Hello friends! Are you ready for New Year’s Eve and leave 2020 behind? I know, I am. Like many of you, we too are having a low key New Years at our house.
Still, even with a difficult year behind us, food is the best way to celebrate in the new (and hopefully a better) year. Below is a list of my favorite cocktails, appetizers, and desserts that are perfect for your New Year’s Eve celebration.
Delicious & Easy To Make Cocktails for Your NYE Party
01
PINEAPPLE MARGARITAS
Whether you liked it frozen or on the rocks, these pineapple margaritas are great for any party, especially if they are accompanied with nachos.
02
SPICY JALAPENO MARGARITAS
Fan of spicy Mexican food? Then this cilantro infused Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas recipe is for you. This is a 5-minute cocktail recipe that is sweet, salty, and spicy all at the same time.
03
MANGO AND BLACKBERRY VODKA COOLER
This vodka cooler has been one of the most popular recipes on Foolproof Living and for a good reason.
Fresh (or frozen) mango and blackberries muddled with fresh mint, mixed in with vodka, and garnished with blackberries. I recommend making extra because believe me, your friends will be asking for seconds.
04
KENTUCKY MULE
Are you a fan of Moscow Mule? Then try this Kentucky Mule recipe. This is a great cocktail for Bourbon lovers. Made with only 3 ingredients, it comes together in just a few minutes.
05
RASPBERRY LEMON DROP MARTINI
If you love lemon drop martinis, try this version made with raspberries (or any berries you can get your hands on) It is refreshingly delicious and 5 minutes to make.
QUICK AND EASY APPETIZERS FOR YOUR NEW YEAR’S EVE GATHERING:
01
TEXAS CAVIAR RECIPE
This Texas Caviar is the best way I know how to incorporate black eyed peas into your NYE celebrations. It comes together rather quick and it is so SO delicious.
02
MUHAMMARA
It is no secret that delicious dips are a must for any New Years Eve celebrations. And if you want to try something new, this Middle Eastern red pepper walnut dip is a must. It comes together in a food processor and its leftovers make the best spread on the next day.
03
MEAT AND CHEESE PLATTER
Want to know about best cheeses for charcuterie board? If so, check out this post on how to put together a charcuterie platter with matching cheese and wine ideas.
04
SPICY CANDIED NUTS
You can’t have a party without nuts. These spicy candied nuts are naturally sweetened with natural cane sugar and flavored with cinnamon, cumin, red pepper flakes, and ginger.
05
MASCARPONE STUFFED DATES
Whether you serve them as an appetizer or a dessert, these mascarpone filled warm dates are OUT OF THIS WORLD. Top them off with walnuts, pomegranate arils, and a drizzle of honey to make them even more delicious.
06
BREAD DIPPING OIL
You know how when you go to an Italian restaurant they bring dipping oil and bread to the table? This is the recipe for that dipping oil.
I serve it with my olive bread and people go crazy for it.
07
VEGAN GREEK NACHOS
If you are serving friends who are health-conscious, these vegan nachos are what you should serve them.
Backed pita chips (instead of fried corn chips) topped off with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and chickpeas and drizzled with homemade herbed tahini dressing is SO good.
08
CHICKEN NACHOS
If vegan nachos are not for you, then you should try these sheet pan chicken nachos. Made by layering tortilla chips with cheese, shredded chicken, black beans, and tomatoes, these nachos will get everyone around the table.
09
CHEESY APPLE BITES
The easiest appetizer that you can put together in no time. Simply slice apples thinly, spread each slice with blue (or cream) cheese, sprinkle with chives and pomegranate arils.
10
OVEN-BAKED GOAT CHEESE BALLS
Herbed goat cheese rolled in crackers and baked in the oven for a crunchy outside and soft inside. Be sure to have some extras, because I know for a fact that these will be the first one to go on your NYE buffet.
11
AVOCADO DEVILED EGGS
These no mayo avocado deviled eggs are the perfect finger food for any party. Flavored with capers, jalapeños, and cilantro they are easy to make.
12
BAKED GOAT CHEESE DIP
A combination of goat cheese, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese whipped with olive oil and baked in the oven for perfection. Serve warm with crackers, veggies, or fruits. So GOOD!
HEALTHY SWEETS FOR YOUR NEW YEARS EVE PARTY
01
ALMOND FLOUR CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
These flourless chocolate cupcakes are made in a bowl in less than an hour. They are made with gluten-free almond flour and minimally sweetened with maple syrup.
And if you can’t get enough of chocolate, check out my round-up of healthier easy chocolate desserts.
02
MINI LEMON TARTS
These mini lemon tarts are the perfect bite-sized dessert for a crowd. They are filled with ricotta-lemon filling and topped off with blueberries.
So easy to make with only 8 ingredients and 10 minutes of hands-on time.
03
ALMOND FLOUR COOKIES
These vegan and gluten-free almond flour cookies are packed with chocolate chips. Made in one bowl with only 6 ingredients and in less than 30 minutes, they are the perfect cookie to serve at your NYE party.
04
CRANBERRY POACHED PEARS
If you want a dessert that is on the lighter side, try these honey sweetened cranberry poached pears recipe. I served it with mascarpone to balance out the sweetness and for extra creaminess.
15+ New Years Eve Appetizers, Cocktails, & Desserts – Texas Caviar Recipe (A Reader Favorite)
Ingredients
For The Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 4 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika sweet or hot
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon honey
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
For The Caviar Dip:
- 1 15 oz. can black beans drained and rinsed*
- 1 15 oz. can black eyed peas drained and rinsed*
- ½ cup whole corn kernels I used canned corn but drained it first
- 3 scallions both white and green parts are chopped
- ⅓ cup red onion chopped finely or diced
- 3 small bell peppers chopped approx. ¼ cup
- 1 small jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes sliced thinly
- ½ ripe avocado cut into small cubes
- ½ cup fresh cilantro rinsed and chopped
To Serve With (Optional)
- Your favorite hot Sauce
- Tortilla Chips
Instructions
- To make the dressing: Whisk together the oil, lime juice, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, honey and garlic. Set it aside.
- For the Texas Caviar dip (or salad): Place, black beans, black eyed peas, corn kernels, scallions, red onion, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and fresh cilantro in a bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Give it a gentle mix.
- Taste for seasoning and add in if necessary.
- Add in a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce (if using) and serve with tortilla chips.
Janet
I loved your cowboy caviar all summer. It may be time to pull that one out again!
Aysegul Sanford
So happy to hear that Janet. Thanks for coming by.
Zerrin & Yusuf
What an amazing round-up for New Year celebrations! Would love to gobble up those vegan Greek nachos with you! White wine would be on us 🙂 Cheers!
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! Wish we could be together. Hopefully soon..
Jessica Rosenthal
I was looking for fun cocktails and snacks for New Years Eve, and I knew you’d have amazing ideas for both of these! I came straight to Foolproof Living and found all I need! Thanks for a great website!
Aysegul Sanford
Awwww, this truly warms my heart. Thanks Jessica. ♥️
Kerry Mackinnon
You continue to amaze me!!!
Your blog is the best in the biz…simply fantastic.
Kudos to you…
Aysegul Sanford
Awww that is such as sweet comment. Thanks Kerry. I really appreciate your sweet comment. Wishing you and yours a happy new year.