Skip to main content

21OAK may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

6 delectable New Year’s Eve desserts that will be the hit of the party

These desserts will leave everyone talking into the New Year

When New Year’s Day rolls around, millions of people start adjusting their lifestyles to align with their resolutions. Often, this means a new workout routine and eating healthier. But, New Year’s Eve is a whole other story. It’s a day to indulge in something sweet, and we’ve got some ideas to do it right.

We’ve pulled together six decadent desserts that will help you cap off the year and get some last sweet treats in before you begin the next year. Whether you’re a novice baker or a self-described pro, you’ll find a New Year’s Eve dessert guaranteed to please your tastebuds and your fellow partygoers, too.

Chocolate fondue pretzels and fruit
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Try these decadent desserts

Chocolate Pecan Fondue

Fondue is a great party dessert — it’s fun, interactive, and perfectly customizable. This party-perfect dessert is equally at home at smart dinner parties and children’s sleepovers. Choose dippers like pretzel rods, fresh fruit, marshmallows, or leftover Christmas shortbread cookies, and watch the magic unfold. Semi-sweet chocolate is sweet, creamy, and oh-so decadent, but feel free to whip up white chocolate, dark chocolate, or even butterscotch sauces to add some variety.

Dark Chocolate Truffles

Any recipe that’s good enough for Martha Stewart is sure to impress any guest, and this truffled recipe certainly doesn’t disappoint. Since you can make this dessert ahead, it also frees up your time during the holiday crunch. This rich, dark chocolate confection can be made up to two weeks in advance, provided you store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. And, if you are hosting any vegetarian guests, these truffles are actually vegan-friendly!

Pro tip: Once they’re done, let the truffles stand for about half an hour before rolling them in cocoa, shredded coconut, or chopped nuts.

Vanilla panna cotta

A traditional Italian treat, panna cotta is a molded and chilled pudding-type dessert that’s sure to melt in your mouth. For New Year’s Eve, serving your panna cotta in martini glasses gives an added touch of elegance and festiveness. This heavenly mix of heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar, combined with unflavored gelatin, can be prepared in advance and then chilled until ready to serve, making it a great choice for a New Year’s Eve dinner party. This sweet vanilla recipe is also tailor made to pair beautifully with any fruit topping, but strawberries add a special punch of color and flavor.

Confetti Cookies

You don’t need to be an expert baker for this recipe. These colorful and festive cookies have just four ingredients: boxed funfetti cake mix, eggs, butter, and vanilla extract. It really doesn’t get much easier than that when it comes to celebratory New Year’s Eve desserts. Plus, you can make these cookies up to three days in advance and store them at room temperature until ready to serve. Put out a tray of these colorful — and delicious — cookies to ring in the New Year with some edible confetti.

Champagne and cupcakes for a party
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Add a little bubbly to your treat

Even before you pop a bottle of champagne to toast the upcoming new year, you can enjoy a little bubbly right in your New Year’s Eve desserts.

Raspberry Champagne Sorbet

This impressive dessert looks much more complex than it actually is. The recipe calls for just three ingredients: raspberries, sugar, and champagne, but the results will absolutely wow you and your guests. There’s no need to bother with the good stuff for this recipe, either. Any standard brand of champagne, Prosecco, Cava, or sparkling wine will do. Simply create your simple syrup by heating sugar and water, then add in the raspberries. Puree the entire mixture until smooth, strain out the seeds, add the champagne, then throw it into the freezer to chill. Finish it off by running it through an ice cream machine to churn and freezing it again until the mixture is firm.

That’s it. The steps are fairly simple and the results are pure magic.

Champagne Cake

Replacing the water in your boxed cake mix with champagne makes for an unbelievably moist cake with a light hint of your favorite bubbly. You can also add strawberries to give it that finishing touch. Between the champagne and strawberries, this dessert looks so elegant that no one will ever guess that it started with a box of white cake mix.

Resolutions can wait until January. This New Year’s Eve, celebrate all the highs and lows of the year with some sweet and elegant desserts worthy of such a momentous occasion. Enjoy every moment and every bite. After this year, you definitely deserve it! 

Editors' Recommendations

Kim Renta
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kim has written for Bloomingdales, Movado, and various e-commerce wine sites. When she's not writing about wine and…
These Christmas table decorations are the perfect backdrop for your holiday meal
Take your Christmas table decorating up a notch with these fun ideas
Festive Christmas table setting

'Tis the season to send our tastebuds on an adventure. From turkeys and hams to unique side dishes and desserts made from recipes passed down throughout the generations, food certainly takes center stage this time of year. However, who says your tastebuds have to have all the fun on Dec. 25?
Christmas table decorations can provide a feast for the eyes (and make your family and Instagram followers swoon). While some may think of it as another item on their to-do list, you may love getting your creative juices flowing by curating a gorgeously arranged tablescape. Allow these ideas to serve as inspiration.

Centerpieces
Tell your turkey or roast to move over. Making room on your table for a centerpiece will draw attention to the table (rather than smartphones). You have plenty of options, from subtly beautiful assortments to statement pieces. Consider these ideas:

Read more
10 creative tips for throwing the best ugly sweater Christmas party
'Tis the season for holiday cheer and ugly sweaters
Man and woman wearing ugly Christmas sweaters

If you’re ready to host a holiday event at your home and are looking for something that will really be fun, there’s probably no better choice than an "ugly sweater" party. Good friends, good food and drinks, plus everyone dressed in the ugliest Christmas sweater they can find -- what could possibly be better to get into the holiday spirit?

Deciding to host the party is the easiest part, but making sure your holiday get-together is a hit is where we come in. We’ve got 10 creative tips for food, drinks, decorations, prizes, and more that will help your ugly sweater party be an absolute blast! Get ready to make your ugly sweater Christmas party a hit with these great ideas.

Read more
9 incredible apps you need to survive the stress of the holiday season
Get these holiday apps and make the season go more smoothly
Two women holiday shopping. one is looking at her phone

It's the most wonderful time of the year, right? During the holiday season, though, you may feel like a juggler balancing all those responsibilities during the season. You have to make a list of people to buy gifts for (and check it twice). If you have loved ones are visiting from a distance, you have to set up guest bedrooms, organize itineraries, and prepare for any delayed or canceled flights. Oh, and they’ll probably want to chow down on something delicious when they get to your house — and once again during your holiday feast.
All this holiday stress can certainly have you feeling more like the Grinch than a jolly elf. The key to a less stressful holiday season, however, might be just a swipe and tap away. There are a ton of apps out there that make shopping, organization, cooking, and traveling much easier. Gift yourself one (or all) of these apps for Christmas.

1. GiftList
Some people say the holidays aren’t only about gifts. Let’s face it, though, they’re a big part of the festivities, aren't they? That's where GiftList can save your season. This app is like a personal jolly assistant, helping you give (and receive) stellar presents that you and yours will love (and actually use). The app allows you to create a wishlist for yourself with links to items, so you can clue friends and family into what you want this year. You can also curate lists to keep all the items organized. Don’t worry if your grandparent isn’t tech-savvy. You can easily share your list with anyone, even if they don’t have the app. GiftList is available on IOS and Android.

Read more