My New Year’s Eve plans always seem to come together at the very last minute. Anyone else? Of course, last year looked a bit different from most, with many of us ringing in the new year from home. And while we were all excited to say goodbye to 2020, suffice it to say that this year presented a whole host of other challenges as well. While every New Year’s Eve is something to celebrate, it’s worth giving a commemorative cheers! to our collective resilience. If you’re like me, you’ll be spending your holiday cozied up indoors again this year. And I don’t know about you, but I always like to celebrate with champagne cocktails that make the day feel extra special.
Setting up a champagne cocktail bar is super easy, plus it feels a little more special than just setting out a few bottles of bubbly on the counter. Whatever your plans are for this year, you simply can’t go wrong with serving up one of these 30 delicious champagne cocktails. I can’t wait to try the white peach and elderflower cooler, yummm! What are your plans for this New Year’s Eve?
Kir Royale from A Couple Cooks
Why We Love It: Full disclosure: Kir royales are my favorite drink. They’re easy while still feeling elegant and celebratory. After all, the French know the beauty of combining berries and bubbly.
Hero Ingredient: This is a two-ingredient cocktail, so between the champagne and Crème de Cassis, I’ll have to choose the latter. It’s a sweet, red liqueur that’s made from blackcurrants, and it gives this drink its signature flavor.
Blackberry Lavender Champagne Cocktail from The Adventure Bite
Why We Love It: This cocktail might just be the prettiest drink on the list. I love any berry and champagne combination, but blackberries bring a deep inky sheen that takes your champagne from good to gorgeous.
Hero Ingredient: Add lavender to just about anything for an instantly-elevated effect.
Poinsettia Spritz Punch from Half Baked Harvest
Why We Love It: To be clear, zero poinsettias were harmed in the making of this beverage. While the name comes from its ruby red color, it’s really just a cranberry-champagne cocktail taken up a notch with St. Germain. This drink is floral and fancy in all the best ways—and definitely what I’ll be toasting with come midnight.
Hero Ingredient: If a drink contains elderflower liqueur, you can bet I’ll be ordering it.
Honey Roasted Pear Sparkling Cocktail from Cotter Crunch
Why We Love It: When the holidays hit and I’ve already had too many slices of pumpkin pie, it’s pears that I turn to for a little sweet relief. They’re earthy and crisp, with the perfect buttery bite. Here, the pears are honey-roasted and blended into a puree, so you get a little bit of sugary spice in every sip.
Hero Ingredient: The tablespoon of balsamic vinegar adds a rich and complex sweetness that’s wonderfully unexpected.
Plum Thyme Prosecco Smash from My Diary Of Us
Why We Love It: I love the endless possibilities that plums, and really all stone fruits, present. They’re perfect in a salad, wonderful in desserts, and downright delicious in this drink. The impact is an elegant but festive beverage that’s so simple to make.
Hero Ingredient: The thyme simple syrup concentrates all the notes of mint and lemon my favorite herb offers. Garnish with a few sprigs for good measure.
Rosé Cocktail from Crate & Barrel
Why We Love It: If it was possible to fall in love with a cocktail, this would be the drink. A swoon-worthy blend of Lillet (a French, wine-based aperitif), grapefruit juice, and champagne create the beautiful, blush-toned hue. It’s gorgeous served in a coupe but will look elegant in just about any glass you can find.
Hero Ingredient: This cocktail is all about color. You can thank the grapefruit juice for that.
Blackberry French 75 from Heather Christo
Why We Love It: Next to kir royales, the French 75 is my favorite drink. Gin, champagne, lemon juice, and the tiniest bit of sugar—what’s not to love? This take on the classic cocktail infuses blackberries in the simple syrup for fruity flavor and a lavender-like hue.
Hero Ingredient: Lemon juice gives the French 75 its signature sour sip. In this version, the citrus does double duty in cutting the blackberries’ earthy, and slightly tart, undertones.
Grapefruit and Sage Champagne Cocktail from The Floating Kitchen
Why We Love It: The cold weather comes around, and suddenly I’m craving citrus at all times of the day. While I can appreciate a good grapefruit in the summer, nothing beats their in-season freshness. Pink grapefruit juice is just about the easiest way to brighten up any cocktail, and I love the slightly tangy, sour bite it gives this otherwise sweet drink.
Hero Ingredient: The creative possibilities are endless when it comes to cocktails. And while sage might seem a little out of the ordinary in a glass, the refreshing, almost eucalyptus-like can’t be matched.
