When New Year’s Eve approaches, I take great joy in preparing cocktails that are worthy of toasting the new year. Whether they are bubbly champagne cocktails or drams of whiskey, I know the mood calls for an elixir for every taste and flavor.
This year, I’ve chosen fresh ingredients to keep my drinks vibrant and visually stunning. I’m zesting like there’s no tomorrow and using a good amount of citrus in the Following cocktails.
I want to keep the year sweet but still looking top notch as I’m mellowing and mixing with good ol’ Elderflower liqueur in a couple of these drinks.
The 18 Best New Years Eve Drinks
1. Champagne Cocktail
One cocktail I savor is a sparkling blend of sweet and aromatic bitter. It begins with a sugar cube, which I soak in Angostura bitters, and then I top that off with chilled Champagne.
This elegant drink, which I garnish with a twist of lemon or orange, is something I reserve for special occasions.
Ingredients
1 sugar cube
Angostura bitters
Chilled Champagne
Lemon or orange twist (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Invert a champagne flute and place a sugar cube on the bottom of the flute.
2. Soak the sugar cube with several dashes of Angostura bitters.
3. Champagne that has been adequately chilled should be poured slowly over the sugar cube in the glass until the glass is nearly full.
4. Let the champagne settle for a moment while the sugar cube dissolves.
5. Add a lemon or orange twist for garnish.
6. Enjoy your festive drink straightaway and serve it in all its glory.
2. Classic Mojito
I value the straightforward nature of a mojito. It takes mint, lime, and white rum to make a drink that is as simple as it is delicious, as thoroughly invigorating as a classic cocktail can be.
I find that fresh mint adds a whole new level of delight to the simple syrup and lime juice that form the base of many warm-weather sours. Indeed, a splash of club soda turns a muddled mint mojito into a truly delightful refreshing drink on a warm day.
Ingredients
10 fresh mint leaves, plus extra for garnish
1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges
2 tablespoons white sugar, or to taste
1 cup ice cubes
1 1/2 ounces white rum
1/2 cup club soda
Instructions
1. Put the mint leaves and 1 lime wedge in a strong glass. Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime to release the oils from the mint and the juice from the lime.
2. Add another 2 lime wedges, and the sugar, and muddle again to get the lime juice to come out. Do not strain the mixture.
3. Nearly fill the glass to the brim with ice cubes.
4. Pour the rum over the ice, and fill the glass with soda water.
5. Mix, sample, and add further sugar if you prefer sweetness.
6. Add the last lime wedge and a few mint leaves to your cocktail, and enjoy.
3. Cosmopolitan
The Cosmopolitan is an iconic cocktail that unites vodka, triple sec, fresh lime juice, and cranberry juice. I appreciate how these ingredients reach a perfect equilibrium of sweetness and zing.
This classic drink, often topped with a lime or orange twist, has a look and taste that are forever in vogue.
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz vodka
1 oz triple sec (such as Cointreau)
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/4 oz cranberry juice
Lime or orange twist, for garnish
Instructions
1. Add ice to a cocktail shaker.
2. In the shaker, combine the vodka, triple sec, fresh lime juice, and cranberry juice.
3. Shake the blend very well until everything is really cold. This will take about 20-30 seconds.
4. Pour the cocktail into a bone-dry, frosted martini glass.
5. Just before serving, give it a touch with a lime or orange twist.
4. French 75
The elegance of a French 75 cocktail is something I admire. It combines the bright, crisp flavor of gin with that of fresh lemon juice.
There is a touch of simple syrup in there, too—just enough to keep the drink balanced. And where this cocktail really shines, I think, is in the final step: it’s topped with actual Champagne.
Ingredients
2 oz gin
1 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz simple syrup
2 oz Champagne
Lemon twist, for garnish
Ice
Instructions
1. In a cocktail shaker, put together the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
2. The shaker should be filled with ice, and then it should be shaken vigorously until the contents are thoroughly mixed and well chilled.
3. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into a champagne flute.
4. Finish with Champagne, stirring gently to combine.
5. Add a lemon twist as a garnish.
6. Enjoy your French 75! Serve without delay.
5. Classic Martini
The never-ending gracefulness of a classic martini is something that I adore. This cocktail, with its uncomplicated yet sophisticated duet of gin and dry vermouth, embodies a nearly perfect mix of minimalism and elegance.
And whether it’s graced with a lemon twist or a green olive, a martini is a drink that exudes class in any kind of setting.
Ingredients
2 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz dry vermouth
Ice cubes
Lemon twist or green olive (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Fill a martini glass with ice water and set it aside to chill.
