Ring in the New Year right with some of the very best New Year’s Eve Cocktails. Whether you are looking for a fancy champagne based drink or something a little more low key and sweet, you are sure to find a drink (or two) here that will start your New Year off with the right bang.
Jump to:
- Shots
- Flaming Sambuca Shot
- Flaming Dr. Pepper
- Glitter Bomb Shot
- Minderaser Shot
- Tequila Boom Boom
- Martinis
- Cherry Martini
- Brandy Alexander
- Peppermint Espresso Martini
- Eggnog Martini
- Sparkling/Bubbly Drinks
- Orange Creamsicle Mimosa
- Passion Fruit Mimosa
- French 75 Cocktail
- Other New Year’s Eve Drinks
- Boozy Hot Chocolate
- Boozy Eggnog
- Brandy Coffee
- Spanish Coffee
- Rum Punch
- Godfather Cocktail
New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration and leaving the old year behind and starting the New year in style. Having the perfect New Year’s Eve Cocktails to help you countdown to midnight will make your celebrations most memorable.
From sweet dessert martinis to cocktails with a little coffee to keep you awake, we have chosen just the best drinks to include on this list. Our choices were based on: holiday flavors, ease of making (and making as a pitcher), well suited for celebrations.
Keep on scrolling to find your perfect drink.
Shots
From bubbly shots to shots that are very literally on fire, here are some of the best and most festive shots to serve at your New Year’s Eve parties.
Flaming Sambuca Shot
Light the night on fire – literally – with this flaming sambuca shot. This is a real spectacle as you light the liquor on fire and let it burn before taking it. The sambuca itself has a nice licorice flavor.
Why it’s good: it’s only one ingredient – sambuca so quick to get together (do be careful when lighting it on fire though!). Perfect for an attention getting party shot.
Flaming Dr. Pepper
A flaming Dr. Pepper shot has no actual Dr. Pepper in it. However, this fun bomb style shot it does have actual fire and does TASTE like Dr. Pepper.
Why it’s good: with just 2 ingredients, it’s a fast shot to make. Dropping a shot glass that’s been lit on fire into a highball glass is pretty attention getting – perfect for New Years Eve parties.
Glitter Bomb Shot
A list of drinks to ring in the New Year wouldn’t be complete without a sparkly bomb shot. This glitter bomb shot is fizzy, citrusy and a little spicy. And, it literally glitters with gold flakes.
Why it’s good: it’s the epitome of an over the top celebration with its glittery gold flakes. Plus it’s an action packed bomb shot that is sure to keep the excitement up as the party rolls into midnight.
Minderaser Shot
Forget last year with this minderaser shot (well, maybe don’t drink that much – always drink responsibly). This layered shot is taken through a straw so you mostly just taste the coffee flavor of Kahlua.
Why it’s good: this is yet another shot that is a fun party shot since you take it differently than usual – drinking it quickly through a straw. It’s also versatile because you can make it as a shot, or sip it as a full cocktail.
Tequila Boom Boom
Searching for a cocktail that will ring the New Year in with a bang? The Tequila Boom Boom is the answer. Packed with a fiery kick from real hot sauce, this drink is designed to be enjoyed with a bang – literally. Slam it onto the table and watch as the champagne fizzes up.
Why it’s good: this cocktail isn’t just a drink, it’s an experience. Perfect for grabbing the attention of your party crowd, it is also a breeze to whip up as it takes only about 2 minutes to prepare.
Martinis
Martinis always tend to bring a touch of fanciness to any celebration. They come in many flavors and colors. Here are some of the best to start your year out with.
Cherry Martini
This bright red cherry martini is a fruity, sweet and lightly tart drink. With it’s bright colors and flavors it is the perfect party drink.
Why it’s good: with 4 ingredients and a fun garnish, you can have this ready in about 5 minutes (also easy to make as a big batch cocktail). It is a nice, festive flavor twist on a classic martini.
Brandy Alexander
A Brandy Alexander Cocktail is a classic drink – though not technically a martini, it is similar so we included it in this section. This drink is creamy, rich and has fruity and chocolatey flavors.
Why it’s good: it’s a sweet dessert drink, great for evening drinking. Plus, it only takes about 3 minutes to shake this one up.
