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Planning New Year’s Eve party? Here’s my game plan for a stress-free party with easy New Year’s Eve Appetizer Recipes and fabulous New Year’s Eve Cocktail recipes + my favorite mocktail!
Table of Contents
How do you organize a New Year’s Eve Party?
Skip the printing and send pretty and free online invitations. Here are two great sources:
Music: set the mood with a perfect playlist.
- Be sure to include a mix of lively, soft, and nostalgic songs. (Like this New Years Eve 2023 Spotify playlist)
- Ask your party guests for a few of their favorite songs and add them to the mix.
Party Decor: it doesn’t have to be expensive.
- Think sparkle: white lights, mirrors under dishes, low lights, candles (LED or traditional).
Finger Foods (skip the silverware!): the mix and the quantity.
- Include savory and sweet finger-food appetizers.
- Assume that your guests will eat two or three of each of the finger foods.
- Determine the number of finger food varieties based on the number of guests:
- 10 to 15 guests = 3 or 4 varieties
- 15 to 20 guests = 4 or 5 varieties
- 25 or more guests = 5 or more varieties
Cocktail (and mocktail!) quantities: better safe than sorry.
- A general rule is 3 drinks per person for every 2 hours of the party. But it doesn’t hurt to have extra on hand.
- Don’t forget your teetotaler friends and designated drivers – there are lots of fun, non-alcoholic cocktail recipes, like these: Virgin Mojito recipe, Virgin Margarita recipe and Non Alcoholic Sangria.
- Equivalents:
- 1 liter of a distilled spirit yields about 22 mixed drinks
- 1 750-milliliter bottle of wine or champagne yields 6 to 8 glasses
Essential Bar Tools
- Ice Bucket with Tongs
- Ice (these giant ice cube trays are fun!)
- Shaker and Strainer
- Shot Glass or Jigger
- Muddler
- Small Cutting Board
- Small Knife
- Garnishes (lemons, limes, maraschino cherries, olives, bitters, etc. – depending on your choice of cocktails!)
- Cocktail Napkins
- Wine Opener
- Twist Peeler
Use the Right Glassware for your Cocktails
- Old Fashioned or “Rocks” Glasses – for drinks served with ice
- Martini Glasses – use for any ‘up’ cocktails that are stirred or shaken and strained
- Champagne Glasses, either Coupe or Flute – for Champagne (or sparkling wine) and Champagne Cocktails
Savory Finger Foods
Bacon Wrapped Scallops
A fast and fabulous recipe for cooking scallops wrapped in bacon!
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Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Partially cooking the bacon is a key step to these perfectly succulent shrimp wrapped in bacon! A crowd pleasing appetizer recipe that's also great for keto and low carb diets. Note that you'll need toothpicks to secure the bacon strips around the shrimp.
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Bacon Wrapped Dates
These are delicious warm from the oven and at room temperature making them an indispensable party appetizer. Feel free to double the recipe!
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Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms
Feel free to double or triple this recipe and assemble up to 2 days before you plan to bake and serve.
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Bacon Wrapped Pineapple
It's the smoky, sweet and spicy combination of flavors that make this appetizer impossible to resist!
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Prosciutto Wrapped Asaparagus
When it comes to appetizers, it's hard to beat Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus for flavor and convenience! No matter how you choose to cook your asparagus (roasted, grilled, or pan-fried) be sure to let the spears cool to room temperature before wrapping with prosciutto.
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Crispy Baked Coconut Shrimp
A delicious and easy alternative to deep-fried coconut shrimp. This recipe requires minimal effort and mess, but yields maximum flavor and crunch.
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Crispy Baked Egg Rolls
This recipe makes 10 egg rolls. You could also make mini-rolls to serve as appetizers using wonton wrappers instead. If you do this, reduce the baking time to 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
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Goat Cheese Phyllo Cup Appetizers
These bite-sized Goat Cheese Phyllo Cup Appetizers are made with just six ingredients and ready in 15 minutes or less, these bites can also be made in advance and frozen!
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Salt Potatoes
Who knew that just potatoes, salt, and water could create such a delicious dish! Fingerling potatoes get buttery smooth on the inside with a crisp, salty crust on the outside to make an addictive appetizer!
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Spicy Deviled Eggs
The ideal party and picnic treat and an ideal way to enjoy leftover hard boiled eggs. Simple to make with an addictive spicy kick.
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Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp
Succulent shrimp in a buttery, bright lemon garlic butter sauce!
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Baked Goat Cheese
Crispy and golden brown outside, soft and warm inside, Baked Goat Cheese is a perfect appetizer or salad topper!
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Festive Foods with a Little More Substance
Easy Crab Cakes
An easy crab cake recipe for people who want to taste crab not fillers in their crab cakes!
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Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs
A quick and easy recipe for tender, juicy chicken thighs wrapped in smoky bacon.
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Tuna Tartare
A delectable Tuna Tartare recipe courtesy of Michelin Star restaurant, K&L Bistro in Sebastopol, California.
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Pulled Pork Nachos
Pulled Pork Nachos are a decadent delicious way to enjoy leftover pulled pork!
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Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Truly crispy baked buffalo chicken tenders with simple blue cheese dip – perfect party fare! I love to serve cold and crunchy carrot and celery sticks with this too.
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Twice Baked Potatoes
A lightened up version of Emeril Lagasse’s restaurant Overstuffed Twice Baked Potatoes.
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Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
An elegant, chilled appetizer with plump, flavorful shrimp, fresh tomato, cucumber and avocado in a lightly spicy tomato based sauce.
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Garlic Butter Steak Bites
A perfect blend of juicy, seared steak cubes bathed in buttery garlic goodness. A quick recipe that's makes any meal or party a memorable affair.