2. In a mixing glass filled with ice, the gin and dry vermouth are combined.
3. For approximately 30 seconds, stir the amalgam until it is thoroughly chilled.
4. Throw away the water ice from the martini glass that has been chilled.
5. Pour the mixture into the cold martini glass and allow it to settle.
6. Either a lemon twist or a green olive can be used as a garnish. Serve promptly.
6. Bellini
I adore initiating a brunch with a bright, crisp Bellini. This classic Italian cocktail is made with ripe white peaches, a whisper of lemon juice, and the bubbly Italian wine Prosecco.
Their drink’s elegant simplicity and impressive taste make it a fantastic choice for any occasion or celebration, and New Years is perfect!
Ingredients
2 ripe white peaches
2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
1 bottle chilled Prosecco
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Ice cubes (optional)
Instructions
1. Remove the skins from the white peaches, take out the pits, and blend the flesh in a blender until it is completely smooth. Add sugar if you’d like; it might be necessary, depending on how sweet the peaches are.
2. The peach puree should be passed through a fine mesh sieve so that none of the pulp remains, and the mixture is as smooth as can be.
3. Pour the peach purée into a well-chilled champagne glass, filling it until just over one-third full..
4. Combine the peach puree and the fresh lemon juice, and stir gently to amalgamate.
5. Gradually fill the flute with the chilled Prosecco, letting it flow over the back of the spoon to keep the layers distinct. If you find it necessary, stir gently to ensure an even mixture.
6. Add an ice cube, if desired, to maintain an extra cool temperature, and serve without delay.
7. Whiskey Sour
The unwavering and simple delight of a Whiskey Sour appeals to me. It is a straight-ahead cocktail that combines bourbon or rye with lemon juice, fresh from the squeeze, and simple syrup.
Often garnished with a maraschino cherry and lemon twist, this drink has a dandy sort of refreshing quality. One might say it is a cool drink for a hot day or a hot drink for a cool day.
Ingredients
2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
3/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
Ice cubes
Maraschino cherry (optional, for garnish)
Lemon slice or twist (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
1. Stuff a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
2. To the shaker, add the whiskey, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup.
3. Enclose the lid on the shaker, and shake it with purpose for about 10-15 seconds.
4. Pour the blend into a chilled rocks glass over fresh ice.
5. If you want, you can finish off with a lemon slice or twist and a maraschino cherry.
6. Immediately serve and enjoy.
8. Moscow Mule
A classic cocktail that I enjoy offers the delightful combination of simplicity and refreshment, uniting vodka, freshly squeezed lime juice, and ginger beer in a well-known drink that is typically served in a copper mug over ice.
The drink is very good with well-made ginger beer, and it is excellent when garnished with fresh, unblemished lime wedges and tender mint leaves.
Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 oz ginger beer
- Ice cubes
- Lime wedges, for garnish
- Fresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Take a copper mug or a suitable glass and fill it with cubes of ice.
2. Pour 2 oz of vodka in the glass.
3. Incorporate 1 oz of lime juice that has recently been squeezed from a lime.
4. Finish by adding 4 oz of ginger beer.
5. Gently stir to mix.
6. Serve at once, garnished with a lime wedge and, if you’re using it, fresh mint leaves.
9. Old Fashioned
A cocktail that I consider to be a classic and timeless is the Old Fashioned. It contains few ingredients but requires some knowledge of techniques, and the whiskey selection in particular is pretty important.
You can use bourbon or rye, and I generally tell people to use whatever they enjoy drinking because you’ll taste it more or less front and center.
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
- 1 sugar cube
- 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
- Few dashes of plain water
- Orange peel (for garnish)
- Cherry (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
1. Put the sugar cube into an Old Fashioned glass.
2. Incorporate the Angostura bitters into the sugar cube.
3. To the glass, add a few dashes of plain water.
4. Dissolve the sugar in bitters and water using muddling.
5. Place a large ice cube or several smaller ones into the glass.
6. It’s time to pour the bourbon or rye whiskey over the ice and stir well.
7. If you prefer, you can garnish with a cherry. Either way, you want to finish this delicious cocktail by expressing the oils in an orange peel over the drink. Then, give it a good stir and enjoy.
10. Negroni
The classic Negroni, a cocktail that combines gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, is one I hold dear. To prepare it, simply mix equal parts of those three ingredients, stir with ice, and serve over fresh ice.
