25 Holiday Appetizers for your wonderful holiday parties, from comforting classics to spicy new bites. Find something for everyone to enjoy!
It’s true, it is not Christmas, or even Christmas Eve yet. However it is never too early to prepare for your holiday appetizer table! These appetizers really are great for any holiday dinner. You can try them at Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween parties, birthday parties, or simply host your own appetizers-for-dinner party so you can really go all out enjoying these.
Appetizers are so appealing, and it’s no wonder why. Having appetizers is kind of like an adult version of snacking like a kid. Instead of Lunchables, it’s Cheese Boards and Charcuterie Boards. Instead of topping white bread with spreads and meats, just top flaky puff pastry with meats, cheeses and sauces. There might be some more bold flavors to appeal to more sophisticated palettes, sort of like an upgraded, delicious snack time.
So, why do people love appetizers so much? There really is so much to love, it could be one of many reasons. First, it’s just really fun to enjoy small bites. One- or two-bite foods that you just pop in your mouth, can walk around eating, and even better if they’re finger foods, are just so much fun to enjoy. Second, it is very common for appetizers to pack more punch into those small bites, in terms of sauces, spices, herbs, and seasonings. The very best part of enjoying appetizers might just be the social nature of everyone flocking to an appetizer spread, choosing the ones you want to try, and talking with loved ones. Even if you’re with people you don’t know very well, appetizers are a great conversation starter.
The Appetizer Recipes included here really just touch the surface of the many delicious appetizers on the blog. However, this is a really great start to choose from these to build your menu. Have fun browsing the list and trying some of these out for your next gathering!
u003cpu003eThese cheesy stuffed Dates have bacon, onion, and orange juice mixed into the cream cheese and blue cheese mixture. They get topped with a whole candied pecan to add sweetness, nutty flavor, and crunch. They look straight from a restaurant but are deceptively easy and quick to make.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eThis is a pure delight to the senses, and takes only 15 minutes to assemble. You wonu0026#39;t get a much more festive presentation than this cheesy bacon dip covered in pretty, aromatic green onions, and decorated with bright red cranberries.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eThis beautiful Cheese Log is flavored not only with cream cheese, pecans, and maraschino cherries, but it also has tangy citrus flavor from ginger and orange zest. The depth of flavor here will have your guests wonder what is in this log, which is assembled in only 10 minutes.u003c/pu003eu003cpu003e u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eStuffed Mushrooms make an appetizer table feel complete. Here you can combine 2 popular appetizers into one happy bite by stuffing mushrooms with meatballs. Theyu0026#39;re also ready in only 25 minutes!u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eSweet from the marmalade, tangy from the Catalina dressing, with a touch of spice from crushed red pepper, you may have discovered a new favorite cocktail meatball recipe with this one.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eThis is so decadent and really celebrates how sweet and irresistible caramelized onions can be. It is a great way to satisfy a craving for Onion Soup, but also simplifying how it can be enjoyed.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eClassic flavor, in bite-sized form. Use frozen puff pastry dough to make these really simple, and theyu0026#39;re so versatile they can be an appetizer for dinner or for a brunch!u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eNow you wonu0026#39;t have to figure out how youu0026#39;ll squeeze this popular main dish into your dinner. Serve it as a dip and enjoy the flavors in a brand new, yet completely delicious and familiar way.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eu0026#39;Wowu0026#39; your guests by making homemade crackers. These tasty bites are so good, they donu0026#39;t need a dip, but that doesnu0026#39;t mean they wonu0026#39;t pair beautifully with Ranch Dip, Taco Dip, or Bean Dip. u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eThe combination of cheese, fruit, and pastry is always a winner. These Pastry Bites keep the winning streak going. Cranberry makes them ideal for the holiday season!u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eThis tangy dip comes together with super easy, homemade yogurt cheese. It gives you such a flavorful alternative to pair with a variety of veggies, besides Ranch or Hummus. Set it out with Pita and Naan too so thereu0026#39;s something for everyone to enjoy.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eHot, buttery, crispy, cheesy, and garlicky. There are so many good things to say about these Potato pancakes. Make them in any size you like, depending on how many other appetizers you set out.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eSo festive! Green tortillas with creamy white filling, red and green veggies, and rolled into pretty spirals. Set them out in the shape of a Christmas tree with a star-shaped slice of cheese on top to make your guests smile as they snack.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eSweet and salty, with crisp bacon on the outside, and tender, luscious sweet potatoes on the inside. This is a combo youu0026#39;ll wish youu0026#39;d heard of sooner.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eTrail Mix is a very easy addition to your appetizer spread. You can make it ahead, it doesnu0026#39;t need heating or chilling, and lots of people love it. The combination of nuts, cranberries, dark chocolate, and yogurt-covered raisins make this mix special for the holidays.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eWith a cream cheese base, and pumpkin puree to bring the flavor, this dip is whipped and mousse-like. It brings a sweet element to your appetizer table.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eThis classic dip comes together in minutes, and can be made ahead of time to make your holiday easier. Set it out with mini bagels, or bagel chips to dip or spread.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eThis crowd-pleasing appetizer is deceptively easy to put together using store-bought puff pastry and a jar of your favorite preserves. However, the end result is so delicious and impressive. Youu0026#39;ll never regret making it a part of your holiday appetizers.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eCreate a nod to the original Thanksgiving harvest with this awesome Corn Dip. Itu0026#39;s creamy and you can customize it to make it a little more or a little less spicy. It is a great topping to your favorite crackers!u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eSweet, crispy, salty, and oh-so-special. Bacon lovers with squeal with glee over these easy, yet impressive candied slices of bacon. u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eThe sauce for these meatballs comes together with just 4 ingredients: cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and orange juice. Tangy, and hearty, theyu0026#39;ll certainly please a ravenous crowd while they await your main course.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eThese are just as easy as they are fun! Use crescent roll dough rolled with roasted red peppers, parmesan, and pesto filling. Only 25 minutes required to make these beauties. u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eThis party classic is a no-brainer. It is so easy to put together, and the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and pecans make it appealing to a crowd.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eA tart, cranberry version of the classic is just what the holidays need. This one also has creamy, flavorful white cheddar blended with the cream cheese base, and of course the pecan coating.u003c/pu003e
u003cpu003eWho doesu0026#39;t love skewers as appetizers? Theyu0026#39;re easy to eat, fun to serve, and they give your guests multiple flavors on one stick.u003c/pu003e
Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.
Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.
She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.
She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.
As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.
Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.
As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.
Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.
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