Hosting an NYE party this year? Need ideas for the perfect desserts to share with loved ones? You’re in luck! I have 17+ New Years Eve desserts that will never go out of style and always impress guests.
17+ Classic New Year’s Eve Desserts That Never Go Out of Style
1. Amaretto Truffles
Amaretto is a classic NYE liqueur, so these truffles are a fitting choice for celebration. This decadent dessert features rich dark chocolate, almond extract, cocoa powder and amaretto liqueur mixed with some heavy cream. Mix it all together, and roll each truffle into your favorite topping: sprinkles, cocoa powder – whatever you like.
2. Creamy Eggnog Creme Brulee
Creme brulee is a classic decadent dessert and it’s perfect for New Year’s Eve. This recipe adds eggnog into the mix for a festive twist. You’ll need a kitchen torch and some ramekins to make these, but they are so worth it! I recommend this dessert for small gatherings unless you have lots of helping hands to get these out to guests fast.
3. Chocolate Pots De Creme
A classic dessert that’s always a crowd-pleaser. Who doesn’t love chocolate? This dessert is a little simpler than creme brulee, but has a similar texture and style. It’s baked in small ramekins that are just the right size for a single serving. I love to top this dish with fresh raspberries or strawberries, but you can use whatever topping you like.
4. Peppermint Mousse Tart
Peppermint and chocolate are the perfect pair, especially during the holidays. For this recipe, you’ll create an irresistible chocolate graham cracker crust and a divine peppermint mousse. The whole dessert is wrapped in a dark chocolate glaze that is heavenly.
This dessert is a labor of love, but I promise you – it will be an unforgettable dish. You’ll need a tart shell for this recipe. I like to top it with crushed peppermint and rosemary sprigs.
5. Cinnamon Panna Cotta
Panna cotta is one of the most classic and beloved New Years Eve desserts. But I love this recipe because it’s vegan, so I know that all of my guests can enjoy it. P.S. No one will know it’s vegan unless you tell them! You will need a few ingredients you may not have, like agave syrup and agar powder. I like to use pudding silicone molds to form these into fun shapes.
6. English Trifle
Trifle is a classic English dessert, and this recipe puts a holiday spin on it. Layers of moist vanilla cake, vanilla pudding, fresh fruit, strawberry Jell-O and frosting come together to create an explosion of flavor in your mouth. This recipe uses boxed cake mix, pudding and Jell-O, but you can easily use your favorite homemade recipes if you like.
7. Tipsy Laird – A Scottish Sherry Trifle
Sherry trifle has historically been served on special occasions, which makes it fitting for this list of New Years Eve desserts. This recipe calls for whisky and sherry, so save this one for the adults. You’ll layer sponge fingers and digestive biscuits between jam, fresh berries and custard. Serve in dessert jars topped with fresh berries and almonds.
8. Charlotte Russe Cake
A traditional European recipe bursting with flavor. Ladyfingers serve as the “crust” for this cake, which is filled with a delicious homemade custard. Top with sliced strawberries and serve chilled. While this cake is simple enough to make, you’ll need to plan ahead. It’s best to refrigerate it overnight.
If you’re not a fan of strawberries, you can use any other fruit you like.
Related: 21+ Delicious New Year’s Eve Finger Food Ideas for Your Party This Year
9. Sparkling Mini Parfaits
How gorgeous are these parfaits? They’re so easy to make and a traditional choice for New Year’s Eve. This recipe uses store-bought pound cake, so it’s a great choice if you’re pressed for time. I love the layers of lemon curd, vanilla pudding and chocolate fudge. Add silver edible decorations and a sparkler for good measure.
10. Black Forest Cake Wreath
Transform a classic black forest cake recipe into a festive New Year’s Eve dessert. The best part about this recipe is that it uses pre-made chocolate sponge rolls, so you can spend less time fretting over the cake and more time turning it into a gorgeous wreath. The frosting is simple enough to make with just three ingredients: sugar, cream and double cream.
Top with delicious pitted cherries, cherry syrup and shaved chocolate. I love using this specialty chocolate shaver (great for truffles, too) to save time.
