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Whether you plan to ring in the New Year with a handful of friends, a houseful, or maybe just one loved one, here are some of our favorite New Year’s Eve Recipes perfect for any festivity.
My husband and I have never really celebrated New Year’s Eve with a big bang. We might get together with family or friends for cards, or just stay home and play games or watch movies with family. Hopefully we stay awake to see the big ball drop in New York…but not always. No matter how we spend the last night of the year, however, we always enjoy delicious snacks and dishes worthy of a night of merrymaking.
I tend to pick one of three party food themes for the evening. 1) a smorgasbord of appetizers and snacks; 2) a buffet of Mexican food; or 3) a fondue party, complete with fondu pots and forks, All three themes are enjoyable, festive, and low-maintenance, as in I always use paper napkins and disposable tableware. After all the holiday gatherings in December, by the end of the year, I’m ready for easy clean-up!
So, let’s get started! Below are my Three Party Themes along with my favorite New Year’s Eve Recipes.
New Year’s Eve Recipes – A Smorgasbord of Appetizers
Apricot Pepper Jack Mini-Tarts is a delicious recipe to serve as an appetizer or snack at your next family gathering. The spicy-sweet combination is wonderful. And it’s quite easy to make!
This Christmas Antipasto Cheese Spread will have everyone oohing and aahing. It makes for a pretty display on your table, and it tastes really good, too!
Ham Pecan Pinwheels are perfect for holiday gatherings. Roll sliced ham in a delicious spread of cream cheese, pecans, minced onion, and olives. They are so yummy, you’ll want to eat more than one.
Potluck Barbecued Meatballs is a delicious recipe for your holiday party. Tender, juicy meatballs cooked in a homemade barbecue sauce.
Here’s an easy recipe to make Smoky Pimento Cheese Balls when you need finger foods for a party. The holidays will often call for a night of finger foods, especially when it comes to celebrating New Year’s Eve.
Sourdough Sausage Balls with Dip makes a yummy appetizer for a holiday party.
I enjoy making Spinach Dip during the holidays or for family gatherings. A creamy dip seasoned with chopped spinach, dried veggies, and crunchy water chestnuts. It really is delicious.
Browse more Appetizers and Snack Ideas Here.
A Mexican Themed Buffet
I often choose Mexican food for my New Year’s Eve theme. Maybe because I’ve served and eaten so many traditional appetizers in December that I’m ready for something different. Something spicy! Here are some of my favorite choices.
We love egg rolls at our house and these Baked Mexican Egg Rolls are wonderful appetizers to serve at your next family gathering!
Our family enjoys these Black Bean Beef Flautas that are baked in the oven, not fried. Spicy hamburger and black beans rolled up in a crunchy flour tortilla. So yummy!
Black Bean Salsa is an easy and tasty appetizer to make for your family or gathering. It’s so easy, and the ingredients are common enough to be in everyone’s pantry.
Queso Dip with Chorizo is so spicy, and so good! Serve with your favorite corn tortilla chips.
Here is a yummy Guacamole Dip perfect for outdoor barbecues or the next time you make Mexican food.
We love this recipe for Spicy Chicken and Cheese Taquitos. They are easy to make and perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ground Beef Taco Meat is perfect for mini tacos for your New Year’s Eve Celebration!
See more Mexican Recipes Here.
Did Someone Say Fondue?
Actually, I only have two fondue recipes on this site, so far. But serving fondue is very simple. When I have a fondue party, I usually will have two or three pots for cooking and serving. One is a stainless set (similar to this ONE) that I received one Christmas. This is a traditional-type fondue set that sits over a flame, such as the one pictured above. I use it for cooking meats. The other two are comparable to baby crockpots.
If you’re shopping for an electric fondue set, I encourage you to find one that has temperature settings on it, like THIS ONE. Whatever type you decide on, be sure it comes with fondue forks. Color-Coded Fondue Forks are even better, so that everyone knows what fork he is using.
Meat Fondue
One pot has hot oil in it for cooking small pieces of meat (usually marinated), such as beef, pork, or chicken. You may fry the meat plain or use a tempura batter, and you will want to offer a smattering of dips for the meat once it’s cooked. See this post by Wise Mommies for more Meat Fondue Recipes.
Cheese Fondue
The second pot will have melted cheese in it. I have tried several recipes for this, which usually include wine or beer. But you could also use my recipe for Queso Dip with Chorizo. Serve raw or steamed vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms, pieces of hard bread (Tangy Sourdough Bread works great), cooked ravioli, Oven Baked Fries, or even cooked meatballs! Here are a few more Cheese Fondue ideas from the Creative Bite.
Dessert Fondue
The third pot is for dessert. Chocolate Peanut Butter Fondue is sure to delight every chocolate craving you may ever have. It’s so delicious. And easy. Melted chocolate mixed with creamy peanut butter used for dipping with your favorite fruits, cake, or cookies.
New Year’s Eve Desserts
When considering desserts for a New Year’s Eve celebration, I like to keep things to finger foods. Bars and Cookies, Sliced Cake, or Bite-Size Desserts. Here are a few of my favorites!
This recipe for Chewy Chocolate Fudge Brownies is one we make just about every month at our house. Decadent, chewy, fudgy brownies that are easy to make and oh so good!
This recipe for Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars is one we make every year during the holidays–but you can make them any time! With only six ingredients, they are easy to make. Caramel candies, evaporated milk, butter, pecans, chocolate chips, and a German Chocolate Cake Mix. So delicious!
These Cinnamon Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars are simply wonderful. A little bit of chewiness in the crust with a cheesecake center and buttery sweet cinnamon on the top. So yummy!
I enjoy making Irish Cream Cake at Christmas, which uses a cake mix as its base and is flavored with miniature chocolate chips and Irish Cream Liqueur. The Irish Cream icing seeps into the cake and creates a sweet and crusty film on the outside–like a cake donut! It’s so good. Perfect for any holiday celebration with family or friends.
My mom makes these Buttery Pecan Tarts almost every Christmas. They are so yummy, with a buttery, cream cheese shell, and then more butter in the sweet pecan filling. They practically melt in your mouth! Perfect for the upcoming holiday season.
I’ve been making this recipe for Blonde Brownies for years. It is one of my husband’s favorites. Chewy and delicious, and great for potluck gatherings.
That concludes my ideas for a New Year’s Eve celebration. I hope some of these recipes will entice you to try them. Whatever you decide, I pray that you will have a safe and happy New Year’s Eve. May God bless you in the New Year and give you peace.
View ideas for a Christmas Eve Candlelight Dinner Here. See how to Host a Christmas Tea Party Here. Browse Christmas Holiday Brunch Ideas Here.
