15 Last-Minute Cocktail Recipes for a Cheery New Year’s Eve

Sure, the lemon/maple/cayenne combo may evoke the Master Cleanse detox, but they just taste great together, especially in a glass of bubbles. 

This easy and refreshing big-batch drink is perfect for celebrations year round!

This colorful cocktail gives a new way to use Grand Marnier liqueur that makes a festive option for holiday toasts and special occasions. Frozen cranberries make a playful garnish and also do double duty by keeping drinks cold. 

The combination of gin, grapefruit and elderflower seems to be a new, trending combination in cocktails. Our version is super straightforward, but the twist is that we call for spiked grapefruit-flavored seltzer. We think it makes it that much more delicious and refreshing.

While gin lets the grapefruit shine through, this punch recipe also works with bourbon. Using the Angostura bitters is optional, but the cinnamon-clove flavor gives this drink a bit of holiday-appropriate spice.

Bright and refreshing, this gin gimlet is made with sage-infused simple syrup and muddled fresh sage. This light and festive cocktail is perfect for fall gatherings, such as Thanksgiving. This recipe makes enough simple syrup for about 8 cocktails and can easily be doubled for a crowd. 

We've added a little red, white and blue to the classic gin fizz to create a summer cocktail that's perfect for Fourth of July celebrations or any other summer party. Sour cherries contain anthocyanins, antioxidants shown to reduce muscle soreness after workouts, and melatonin, which can help you sleep better. If you can't find them fresh, use frozen. Skip jarred or canned cherries to avoid added sugar. 

In this simple sparkling-wine cocktail, lemon juice and simple syrup make a tart-and-sweet bubbly drink. 

Blackberries give this vodka cocktail its gorgeous hue and jammy flavor. Use the leftover simple syrup to mix up drinks for friends or skip the vodka for a mocktail.

You can easily multiply this strawberry shrub cocktail recipe to make a pitcher cocktail to serve a whole party: just muddle the strawberries, basil and lemon in a pitcher, then vigorously stir in the vodka, shrub, Campari and ice. Top each serving with seltzer.

A splash of cranberry juice in sparkling wine and a garnish of cranberries and rosemary sprigs makes an exceptionally festive party-ready cocktail that's easy to make, too.

This refreshing cocktail features a combination of vodka, tangy lime and ginger beer, a nonalcoholic carbonated ginger beverage similar to ginger ale. This cocktail is traditionally served in a copper mug. 

Aiming to avoid the typical boozy holiday bombs, this cocktail is a riff on the classic Corpse Reviver No. 2 cocktail. (That's also the reason for the creepy name!) It's lower-alcohol, refreshing and light. Citrus, vanilla and spice are the main notes and the chocolate mist at the end (if you use it) lends a celebratory toasty nose. 

A 3:1 ratio of whiskey to vermouth is the best for this classic Manhattan recipe. This cocktail never goes out of style. 

Everyone should know how to make this classic cocktail. Old Fashioneds are easy to make and timeless.