So here we go!
The 12 Best New Years Cocktails
1. Champagne Cocktail
Bringing together elegance and simplicity, a Champagne Cocktail is perfect for any celebration. A sugar cube soaked in Angostura bitters turns into a delightful spectacle as it meets the effervescence of champagne or sparkling wine.
The addition of brandy really gives the drink some depth, while the twist of either lemon or orange adds a finishing touch that really lets you know you’ve reached cocktail o’clock.
Ingredients
Champagne or sparkling wine
1 sugar cube
Angostura bitters
Lemon or orange twist (for garnish)
Optional: 1 oz of brandy
Instructions
1. Put a sugar cube at the base of a champagne flute.
2. Place a sugar cube into a glass. It is better to use a rocks glass. This will be a nice glass to hold and look at, and it will have the right heft to balance your hand while you stir. On the sugar cube, dash a few dashes of Angostura bitters. Allow the bitters to soak into the sugar.
3. If you want a richer flavor, you can add 1 oz of brandy to the flute.
4. Carefully pour well-chilled champagne or sparkling wine over the sugar cube so that the glass is filled but not overflowing.
5. Twist the peel of a lemon or orange over the glass to release the oils, then drop it in to garnish.
6. Enjoy your festive cocktail by serving it immediately!
2. New Year’s Sparkler
I adore the New Year’s Sparkler for how it melds the effervescent sophistication of sparkling wine with the tartness of cranberry juice and orange liqueur. It is such a charming cocktail, served in a flute with fresh cranberries and an orange twist.
Ingredients
3 ounces sparkling wine or champagne
1 ounce cranberry juice
1 ounce orange liqueur (such as Cointreau or Triple Sec)
Fresh cranberries, for garnish
Orange twist or slice, for garnish
Instructions
1. Prior to assembling the cocktail, chill the sparkling wine or champagne completely.
2. In a champagne flute or a wine glass, combine the cranberry juice and orange liqueur.
3. Combine the cranberry juice and orange liqueur together gently.
4. Gradually pour the cold sparkling wine or champagne into the mixture.
5. Dress the beverage with several whole cranberries and a citrus twist or slice of orange.
6. As soon as the drink is effervescent, serve it up and enjoy your New Year’s Sparkler!
3. Midnight Martini
In my opinion, the Midnight Martini is a cocktail that exudes sophistication. Ingredients combine to make the drink not just delicious but also sultry, smooth, and rich in flavor.
Vodka provides the perfect base from which the alluring aromas waft upward. Coffee liqueur gives the cocktail its depth, while crème de cacao adds sweetness.
When made with high-quality ingredients, this cocktail is an indulgence that I find worth every calorie.
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz vodka
1 oz coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa or Tia Maria)
1/2 oz crème de cacao
Lemon twist or coffee beans (for garnish)
Ice cubes
Instructions
1. Ice cubes should be used to fill a cocktail shaker.
2. Add the vodka, the coffee liqueur and the crème de cacao in the shaker.
3. Mix thoroughly until the combination is cold and refreshing.
4. Pour the mixture carefully into a chilled martini glass, leaving the solids behind.
5. Add a lemon twist or a couple of coffee beans to use as a garnish.
6. Serve immediately and take pleasure in your Midnight Martini!
4. Festive Fizz
The Festive Fizz combines the classic appeal of gin with the winy floral notes of elderflower liqueur and a splash of fresh lemon juice. Topped with bubbly prosecco, it’s a sparkling choice for your next celebration.
I love the garnish of a lemon twist and a sprig of rosemary; it adds a beautiful touch and makes the drink feel even more special.
Ingredients
1 oz gin
1/2 oz elderflower liqueur
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
4 oz prosecco
Lemon twist, for garnish
Fresh rosemary sprig, for garnish
Instructions
1. In a cocktail shaker, mix the gin, elderflower liqueur, and fresh lemon juice.
2. The shaker should be filled with ice, and it must be well shaken for about 20 seconds until chill-ridden.
3. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into a champagne flute.
