New Year’s Eve and festive imbibing go hand in hand. But no one wants to be stuck behind the bar. We’ve rounded up 8 easy cocktail recipes that are great to make in batches. Served in a beautiful punch bowl or in a collection vintage pitchers, they are crowd pleasers that can be made ahead and will look pretty on your party table.
Pear & Pub Ale Party Punch
Created by Jonathan Webb, the bar manager at Fine & Dandy in Jackson, Mississippi, the warming ingredients in this cocktail are perfect for a winter evening. Jonathan says feel free to temper the amounts if it seems too boozy for your crowd by upping the amount of juice or beer and cutting back on the rye whiskey and rum. Another fun tip: you can serve it in a large punch bowl garnished with a round Jell-O mold ice block filled with sliced fruit.
Salted Caramel Iced Spiked Coffee
There’s no shame in admitting that it can be hard to stay up late enough to watch that clock turn to midnight. That’s where the genius of Courtney of Pizzazerie comes in. Her Salted Caramel Iced Coffee Cocktail is delicious and will keep the energy going all night long.
Confetti Champagne
What could be more fun that a champagne cocktail dressed for a party? Prep these ahead of time by dipping the rim in lime juice and pop rocks then pour a bit of vanilla vodka into each glass. You can pour the bubbly when you are ready and in the meantime, the pretty glasses will look great on your table.
Cold Toddy
Who wants to fuss with keeping drinks warm during a party? The point of an easy cocktail recipe is that the flavors are guaranteed to work and guaranteed to make guests ooh and ah. The Iced Toddy is a twist on a classic Hot Toddy, so you get all the great flavor without the needy timing.
Cranberry Margarita
Whether you call them ‘Margs or ‘Ritas, there is perhaps no bigger crowd pleaser than a margarita. (And no list of easy cocktail recipes would be complete without one.) This cranberry version is made with a cinnamon simple syrup for a wintry take on a popular cocktail.
Lemon Champagne Punch
Because Martha Stewart just does entertaining right, and because the bright lemony and ginger flavors of this beauty are just the thing to cut through those rich appetizers, this lemon champagne punch is a win win.
Sparkling Wine Sangria
This simple-to make and sure to impress concoction tastes as bright as festive as it looks. Peach brandy gives it an unexpected twist and you can customize the berries to your liking.
Looking for more cocktail recipes? Check out this list of boozy punches or this roundup of fall cocktails that would be perfect warming drinks for New Year’s Eve.
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