72 Christmas Appetizers For The Best Holiday Dinner

Our love for crescent roll recipes is no secret. Why make dough from scratch when everyone loves the canned stuff?! These are a fan favorite every fall. They always disappear within minutes, probably because the combo of salty, creamy brie, sweet-tart cranberry sauce, and crunchy pecans is PERFECT.

Get the Cranberry Brie Bites recipe.

Baby bella mushrooms are stuffed with garlicky, herby bread crumbs and plenty of cheese. Honestly, what could be better? Stuff them ahead of time and bake them off when you're ready to serve!

Get the Stuffed Mushrooms recipe.

This adorable holiday app will become an instant legend to all of your family and friends. It's a centerpiece worthy of your holiday table—plus one that you can eat—which is the best kind of centerpiece in our opinion.

Get the Pigs In A Blanket Wreath recipe.

Now this is the ultimate Christmas app. Super-cheesy and herby, this centerpiece appetizer has the looks and taste to impress. Plus, it's ready in under an hour!

Get the Pull-Apart Christmas Tree recipe.

Sweet potato casserole is a classic at any holiday celebration, so we decided to turn the staple dish into a bite-size app! When you don't have time to cook up a whole casserole, put marshmallow, pecans, and maple syrup on top of your sweet potatoes for a super-simple, satisfying alternative.

Get the Sweet Potato Bites recipe.

Baked brie is a classic app that pleases all around: It's versatile, delicious, easy to make, and requires a pretty short cook time. We filled ours with raspberry jam, but whatever your favorite is will work (you could even go with some pumpkin butter 😍). Drizzle it with some honey, and you have a warm, cheesy app that feels extra fancy in no time at all.

Get the Baked Brie In Puff Pastry recipe.

These easy bites are perfect for any occasion. We love their little pretzel handles, but feel free to leave them out if you'd prefer to put them on top of crackers. If prepping them the night before, refrigerate until 1 hour before serving, then remove from the fridge and let come to room temperature.

Get the Cheese Ball Bites recipe.

Pull-apart bread reaches a whole new level, thanks to brie and cranberry sauce. Use your favorite homemade sauce recipes, but store-bought works too if you're short for time.

Get the Cranberry Brie Pull-Apart Bread recipe.

In many households, sausage balls are a classic holiday appetizer. But many of you might be thinking: "Wait, what even is a sausage ball?!" The answer: savory, cheesy bites of cooked pork sausage, cheddar, and Bisquick that will be the most popular appetizer at your party.

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Flaky, buttery puff pastry is stuffed with prosciutto, asparagus, and brie before being brushed all over with a salted honey butter in this simple but satisfying recipe. Ready in under an hour, these bundles will bring the fancy to your party.

Get the Brie, Asparagus & Prosciutto Bundles recipe.

If you love baked spinach dip, you'll love these baked puff pastry puffs. They're filled with a mixture of sautéed onion, garlic, spinach, and cream cheese and baked inside little puff pastry cups in a muffin tin. Bet you can't eat just one!

Get the Spinach Puffs recipe.

These ham and cheese pinwheels are made easy using store-bought crescent roll dough. They're chock-full of melty cheese and savory-sweet ham, topped with fresh parsley and toasty poppy seeds for texture and flavor you and your guests will love.

Get the Ham and Cheese Pinwheels recipe.

When hosting a party, a hot and cheesy dip is an absolute must in our book. This rich dip may seem fancy, but actually comes together in just 35 minutes. The best part? Most of that time is just letting the skillet dip bake and do its thing while you get to sit back and relax.

Get the Crab Artichoke Dip recipe.

If you're unfamiliar with dates, it's time to familiarize yourself! The date's sweetness is the PERFECT counterpoint to crisp, salty bacon and creamy goat cheese. We guarantee these will fly off the platter before the party's really even started.

Get the Bacon Wrapped Dates recipe.

Looking for an easy appetizer that doubles as a centerpiece? This cheesy, savory crescent ring is perfect for your holiday gathering. If it's a vegetarian app you're after, we'd suggest subbing in sautéed mushrooms.

Get the Bacon Brie Crescent Wreath recipe.

These particular pecans are our #1: SUPER spiced, crunchy, sweet, and salty. They're great eaten by the handful, as an accompaniment to a cheese board, or even sprinkled over baked brie.

