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18 Easy Cocktail Ideas For NYE That You Don’t Need Special Bartender Skills To Make

by Michelle Gross
Lily Lawrence/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

With Christmas now behind us, the countdown to the new year has officially begun. That's right, party people, we're merely days away from New Year's Eve 2017, which means whether you're hosting a party this year or making some pre-party drinks at your place, it's time to start talking cocktails. Now, if you're in need of a little libation inspiration, look no further, because this article of 18 easy New Year's Eve cocktail ideas has got you covered.

That's right, the name of the game here is simple, because the last thing you want to be stuck doing on NYE is mixing and making some super complicated drinks from scratch. Of course, you still want to serve up something fun — and that's exactly what these easy cocktail recipes offer. Easy, delicious, and fun.

So without further ado, these easy and delicious recipes will be sure to kick any party up a notch (or two). Most importantly, none of these recipes require more than five ingredients to make them, so you don't have to be a master bartender a la Tom Cruise in Cocktail to put any of these together.

However you decide to cocktail this year, just remember to have fun!

Sparkling Midnight Thyme Rose

If you're looking to kick off the new year with something sweet and delicious, then look no further than these pretty rose-infused drinks. The main ingredients are dry sparkling rosé wine (the author suggests Spumante Brut Rosé), sugar, fresh thyme, and thyme-infused syrup. You do need to boil down some rose petals, but that's easy enough. You can find the complete recipe for this beauty courtesy of TheKitchn right here.

Champagne Cocktail

Nothing says New Years Eve like champagne, and this recipe courtesy of TheKitchn is so fun and so festive, it's sure to get the party started right. The ingredients are super simple: They include your choice of champagne, aromatic bitters, and sugar cubes. Add a peel of lemon for a fun little twist. You can find the entire recipe here.

Pomegranate Spritzers

Nothing says New Year's Eve like some fun and festive fizzy drinks, which is why I'm loving these super simple spritzers courtesy of Making Thyme For Health. The ingredients list is pretty straight forward: All you need is some dry champagne, some pomegranate juice, and a couple limes. If you want to step up your game a bit, add some pomegranate seeds as a garnish and a splash of hibiscus tea for a sweet something extra.

Sparkeling Cranberry Punch

This pink party punch is so fun and so easy to make. Ingredients include cranberry juice, pink frozen lemonade, and club soda topped off with some fresh cranberries and a little lemon wedge. Simple! You can find the recipe here courtesy of Dessert Now Dinner Later.

Classic French 75 Cocktail

If you're eager to infuse a bit of French history in your libations this year, then look no further than the French 75. This super simple recipe, courtesy of food and drink blogger Kate of Cookie and Kate, swaps sugar for a spot of honey, added to a mix of gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and champagne. Find the complete recipe here.

Fresh Mezcalitas

If you're looking to spice things up a bit this NYE, then look no further than the mezcalita. From Cookie and Kate, this drink is also pretty easy to make: The main ingredients include mezcal, orange juice, orange bitters, and orange liqueur. You can find the complete recipe here.

Blood Orange Mimosas

I don't know about you, but I love a good mimosa morning, noon, and night. That's why I'm loving this super easy recipe courtesy of TheKitchn. Main ingredients include blood oranges, dry sparkling wine (Prosecco or Cava will do), and a blood orange peel as a garnish. You can find the complete recipe right here.

Kombucha Moscow Mules

So here's the most amazing fact about this drink: there are only three ingredients included! Amaze, right? I mean, it doesn't get much better than that. You can find the complete recipe here courtesy of CookieandKate.com.

Peach Proseccco Punch

This lovely little recipe is not only super easy to whip up in a pinch, but it also includes two of my favorite P's: peach and prosecco. Top it off with some fresh raspberries and blueberries, and you're good to go. You can find the complete recipe courtesy of TheKitchn here.

Blood Orange & Bourbon

If you're looking for something to up the booze factor a bit, then look no further than this beautiful blood orange and bourbon recipe courtesy of Love&Lemons. Obviously bourbon and blood orange juice are the stars of this cocktail — just add a splash of sparkling water and Angostura bitters for ultimate impact.

Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour

All you need for this one is a bottle of your favorite bourbon, along with fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, and a pinch of cinnamon. So simple! You can find the complete recipe here courtesy of CookieandKate.com.

Cranberry Lime Vodka Soda

From OhSheGlows, all you need for this drink is vodka (dealer's choice), cranberry juice, and club soda. Add a touch of agave nectar to sweeten things up, and you're good to go! You can find the complete recipe right here.

Pomegranate Martini

This recipe, an adaptation of Oprah's Pomegranate Martini, is all about the finishing touches. All you need to pull this off (other than some fab stemware) is vodka, cointreau, and pomegranate juice. Add a little lemon peel and a couple springs of rosemary for bonus points — and if you're feeling extra, dip your glasses in some gold sugar. You can find this recipe courtesy of Foodie Crush right here.

Sparkling Pear, Cranberry & Vodka

While pears might not be the first ingredient that comes to mind when you're talking about NYE cocktails, it's a fun and surprising addition to this otherwise traditional drink. And hey, who doesn't love a fun surprise!? With that said, all you need for this is some sparkling pear juice, cranberry juice, and vodka, along with a little spritz of lemon. Short and sweet can't be beat. You can find the complete recipe courtesy of Simply Delicious right here.

The Campari Mint Spritz

This recipe, courtesy of TheKitchn, is seriously Campari goals. You can find the complete recipe right here.

Honey Apple Cinnamon Old Fashioned

There's nothing old fashioned about this old fashioned. This recipe, courtesy of A Spicy Perspective, is so darn simple, boozy, and delicious, you might want to save it for a nightcap. Ingredients include bourbon, club soda, bitters, and a touch of apple butter and apple peels. You can find the complete recipe at A Spicy Perspective here.

Gin Gimlet (Without The Roses)

Simple, sweet (but not too sweet) this gin gimlet recipe courtesy of The Kitchn is easy and delicious. Ingredients here include water, sugar, lime, lime juice, and gin. You can find the complete recipe here.

Ruby Red & Rosemary Honey Cocktail

I'm loving so many things about this pretty in pink cocktail. First of all, it's so simple and elegant. All you need to pull this off other than a couple sprigs of rosemary is vodka, honey, and ruby red grapefruit juice. Easy. You can find the complete recipe here, courtesy of Cookie and Kate.