4. Gently pouring prosecco on top.
5. Add a lemon twist and a sprig of fresh rosemary for garnish.
6. Enjoy your Festive Fizz, served right away, in all its sparkling glory.
5. Celebration Sangria
Vibrant and refreshing, Celebration Sangria offers a beguiling blend of dry red wine, orange juice, and a splash of brandy. It invites the addition of fresh cranberries and slices of citrus fruit to the party.
With a touch of club soda, it becomes a truly bubbly occasion. Whether it’s shared at a gathering or savored at home in solitude, the drink is, indeed, worthy of a party.
Ingredients
1 bottle of dry red wine (750 ml)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup triple sec
1/4 cup simple syrup (more or less to taste)
1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced
1 apple, cored and sliced
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup club soda (optional, for a bit of fizz)
Instructions
1. In a big pitcher, mix the red wine, orange juice, brandy, triple sec, and simple syrup. Mix well.
2. In the pitcher, add the orange, lemon, lime, apple, and cranberries. Give it a good stir to mix and help release the flavors of the fruit.
3. Allow the flavors to meld by refrigerating for the minimum of 2 hours. For optimal results, chill it overnight.
4. Taste before serving and adjust the sweetness with more simple syrup if you like.
5. If you want some fizz, add the club soda just before you serve.
6. New Year’s Negroni
There’s nothing like welcoming the New Year with a traditional mix of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. This vibrant cocktail is dressed up in an expressive orange twist that complements its even bolder red hue.
Its richness and brightness make it an ideal way to toast what is sure to be good year ahead. And to be clear: This is a totally simple classic.
Ingredients
1 oz gin
1 oz Campari
1 oz sweet vermouth
Orange twist, for garnish
Ice cubes
Instructions
1. Cube ice in a mixing glass.
2. Pour the gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth into the mixing glass.
3. Combine the ingredients well by stirring and then chill them.
4. The mixture should be put through a fine-mesh strainer into a rocks glass that is as chilled as the ice it contains.
5. To garnish with an orange twist, first express the oils from the orange twist over the drink. Then drop the twist into the drink, making it ready for serving.
7. Glittering Prosecco Punch
I love the creation of a drink when I hold a gathering, and one I love is cocktail effervescing with chilled Prosecco, sharp cranberry juice, and a dart of orange liqueur. This recipe has yet to let me down, and it has solidified its place among my reliable go-tos.
One other detail that makes this drink one of the more fun cocktail experiences is simply what it looks like. Sharp garnishes with fresh cranberries and citrus slices make a drink table look as though it has really come alive for the occasion at hand.
Ingredients
1 bottle of Prosecco, chilled
1 cup of white grape juice, chilled
1/2 cup of cranberry juice, chilled
1/4 cup of vodka
1/4 cup of orange liqueur (such as Cointreau or Triple Sec)
Slices of oranges and limes for garnish
Fresh cranberries for garnish
Ice cubes
Instructions
1. In a spacious punch bowl, mix the well-chilled Prosecco and the white grape juice.
2. To the punch bowl, add the cranberry juice, vodka, and orange liqueur, gently stirring to combine.
3. Keep the punch cold by filling the punch bowl with ice cubes.
4. Add slices of oranges, limes, and fresh cranberries to the punch as a garnish.
5. Gently stir all the components to blend them together, and if necessary, adjust the garnishes.
6. Immediately serve in glasses, making certain that each glass contains a piece of fruit to garnish.
8. Resolution Royale
I enjoy investigating one-of-a-kind libations, and the Resolution Royale stands out as a fascinating concoction. It blends gin, elderflower liqueur, and fresh lemon juice with a subtle touch of Angostura bitters.
Crowned with chilled Champagne, it is a cocktail of liquid sophistication, garnished with a straight twist of lemon peel.
Ingredients
- 1 oz gin
- 0.5 oz elderflower liqueur
- 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- 3 oz chilled Champagne or sparkling wine
- Lemon twist, for garnish
Instructions
1. In a shaker, mix together gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and Angostura bitters.
2. Place ice in the shaker and shake vigorously until sufficiently cold.
3. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a Champagne flute or coupe.
