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20 of the Easiest New Year’s Eve Cocktails to Clink this Year

September 30, 2022 by

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Three, two, one – HAPPY NEW YEAR! Which New Year’s Eve cocktails will you be clinking with friends and family this year? We’ve rounded up 20 amazing celebratory drinks that have that swanky NYE vibe – some are sparkly, some are warm, and some are full-on extra. Take a look to see which one will round off your New Year’s celebrations to perfection.  

1. Classic Champagne Cocktail

Champagne cocktails with raspberries

New Year’s Eve cocktails with champagne are always a classic choice, and none more so than the Classic Champagne Cocktail. To make this iconic drink, you simply add a sugar cube to a Champagne flute and soak it with bitters. Then you top it off with Champagne and garnish it with a lemon or orange twist. Or perhaps you want to push out the boat with a raspberry and a sprig of thyme?

Read more: The 10 Best Champagne Cocktails for Any Occasion

2. Happy New Year Cocktail

Happy New Year Cocktail

If you are looking for a drink that’s sweet and delightful, but still packs a heady punch, the Happy New Year Cocktail is going to be right up your alley. Also, the name just kind of makes it perfect for the occasion (we love a thematic tie-in!).  

This boozy cocktail combines 45ml brandy, 20ml ruby port, 20ml orange juice, and 120ml Champagne. The first three ingredients are combined in a cocktail shaker with ice, strained into a Champagne glass, and topped off with Champagne. 

3. Clementine Martini Cocktail

Clementine Martini

How about an easy New Year’s Eve cocktail with a zesty finish? We love this sparkling citrus cocktail for a festive event. It combines 30ml SKYY Vodka, 30ml Grand Marnier, 150ml Prosecco, and 90ml fresh clementine juice.  

The vodka, liqueur, and juice are shaken up with ice and strained into a cold glass, and then topped off with Prosecco and garnished with a clementine slice. If you struggle to find clementines, this can of course be made with orange juice or even blood orange juice as well. 

Learn more: 14 Types of Martinis You Should Know 

4. French 75 Cocktail

French 75 Cocktail

As far as festive New Year’s Eve cocktails go, the French 75 will always get a tip of the hat from us. The cocktail combines gin, Champagne, lemon juice and sugar syrup. The story goes that barkeep Harry McElhone chose the name because the drink had a fair amount of kick, which he likened to the firepower of the French 75mm field gun that was used during World War I.  

5. Brandy Alexander

Top view of delicious Brandy Alexander Cocktails garnished with cinnamon sticks

Glamorous, romantic, and oh-so-sweet, the Brandy Alexander cocktail features a delicious mix of brandy and chocolate liqueur, with the indulgent addition of cream for an extra smooth and silky texture. This boozy dessert cocktail is ideal for those who always crave an after-dinner sweet. 

6. Champagne Holiday Punch Cocktail

Champagne Holiday Punch Cocktail

If you are looking for a big batch cocktail for New Year’s Eve that is guaranteed to delight a crowd, we’d like to introduce you to the Champagne Holiday Punch Cocktail. It contains 1.5 cups Bulldog Gin, 1 cup Champagne, 0.5 cup Grand Marnier, 1 cup club soda, 0.75 cup lemon juice, 0.5 cup simple syrup, 8 dashes of bitters and plenty of ice. Garnish with fruit slices, star anise pods and grated nutmeg for a jolly holiday finish. This punch serves between 6 to 8 merrymakers.  

7. Champagne Margarita Cocktail

Champagne Margarita

Sparkling Champagne Margaritas are always the highlight of any celebration. Sweet, bubbly, and sparkly, it has all the flavours you love in a margarita – tart, fresh lime juice with the warm earthy notes of tequila. It’s also super easy to make. Stir 30ml of tequila, 30ml Grand Marnier, and 30ml lime juice together in a mixing glass, and decant into a chilled Margarita or rocks glass. Top off with 60ml of Champagne, and that’s it. If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can rim the glass with some lime-zest-infused sugar beforehand. 

Read more: What is the Best Margarita Recipe? 10 Ways to Make a Margarita 

8. Rob Roy Cocktail

Rob Roy cocktail with Luxardo cherries

The Rob Roy cocktail is a classic Scotch whisky drink with sweet vermouth and bitters. Actually, a spin-off of the classic 3-ingredient Manhattan, it uses the same ingredients, except it swaps out American whiskey for the Scottish kind. This adds a lovely smoky twist and a completely different drinking experience. 

9. New Year’s Sparkler Cocktail

New Years Sparkler Cocktail

Keen on New Year’s Eve vodka cocktails? Take the New Year’s Sparkler for a spin! Add 30ml SKYY vodka, and 15ml pomegranate juice to a chilled Champagne flute, top it off with Champagne, and garnish it with a few raspberries or pomegranate rubies. Magic!  