Pomegranate Spice Champagne Cocktail
Why We Love It: Pomegranates are the crowning jewel of Christmastime, and even after the holidays are over, I savor their ruby red beauty for as long as I can. Be sure to pick out the freshest pomegranate juice you can find for this recipe.
Hero Ingredient: I’m all about the vanilla’s woodsy sweetness.
Blood Orange Champagne Mule from Half Baked Harvest
Why We Love It: Let me introduce you to just about the closest thing to a party in a glass. This inventive take on a Moscow Mule adds champagne (of course) and showcases blood oranges’ subtle citrus flavor that’s infused with cherry and raspberry notes.
Hero Ingredient: Oranges are great and all, but blood oranges? The best.
Apple Cider Champagne Cocktail from Well Plated
Why We Love It: Starting in September, I can enjoy apple cider all the way through June. It’s crisp, refreshing, and slightly sour. Plus, cider is exactly what you should add to champagne for festive, but still cozy vibes.
Hero Ingredient: A splash of brandy grounds this cocktail with a bit of body, making it perfect for your midnight toast.
Lychee French 75 from Super Golden Bakes
Why We Love It: If you’re wanting to welcome the new year in style, here’s the drink to do it with. It’s sparkly and light, and possibly the most refreshing beverage on this list.
Hero Ingredient: You have plenty of options for bringing the unmistakably aromatic lychee flavor to your drink. While the recipe uses tinned lychees and syrup, you’re also welcome to try the fruit fresh. Or, if you’re really going for impact, add in a bit of lychee liqueur.
Fig Honey Thyme Prosecco Smash from Half Baked Harvest
Why We Love It: Let me just read that back to you: Fig. Honey. Thyme. Prosecco. Smash. While there are plenty of witty and elegant cocktail names to choose from, this tell-it-like-it-is title might just be my favorite. The inspired blend of ingredients (in particular, fresh figs and the ripest red plums you can find) makes for easy sipping.
Hero Ingredient: When you can find fresh figs, run, don’t walk, and load up your basket. In this drink, they fully epitomize the expression “nature’s candy.”
Strawberry Basil Cucumber Rosé Sangria from Heather Christo
Why We Love It: If, to you, January 1st means one month closer to the start of spring, mix this up stat. While the mix of strawberries, cucumber, and basil signifies warmer days, this cocktail still feels appropriate for inviting in the new year.
Hero Ingredient: The rose petals are a refreshing iteration of the classic strawberry-basil combo.
Lingonberry Aperol Spritz from Sugar & Charm
Why We Love It: While most of what’s found on social media are short-lived, I’d argue that the Instagram-friendly drink of 2019 will never go out of style. They’re truly timeless, and this Scandinavian twist on the classic is the perfect way to shake things up.
Hero Ingredient: Lingonberries are the perfect balance of being sour, tart, and ever-so-slightly sweet. While I love them in jams, sauces, and my favorite Nordic-inspired baked treats, here, an ounce of lingonberry syrup is the only way to improve upon Aperol’s orange-like flavor.
Peach Basil Bellini from Heather Christo
Why We Love It: While biting into a juicy, sun-ripened peach is possible only between June and July, you can recreate the experience in the colder months. Enter: this drink. Peach puree, prosecco, plus a bit of fresh basil, and you’ll be sipping your way straight to summertime.
Hero Ingredient: A little sprig of green basil freshens up this cocktail, making your drink all the more elegant.
Blackberry Thyme Sparkler from The Effortless Chic
Why We Love It: Fresh and fruity, this cocktail is bound to be the most-talked-about part of your evening. A gold-sugared rim gives it an extra bit of glam that doesn’t feel over the top. Serve it up in chic champagne flutes for extra appeal.
Hero Ingredient: With a distinctly herbal flavor, gin is a perfect complement to most champagne’s apple, pear, and citrus notes.
Cherry Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail from Jennifer Meyering
Why We Love It: I don’t ask for much, so when a drink can be made with five ingredients, I’m satisfied. When these components come together to create a stunning sipper like this? Well, consider me impressed. The cherry-pomegranate syrup brings color and cheers to every single glass.
Hero Ingredient: I always need a little sweetness with my champagne, and thanks to the fresh cherries, this cocktail delivers.
Cucumber Mint Sparkler from Domesticate Me
Why We Love It: These fizzy drinks feel light while still supplying a fair amount of festivity. The pretty pale green hue is a sight to behold, and, of course, the cocktail itself is something to be savored.
Hero Ingredient: Finely-chopped cucumber offers up a cooling flavor that mixes well with the lime and mint.