4. Crown with chilled Champagne or sparkling wine.
5. Stir gently to combine.
6. Before serving, add a lemon twist to the drink as a garnish.
9. Eve’s Elixir
Eve’s Elixir is a stylish cocktail that combines gin, elderflower liqueur, and the tartness of cranberry juice, making it lovely for any celebration. I like to add some fresh lime juice and top it off with sparkling wine, but you could make it a true cocktail and leave out the bubbles, using that much more gin instead.
Either way, you’d be right to call it a bang-up drink for those fancy occasions. Garnish with a lime wheel and some fresh cranberries for a really elegant look.
Ingredients
1 oz gin
1 oz elderflower liqueur
1 oz cranberry juice
0.5 oz fresh lime juice
Sparkling wine (to top up)
Lime wheel (for garnish)
Fresh cranberries (for garnish)
Instructions
1. In a cocktail shaker, mix the gin, liqueur, cranberry juice, and lime juice with ice.
2. Mix the ingredients thoroughly until cold, 15-20 seconds.
3. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a champagne flute or a cocktail glass.
4. Fill the glass with the bubbly to give it a festive fizz.
5. Lime wheel and fresh cranberries for garnish are nice touches. Serve as soon as it’s mixed.
10. Countdown Cosmo
I love preparing a classic cosmopolitan, achieving a precise and perfect mix of vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, and freshly pressed lime juice. Shaken over ice until thoroughly chilled, it is a cocktail that is as refreshing as it is delightful.
Ingredients
2 oz vodka
1 oz orange liqueur (such as Cointreau or Triple Sec)
1 oz cranberry juice
0.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
Lime twist or cranberries, for garnish
Ice cubes#
Instructions
1. Ice cubes should fill a shaker when three-quarters full with a shaker.
2. To the shaker, add the vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, and fresh lime juice.
3. Fasten the lid on the shaker and shake with vigor for about 15 seconds until thoroughly chilled.
4. Pour the mixture into a cocktail glass that has been chilled.
5. Add a lime twist or cranberries as a garnish.
6. Enjoy your Countdown Cosmo the moment it’s prepared!
11. Fireworks Fizz
I find the Fireworks Fizz to be a visually appealing, refreshing cocktail. It combines vodka, blue curacao, and cranberry juice, topped with lemon-lime soda.
The colors of the drink remind me of fireworks, which I think makes it perfect for celebrating. Its construction is simple, consisting of just four ingredients, and I find it quite easy to garnish.
To me, it looks beautifully set up with either a lemon slice or a cherry.
Ingredients
1 oz vodka
1 oz blue curacao
1 oz cranberry juice
1 oz lemon-lime soda
Ice cubes
Lemon slice or cherry for garnish
Instructions
1. Ice cubes should be used to fill a cocktail shaker.
2. Add the vodka, the blue curaçao and the cranberry juice in the shaker.
3. Shake well until the mixture is chilled.
4. Pour the mixture into a cold glass filled with ice, then strain it.
5. Complete with lemon-lime soda.
6. Before serving, garnish with either a slice of lemon or a cherry.
12. Ball Drop Bellini
I value the uncomplicated nature and straightforward refinement of the Ball Drop Bellini. This cocktail, is made with pear liqueur, thoroughly shaken lemon juice, and white peach puree, topped off with chilled prosecco.
Ingredients
1 ounce pear liqueur
0.5 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
0.5 ounce white peach puree
Prosecco, chilled
Thin slice of pear, for garnish
Instructions
1. In a champagne flute, mix together the pear liqueur, the juice of one lemon, and white peach puree.
2. Gently stir the ingredients to mix them.
3. Finish mixing in the chilled prosecco, and pour slowly so as not to lose the bubbles.
4. Lightly stir once more to combine all the ingredients.
5. Add a thin slice of pear to the rim of the glass for garnish.
6. Immediately serve and delight in your invigorating Ball Drop Bellini.
