Recipes Featured in this Article
- Martha Stewart's Famous Eggnog
- Mulled Wine
- Cranberry Moscow Mule
- Spiced Pear Gingerita
- Berry-Herb Sangria
- Ina Garten's Cranberry Martini
- The Lemon Ball Drop
- Ubiquity Cocktail
- Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini
- Winter Wonderland Cocktail
- The Dude Abides
- Champagne, Tequila and Grapefruit Cocktail
- Blizzard-ada Cocktail
- Classic Negroni Cocktail
- Tia Mowry's Pear-Rosemary Bellini
- Vesper Martini
- Stephen Colbert's Signature Espresso Martini
- Bourbon Sidecar
- Carson's Brandy Alexander
- Buenos Dias Cocktail
- Coquito (Puerto Rican Coconut Nog)
- Magic Hour Cocktail
- Winter Hibiscus Sangria
- The Ray Charles Cocktail
- Mucho Mucho Amor Cocktail
- State of Grace Cocktail
- The Mint Chocolate Sip
- Winter Wonderland Cocktail
- Meyer Lemon Drop
- Cranberry Gin Spritz
- Al Roker's Blood Orange Aperol Spritz
- Cranberry Sauce Margarita
- The Usual Suspects
- Boulevardier
- Souped-Up Grapefruit Gin and Tonic
- Classic 19th Century New York Sour
- Ciderhouse Mule
- Nonalcoholic Dirty Martini
- Green River Cocktail
- Bella Spritz
As we all close in on another journey around the sun and look ahead to the next, toasting to one another is a must, especially when the night involves a celebratory New Year's Eve dinner party.
Whether you prefer to whip up unique spins on classic bubbles, make something creamy and cozy, or play bartender with fun mocktails, there are many wonderful drinks out there that will keep the merry coming until — and probably a little after — the ball drops.
If you’ve already sent out invites, have your RSVPs in hand and are planning the spread, now's the time to pick out which drinks you're going to shake up. Think about having a signature cocktail alongside some standbys like wine, beer and some light nonalcoholic libations like a sparkling cranberry mocktail or a fabulous "fauxhito."
Choosing the right cocktails often depends on the food. Are you serving heavy New Year’s Eve appetizers all night so the focus is on the dancing and merry-making? Make a large batch of pre-made holiday margaritas, coquitos or ginger-bourbon punch for a seamless evening where guests’ drinks can easily be refilled without too much back-and-forth from the kitchen. Or, if you want to pass around glamorous hand-shaken cocktails when guests arrive, followed by a formal sit-down dinner (and dessert!), something special like a lemon drop, a Vesper or wintry Champagne cocktail would be ideal.
This roundup of our best New Year’s Eve cocktails will make ringing in 2025 more delicious than ever.
When Martha Stewart joined the TODAY kitchen to share her infamous eggnog recipe, our team couldn't believe how creamy it was — or how strong it was. With the addition of dark rum, cognac, rum, an entire quart of whole milk, even more heavy cream and a whopping 12 eggs, it’s the ultimate crowd-friendly drink.
‘Tis the season for mulled wine! We like to prepare and serve this in a slow-cooker, so guests can help themselves to a warm drink at their leisure.
You can dress up any drink for the holidays with the addition of one ingredient: cranberries. This festive twist on a classic Moscow mule features cranberry juice, plus plump cranberries and rosemary for a garnish.
We’ll never turn down a margarita but this spicy twist is perfect for winter sipping. It’s made with spiced pear liqueur, which offers sweet, warm flavors to this tequila-based cocktail.
How stunning is this sangria? Dress up a bottle of red wine with fresh berries (choose hearty varieties like strawberries and blackberries) plus fresh herbs for a festive sipper.
With its vibrant red color and tart flavor, Ina Garten's famous martini is a perfect drink to serve when entertaining during the holidays. "I think it just gets you in the mood,” Garten says.
A sparkly sugar-frosted grape "ball" decorates the top of this festive New Year's twist on the classic lemon drop cocktail. Plus, eating grapes at the stroke of midnight is a good-luck tradition in Spain and Latin America.
The Ubiquity is the perfect balance between a Moscow mule and a vodka sour, offering spiked riff on a ginger lemonade. This cocktail is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, thanks to its light and citrus-forward flavor.
It’s easy to find fresh cranberries during the winter months, but if you’re in a pinch, you can use frozen! This tart martini — made with citron vodka, lemon juice and cranberry juice — is perfect for sipping when the ball drops.
Have broken or leftover sugar cookies? Turn them into a delicious, infused cream for the base of this creamy cocktail! The addition of white chocolate makes this drink taste like dessert.
If you like drinking a hazelnut-flavored coffee in the morning, then you’ll love sippnig this boozy version at night. A combination of vodka and crème de cacao make it party ready!
Serve this versatile and festive cocktail at your New Year's Eve party or at brunch on New Year's Day. Pro tip: make a big batch of the tequila, simple syrup, grapefruit juice and bitters in advance, then top with bubbly just before serving.