11. Ball Drop Cookie Pops
These cookie pops look like sparkling balloons – perfect for the occasion! Mix crushed vanilla sandwich cookies with cream cheese, roll into balls and freeze. Insert lollipop sticks and dip each pop into sprinkles for a festive, glittering dessert everyone will love.
If you’re not a fan of vanilla cookies, you can use chocolate or even Oreos. I love using iridescent glitter, but feel free to try gold or even red.
Related: 17+ Best New Year’s Eve Drink Ideas for Every Guest Type on Your List
12. Mini Strawberry Champagne Cheesecakes
Cheesecakes are perfect for New Years Eve desserts, but they’re often a little too much. But if you’re craving one, there’s a happy medium with these mini cheesecakes that look more like cupcakes to me.
Prep time is about 20 minutes, but you will cook these mini cheesecakes for just over an hour before they’re ready.
You’ll need quite a few ingredients for this recipe, which include a wafer crust and a cheesecake filling. For the crust, you’ll need:
- Vanilla wafer cookies
- Sugar
- Butter
For the filling, you’ll need a cup of champagne, cornstarch, cream cheese, sugar, flour, sour cream, vanilla extract, eggs and strawberries.
Even the whipped cream is made from scratch and uses a strawberry puree to add to the flavor. You will need a cupcake pan for this recipe because each little cheesecake will be, essentially, a cupcake.
13. Tiramisu Cake Balls
Cake balls are always a tasty treat, and these are no exception. Imagine bite-sized tiramisu and you have these cake balls. You’ll need two packages of lady fingers – like these – along with the following ingredients:
- Milk chocolate chips
- Black coffee
- Brown sugar
- Mascarpone
- Kahlua
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla bean paste
- Vanilla candiquick
- Cocoa powder
If you have a food processor, this is an easy dessert to make, and the cake balls taste great.
14. New Year’s Eve Profiterole Tower
I know what you’re thinking: this is over the top. And it is. But look at how amazing this looks and the quality of the presentation. If you need a focal point in any room, this tower is it. Chocolate drips down into the ganache for a sinful treat.
You’ll start by learning how to make the choux pastry before making your way to the ganache.
15. Tiramisu Roulade
The Happy Foodie offers a recipe for one of the most mouthwatering desserts on the list – a divine tiramisu. Coffee lovers will appreciate the coffee-soaked sponge fingers and the mascarpone filling.
You’ll need quite a few ingredients: instant coffee, Madeira, brown sugar, double cream, mascarpone, vanilla bean paste, sponge fingers, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, bitter chocolate and icing sugar.
16. Vanilla Creme Brulee
New Years Eve desserts that take just a handful of ingredients are my favorite because I’m not left with random ingredients that I don’t know what to do with. For this recipe, you’ll need:
- Cream
- Vanilla
- Eggs
- Salt
- Sugar
But unlike many creme brulee recipes, this one does not call for a small propane torch.
Related: The 25+ Best New Year’s Eve Appetizers for a Potluck Party
17. Baked Alaska
How gorgeous is this baked Alaska? You’ll need to grab your apron and set aside a little over an hour to prepare this dessert. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining an 8” round cake pan with parchment paper.
Next, you’ll make the batter, which is easiest with an electric mixer.
And Martha Stewart does a great job of walking you through each of the eight steps to make your baked Alaska. All it takes is ten ingredients to make this dessert.
18. Blue Christmas Truffles
Four ingredients are all you need to make these delectable cream puffs. First up, you’ll need white chocolate chips – two cups of them – followed by half a cup of heavy cream and blue curacao.
And for the fairytale coating on the outside, you’ll need sanding sugar.
Prep time is just ten minutes, but you will need to leave these truffles in the refrigerator to allow them to set for about an hour.
19. Eggnog Cream Puffs
Eggnog leftovers don’t need to go to waste. I know when I buy eggnog, there is always some that we don’t drink because it’s simply too rich to drink it all. But these cream puffs help us waste less because we turn all of those leftovers into cream puffs.
You’ll use eggnog, whole milk, sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, butter, vanilla extract, nutmeg and salt for the pastry cream.
And the shell and whipped cream are even homemade, so this dessert is a real treat.
For this recipe, you’ll need quite a bit of equipment, such as piping bags and a stand mixer.
