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.

A metal pie pan filled with crockpot meatballs.

1

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 wooden board filled with 4 varieties of mini quiche.

2

Mini Quiche Recipe

Skip the coffee shop sous vide egg bites and make this Mini Quiche Recipe instead. Tucked inside a pastry crust, try all four flavor variations of this freezable egg breakfast recipe.
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A baking dish of ham and cheese sliders.

3

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 bowl of cheese tortellini in garlic butter.

4

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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Prosciutto wrapped asparagus on a black plate with shredded Parmesan.

5

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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A pile of three cheese spanakopita triangles on a plate.

6

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 party spread with baked potato skins as the main event.

7

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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Someone dipping coconut shrimp in sauce.

8

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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Classic Chilled Appetizers

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

A veggie pizza cut into squares.

9

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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Deviled eggs on a round wooden platter.

10

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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Marinated feta in a silver bowl on a wood board with slices of bread.

11

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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Slices of turkey roll ups on a wooden board.

12

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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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 bread bowl filled with Knorr Spinach Dip.

13

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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Someone dipping a tortilla chip in buffalo chicken dip.

14

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

15

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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Cowboy caviar in a bowl on a white plate with tortilla chips.

16

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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Seven layer dip on a blue platee.

17

7 Layer Dip

This 7 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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Pepper jelly poured over a block of cream cheese on a charcuterie board.

18

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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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 on a gray countertop.

19

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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An antipasto platter on a wooden tray.

20

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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Jarcuteries on a wooden cutting board.

21

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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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.

22

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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A bowl of Chex mix on a gray background.

23

Chex Mix Recipe

Make this homemade Chex Mix recipe in the microwave in 10 minutes or less! It's adapted from the original Chex Party Mix recipe, but I use more butter and I think it's better that way.
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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.

24

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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Marinara dipping sauce with mozzarella sticks in a red basket.

25

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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Barbecue sauce in a small gray bowl with a spoon next to it.

26

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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Jars of red pepper jelly on a tray.

27

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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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

  1. 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