Ginger-Citrus Aperol Spritz
Why We Love It: Some might argue that Aperol Spritz is not a good drink. I’d have to say, New York Times, you’re wrong. Far be it from me to question the journalistic integrity of one of my favorite publications, but spritzes should be universally enjoyed. They’re refreshing, colorful, and the best thing to sip on surrounded by your friends in the summertime. They also work equally well served up at your NYE gathering.
Hero Ingredient: Aperol’s vibrant orange hue will send any imbiber straight to Tuscany. Honestly, that’s exactly where I’d want to be on the first of the year.
Lillet Rosé Cocktail from Martha Stewart
Why We Love It: When it comes to New Year’s Eve cocktails, you can’t go wrong with rosé—Lillet Rosé, that is. I’m all for infusing my NYE with a little French flair, and mixing this aperitif wine into my drink is the simplest way to do exactly that.
Hero Ingredient: A garnish of edible flowers raises this drink to new heights of aesthetic superiority.
Cranberry Orange Mimosa with Candied Rosemary from Vegetarian Ventures
Why We Love It: While mimosas are my brunch beverage of choice (following coffee, of course), I’d also invite them to any party I’m having no matter the time of day. I’m already planning my pajamas, snacks, and NYE movie picks around this cocktail.
Hero Ingredient: Garnishing your glass with a sprig of candied rosemary upgrades your champagne to seasonal cocktail status.
White Peach and Elderflower Cooler from Donna Hay
Why We Love It: Cocktails are an opportunity to compose a color palette and flavor profile of all your favorite tastes, textures, and hues. This drink’s particular mix of pale yellow and romantic, peachy pink is truly a work of art.
Hero Ingredient: You really can’t go wrong with elderflower. Both the cordial and fresh flowers in this drink offer a distinctly fresh and floral sweetness that’s full of nuance.
Rose and Black Currant Champagne from Donna Hay
Why We Love It: This is not your average champagne cocktail. Blackcurrant cordial concentrates the fruit’s tart, grape-like flavor and is responsible for this drink’s rose-colored hue.
Hero Ingredient: A sugar cube in each glass doesn’t just add sweetness. When the cube hits the champagne, you’ll create a spark of celebratory bubbles.
Champagne Margarita from 40 Aprons
Why We Love It: Now here’s a New Year’s Eve cocktail. It’s sour, it’s sweet, and it’s strong. But is it really an NYE celebration if you’re not pulling out all the stops?
Hero Ingredient: Orange liqueur is the perfect bridge between sweet champagne and all the flavors of the classic, zesty cocktail.
Apple Brandy Harvest Punch
Why We Love It: Let’s take a moment to appreciate how pretty this drink is. The effervescent mixture of champagne, Calvados, and St-Germain is gorgeous, and the orange juice adds the loveliest subtle glow.
Hero Ingredient: While I’d recommend Calvados, any apple brandy is going to give this punch its harvest-y vibes. Perfect for fall, and I’d argue, perfect for NYE.
Elixir de l’Amour
Why We Love It: Looking to impress with only a little bit of effort? Serve this to your guests. The name alone is alluring, and when you take your first sip, you’ll already be wanting more.
Hero Ingredient: Rosewater adds a refreshing floral note that’ll ward off any sugar-induced headaches.
Raspberry Mimosa from A Southern Soul
Why We Love It: Be ready to load up on the bubbly—these mimosas are going to be a hit. This drink is special without feeling fussy. The combo of sorbet, grenadine, raspberries, and champagne will fill each glass with a light and sweet flavor.
Hero Ingredient: Grenadine takes me back to my seven-year-old self, sipping on Shirley Temples. While this mimosa is a bit more age-appropriate, it’s still nostalgic in all the best ways.
Fizzy Spiked Pear Punch from The Sweetest Occasion
Why We Love It: I’m all for big-batch recipes that let me do the prep ahead of time. Mixing up a pitcher of this punch means less time in the kitchen, and more time making toasts with all of your loved ones. This is the perfect cocktail to have alongside a snacking board filled with your favorite in-season bites. And seriously, how pretty are those pear slices?
Hero Ingredient: Vanilla vodka might sound like something you haven’t touched since freshman year, but trust me when I say it’ll seal in all the cold weather flavors you crave.
Ginger Spritz from Bon Appétit
Why We Love It: Three spritzes in one single roundup? You better believe it. Bubbly cava and ginger beer fill your glass with a light, refreshing flavor. This drink works just as well at your NYE party as it would at your New Year’s Day brunch.
Hero Ingredient: The thinnest slice of peeled ginger is all the garnish this sweet and spicy cocktail needs.
This post was originally published on December 29, 2020, and has since been updated.
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