Easy Large Batch Cocktails

New Years Eve is a holiday season staple that everyone looks forward to for many reasons; the chance to wear sequins, the all-night parties with friends, and, of course, the countdown to midnight – and maybe a midnight kiss if you’re lucky! But something that can’t go unnoticed while hosting your NYE event is the drink menu. Can someone say, “pop the bubbly?” When you’re hosting a new years eve party (or any party for that matter), finding ways to prep ahead can make hosting a breeze and allow you to spend more time with your guests. After scouring the top blogs and recipes, I’ve come up with a list of easy large batch cocktails your friends and family will love. Keep reading for tips on how to make sure you bash has the best batch cocktail ideas as we ring in 2020!

APPLE CIDER SANGRIA

Served in a big bowl and filled with spice and flavor, this sangria will keep your party guests feeling cozier than chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Apple cider brings a seasonal favorite to the forefront for a mixture that goes down smooth and tastes delicious. The best part is that it’s easy to prepare and makes you look like the hostess with the most-est – without all of the stress. Coming in at number 3 on the best batch cocktails list featured on The Spruce Eats, guests will be happy to give their palette a break from all the dry champagne they’ll be toasting at midnight with this sweet and spicy mix.

INGREDIENTS: serves 5 (easy to double or triple recipe for more guests!)

1 bottle white wine (dry)
1 bottle/12 ounces hard cider
2 apples (cored and thinly sliced)
1/4 cup cinnamon simple syrup
5 cinnamon sticks
1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate (thawed; can also use apple juice but this will be a more concentrated flavor)
Garnish: 1 orange sliced into rounds

DIRECTIONS

Make your cinnamon simple syrup by simmering 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and 4 to 6 cinnamon sticks on medium-high heat, about 10 minutes.
Allow sugar to completely dissolve and wait for the liquid to turn a brown-ish color and become fragrant with cinnamon. Let the mix cool.
Combine ingredients in a large punch bowl or pitcher and mix well. Refrigerate for 4 hours before the party starts – for best results, refrigerate overnight.

POMEGRANATE LIME TEQUILA PUNCH

Every party needs a good punch and this sweet drink certainly packs one. I found this recipe in a Real Simple article and in both of our professional opinions, it is sure to be a new party favorite. Yielding 14 cups, the pomegranate-lime and tequila combination will be sure to please all partygoers while being a beautiful centerpiece to display as well. With its rich color, all you need is a beautiful punch bowl and a few ingredients to make your guests ooh and ahh while you watch the clock.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 (750 mL) bottle silver tequila
1 (48-oz) bottle refrigerated pomegranate juice
1 cup fresh lime juice (from 8 limes)
2 (12-oz) cans sparkling water, chilled
Pomegranate arils

DIRECTIONS:

Stir sugar and water in medium saucepan. Over high heat, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Sugar should dissolve in about 1 minute. Let it cool for 30 minutes.
Stir the simple syrup, tequila, pomegranate juice, and lime juice together in a large pitcher or punch bowl. Let this mixture chill for 2 hours at a minimum or up to 24 hours for best results.
Gently stir in the sparkling winter and pour into the ice-filled glasses to serve. You can garnish each glass with glasses with arils and slices of limes.

CONFETTI CHAMPAGNE

It would be a sin if I didn’t include a champagne cocktail! After all, it is New Year’s signature libation. This batch of Confetti Champagne is super easy to make and, most importantly, absolutely adorable. Chances are high that you’re already serving some bubbles at your shindig, so why not kick it up a notch? Mimicking the confetti that will fall when the clock strikes 12, this recipe from Delish has minimal ingredients, takes 5 minutes to prepare – meaning you can easily make a lot of it and quickly, too. It takes a bit more work than your run-of-the-mill batch cocktail (ok, it’s not a batch cocktail at all), but the show-stopping results are worth it.

INGREDIENTS : serves 6 (easily double or triple for more guests!)

1 lime wedge
1/3 c. assorted Pop Rocks
6 oz. vanilla vodka
1 bottle Champagne (or Prosecco)
1 (20 oz.) bottle Sprite

DIRECTIONS

Lay out the pop rocks on a shallow and small plate. Mix together with a fork. Take the lime wedge and rim each glass to get them wet. Dip the rim into the pop rocks and repeat until every glass has a confetti coating around the rim.
Round up your liquors and mixers! Pour 1 oz of vanilla vodka into each glass. Add champagne, dividing evenly between all glasses and leaving a bit of room at the top. Top each drink off with a splash of Sprite. Best serve chilled.

What are some of your favorite easy large batch cocktails to make on New Years Eve? Let me know in a comment below!

Looking for more drinks and hosting ideas? Check out these posts below!