15 Stylish Cocktails for a New Year's Eve Party

Ring in the New Year with stylish drinks

Strawberry Vodka Champagne Cocktail

The Spruce / Loren Runion

New Year's Eve is definitely the biggest party of the year. While it's great to pop the cork on a bottle of Champagne as the ball drops at midnight, there's plenty of time before that to enjoy an exquisite cocktail or two. We've rounded up our favorite drinks for grown-ups to ring in the new year, from sparkling Champagne cocktails, and swanky liquor-based stunners, to fancy punches that will light up your festive party.

  • 01 of 15

    Happy New Year

    Happy New Year

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

    A delightfully simple cocktail recipe, few drinks are as perfect for a New Year's Eve party as the "Happy New Year." That really is the name of this cocktail and it's a vibrant drink with great appeal. The sparkling mix includes brandy, ruby port, and orange juice, creating a fabulous base that will dress up your favorite Champagne.

  • 02 of 15

    Chocolate Martini

    Easy Chocolate Martini in a glass

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

    What drinker doesn't love a boozy cocktail that can double as dessert? Always elegant, the chocolate martini is a snap to make with just vodka and crème de cacao, and will satisfy your sweet tooth on evenings when you'd like a cocktail. Dress it up for a New Year's party by rimming the glass with cocoa powder, and garnishing with your choice of chocolate candy.

  • 03 of 15

    Brandy Alexander

    Brandy Alexander

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

    The brandy Alexander is a luscious, warming cocktail that has charmed drinkers for over a century. Some may call it retro, but we call it timeless. Smooth, silky, indulgent, and creamy, you won't believe how easy it is to whip up with just three ingredients. This is the classic recipe, made using equal parts brandy, cream, and crème de cacao.

  • 04 of 15

    Figgy Sparkler

    Figgy Sparkler Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    Soft, delightful, and sparkling, the figgy sparkler puts a seasonal twist on the average Champagne cocktail. The charming blend of fresh fruits muddles cranberries, orange slices, and a single fig. Pour your favorite vodka or infuse it with figs for even more flavor. Top that mix off with some bubbly, and it's ready for the party.

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  • 05 of 15

    Hot Gin Toddy

     Hot Gin Toddy

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    Who cares if the weather outside is frightful? You'll be toasty-warm inside with your New Year's pals and a hot gin toddy to keep the winter chill away. Adding warm water (and a few other basic ingredients) to a high-quality gin is an amazing way to boost the botanicals, and create an aromatic cocktail that will wow your guests. Serve it in a heat-resistant snifter adorned by a cinnamon stick for an elegant fireside sipper.

  • 06 of 15

    French 75

    French 75

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

    Invented around the turn of the 20th century, the French 75 cocktail remains one of the most popular champagne cocktails around. Made simply with gin or cognac, accented by perky champagne bubbles, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup, it's a vibrant drink to ring in the new year. You can also swap in vodka as the base liquor to turn it into a French 76.

  • 07 of 15

    Black Velvet

    Black Velvet

    The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker

    With the black velvet, there's no need to choose between Champagne and beer on New Year's Eve. Beyond simple, this cocktail is nothing more than equal pours of Champagne and Guinness Stout. The dark, heavy beer works perfectly against the light, effervescent wine, creating a perfect balance and the best of both worlds. The first sip will show you why this stunning drink has been around for well over a century.

  • 08 of 15

    Tom and Jerry Punch

    Tom and Jerry Punch

    The Spruce Eats

    With a rich, creamy flavor that combines the best of holiday eggnog and hot buttered rum, the Tom and Jerry cocktail can be batched in large quantities to serve a New Year's party crowd. Sweet, frothy, warm, and creamy, it's a fabulous way to have a warm cocktail at the ready during the holiday season. Our recipe begins with mixing up the spiced batter, which can then be refrigerated or frozen until it's party time.

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  • 09 of 15

    Strawberry Champagne Punch

    Strawberry Champagne Punch

    The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf

    Strawberries are the featured fruit of this very easy and delicious Champagne punch. The recipe is perfect any time of year and it can quickly become a new favorite. No matter what type of party you're hosting, your guests will enjoy its fruity flavor and refreshing sparkle.

  • 10 of 15

    Melon Ball Drop

    Melon Ball Drop

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    When the ball drops in Times Square on New Year's Eve, you will want this melon ball drop cocktail in your hand. It's sweet, sassy, fruity, and quick to mix up. Pick up a citrus vodka, that alluring green bottle of Midori, and a few lemons for this fun vodka martini. Elderflower liqueur is the surprise ingredient that perfectly rounds off the soft flavor, while the melon ball garnish adds a whimsical touch.

  • 11 of 15

    Coffee Old-Fashioned

    Coffee Old-Fashioned

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    Help your guests stay up until midnight with this coffee-spiked spin on the classic old-fashioned cocktail. Boozy, brown, and brimming with bourbon whiskey, each glassful includes a bracing shot of chilled espresso. Dark chocolate-flavored crème de cacao and orange bitters round out the ingredient list, for a decadent, holiday-worthy twist on the traditional tipple.

  • 12 of 15

    Strawberry Vodka Champagne Cocktail

    Strawberry Vodka Champagne Cocktail

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

    Combine a fine Champagne and a great vodka with strawberries and you have a fantastic and easy drink. This is a great cocktail for celebrations, especially New Year's Eve parties. It's nice that it's served in a cocktail glass as opposed to a Champagne flute because the wider glass allows the bubbles to swell.

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  • 13 of 15

    Mind Eraser Mixed Drink

    Mind Eraser Vodka and Kahlua Cocktail or Shot

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    The mind eraser is a simple mix of vodka, coffee liqueur, and soda, so it's like a fizzy black Russian. It's a very good drink, and because of that, it's easy to indulge in a few rounds, or drink it too fast, which is likely how it got its name. The mind eraser is built as a layered drink, though some people prefer to shake the liquors. It's served over ice with a straw, and when left unstirred, you get a taste of each layer with every sip.

  • 14 of 15

    Buck's Fizz Cocktail

    Buck's Fizz Cocktail

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    The Buck's fizz is a simple drink made of orange juice and Champagne. It's nearly identical to the popular mimosa. Both drinks are from the 1920s, though the Buck's fizz is believed to be a few years older.

  • 15 of 15

    Tequila Slammer

    Tequila Slammer

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

    The tequila slammer is a fun tequila shot that's perfect for a party. It's not complicated (requiring just two ingredients) and it's actually more about the action you take before drinking it than anything else. Also called a tequila boom boom, tequilazo, or popper, you can pour any soda you like. Sprite, 7-Up, and Mountain Dew are popular alternatives to ginger ale and sparkling wine is also very common.