Get the Spiced Candied Pecans recipe.

This recipe turns leftover mashed potatoes into magical, fried bites of savory deliciousness. Ready in 25 minutes, these delish creations are a perfect last-minute appetizer when you want something a bit different than your average mashed potatoes, or simply need a fun take on classic comfort food.

Get Fried Mashed Potato Balls recipe.

There's something very classic about the crescent roll dough flavor, so we tend to gravitate toward it, but puff pastry or even biscuit dough should work here too.

Get the Pigs In A Blanket recipe.

Oh so cheesy, these little guys are scary good. Just as the zucchini becomes tender, the cheese is getting melty and delicious. If you want a little extra color on your bites, switch the oven to broil on medium and cook them a couple minutes more. (Just keep an eye on them.) For a quick party trick, try making these in the air fryer!

Get the Spinach Artichoke Zucchini Bites recipe.

If you’re a fan of our cranberry brie bites, we’ve got news for you: There’s a new holiday app in town, and it’s inspired by another fan fave, baked feta pasta. This cheesy finger food features the flavors you know and love, all nestled into bite-sized cups of golden crescent dough.

Get the Baked Feta Bites recipe.

Loaded with cucumbers, tomatoes, and feta, this dip has plenty of the flavors of a Greek salad, plus a smooth, fluffy consistency thanks for yogurt, cream cheese, and feta. Full disclaimer: This recipe makes a lot of dip and can easily be halved (but we've never had a problem demolishing it).

Get the Greek Feta Dip recipe.

We think crunchy, peppery red radishes are underrated, so we decided to give them the spotlight in this fresh crostini. How to balance that strong peppery flavor? Queue sweet, caramelized brown butter, whipped into an unctuous cloud: the perfect foil for paper-thin radish rounds. While it may sound fancy, it all comes together in under 30 minutes for an app to impress.

Get the Brown Butter Radish Crostini recipe.

These cheese puffs (aka gougères) are a triple threat: easy to make, impressive looking, and insanely delicious. And the good news is you probably already have most (or all) of the ingredients.

Get the Cheese Puffs recipe.

Sticky, crisp, and crunchy, the neutral flavor of the water chestnut soaks up the sweetness of the syrup and brown sugar in this classic app. Add in the savory notes of the garlic powder, herbs, and spices, and these are a surefire winner. Go wild with the dipping sauces; we suggest honey-mustard, but really, anything would work!

Get the Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts recipe.

This is the ultimate tear and share appetizer that's perfect for any party, or when you're just craving a bit of garlic bread. Plus, it's so fast and easy to whip up: Ready in 30 minutes with very minimal dishes, this pull-apart bread is the last-minute app of our dreams. The cheese pulls are just begging to be Instagrammed.

Get the Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread recipe.

If you haven't experienced the flavor combo of prosciutto + melon, get on it STAT. It's the ultimate in sweet and salty. The addition of fresh basil and creamy mozzarella makes a good thing even better.

Get the Melon Prosciutto Skewers recipe.

A cheese board is one of the best appetizers to serve at a holiday gathering because it's easy to execute, shareable, and totally customizable. What's better than a gorgeous wooden board piled high with a variety of high-quality cheeses, cured meats, silky spreads (like fig jam!), nuts, fruit, and more?

Get the Ultimate Holiday Cheese Board recipe.

Slathered in buttery, garlicky goodness, these garlic knots are seriously irresistible. These savory bites come together in 30 minutes, but just make sure to let your refrigerated pizza dough sit on the counter for around an hour before assembling.

Get the Garlic Knots recipe.

Your favorite spinach and artichoke dip made in a wheel of brie? You better believe it! Hollow out your wheel of brie and mix the cheese with all the goods and then stuff it back into the wheel. Pack it all back in tight and pile it on top—it may ooze a little but will all stay in the pan for dipping perfection.

Get the Spinach Artichoke Brie recipe.

Shrimp cocktail is a classic, and it couldn't be easier. We've updated this party standby with a zesty homemade sauce that packs a flavorful punch thanks to ketchup, chili sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. The secret ingredient? A small amount of celery salt ties it all together.

Get the Shrimp Cocktail recipe.