The garnish—a simple twist of orange peel—adds an aroma that complements the drink beautifully. While I wouldn’t classify a Negroni as a “party drink,” it certainly exudes the sort of elegance that makes any gathering feel a little more sophisticated.
Ingredients
Gin
Campari
Sweet vermouth
Ice
Orange peel (for garnish)
Instructions
1. A mixing glass should be filled with ice cubes.
2. Combine one part gin, one part Campari, and one part sweet vermouth in the mixing glass.
3. Mix the components thoroughly until they are cold.
4. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a glass that is filled with fresh ice and has been chilled beforehand.
5. Add a twist of orange peel to garnish.
11. Aperol Spritz
The elegance of Prosecco combined with the distinctive touch of Aperol and finished with a splash of soda water makes for a delightful drink that could be served on any occasion. My ingredients always include ice and an orange slice as a garnish.
These constitute the basis of an equally vibrant and refreshing drink: the Aperol Spritz.
Ingredients
3 ounces Prosecco
2 ounces Aperol
1 ounce soda water
Ice cubes
Orange slice for garnish
Instructions
1. Generously fill a wine glass with ice cubes.
2. Pour 3 ounces of Prosecco over the ice
3. To the glass, add 2 ounces of Aperol.
4. Combine the mixture with 1 ounce of soda water.
5. Gently stir to combine the ingredients.
6. Decorate with an orange slice on the rim of the glass or within the drink.
12. Pomegranate Mimosa
My favorite drink to create for fancy get-togethers is the Pomegranate Mimosa, an ideal choice for festive gatherings, even in the middle of winter. This stunning cocktail calls for just three ingredients: chilled pomegranate juice, a splash of orange liqueur, and the pièce de résistance, prosecco.
The drink is garnished with both pomegranate arils and a fresh orange slice.
Ingredients
Pomegranate juice
Prosecco or champagne
Pomegranate arils (seeds)
Orange liqueur (such as Triple Sec or Cointreau)
Fresh orange slices (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
1. Refrigerate your pomegranate juice and prosecco or champagne until they are very cold.
2. Pour approximately 1 ounce of pomegranate juice into a champagne flute.
3. To the flute, add a splash of orange liqueur, about 0.5 ounces.
4. With delicate care, complete the filling of the glass with prosecco or champagne, allowing the liquid to flow gently without incident.
5. Add a few pomegranate seeds and, if you like, an orange slice to the rim of the glass for garnish.
6. Enjoy this festive drink as you ring in the New Year; serve it up right, and pronto!
13. Sangria
Sangria is one of my favorite punches. There’s nothing like a delicious, refreshing Spanish drink when the sun is blazing down.
Sangria is simple in concept—a mixture of red wine and other spirits like brandy and orange liqueur—but it works so well because the ingredients combine beautifully and each one of them plays a role in the overall flavor profile. Fresh seasonal fruit is a must in Sangria, and our Sangria features juicy, vibrant navel oranges, as well as sweet and tart seasonal apples.
Ingredients
1 bottle of red wine (750 ml, a Spanish wine like Tempranillo or Garnacha is preferred)
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup orange liqueur (such as Triple Sec or Cointreau)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced
1 apple, cored and diced
1 cup club soda or sparkling water
Ice cubes
Instructions
1. In a large pitcher, mix together the red wine, brandy, and orange liqueur.
2. To the mixture, add the sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved.
3. In the pitcher, add the sliced orange, lemon, and lime, along with the diced apple.
4. Let the sangria sit in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. This will give the flavors a chance to meld together.
5. Right before serving, mix in the club soda or sparkling water and add ice cubes to cool it down.
6. In glasses, serve the sangria, garnished with some of the fruit.
14. Gin Fizz
I adore the invigorating combination of gin, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup in a Gin Fizz. The aquafaba (or egg white) adds a luxuriously silky froth, and the club soda delivers a refreshing finish.
Garnished with a lemon twist, this is a cocktail that’s as much a part of the great American bar as a hot dog is a part of the street fair. It’s a cocktail that’s classically potent, yet somehow also very refreshing.
Ingredients
2 ounces gin
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup
1 tablespoon aquafaba (or one egg white)
Club soda
Lemon twist (for garnish)
Instructions
1. In a cocktail shaker without ice, mix the gin with freshly squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba (or egg white).
2. Vigorously shake the blend for approximately 15 seconds to achieve the emulsion of the ingredients and to produce a frothy texture.
3. Place ice in the shaker and shake once more. Do this until the mixture is well chilled, and it should take about 15-20 seconds.
