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New Year’s Eve is a night made for sparkle, from the first pop of Champagne to the last sweet bite before midnight. This collection gathers cocktails, appetizers, mains, and desserts that reflect the evening’s celebratory spirit, whether you’re pouring classic bubbly, setting out caviar and gougères, or serving rich, crowd-pleasing favorites. However you choose to welcome the year ahead, this lineup brings festive flavor and polish to your table.
The Champagne Cocktail
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
This classic cocktail layers a sugar cube soaked in Angostura bitters with a pour of chilled brut Champagne, creating a drink that’s lightly sweet, aromatic, and sparkling with citrusy lift. As the sugar slowly dissolves, it sends fine streams of bubbles rising through the glass.
Dirty Martini Dip
Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Nicole Hopper / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
This cocktail-inspired dip blends creamy blue cheese with a boozy brine made from Castelvetrano olives soaked in gin, vermouth, and lemon peel, giving it a bright, botanical edge. The marinated olives are spooned over the top for extra bite and texture, and the brininess can be adjusted to taste.
Four-Layer Caviar Dip
Layers of plush egg salad, crisp red onion, herb-flecked cream cheese, and briny caviar form an elegant molded dip that captures the essence of a classic caviar spread in a single dish.
Champagne Jellies
F&W’s Justin Chapple captures the pizzazz of bubbly in this quick-to-assemble confection. Delightfully effervescent, they’re as fun to pop as a bottle.
Green Peppercorn–Marinated Feta
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Marinating feta cubes is an easy technique that delivers big flavor. The cheese’s light, open texture readily absorbs marinades and other seasonings. Serve alongside fruit and crisp crackers on your cheese board.
Thai-Style Shrimp Cocktail
Chilled shrimp are paired with two bold accompaniments thanks to 2016 F&W Best New Chef Kris Yenbamroong of Night + Market: a mellow garlic aioli and a punchy, spicy fish sauce–based nam jim. Serve the shrimp with ramekins of both sauces or drape them around a coupe filled with nam jim for an extra-special presentation.
Gougères with Smoked Salmon, Caviar, and Prosciutto
Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman
These airy Gruyère gougères offer a delicate, savory base for an assortment of luxe toppings. Once baked until crisp and golden, they’re topped with cool crème fraîche then finished with ribbons of proscuitto or smoked salmon and caviar.
Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue
Julia Hartbeck
This quick, classic fondue blends Gruyère and Emmentaler with white wine, kirsch, and a hint of garlic for a smooth, aromatic pot of melted cheese. It’s ideal for dipping everything from toasted bread and potatoes to apples, pears, and pickled vegetables.
Blackberry Kir Royale
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
This streamlined Champagne cocktail pairs dry bubbly with a touch of blackberry brandy for a vibrant, berry-forward aperitif that comes together in seconds. Fresh blackberries lend a simple, elegant garnish.
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
These simple, party-ready bites pair sweet, tender sea scallops with smoky, crisp-edged bacon for an effortless appetizer. A quick drizzle of melted butter helps the scallops stay moist as they roast, while the high heat ensures the bacon renders and browns.
Duck Liver Pâté with Blackberry Conserva
2017 F&W Best New Chef Angie Mar’s duck liver pâté is blended until exceptionally smooth and capped with a layer of duck fat, creating a rich, velvety spread. It’s paired with a bright, softly textured blackberry conserva, whose tart sweetness cuts through the pâté’s decadence.
Cheese Croustades
These crisp phyllo shells are filled with a silky goat cheese–ricotta mousse scented with lemon zest and herbes de Provence. A small spoonful of cranberry relish tucked inside each croustade adds a bright, sweet-tart pop beneath the creamy filling.
Inverno Arancione
Victor Protasio / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This warmly spiced winter cocktail infuses Pinot Grigio with caramelized citrus peel, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon for a fragrant take on classic mulled wine. The result is bright and aromatic, echoing the citrusy, candied notes of panettone.
Garlic-Butter Steak Bites
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford
These quickly stir-fried beef bites deliver all the savory luxury of steak without necessitating a sit-down meal.