You don’t need a shovel to enjoy this beverage. This wintery riff on a piña colada calls for Cava instead of the usual rum, which is totally apt for New Year’s Eve.
A Negroni is best known for its delicate balance of bitter, citrusy and sweet flavors. This version is garnished with blood orange peel, which gives it a more robust flavor and vibrant color.
End the year on a high note with this crisp and refreshing bellini made with rosemary-infused simple syrup, pear juice and Champagne.
Inspired by the 20th century cocktail, this elegant drink is made with a combination of vodka, gin and Lillet Blanc. Serve it shaken, not stirred, with a twist.
If you’re struggling to stay up until midnight, we’ve got just the thing to help: a rich and creamy espresso martini, courtesy of Stephen Colbert. After all, “The Late Show” host knows a thing or two about late nights.
A traditional sidecar is made with cognac or brandy, orange liqueur and lemon juice. This warm and spiced riff feels so much more apt for winter, thanks to the inclusion of bourbon.
A staple in the Daly household, this creamy vanilla cocktail borders on dessert. Made with a blended combination of brandy, crème de cacao, half and half and vanilla ice cream, it’s a sweet beverage that will make you crave another sip.
A full six ounces of freshly brewed coffee is used in this perky drink, which will help you stay wide awake until midnight. “You gotta get creative when it gets to coffee,” says mixologist Tiffanie Barriere.
What is essentially Puerto Rican eggnog is also the perfect New Year’s Eve sipper. It also doubles as a sweet hostess gift or party favor when entertaining.
If you’re looking for a lighter, lower-ABV cocktail to sip on New Year’s Eve, this floral concoction will do the trick. It’s made with both Lillet Rose and rose champagne, which creates a lovely pink hue and aromatic flavor.
A trio of red wine, rosé and brewed spiced hibiscus tea form the juicy, floral base for this crowd-friendly cocktail. It’s inspired by Sorrel, a West Indian drink that's popular during the holiday season.
If you’re entertaining a crowd for the holidays, it’s important to keep things as simple as possible. For this cocktail, prep the honey syrup in advance. When it’s time to serve, simply shake up a combination of the syrup, lemon juice and Tennessee whiskey, then top with ginger ale.
Is this a Tiki-style cocktail or a spicy strawberry margarita? With a combination of fresh strawberry purée, freshly squeezed lime juice, tequila and rum, it’s the best of both worlds.
Tim Sweeney, a bartender at New York City's Pebble Bar, created this highly refreshing, seasonal cocktail featuring bourbon, Aperol, mango purée and cinnamon syrup. The unexpected combination hits all the right notes for a wintertime celebration.
If you’re craving a cocktail that tastes like dessert, this refreshing drink will do the trick. It’s inspired by the popular chocolate-mint cookie that comes around every spring — and quite possibly tastes better than the real deal.
TODAY culinary producer Katie Stilo is sharing this ultra-creamy, super sweet cocktail for your holiday gatherings. She uses store-bought sugar cookies to create an infused milk, which serves as the base for this winter white drink.
What’s the deal with Meyer lemons? They’re sweeter, more aromatic and more delicate than the regular lemons you’d find at the grocery store, which is why they work so well in this lip-puckering martini.
Turn leftover cranberry sauce into a flavorful New Year’s Eve cocktail! In addition to the sauce, this drink is made with gin, orange liqueur and fresh mint for a sweet sip.
Al Roker calls this refreshing cocktail the “nectar of the gods.” Think of it as a juicier, more vibrant version of a classic Italian Aperol Spritz.
Don’t throw away your Thanksgiving leftovers! Use jammy cranberry sauce in this tart margarita. “The flavor of cranberries gives the classic margarita ingredients — white or reposado tequila, fresh lime juice and triple sec — a subtle yet undeniably autumnal twist,” says recipe developer Alejandra Ramos.
Aspiring mixologists will love trying their hand at this complex Champagne cocktail. The citrusy gin-based drink was made for New Year’s Eve sipping.
You only need three ingredients to make this drink, which is inspired by one served in the movie Groundhog Day. A trio of sweet vermouth, Campari, and bourbon creates a serious warm and spicy twist on a classic negroni.
With a homemade saline solution, grapefruit syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice, this is not your ordinary G&T. It's better.
Despite its name, this cocktail is said to have been invented in Chicago. No matter where you drink it, the red wine and bourbon concoction is beautifully layered and perfectly flavored.
This cocktail tastes like a lovely marriage of a Moscow mule and a Kir royale. It features sparkling rosé, vodka, raspberry liqueur, lime juice and spicy ginger syrup.
Dirty martinis have been making a comeback over the last few years. Try this nonalcoholic version, which offers the same briny flavor without any of the booze.
This crisp cocktail is thirst-quenching and completely refreshing. Made with mint leaves, cucumber juice, lime juice, aloe liqueur and gin, it’s just the thing to serve at New Year’s Eve parties spent in warm weather climates.
We can’t stop sipping this two-ingredient cocktail, shared by supermodel Christie Brinkley. Elderflower liqueur adds depth and aromatic flavor to a simple glass of bubbly.
