Mix up a few of these festive cocktails to kick the year off right!
New Year’s Eve is a special night. It’s time to reflect on the year gone by and think about your hopes, dreams, and plans for the one ahead. It can also be a night to throw (or attend) a great party where good food and bold drinks are definitely in order. While you should definitely stock your bar with beer, wine, champagne, and spirits, we also recommend making a specialty cocktail or two. It’s fun, impressive, and adds a little something. Here’s what’s on our list this year.
Blood oranges are definitely delicious, but we also love them because they’re so pretty and abundant in winter. In this recipe, you’ll be using them to infuse your own syrup, which sounds much more complicated than it actually is. What you’ll end up with is a cocktail that’s vibrant, refreshing, and celebratory, which is pretty much all you can ask for.
With orange and cranberry flavors, this cocktail is perfect for celebratory occasions. It’s also ideal if you haven’t holidayed enough yet and want more festive stuff in your life. It’s really easy to make, the ingredients are easy to find, and it looks fancy. If you’re not a gin person, sub in vodka, which works just as well.
If you’ve traveled to Peru or Chile, you’ve definitely come across a pisco sour. We love it because it’s, well, sour, refreshing, and can be premade and served in a pitcher. We love a batched cocktail for a party that guests can pour themselves. If you can’t find pisco, use grappa instead!
Pop, fizz, clink! It wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve if there wasn’t champagne. We love this punch because it’s not too sweet, uses seasonal fruit, and is so pretty to look at! The pear nectar ice cubes make it next-level.
Pro tip: keep the champagne chilled until you’re ready to use it and add it to your punch before drinking. That way, it won’t go flat.
A cosmopolitan is a classic. A cran-raspberry cosmopolitan is slightly less classic but may be even more delicious. This one is really easy to make and lots of fun.
You should know that this is not an obligatory non-alcoholic drink recipe. It’s just a really great recipe for punch that we like to make for parties. As a bonus, it’s non-alcoholic so kids, non-drinkers, and those looking to take a break can all enjoy it. For those who don’t need a break, just add a splash of rum, vodka, gin, or bourbon.
Cheers to a wonderful new year!