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, all 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 a spread 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 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 Appetizers
  2. Classic Chilled Appetizers
  3. Dips and Spreads
  4. Boards and Platters
  5. Snacky Snacks
  6. Dipping Sauces

Hot and Hearty Appetizers

With appetizers like these, who needs a main entree? If you truly intend to supplant the main dish (and you should!), offer a couple of different warm choices such as beef, chicken, and vegetarian. Meatballs, cocktail wieners, and ham and cheese sliders are all delicious choices.

Crockpot Meatballs with Grape Jelly Sauce
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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A metal pie pan filled with crockpot meatballs.
Mini Quiche 4 Ways
Skip the coffee shop sous vide egg bites and make your own Mini Quiche instead. Tucked inside a pastry crust, try all four flavor variations for this freezable egg breakfast recipe.
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A wooden board filled with 4 varieties of mini quiche.
Ham and Cheese Sliders
These family-friendly Ham and Cheese Sliders are the ultimate hearty party snack. Make a tray (or two) for your next gathering and watch them disappear!
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A baking dish of ham and cheese sliders.
Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce
An easy, delicious recipe for Cheese Tortellini in a simple garlic butter sauce with basil. Keep it warm in a crockpot for a party appetizer, or serve up in a big bowl for a comforting weeknight meal in 15 minutes or less.
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A bowl of cheese tortellini in garlic butter.
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
There is nothing more addictive than tender asparagus spears wrapped in salty, crispy prosciutto. It only takes 4 ingredients and 30 minutes for this simple and delicious appetizer!
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Prosciutto wrapped asparagus on a black plate with shredded Parmesan.
Spanakopita Triangles
These buttery, flakey Spanakopita Triangles are filled with spinach and 3 cheeses and take your cocktail party from semi-homemade to gourmet. And, learn all my tips for handling phyllo like a pro.
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A pile of three cheese spanakopita triangles on a plate.
Baked Potato Skins
Hearty Baked Potato Skins are a crowd-pleasing make-ahead appetizer recipe. Customize with your favorite toppings, and double or triple the snack recipe to feed the whole block if you like. You won't have leftovers! 
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A party spread with baked potato skins as the main event.
Coconut Shrimp
This restaurant-style Coconut Shrimp recipe is a cinch to make at home with freezer and pantry staples. My shatteringly crispy Coconut Shrimp appetizer is good on its own, and even better once dunked into the zippy Sriracha-chile sauce.
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Someone dipping coconut shrimp in sauce.

Classic Chilled Appetizers

These appetizers are easily made in advance, quick to disappear, and might take you right back to your childhood.

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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A veggie pizza cut into squares.
Deviled Eggs
This easy Deviled Eggs recipe is my family’s most trusted and the only one you’ll ever need. They are creamy, delicious, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
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Deviled eggs on a round wooden platter.
Marinated Feta
Try my easy Marinated Feta recipe for a crowd-pleasing party appetizer idea or salad topping. This cheesy snack calls for just 5 minutes of prep time!
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Marinated feta in a silver bowl on a wood board with slices of bread.
Turkey Roll Ups (Costco Copycat)
Learn how to make Turkey Roll Ups at home, just like the ones from Costco. They are easy to make, cheaper, and tastier than the store-bought version, and you don't have to fight the crowds to enjoy them.
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Turkey Rollups stacked on top of each other on a blue serving platter.

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.

Knorr Spinach Dip
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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A bread bowl filled with Knorr Spinach Dip.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
This easy Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe is classic Midwestern fare, and it can be yours in minutes with just 5 ingredients. Serve with plenty of fresh celery sticks, crackers, and chips.
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Someone dipping a tortilla chip in buffalo chicken dip.
Baked Brie
Lusciously melty Baked Brie 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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Baked brie on a blue plate with cherries and toasted bread pieces.
Cowboy Caviar
This easy recipe for Cowboy Caviar is fun, fresh, colorful, and endlessly adaptable. It makes a great dip, salad, side dish, or even a topping for grilled meats. Always a potluck favorite!
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Cowboy caviar in a bowl on a white plate with tortilla chips.
Seven Layer Dip
This Seven Layer Dip recipe is made with beans, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, tomatoes, olives, and scallions. It's easy to make and always a hit at parties! 
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Seven layer dip on a blue platee.
Cream Cheese with Pepper Jelly
Cream cheese with pepper jelly is a Midwestern delicacy, a beloved appetizer made from just 2 ingredients. It's creamy, spicy, and sweet, and you'll love it.
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Pepper jelly poured over a block of cream cheese on a charcuterie board.

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.

Midwest Charcuterie Board
A Midwest Charcuterie Board ripe with regional offerings is perfect for all-day grazing and parties with people you love. Make a few things, buy the rest, enjoy it all!
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Midwest Charcuterie board on a gray countertop.
Antipasto Platter
For a snack dinner or Italian appetizer idea, you can't beat this easy Antipasto Platter. It takes just 20 minutes to build a feast of cured meats, cheeses, olives, and more.
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An antipasto platter on a wooden tray.
Jarcuterie
This appetizer recipe idea is more than a trend! Jarcuterie, or single-serving charcuterie assembled in a jar, is ideal for parties, potlucks, or even food gifts.
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Jarcuteries on a wooden cutting board.

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
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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Puppy chow on a beige platter.
Homemade Chex Mix
Make Homemade Chex Mix in the microwave in 10 minutes or less! Adapted from the original Chex Mix recipe (but I use more butter so it's better).
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A bowl of Chex mix on a gray background.

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
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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Homemade Ranch dressing in a clear glass bottle.
Marinara Dipping Sauce
This homemade Marinara Dipping Sauce pairs perfectly with all your favorite appetizers. It’s fast and easy, made with just 5 pantry ingredients and ready in minutes! Perfect for mozzarella sticks, pizza bites, zucchini fries, crispy artichokes, breadsticks, and more!
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Marinara dipping sauce with mozzarella sticks in a red basket.
Barbecue Sauce
Here’s a Barbecue Sauce recipe that’s every bit as Sweet Baby Ray’s famous sauce. It’s all natural, made by you, and only takes a few minutes.
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Barbecue sauce in a small gray bowl with a spoon next to it.
Red Pepper Jelly
Sweet and spicy, Red Pepper Jelly is one seriously delicious multitasker. It's fantastic with any type of creamy cheese, works wonders as a glaze on salmon or pork, and adds a zesty kick to a sandwich or pizza.
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Jars of red pepper jelly on a tray.
Executive Chef and CEO at | Website | + posts

Meggan Hill is the Executive Chef and CEO of Culinary Hill, a popular digital publication in the food space. She loves to combine her Midwestern food memories with her culinary school education to create her own delicious take on modern family fare. Millions of readers visit Culinary Hill each month for meticulously-tested recipes as well as skills and tricks for ingredient prep, cooking ahead, menu planning, and entertaining. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the iCUE Culinary Arts program at College of the Canyons.

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