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Dips, Sauces and Spreads
Classic French Remoulade Sauce
Serve this delicious remoulade sauce as a condiment for fish, seafood or red meat.
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Remoulade Sauce
Spicy Louisiana Style Remoulade sauce recipe – perfect for crab cakes, as a dip for boiled shrimp, po’ boy sandwiches, and Shrimp Remoulade.
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Elegant Salads
Seafood Pasta Salad
A delicious and satisfying main course pasta salad loaded with succulent shrimp and crab tossed in a creamy dressing.
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Crab Salad
An easy and delicious recipe using real lump crab meat. Serve on it's own or as a Seafood Pasta Salad or delectable sandwich! Perfect for gluten free, and low carb and keto diets!
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Caesar Salad
Serve this as a side or top it with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon for a simple one-dish meal.
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Champagne Vinaigrette
A delicious, tasty salad dressing that's so simple you may learn the recipe by heart!
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Crackers
Flaky Parmesan Cheese Straws
These are wonderful with Parmigiano-Reggiano, but I imagine other hard cheeses or even cheddar would be equally good. If I were using cheddar, I would shred then freeze it before adding to the flour mixture in the food processor.
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Sour Cherry, Walnut and Rosemary Crackers
You’ll need to start at least a day or several hours in advance to make these as they need to be frozen solid before slicing. Special Equipment: You’ll need 4 mini-loaf pans (6.75″(L) x 3.25″(W”) x 1.5″(H)) – I love these
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Lavosh Crackers
These snappy crisp crackers, made with whole grain flour, olive oil, and sesame seeds, are easy to make and are a great snack or addition to any gathering.
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Mouthwatering Crostini Recipes
Blue Cheese Crostini with Pecans and Honey
Serve these warm and delicious crostini at your next party! Just 4 simple ingredients! This recipe is for 12 crostini, but scales easily for as many as you need.
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Apple Crostini with Fig Jam and Pecorino
Just a few simple ingredients in these Apple Crostini with Fig Jam and Pecorino! This recipe is for 12 crostini, but scales easily for as many as you need.
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Parsley Pesto and Burst Heirloom Cherry Tomato Crostini
Delicious little toasts of crusty bread topped with parsley pesto jammy cherry tomatoes.
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Brie Crostini with Cherries and Arugula
A simple and delicious crostini recipe made with just 4 ingredients that are easy to find!
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Caprese Crostini with Pesto
You’ll have leftover pesto. Toss it with freshly cooked pasta for a second, simple meal or add a dollop to your favorite vinaigrette. The generous amount of lemon juice makes this pesto tangy and preserves it’s brilliant green color.
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Perfect New Year’s Eve Party Sweets
Homemade Champagne Gummy Bears
Make these homemade Champagne Gummy Bears with just 3 ingredients in less than 30 minutes!
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Pecan Pie Truffles
These little Pecan Pie Truffles are a few bites of sweet, boozy bliss with pecans, maple syrup, and bourbon!
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Dark Chocolate Mini Peanut Butter Cups
Add a healthier option to your dessert spread with these adorable peanut butter cups! Just a few simple ingredients and no refined sugar.
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Sugared Pecans
Sugared Pecans are easy to make and deliciously addictive! Delicious for snacking and as a sweet and crunchy topping for salads or desserts. And a perfect edible gift for the holidays!
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Homemade Chouquettes (French Pastry Sugar Puffs)
Simple to make and absolutely delicious, chouquettes are lightly sweet pastry puffs that make a wonderful snack and perfect party fare.
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New Year’s Eve Cocktails + My Favorite Mocktail!
Meyer Lemon French 75
First poured in a Paris bar in 1915, the French 75 is a delicious mix of Champagne, gin, lemon juice and sugar.
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Non Alcoholic Sangria
Finally! A non-alcoholic Sangria to get excited about – all because of an unexpected ingredient that mimics the missing alcohol!
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Eggnog Cocktail
This Eggnog Cocktail is ultra cold and creamy, and warmly spiced. A holiday crowd pleaser, it’s the perfect beverage to add some flair to an evening with friends.
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Virgin Margarita Recipe
A simple, everyday ingredient makes these non-alcoholic margaritas taste like the real thing.
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Mulled Wine
This warming mulled wine recipe is festive, delicious and right in your slow cooker!
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Boulevardier Cocktail Recipe
A twist on the classic Negroni, swapping in whiskey for gin.
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Peach Bellini Recipe
A classic cocktail made famous by Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy that's so easy to make at home!
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Happy New Year, my friend! I love this post! So inspiring! Speaking of inspired – we made your champagne gummy bears, and loved them! They were a big hit!! 🙂
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that, Annie! Happy New Year!
What a lovely selection of appetizers for NYE or any time of year! My hubby and I could make a meal on appetizers, and I can see some of these making an appearance for our Friday night snacking! Happy New Year Marissa!
Keith and I are the same! Such a fun way to make a meal. Happy New Year, Leanne!
Happy New Year to you Marissa! I’m just catching up after taking a break over the Christmas and New Yew festivities. The food and cocktails here are all so delicious looking. I hope you had an amazing Christmas and New Year yourself and am looking forward to all your recipes during 2020!
Thanks so much for your kind words, Neil! And Happy New Year to you!
I missed out on this post prior to NYE, but that’s ok. Football playoffs and the Super Bowl are coming, and those are great excuses to make appetizers and bite-sized foods. That Pesto Crostini is totally going on the list!
So true! And I think you’ll love that Pesto Crostini – it’s always a hit. It seems there’s always a good reason to whip up some appetizers, right? Thanks, David!