New Year's Eve Desserts & Drinks

New Year's Eve is a time to indulge with elegance. Fancy dress, fancy desserts, fancy drinks all help to make the evening special.

And it doesn't matter how many people are around, as long as the night is elevated in a way that transitions the old year into the new with style.

That's why I've gathered some New Year's Eve dessert ideas, along with drinks to usher in the New Year.

Sweets: Cakes, Mousse, and more

New Year's Eve desserts don't have to be hard to be fancy. And many of these ideas are scalable up or down depending on the size of your group.

Chocolate and more chocolate

Port Wine takes a plain ol' chocolate cake recipe and takes it up several notches!

Chocolate Port Wine Cake

Rich and decadent, Port Wine Chocolate Cake has deep chocolate flavor enhanced with a hint of berries. Topped with a ganache made with port wine, this extraordinary cake is for adults-only chocolate lovers!

Chocolate mousse. Chocolate brownies. Both are wonderful, but when combined in a Chocolate Mousse Brownie cake you've got a superlative dessert!

Mini Chocolate Mousse Brownie Cake

Rich chocolate mousse and chewy brownies are wonderful by themselves, but put them together in a Chocolate Mousse Brownie Cake and the result is romance on a plate! Make a mini cake for Valentine's Day, Date Night, or when you just want a special treat to share.

Speaking of chocolate mousse, here's a dairy-free and gluten-free incarnation that will satisfy anyone's chocolate craving!

Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse (No Coconut Oil)

This rich chocolate mousse has a secret ingredient making it dairy-free, and there's no coconut oil used. Dark and smooth, you won’t miss the milk (or milk substitute). Perfect for when you want a non-dairy dessert!

If pudding is more your style, this chocolate pudding is silky smooth and luscious with an intense chocolate flavor. Made without eggs, it can also be a dairy-free pudding using a milk substitute. It's easy to make, and much better than a box mix!

Homemade Dark Chocolate Pudding (No Eggs)

This homemade chocolate pudding is silky smooth and luscious with an intense chocolate flavor. Made without eggs, it can also be a dairy-free pudding using a milk substitute. It's easy enough for a weeknight dessert, and much better than a box mix!

This pudding cake dessert makes it own hot fudge sauce along with a rich brownie. Easy to make and great with a scoop of ice cream!

Mini Skillet Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

When the mood hits for a dark and decadent dessert, make a Mini Skillet Hot Fudge Pudding Cake. It's a chocolate brownie that makes its own hot fudge sauce. Perfect for Valentines Day, Date night, or anytime you want a dessert for two!

English Toffee features a buttery caramel candy blanketed by chocolate and finely ground almonds. It  may look difficult, but is actually quite simple with a bit of time and attentiveness.

Buttery English Toffee Candy (Gluten-Free)

Crunchy, buttery toffee topped with a blanket of chocolate and a dusting of almond meal, this is English Toffee at its best. It's gluten-free and easy to make, using just 7 ingredients. Perfect for the holidays, Valentine's Day, Passover, or just for a treat!

See more just chocolate recipes ➡️

More dessert ideas beyond chocolate

A rich cheesecake can be made elegant in so many ways, and wine is a classy touch. Use your favorite white wine or champagne to change your cheesecake from good to great!

White Wine Cheesecake

Elevate a classic cheesecake recipe with the subtle notes of white wine. Smooth, creamy, rich, and dense, this luxurious White Wine Cheesecake will make any occasion special!

Crème Brûlée sounds fancy and hard, but it's actually really easy to make. Use your slow cooker for custard perfection.

Foolproof Slow Cooker Crème Brûlée

Make a foolproof crème brûlée in your crockpot! The low and slow heat is ideal for baking vanilla custard gently, giving it a silky smooth texture. Add a crunchy caramelized sugar topping, and it's truly an elegant dessert!

In Scotland, Hogmanay (New Year's Eve) is celebrated with a variety of traditional food, one of them being Cranachan. Cranachan trifle is layers of whisky-spiked raspberries, whipped cream, & toasted oats. A tasty adults-only treat!

Cranachan Trifle (Scottish Raspberry Dessert)

Hard to say, yet fun to eat, Cranachan trifle is layers of whisky-spiked raspberries, whipped cream, and toasted oats, traditionally eaten on Hogmanay (Scotland's New Year's Eve). Potent and utterly delicious, it's a tasty adults-only treat!

This tart is made with apples, boiled apple cider, and store-bought phyllo dough. It's amped-up apple flavor will really turn heads!

Apple Galette Tart in Phyllo Dough

This simple rustic apple tart is loaded with rich apple flavor and is encased in a crisp, buttery phyllo dough shell. An apple galette is an elegant phyllo dough dessert that's sure to impress!

Turn shortbread into pecan snowballs with these twice-sugar-coated cookies. They'll melt in your mouth, and tempt you to take another one!

Pecan Snowballs (Mexican Wedding Cookies)

This simple rustic apple tart is loaded with rich apple flavor and is encased in a crisp, buttery phyllo dough shell. An apple galette is an elegant phyllo dough dessert that's sure to impress!

See more baking recipes ➡️

Spirits: Whisky & Bourbon

If you like to imbibe (responsibly, of course), here are a few recommendations for New Year's Eve drinks. We'll start with eggnog, a true holiday classic.

As for spirits, I have so many reviews of scotches and bourbons on this site it's hard to know which to choose. Start with my suggestions for scotch (both peated and unpeated) and bourbon, then search the site for more ideas that will please your palate.

Eggnog

So traditional this time of year, my version isn't the overly sweet, overly processed stuff you get at the market. Plus, you can make it with or without liquor. It's eggnog the way it was meant to be!

Traditional Homemade Eggnog

Jazz up your Christmas holidays with this traditional sweet, creamy, nutmeg-topped homemade eggnog. Serve it spiked with your choice of spirit for the adults, or leave it out for a non-alcoholic version. With only cream, egg yolks, sugar, and spices, it's easy to make and so much better than store bought!

Scotch Whisky

Glenmorangie is a Highland scotch- think sweet, heathery, and pine. For the Original expression, the spice is balanced by the sweet. It's a solid Highland sip.

Glenmorangie Original

Nice and sweet, this expression by Glen Moray is a nice entry to the lineup.

Glen Moray Classic Port Cask

See more Scotch whisky reviews ➡️

Peated Whisky

AnCnoc Highland Single Malt is made using their original style copper pot stills and worm tubs from 100 years ago, something rarely done today. In AnCnoc Cutter, peat adds dimension, and the fruity flavors are well balanced.

anCnoc Cutter

As one of the most heavily peated spirits from Islay, the Ardbeg line is bold and challenging. The An Oa features a nice balance between sweetness and smoke.

Ardbeg An Oa (second review)

See more Peated whisky reviews ➡️

Bourbon

With lots of different combinations of yeast, mashbills, and production methods, Four Roses Bourbon has many levels of spiciness and rich fruity flavors in their expressions. Their Straight Bourbon is a great entry to that lineup.

Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Maker's Mark is one of the best known bourbons, and for good reason. Their Cask Strength expression is a more complex version of the original.

Maker's Mark Cask Strength

See more American whiskey reviews ➡️

However you choose to celebrate, and whomever you get to celebrate it with, I wish for you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.

Here's to more happy baking and sipping together!