90+ Easy Holiday Appetizers

Meggan Hill

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Whether you’re going to a cocktail party with friends, a potluck with co-workers, or hosting your very own Christmas Open House, discover 90+ easy, delicious holiday appetizers that everyone will love! Plus, score all of my best dipping sauces to round out your spread.

Selections of Midwestern snacks on a Midwest Charcuterie Board.


 

Sometimes a great party doesn’t need more than an array of hearty appetizers to make a meal. Whether you’re bringing a dish to pass or hosting the whole shebang, you’ll find plenty of recipes below to delight your friends and family.

Serve chilled appetizers judiciously so they stay fresh, while hot appetizers can go into slow cookers for warming. Round out your menu with a room-temperature grazing board: they are easy to assemble, pretty to look at, and a snap to replenish.

Table of Contents

  1. Hot and Hearty Meat Appetizers
  2. Hot Seafood Appetizers
  3. Hot Vegetarian Appetizers
  4. Classic Chilled Appetizers
  5. Hot Dips and Spreads
  6. Chilled Dips and Spreads
  7. Boards and Platters
  8. Snacky Snacks
  9. Dipping Sauces
  10. Bite-Sized Desserts

Hot and Hearty Meat Appetizers

With appetizers like these, who needs an entree? If you truly intend to supplant the main dish (and you should!), I recommend offering a couple of different warm choices with beef, chicken, or other proteins that will please the meat-and-potatoes crowd. Meatballs, cocktail wieners, and ham and cheese sliders are all delicious choices.

A metal pie pan filled with crockpot meatballs.

1

Grape Jelly Meatballs

The easiest party appetizer on the planet is also the most delicious. Crockpot Meatballs with Grape Jelly Sauce is a lifesaver for hungry crowds and cocktail parties, so make a double batch! 
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Hot Seafood Appetizers

Please the pescatarians with these holiday appetizers starring shrimp, crab, oysters, and other heart-healthy proteins.

Crab stuffed mushrooms on a wooden platter.

2

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

These easy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms are rich, cheesy, and downright irresistible. Ready for the oven in just 15 minutes, this mushroom appetizer recipe is bubbling over with Italian flavor.
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Hot Vegetarian Appetizers

Yes, it’s possible for hot appetizers to still feel hearty without an ounce of meat, fish, or seafood. These holiday appetizers featuring mushrooms, potatoes, corn, and cheese (of course) will satisfy vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

Baked brie on a blue plate with cherries and toasted bread pieces.

3

Baked Brie Recipe

This lusciously melty Baked Brie Recipe is destined to become the hit of your appetizer recipe spread. This 15-minute snack recipe is customizable, crowd-pleasing, and overflowing with richness.
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Classic Chilled Appetizers

These easy make-ahead appetizers are quick to disappear (psst…make a double batch of your favorites!), and might take you right back to your childhood.

A veggie pizza cut into squares.

4

Veggie Pizza

Beloved by kids and adults alike, this easy Veggie Pizza makes eating vegetables fun. Prep the entire healthy pizza recipe in just 15 minutes. You might want a double batch, though; it's just that delicious.
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Hot Dips and Spreads

Whether you use them as an easy “filler” on the table or another main event, dips and spreads are an easy way to extend a menu or continue a theme. Many can be (and should be) stirred up in advance, too. All that’s left is to choose your favorite dippers like fresh or blanched vegetables, toasted bread, or tortilla chips.

A piece of bread being dipped in cheese fondue.

5

Cheese Fondue

Cheese Fondue is a part snack, part entertainment, and 100% cheesy retro fun. This fondue recipe makes it easy to prepare and serve with confidence.
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Chilled Dips and Spreads

Take it easy and stir together a chilled dip appetizer recipe or two in advance. Simply store in the fridge until just before party time for a no-sweat contribution.

A bread bowl filled with Knorr Spinach Dip.

6

Knorr Spinach Dip Recipe

This Knorr Spinach Dip Recipe is the classic version you know and love! Cold and creamy, it's so easy to make and tastes even better than you remember. 
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Boards and Platters

Pile up all your favorite meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, dips, nuts, and snacks! Pick a theme and a board (Italian antipasto, Midwest charcuterie) or stuff tiny jars for Jarcuterie, the ultimate single-serving appetizer.

A christmas charcuterie board shaped like a christmas tree.

7

Christmas Charcuterie Board

For the merriest grazing this holiday season, make your own Christmas Charcuterie Board. Filled with meats, cheeses, and loads of seasonal touches, this charcuterie tree is as festive as it is delicious.
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Snacky Snacks

Sweet or savory, set out bowls of crunchy, crave-worthy snack mixes for guests to graze between the buffet. Or, for your most intimate gatherings, make a batch of homemade soft pretzels with cheese sauce warming in a crockpot nearby.

Puppy chow on a beige platter.

8

Puppychow

Puppychow, also known as muddy buddies, this classic Midwestern dessert is my go-to no-bake treat for bake sales, parties, and food gifts. If you like peanut butter cups, you'll love this easy dessert recipe.
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Dipping Sauces

Not to be confused with dips and spreads (main attractions in their own right), dipping sauces play a supporting roll with many hot and cold appetizers. You can usually buy them at the store, but homemade always tastes better!

Ranch Dressing in a clear glass dish on a countertop.

9

Ranch Dressing Recipe

This made-from-scratch Ranch Dressing recipe is thick, creamy, and packed with fresh herbs, just the way you and your vegetables want it. It's perfect for dipping, dressing, and tossing!
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Bite-Sized Desserts

Round out your holiday appetizer-palooza with a few small desserts. Sweet!

A stack of Christmas crack on a plate.

10

Christmas Crack Recipe

You'll love this salty, sweet, crunchy, chewy saltine cracker candy, sometimes known as Christmas Crack, and you can make it in 15 minutes with just 5 ingredients!
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Millions of Americans suffer from food insecurity every day, but you can help. Here are the best food donations to buy (and the ones to avoid) plus a section on specific food donations for the holidays.

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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  3. Thanks for all the terrific ideas, and plan to prepare a few for the holidays. My shopping list was just started.
    Again, thank you. Each recipe is organized / simple to follow.
    Merry Christmas!

    Reply