62 Best New Year’s Eve Recipes

In many parts of the world, people eat 12 green grapes in the first sixty seconds of the New Year to bring good luck in the year ahead. Although, speaking from experience, when the clock strikes midnight, 12 grapes doesn’t seem such a simple task. Enter a simpler, and tastier option: the 12 grapes cocktail.

Get the 12 Grapes Cocktail recipe.

The perfect bite to start any party is one made of mac and cheese and lobster. Here we use a combination of heavy cream, sharp cheddar, and nutty gouda cheese along with sweet shallots and garlic to form a simple, yet decadent canvas for the real stars, pasta and lobster. Our favorite part about these mini bites? How crispy the exterior gets, plus the addition of black pepper on top that really makes them pop.

Get the Lobster Mac & Cheese Bites recipe.

The combination of creamy grits and spiced juicy shrimp in a holy trinity-spiked sauce is a match made in heaven. You can eat it for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and now…you can finally have shrimp and grits in appetizer form. For our take on the two-bite version of this classic dish, smoked gouda grits are breaded and fried until golden brown and crispy, then topped with saucy Cajun-spiced shrimp and a flurry of fresh scallions.

Get the Cheesy Shrimp & Grit Bites recipe.

Looking for a fun and sophisticated way to get a little tipsy? Whip up a batch of Champagne Jell-O shots for your next New Year’s Eve party. These elegant treats are a classy twist on the traditional Jell-O shot, and are perfect for any festive occasion—not just college parties. Made with Champagne, lemonade, vodka, and powdered gelatin, they offer a delightful high-low pairing, much like serving caviar with potato chips.

Get the Champagne Jell-O Shots recipe.

What do you do when you’re craving tiramisu, but you don’t have the time or patience to chill it for hours? Enter tiramisu dip. It’s got all the right flavors—creamy mascarpone, rich espresso, and a generous dusting of cocoa powder—and it comes together in just 10 minutes.

Get the Tiramisu Dip recipe.

Give grapes a festive upgrade with New Year’s appropriate Prosecco (though any sparkling wine will work). We went for green, but any type of grape you like is great for these.

Get the Prosecco Grapes recipe.

These easy bites are perfect for any holiday celebration. We love their little pretzel handles, but feel free to leave them out or even make one huge cheeseball instead!

Get the Loaded Cheese Ball Bites recipe.

This herby and cheesy deep-fried hybrid is essential party food and will steal the show at your next tailgate. They’re exactly what they sound like—all of the fillings you’d find in a meatball sub loaded into an egg roll wrapper and deep-fried until golden brown, delicious, and perfect for folks who don’t want their hands covered in hot marinara sauce.

Get the Meatball Sub Egg Rolls recipe.

This fruity drink is filled with moscato, pink lemonade, and vodka, which is pretty much the most irresistible drink combo. This punch makes up to 8 servings, so it’s ideal to get the party started for a crowd. Whether you’re serving this big-batch cocktail up at your New Year’s Eve celebration or your next girls’ night in, this sweet and fruity cocktail is sure to have you and your guests giggling together in no time.

Get the Giggle Juice recipe.

Smoked salmon has been endlessly married with cream cheese, and we’re not tired of it. In fact, we encourage it full-on. Whether it’s smoked salmon dip or in a pasta, there is no denying the perfection of this combo. So, for a quick hors d’oeuvre, like this salmon crostini, we couldn’t shy away from it.

Get the Smoked Salmon Crostini recipe.

Eating 12 grapes as midnight is supposed to bring good luck, so why not make it extra fun! This magical recipe transforms green grapes into a sweet-and-sour snack that tastes suspiciously like Sour Patch Kids.

Get the Sour Patch Grapes recipe.