23 Celebratory New Year’s Eve Drinks to Keep Vibes High All Night Long
Once you’ve settled on the New Year’s Eve appetizers (Team Finger Foods forever), shift your attention to the bar—because the New Year’s drink selection deserves just as much consideration as the party playlist. Our favorite New Year’s Eve cocktails must meet the following criteria: They should (1) be easy to make, (2) cater to a crowd, and, most important, (3) make you want to move, not nap (sorry, eggnog).
We’ve got festive drinks for every party vibe: Slow burners to spark conversation, big-batch punches for hands-off hosts, and easy sippers to fuel dance parties and spontaneous karaoke sessions. For your midnight toast, we’ve got a go-big Champagne cocktail, low-key spritzes, and plenty more sparkling wine cocktails to keep the party rolling all night long. Of course, this list would not be complete without a few classic cocktails—peruse our no-fail formulas for martinis, old-fashioneds, and negronis, as well as a few fun spins on perpetual party favorites (a negroni… sbagliato…with prosecco in it).
Give us bubbles and citrus. Give us zippy flavors and bold colors. New Year’s cocktails should feel fun and celebratory; this is not the time for an ordinary drink.
Alex Lau3/23The Layaway
Stay up all night with the help of this fizzy, caffeinated cocktail, which is much cooler than an espresso martini.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Rosanna Anil, Prop Styling by Paola Andrea4/23Lemon Drop Martini
Vodka, lemon juice, and Cointreau combine in this light, puckery cocktail, which is easy to sip all night. No need to make simple syrup—simply combine equal parts sugar and water and shake until the sugar dissolves.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by JoJo Li6/23Spiced Red Wine and Coke
The best New Year’s Eve cocktails are easy to make in big batches and affordable (and little caffeine doesn’t hurt). This spiced wine and Coke—which transforms Trader Joe’s Two-Buck Chuck into a sangria-like carbonated cocktail—ticks all the boxes.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophie Strangio7/23Spicy Citrus Refresher
Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Martha Bernabe8/23Extra-Dry Martini
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton9/23Paloma
While the pretty pink paloma may bear resemblance to some sugary cocktails, this version of the drink gains delightful bitterness from fresh grapefruit juice. It’s also got mezcal for smokiness (substitute tequila if you prefer), club soda for fizz, and lime juice for zing.
Photograph by Justin J Wee, Food Styling by Christine Albano, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni11/23Pomegranate Spritzers
Ina Garten may be known for her outsized Cosmopolitans, but her nonalcoholic pomegranate juice spritzers will be the party favorite. Feel free to add vodka or gin—either way, pre-chill the glasses.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophie Strangio12/23Shirley Tonic
A grown-up Shirley Temple with spiced grenadine syrup, club soda, and a twist. Add scotch or leave it out to make spirit-free drinks (a.k.a. mocktails) fit for a holiday party.
Bobbi Lin13/23Earl Grey–Bourbon Punch
When serving a crowd, our go-to cocktail tactic is to whip up a big batch of punch. A fruit-and-herb-studded ice ring makes it all the more fancy.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophie Strangio14/23Better Than Celery Juice
Start the new year right with this green juice cocktail, which will leave you feeling way better than that sugary Champagne punch recipe. It doubles as a great New Year’s Day brunch cocktail too.
Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski15/23Ginger Spritz
Alex Lau16/23Sparkling Lemon Cocktail
Break out the coupe glasses: New Year’s Eve is the time for all things sparkling—this little lemon number will help you celebrate in style.
Heidi's Bridge17/23BA's Best Old-Fashioned
The best classic cocktail recipes lean into simplicity, and this one is as easy as 1-2-3: 1 teaspoon of sugar, 2 ounces of rye whiskey, and 3 dashes of bitters.
Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski18/23Aperol Spritz
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman19/23Moscow Mule
This refreshing lime and ginger cocktail is appropriate for just about any occasion—and goes well with whatever foods for New Year’s Eve you might be serving. Copper mugs optional, but encouraged.
Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski20/23Campari Spritz
Sparkling rosé and lemon soda complement the citrusy flavor of Campari, resulting in a beautifully vibrant cocktail.
Photograph by Victoria Jane, Food Styling by Mallory Lance, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon21/23Easy, Elegant Christmas Punch
Photo by Alex Lau22/23Kombucha-Vodka Highball
Get a jump-start on those New Year’s resolutions with this kombucha cocktail, which has plenty of probiotics. Or at least that’s what we’re telling ourselves after downing a couple of them in record time.
Photograph by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro, Food Styling by Micah Morton23/23Negroni Sbagliato
For the friend who’s always on trend, make a negroni…sbagliato…with prosecco in it. Popularized by House of the Dragon’s Emma D’Arcy, this sparkling New Year’s drink is quite festive and easy to make for a group.
