23 Easy Christmas Appetizers to Devour Before Your Holiday Meal
Start your holiday party right!
Ranging from elegant seafood nibbles to hearty picks like meatballs, hot dips, and deviled eggs, these Christmas appetizer recipes were chosen specifically for this season's most festive gatherings. Find finger buffet ideas for easygoing holiday nibbles-and-sips parties, Christmas appetizer ideas to kick off a grand holiday feast, and more ways to irresistibly celebrate the season, bite by bite.
Butternut-Sage Crostini with Ricotta and Hazelnuts
These decadent, creamy bites are perfect for the holidays, thanks to a dab of seasonal squash and a sprinkle of fresh sage on top. Savory cayenne-spiced ricotta in between adds richness to one of our favorite Christmas appetizers.
Make-Ahead Mini Cheese Balls
"Cute” isn’t the first word that usually comes to mind when you think of a cheese ball, but when you roll one into individually sized portions, the little gems become darling indeed. What a fun way to add color and charm to your Christmas buffet menu.
Two Tomato Bruschetta
We don’t try to match all of our Christmas Eve appetizer ideas to the colors of the season, but sometimes it just turns out that way! Here, tomatoes, feta cheese and fresh herbs provide a seasonal red, white, and green appeal. Better yet, guests can't help but love this recipe, which is quick to make for a crowd.
Bacon-Filled Medjool Dates
Few Christmas appetizer ideas please carnivores as much as those that star bacon! Here, the meat’s light crunch and over-the-top savory flavor makes a perfect foil for chewy and sweet Medjool dates. Before serving these easy appetizers, drizzle them with honey and top with snipped fresh thyme.
DIY Pimento Cheese
You're only 15 minutes away from one of our easiest holiday buffet recipes—a quintessentially Southern party-ready cheese spread to pair with your favorite crackers.
Blue Cheese and Pine Nut Puffs
Light, rich, and crisp, this truly delightful holiday appetizer will impress your guests. Using a pastry bag, pipe the blend of Roquefort and Gruyere cheeses into pretty star shapes, and bake
Crab and Horseradish Havarti Dip
Any table of Christmas party appetizers needs at least one warm-and-cheesy dip! And isn’t there something about shellfish that says, “holiday special”? You can have it all in this luscious and colorful recipe.
Zarela's Pineapple-Ginger Wings
Sit back and watch these saucy wings fly off your Christmas buffet! Ginger and citrus team up with pineapple for a sweet-and-spicy party appetizer recipe that's downright irresistible.
Bacon and Cheese Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs—with bacon? That’s what we call a win-win situation. This recipe takes it one step further with some cheddar cheese, making it a crowd-pleasing holiday appetizer.
Beet and Onion Jam Galette
When you need a few Christmas appetizer ideas that are on the hearty side, this savory beet and onion tart will fit the bill. And talk about easy: It starts with store-bought onion jam. As one reviewer raved, "The combo of flavors was delicious."
Mini Bacon-Mushroom Quiches
These bite-size cheesy quiches will tide holiday guests over until dinnertime. A puff pastry crust holds the warm egg filling and fresh green onion topper. We used shiitake mushrooms in the filling for the most flavor.
Herbed Cheese Mini Peppers
Lightly spiced cream cheese cools down the fiery jalapeno peppers for a flavor-loaded holiday bite. If you're not a fan of spicy Christmas appetizer recipes, sub sweet mini peppers for jalapenos.
Smoked Trout Bites
If smoked fish is a must on your Christmas buffet (or part of your Feast of the Seven fishes menu), check out this über-tasty, extra-easy way to serve it. Six ingredients. Fifteen minutes. Done. (And if that’s not enough, you can make it up to 24 hours in advance.)
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Avocado Pesto-Stuffed Tomatoes
Let these adorable cherry tomato appetizers steal the show thanks to their tasty avocado, cream cheese, pesto, and lemon juice filling. To keep the mini apps standing upright, cut a thin slice from the bottom of each tomato, creating a flat base.
Manchego-Stuffed Mushrooms
Add a twist on the beloved classic to your Christmas buffet menu with these cheesy stuffed mushrooms. To make, simply wipe the mushrooms clean, snap off their stems, spoon in the filling, and bake them to perfection.
Hot Greens Dip
This twist on classic spinach-artichoke dip is filled with shredded collard greens. Fold the cooked greens into a creamy mix of Havarti cheese, Parmesan cheese, and sour cream. Bake until bubbly and serve with chips and crackers.
Sweet-Spicy Barbecued Chicken Sliders
Yes! Sliders can be festive enough to score a spot on your roster of Christmas appetizer ideas. Bake up this big-batch recipe using shredded rotisserie chicken, chopped pineapple, and barbecue sauce.
Test Kitchen Tip: Assemble this make-ahead Christmas appetizer recipe up to 8 hours before serving.
Spicy Apple-Glazed Meatballs
When dreaming up your list of Christmas finger food buffet ideas, don’t forget the meatballs! Here, the crowd-pleasing party-food favorite gets into the holiday spirit with a spicy apple and brown sugar glaze.
Salmon Kabobs with Cucumber-Feta Salsa
Guests who are trying not to overindulge this season will be grateful if you bring some healthful Christmas appetizer ideas to the table. Grill skewers of fresh salmon and lemon slices then serve them up alongside a fresh herb and cucumber salsa.
Chicken-Feta Phyllo Cups with Tzatziki Sauce
Each crispy bite of this easy Christmas appetizer recipe is filled with spinach, chicken, feta, and couscous. The whole dish bakes in a muffin tin for just 10 minutes. Serve each cup with homemade Tzatziki sauce and fresh lemon wedges.
Air Fryer Egg Rolls
Turn to your air fryer for crispy homemade egg rolls without the fat of deep frying. To make, stuff a classic pork and cabbage filling into purchased egg roll wrappers and cook for just 10 minutes.
Spiced Potato Pastry Pockets
Kelsey Hansen
Stuff refrigerated pie crust dough with a mix of mashed potatoes, herbs, and peas. Our take on the classic Indian samosa is best served with mango chutney, mint chutney, or tamarind sauce.
Chicken Nachos with Wasabi Guacamole
This take on a classic party appetizer adds wasabi paste to the guacamole and soy sauce to shredded chicken. Top the tray with sliced jalapenos, fresh radishes, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