Spinach Dip Hot Bread
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Classic spinach dip transforms into a playful pull-apart sourdough loaf stuffed with a rich filling of spinach, Parmesan, and silky béchamel. As it bakes, the bread turns crisp at the edges while the center becomes irresistibly gooey and molten, offset by kicky Calabrian chiles.
Steak and Shrimp Hot Pot
This interactive hot pot gathers thinly sliced rib eye, shrimp, scallops, tofu, and vegetables around a fragrant broth infused with ginger, garlic, chiles, and warm spices. As each ingredient cooks at the table, the broth deepens in flavor, creating a communal, customizable meal that evolves throughout the evening.
Death in the Afternoon
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
This two-ingredient classic, attributed to Ernest Hemingway, combines absinthe’s intense anise notes with the bright, savory depth of brut Champagne. As the bubbles hit the spirit, the drink turns a milky, opalescent color — a signature effect of mixing boozy absinthe with lower-proof liquid.
Farro Mafaldine with Black Truffle Butter and Mushrooms
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
“The best way to cook with truffles is as simply as possible,” says chef Karen Akunowicz. This recipe brings together nutty farro mafaldine, roasted wild mushrooms, and a rich black truffle butter that melts into a glossy, aromatic sauce. A touch of lemon brightens the truffle’s earthy depth, while pecorino and parsley add savory lift.
Herb-Roasted King Salmon with Pinot Noir Sauce
Originally served at Seattle’s Hotel Sorrento by chef David Pisegna, this throwback salmon dish stands the test of time. We simplified the original recipe but didn’t change a thing about the velvety, wine-blushed beurre blanc; keep it warm and serve it immediately for the best results.
Standing Rib Roast of Beef
Cara Cormack
Cookbook author Dr. Bruce Aidells shares a recipe for standing rib roast that adapts a classic English technique, roasting prime rib first at high heat, then coating it with a garlicky Dijon-and-herb mixture before finishing it low and slow. The result is a tender, rosy roast with a deeply browned crust, ideal for your holiday table.
Ruby Red Spritz
This refreshing spritz layers gin, grapefruit juice, and Campari with chilled sparkling rosé for a lightly bitter, citrus-forward aperitif.
Lobster Thermidor
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
This recipe for classic lobster thermidor features tender lobster meat nestled back into the shell with a creamy wine sauce enriched with cremini mushrooms, dry sherry, and just a hint of Parmesan cheese.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell
Emeril Lagasse’s flourless chocolate cake is an intensely rich, fudgy dessert made with a full pound of semisweet chocolate, plenty of butter, and whipped eggs for structure. Dusted with cocoa or powdered sugar, it’s an elegant finale for a celebratory gathering.
Sbrisolona (Italian Almond Tart) with Roasted Red Grapes and Champagne Sabayon
Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
This three-part dessert pairs lightly blistered roasted red grapes and a silky Champagne sabayon with a crumbly, rustic almond tart from Mantua that’s kind of like a giant cookie.
Limoncello-Ricotta Cheesecake
Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman
This bright, ultra-creamy cheesecake showcases limoncello, lemon juice, and ricotta for a vibrant citrus flavor with a silky, custard-like texture. Finished with basil or fresh fruit, it’s a refreshing, elegant dessert.
Black and Ruby Cookies
2021 F&W Best New Chef Paola Velez reimagines the classic black-and-white cookie, frosting one half in dark chocolate ganache and the other in fruity, pink-hued ruby chocolate. A tender, well-risen base made with buttermilk and a touch of rye flour gives the cookies subtle depth and balances their sweetness.
Cranberry-Orange Sparkling Wine Gelatin
Noah Fecks / Food Styling by Drew Aichele / Prop Styling by Ethan Lunkenheimer
This showstopping layered gelatin combines a tart, cranberry-studded base spiked with gin and a second layer of effervescent sparkling wine accented with elderflower liqueur. A festive and adults-only treat, it’s both a centerpiece and a refreshing end to the ultimate New Year’s Eve celebration.