Peppermint Espresso Martini
Need some help staying up until midnight? Try this peppermint espresso martini which uses actual espresso in the drink. This sweet martini tastes like an iced peppermint coffee – yum!
Why it’s good: it’s full of winter flavors with a strong peppermint. Super easy to customize additional flavors with different vodka or to make it fancier with garnishes like a crushed peppermint rim.
Eggnog Martini
Eggnog is a drink that is commonly enjoyed during winter holidays and New Years. So, this list wouldn’t be complete with an eggnog based drink – this eggnog martini is a creamy, sweet dessert drink with a little kick of vodka.
Why it’s good: it is easy to scale this one up to make as a pitcher for a party. You can also spice up the flavor a little by adding a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon or a cinnamon stick as garnish.
Sparkling/Bubbly Drinks
What would a celebration be without a few sparkling or bubbly drinks at the bar? These range from classic to sweet.
Orange Creamsicle Mimosa
This orange creamsicle mimosa is a fruity, sweet and sparkly drink that is perfect for celebrations. It tastes just like an orange creamsicle popsicle.
Why it’s good: you can mix this cocktail up in three minutes and you can easily scale it to make by the pitcher for big crowds. The champagne added gives is a nice bubbly flavor.
Passion Fruit Mimosa
Bright and fruity, this passion fruit mimosa is a nice sparkling addition to New Years celebrations. It makes a nice, red colored cocktail that is perfect festive for the season.
Why it’s good: easy to scale up by the pitcher to serve for a crowd. Mix it up in about 2 minutes since it only takes 2 ingredients.
French 75 Cocktail
A classic, IBA standard – the French 75 drink is an elegant cocktail. It has a nice botanical flavor that is similar to a gin sour only with some fizzy bubbles added in.
Why it’s good: you can easily customize it by switching the gin for vodka, elderberry liqueur or other liquors to make a French 125, French 76 or French 77.
Other New Year’s Eve Drinks
There are lots of other drink options that you can try out from boozy hot drinks to punches to cocktails with a little caffeine to help you stay awake.
Boozy Hot Chocolate
Warm up the long night with some boozy hot chocolate. These sweet, chocolatey cocktails are sweet and delicious. Make them exceptionally decadent by topping them off with whipped cream, chocolate, and marshmallows.
Why it’s good: easily customize these by just adding different liquors for example: kahlua hot chocolate, peppermint patty drink, rum hot chocolate or whiskey hot chocolate.
Boozy Eggnog
Love a nice glass of eggnog, but want a little alcohol added in? Try some boozy eggnog cocktails. There are lots of options like fireball and eggnog, vodka eggnog, brandy eggnog and more.
Why it’s good: most all of these eggnog cocktails are just two ingredients which means you can mix them up in just a few minutes. They are all easy to make as large batch drinks for parties.
Brandy Coffee
This brandy coffee is a hot, coffee based cocktail that will help you stay up through the night. It is a sweet coffee drink with flavors of chocolate and fruit.
Why it’s good: there are lots of ways to customize this cocktail from flavored coffees to adding decadent garnishes of whipped cream and chocolate. Additionally, you can make an entire pot of this to serve to a crowd.
Spanish Coffee
Stay warm all the way until the clock strikes 12 with this Spanish coffee. This is a warm, coffee based cocktail that has a sweet and slightly citrus flavor.
Why it’s good: a little caffeine will go a long way to keep you awake through the night. Plus this comes with a carmelized sugar rim which contributes a sweetness and makes this look fancier.
Rum Punch
This sweet, fruity, orange red colored rum punch is sure to be a hit at your party. It is bursting with orange, pineapple and other tropical flavors and is great for sipping all night long.
Why it’s good: super easy to customize this punch by using different types of rum, adding sliced fruit or a soda or champagne to make it fizzy. Additionally, you can use other liquors to make vodka punch or tequila punch.
Godfather Cocktail
This Godfather cocktail is a no frills, classic drink that has a nice combination of spicy, smoky and nutty flavors. These warm flavors make it great for a chilly, long night of celebrations.
Why it’s good: with just two ingredients, shake this one up in 2 minutes or less. Also, it is a great sipping cocktail which makes it great to nurse during the long trek to midnight.
Leave a Reply