4. Pour the mixture into a chilled highball or Collins glass and then get rid of the unused mixture.
5. Finish by adding club soda, and stir in a gentle motion to mix the liquid.
6. Add a lemon twist as a garnish and serve it right away.
15. Margarita
A Margarita in the classic sense is a cocktail that I always link with sparkling get-togethers and balmy nights. It is a brilliant balance of tequila, Cointreau, and fresh lime juice, and it is a drink that, even on the rocks, enjoys an excellent coastal stroll.
I frequently admire mine with a salted rim and a lime wedge, as anywhere I go should dose I should expect tradition to be served. But its a fun touch on a New Years eve!
Ingredients
2 ounces tequila
1 ounce Cointreau or triple sec
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup (optional)
Ice cubes
Lime wedge or wheel, for garnish
Coarse salt, for rimming the glass (optional)
Instructions
1. Juice a lime and use it to wet the edge of a margarita glass that has been chilled. Dip the rim of the glass into coarse salt.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the tequila, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup (if you’re using it).
3. Add ice cubes to the shaker and shake with vigor for about 15-20 seconds.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared glass over fresh ice.
5. Add a lime wedge or wheel for garnish.
6. Enjoy your classic Margarita! Serve it right away, and you’ll have the best taste from this recipe.
16. Rum Punch
I love mixing a Rum Punch. A hint of grenadine and a dash of Angostura bitters bring out the vibrant colors in this dangerously delicious concoction.
I appreciate the colorful presentation, enhanced by orange slices and maraschino cherries.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups light rum
1 1/4 cups dark rum
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup grenadine
1/4 cup simple syrup
Dash of Angostura bitters
Orange slices, for garnish
Maraschino cherries, for garnish
Grated nutmeg, for garnish
Ice cubes
Instructions
1. In a sizable punch bowl, amalgamate the light rum, dark rum, lime juice, pineapple juice, orange juice, grenadine, and simple syrup. Stir well to ensure the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
2. To the punch mixture, add a dash of Angostura bitters, and stir once more to mix.
3. To chill the punch, fill the punch bowl with ice cubes and add the punch. Stir occasionally to ensure even chilling.
4. Sample the punch and tweak the sweetness with extra simple syrup if you like it sweeter, using that as your indicator for what’s right for you.
5. For added flavor and visual appeal, the punch can be garnished with orange slices and maraschino cherries.
6. Pour the Rum Punch into ice-filled glasses and then add a touch of freshly grated nutmeg to each one. Give the whole thing a moment to settle, and then enjoy.
17. Bloody Mary
I value the timeless charm of a Bloody Mary. This cocktail combines vodka with a hearty ensemble of tomato and lemon juice, made vibrant with dashes of Worcestershire and hot sauce.
Poured over ice and artistically garnished with a celery stalk or pickle spear, a lemon wedge, and some olives, it remains a top-tier, crowd-pleasing selection for mid-morning libations.
Ingredients
Vodka
Tomato juice (about 3 parts to 1 part vodka)
Lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce
Ground black pepper
Celery salt
Horseradish
Celery stalk or pickle spear for garnish
Lemon wedge for garnish
Olives for garnish
Instructions
1. A shaker should be filled with ice cubes.
2. Pour in the vodka, then the tomato juice, and finish with a tiny drizzle of lemon juice.
3. Sprinkle in a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, ground black pepper, and celery salt.
4. Mix or shake thoroughly for a complete combination.
5. Pour into a glass filled with ice and garnish with a fancy celery stalk or a spear of pickled vegetables. A wedge of lemon and a handful of olives make excellent accompaniments.
18. Kir Royale
Kir Royale is an elegant, classic cocktail that I savor for its simplicity and sophistication. Combining the sweet richness of crème de cassis with the effervescent joie de vivre of Champagne or sparkling wine makes for a delightful drink that casts a Parisian spell.
For an extra touch of refinement, I often garnish my Kir Royale with a fresh blackberry or raspberry.
Ingredients
1 ounce crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur)
4 ounces chilled Champagne or sparkling wine
Fresh blackberries or raspberries (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
1. Cool your Champagne flutes in the refrigerator or freezer for a brief period before serving.
2. For each glass, pour 1 ounce of crème de cassis at the bottom.
3. Gradually fill each glass with 4 ounces of ice-cold Champagne or sparkling wine.
4. As you pour the Champagne, let the ingredients mix together on their own; stirring is unnecessary.
5. Alternatively, you can garnish the drink with a fresh blackberry or raspberry by placing it carefully into the glass.
6. Serve right away and take pleasure in your Kir Royale.