10. Jack Frosties Cocktail

Close-up of bright blue Jack Frost cocktail

Boozy blue slushie anyone? Sure, it’s not quite a classy Champagne flute, but who said NYE can’t just be straight-up fun! To make this drink, which looks like something Olaf from Frozen would love, you combine 30ml tequila, 30ml Grand Marnier, 30ml sour mix, and 15ml Blue Curacao in a blender with ice until smooth. This is then decanted into a rocks glass that has been rimmed with coconut flakes to make it extra wintery and cool-looking. 

11. Bee’s Knees

Close up of a Bee's Knees cocktail against a rainbow-striped backdrop

Ring in the New Year with the Bee’s Knees cocktail, a delightful blend of honeyed sweetness and citrus zing. This classic clinker features a harmonious balance of flavours that dance on the palate, paving the way for a festive and refreshing experience.

12. Pomegranate Martini

Close up of a pair of Pama Martinis in light bright ourdoor setting on a patio with greenery in the background

Elevate your festive occasion with the Pomegranate Martini, a tantalising blend of tart and sweet notes that burst with vibrancy. This crimson elixir delivers a refreshing and sophisticated taste, creating a perfect balance that embodies the spirit of celebration.

Read next: 22 Types of Martinis You Should Know

13. Espresso Martini

Front view of three decadent Espresso Martini cocktails served with sweet and savory snacks

Coffee lovers will adore the rich, creamy flavours of the Espresso Martini recipe. A smooth bittersweet cocktail, it brings together fresh espresso and coffee liqueur with a rewarding foam layer on top. Perfect for when you need perking up, it makes for a great after-dinner cocktail.

14. Cranberry Martini

Close up top view of a festive Cranberry Martini, presented on a white surface surrounded by pine cones, cranberries and ginger biscuits

Particularly popular around the holidays, the festive Cranberry Martini is a dainty drink that has a zingy bite of bitter-sweetness thanks to the addition of fresh Cranberry juice. If you love a Vodka Cranberry, this is a drink you’ve got to try!

15. Negroni Sbagliato

Two Negroni Sbagliato cocktails on a table in a home kitchen on a sunny day

There are many gin Negroni variations, but none quite as bubbly as the Sbagliato. Its origin is a classic happy accident tale of Prosecco being poured into a Negroni instead of gin. Lucky for us, the bartender, Mirko Stoccohetto, tasted it before throwing it out, and the rest is Negroni Sbagliato history. The bubbles breathe life into the cocktail, while the combination of Prosecco, Campari, and vermouth creates a light and refreshing fruit cocktail flavour.

16. Paloma

Two Paloma cocktails on a window sill in a beach house overlooking an ocean scene outside

If you’re looking for a low-calorie drink with a nice bit of kick, this grapefruit-infused cocktail is going to tick all your must-have boxes. The peppy Paloma has near-universal crowd appeal, and we love serving it with spicy Mexican eats like ceviche and chile rellenos.

You might also like: 14 Best Drinks to Mix with Tequila in 2023

17. Apple Martini

Close up of two bright green Apple Martinis with sliced apple garnish, presented on a small silver tray, set on a rustic wooden surface

Also known as the Appletini, this crowd-pleaser rose to fame at the same time as the Spice Girls and became just as big just as fast. Combining vodka, apple schnapps, orange liqueur, simple syrup, and lemon juice, the recipe is also nice and easy to master.

18. Pornstar Martini

Pornstar Martini Cocktails

Created in London in the noughties, the tropical-inspired Pornstar Martini was the brainchild of bartender Douglas Ankrah. Containing vodka, passionfruit liqueur, passionfruit juice, and lime juice, a freshly cut passion fruit half is added on top to garnish. What really sets the Pornstar apart from other types of Martinis, however, is the shot of Prosecco on the side.

Keep it simple: The Definitive List of 2-Ingredient Vodka Cocktails

19. Cranberry Orange Whiskey Sour

Orange and Cranberry Whiskey Sour

The Cranberry Orange Whiskey Sour gives the traditional Whiskey Sour a holiday outfit, with added fruitiness and flavour. Whether you’ll serve it to tickle your guests’ appetites or as an indulgent drink throughout your feasts, it will be an absolute winner!

20. Cranberry Mimosa

Bright red Cranberry Mimosa with pomegranate garnish

Make your festive late mornings even merrier with the Cranberry Mimosa. This fruity variation of the Mimosa is delicious, colourful, and easy to make. It’s ready to drink in five minutes and will pair well with all those delicious savoury dishes on your holiday table. So, grab your Champagne flutes, and let’s make merry!

There you have it – 20 fun and festive New Year’s Eve cocktails to add to your drinks line-up this year. Sign up for our newsletter, so we can keep you clinking the good stuff 🥂✨

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Champagne and Prosecco are very popular on New Year's Eve, but there are also a variety of cocktails to choose from that contain gin, vodka, whiskey and rum. It all comes down to your personal taste.

A drink in a Champagne flute always looks very classy. This includes classics like the French 75 and Kir Royale.

While its customary to drink a toast to the new year at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, you don't have to drink alcohol to do so. You can have just as much fun with a mocktail or a juice.

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