5 Ina Garten Cocktail Recipes That Are Perfect for a NYE Celebration

If you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve party this year, then your main focus is probably on appetizers and decorations. But you simply can’t forget about the cocktails, and Ina Garten has a few that are festive, fun, and a lot more exciting than just regular old champagne. There’s something for the sweet tooth friends, the traditionalists, and those who like old favorites with new twists. The hardest part will be choosing which one to make your signature drink — you may just have to go with all five!

French 75

You’ll be toasting with champagne later, so you might as well start sipping on champagne right now! Garten’s French 75 is a classic cognac, simple syrup, and lemon juice recipe that is topped with fizzy champagne and lemon zest before serving ice cold. To make simple syrup, which pops up in most of Garten’s cocktail recipes, she writes, “combine one cup water and one cup sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook until the sugar dissolves. Cool.”

Pomegranate Gimlets

Pomegranates ripen in January, making them the ultimate wintery fruit to indulge in this time of year. And Garten’s Pomegranate Gimlets recipe is a love letter to the sweet, seasonal treat. This cocktail is a combination of gin, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and simple syrup. Add this concoction to a cocktail shaker that’s filled about halfway with ice and pour into frozen martini glasses. You can garnish with lime wedges and pomegranate seeds to make the drink look extra special.

Duke’s Cosmopolitan

You can never go wrong with serving cosmos at a cocktail party. Garten’s Duke’s Cosmopolitan recipe combines lemon juice, Cointreau, cranberry juice cocktail, vodka, and egg white in a cocktail shaker with ice and is served in chilled martini glasses. The cranberry juice cocktail gives this drink a festive holiday season vibe that your guests are going to love.

Side Cars with Dried Cherries

Who doesn’t love a drink with a sugared rim? This Side Car cocktail recipe from Garten is a bit more special than your traditional Side Car. It features dried cherries that are actually microwaved with Cognac — this not only gives the cherries a boozy touch, but it flavors the Cognac to make the drink extra delicious. Combine lemon juice, Cognac, Grand Marnier, and a teaspoon of the marinated cherry liquid in a cocktail shaker with loads of ice and give everything a good shake. Serve super cold in a sugared glass with the dried boozy cherries on a toothpick.

Fresh Whiskey Sours

A whiskey sour is a crowd pleaser, and this fresh recipe from Garten’s cocktail arsenal is going to be a favorite among your party guests. Combine whiskey, lemon juice, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake everything together, and serve in chilled martini glasses with maraschino cherries. As Garten says, how easy is that?

With these cocktails at the ready, you’re about to have the best New Year’s Eve party ever! Stock your bar and get ready to ring in the New Year with a delicious drink in hand.

Before you go, check out Ina Garten’s easy weeknight dinner recipes below: