25 New Year’s Eve party food ideas

New year's Eve canapé ideas

1. Pancetta, cheddar & cranberry croquettes

Nobody can resist a deep-fried, oozing croquette. Before cooking, you can freeze the panko-coated balls to save time and energy on the evening itself – simply fry from frozen for 5-6 minutes. Try our triple cheese croquettes for a vegetarian alternative on the classic Spanish bite.

2. Sweet chilli-glazed pigs in blankets

Sausages wrapped in bacon next to a sweet chilli dip

Who said pigs in blankets were just for Christmas? Not us – these sticky, sweet chilli-glazed take on the classic are fantastic finger food for your festive feast. Serve with extra chilli jam for dunking. Now try our 10 twists on pigs in blankets.

3. Cocktail blinis

A plate of pretty blinis with a cocktail on the side

These elegant cocktail blinis have two different toppings, giving your guests the option to choose their favourite. Make the blinis up to a month in advance and freeze, then top with a beetroot & quail's egg mixture or smoked salmon & cucumber for a sophisticated finish. Find more topping ideas in our blini recipe collection.

4. Rainbow prawn cocktails

Brighten up your New Year's Eve spread with these rainbow prawn cocktails. Pickle fresh radishes, cucumbers and carrots in rice wine vinegar and caster sugar, then use to fill lettuce cups. See our canapé recipes for more festive bites.

5. Oysters with apple & horseradish dressing

Oysters on ice with apple & horseradish dressing in the middle

These oysters with apple & horseradish dressing make an extravagant party dish, perfectly suited for New Year's Eve. The dressing is made with shallots, apples, white wine vinegar, honey and freshly grated horseradish for a spicy, fruity taste. For more toppings, see our five ways with oyster guide.

6. Easy sausage rolls

Everyone's favourite party canapé, these super sausage rolls are sure to be a hit. Cover puff pastry with a thin layer of apple sauce, pickle or chutney, then fill with sausagemeat before baking for a delicious twist on the classic. For more family-friendly party food, see our sausage roll collection and then discover 10 showstopping sausage rolls.

7. Vegan ‘smoked salmon’ toasts

Vegans and meat-eaters alike will love these clever ‘smoked salmon’ toasts. Substitute traditional smoked salmon with carrot ribbons brined in lapsang souchong tea. Spread vegan cream cheese onto toasted baguette slices and top with the carrots and dried seaweed for extra fishy flavour. See more plant-based dishes in our vegan canapé collection.

New year's Eve light bite ideas

8. Broccoli quiche

A homemade quiche is a sure-fire hit at any buffet. This vegetarian version made with long-stemmed broccoli makes an elegant addition to your festive spread. Using ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, it takes less than 30 minutes to prep. Discover our favourite, crowd-pleasing quiches.

9. Baked red onions with ricotta

Baked red onions with ricotta in a ceramic dish

For an easy vegetarian light bite that's just made to be shared, try these red onions baked with ricotta, garlic, oregano sprigs and nigella seeds. Now try our vegan and vegetarian tapas recipes for a Spanish-inspired feast.

10. Multi-seed cheese straws

Cheese straws topped with seeds next to smoked salmon, capers and lemon wedges

Use shop-bought puff pastry to make this quick and easy solution to last-minute party prep. Sprinkled with a mixture of onion flakes, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and flaky sea salt, there's no shortage of flavour. For a fancier upgrade, serve with smoked salmon, capers and lemon wedges ready for squeezing. Now try another quick cheese straws recipe.

11. Luxury hummus

Blend chickpeas with olive oil, garlic, lemon and tahini for this silky, luxury hummus. This vegan dip is an easy-to-make crowd-pleaser. Top it off with spices, pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley and serve with crudités and warm pittas. For more party dips, see our hummus recipes.

12. Truffled mushroom pâté

Start your party off with a veggie-friendly truffled mushroom pâté. This creamy spread is made with porcini and chestnut mushrooms, and mascarpone gives it a rich, velvety texture. Truffle oil, vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, thyme and pink peppercorns give the spread bold flavour. See more recipes in our vegetarian Christmas canapés collection.

13. Grazing platter

Colourful meat, cheese and fruit grazing platter

Assemble a photo-worthy grazing platter of cheese and charcuterie for your New Year's Eve buffet. Simply gather together all of your favourite nibbles – think juicy olives and figs, seeded crackers and crispbreads, hard cheeses, silky dips and dried fruit. The choice is yours! Now read our guide to creating the best cheese board.

14. Greek-inspired loaded fries

Using oven baked fries, this simple but effective recipe will impress guests but won't break the bank. Piled high with crumbled feta, sliced black olives, refreshing cucumber, tomatoes and a scattering of fresh parsley, it's the perfect dish to share. Try more Greek-inspired dishes.

15. Pumpkin star bread

This pumpkin purée-enhanced dough makes a stunning savoury tear-and-share centrepiece for your party spread. A little more effort, follow our steps to create the beautiful eight pointed star effect. Discover more feed a crowd recipes.

16. Baked cheese bread flower

Make this tear-and-share baked cheese bread flower for a showstopping starter. Shape shop-bought pizza dough into a gorgeous flower design and brush with seasoned butter and cranberry sauce. This can be made and frozen up to two months in advance, so it's perfect for getting ahead. Discover 10 twists on baked camembert.

17. Smoky veggie nachos

Include a wholesome party platter in your spread with healthy smoky veggie nachos. Layer black beans, salsa, yogurt and jalapeños over crispy corn tortilla chips for this vegetarian-friendly snack. Make a salsa from spring onions, chopped tomatoes and avocado, then season with garlic, coriander and zesty lime juice. Lighten up your party food with our healthy Christmas canapé collection.

New year's Eve dessert ideas

18. Pistachio tiramisu

Piece of pistachio tiramisu on a plate with a fork

Wow guests with this pistachio twist on a tiramisu. Double down on pistachio with a pistachio cream filling and a sprinkling of slivered pistachios on top. Why not serve alongside our white chocolate, pistachio & cardamom truffles.

19. Festive chocolate delice

Festive chocolate delice cut into slices

Perfect for your guests with a sweet tooth, this festive centrepiece layers creamy chocolate custard on top of a moist chocolate sponge, finished with a rich chocolate ganache. Chocaholic? Try our best desserts with chocolate.

20. Mince pie cheesecake

Mince pie cheesecake topped with crumbled mince pie

Fight food waste by transforming leftover mince pies into the base for this festive cheesecake. Orange zest and juice brings a refreshing acidity to the cream cheese filling. Discover our top 10 cheesecake ideas.

21. Pumpkin & pecan cheesecake pie

Go all-out with a buttery homemade pastry, creamy pumpkin purée filling and maple-glazed pecan halves to go on top. The best part – you can make it up to three days in advance to get ahead on your party prep. Discover more ways with pumpkin purée.

22. Melt-in-the-middle espresso martini brownies

Three espresso martini brownies on decorative plates

Take your brownies to the next level with a boozy twist. Our melt-in-the-middle espresso martini brownies are super-indulgent, with a chocolate truffle centre. Serve with a drizzle of espresso martini sauce made from double cream, espresso and vodka. Bake more squidgy treats with our Christmas brownie recipes and then try our twists on espresso martini.

23. Millionaire’s cheesecake

Millionaire's cheesecake white white and dark chocolate stars on a marble cake stand

Take a classic cheesecake to the next level with this ultimate flavour mash-up. Our millionaire's cheesecake is filled with a creamy no-bake mascarpone mixture on top of a buttery biscuit base, and covered in caramel sauce and dark chocolate. Find more festive desserts in our Christmas cheesecake collection.

24. Millionaire’s ice cream bombe

A ice cream bombe in the shape of a Christmas pudding, served on a white marble cake stand

Make this millionaire’s ice cream bombe up to three days before your party for an stress-free New Year's Eve. This impressive dessert is filled with chocolate and caramel ice cream and rich dulce de leche sauce, then covered in chocolate malt balls. Dust with icing sugar to resemble snow and top with a sprig of holly for an extra festive touch. For more centrepiece puddings, see our bombe dessert collection.

25. Rocky road cheesecake pudding

Rocky road cheesecake pudding decorated with sparklers

Make this rocky road cheesecake pudding to impress your guests. It's a glorious mash-up of two crowd-pleasing desserts. Combine dark chocolate with biscuits, pretzel pieces and mini marshmallows for a chunky rocky road, then add to your cheesecake mixture and layer with cake slices. It's then frozen and covered in more chocolate for a special pudding. For more over-the-top sweets, see our festive dessert recipes.