25 easy Christmas appetizers
Holiday parties call for food that looks festive and comes together fast. These Christmas appetizers are elegant enough for guests and quick enough for a busy December.
Updated October 2026 · ranked by popularity
-
1. Stovetop spinach artichoke dip
Creamy, cheesy spinach and artichoke dip made in one pan on the stove with frozen spinach and canned artichoke hearts. Serve warm with tortilla chips.
Get the recipe -
2. Classic deviled eggs
Hard-boiled eggs with a creamy yolk filling sharpened with Dijon, vinegar and a pinch of cayenne, then finished with paprika and chives.
Get the recipe -
3. Bacon ranch dip
Cream cheese and sour cream whipped with ranch seasoning, crispy bacon, cheddar and scallions. A cold, creamy dip for chips, crackers and veggies in 15 minutes.
Get the recipe -
4. BBQ little smokies
Cocktail sausages simmered in a sticky, sweet and tangy barbecue and grape jelly glaze. The retro party favorite, made on the stovetop in 15 minutes.
Get the recipe -
5. Tomato and basil bruschetta
Grilled sourdough rubbed with raw garlic and piled with ripe tomatoes, basil, red onion and olive oil. Simple, fresh and gone in minutes.
Get the recipe -
6. Air fryer jalapeño poppers
Jalapeño halves stuffed with a cheddar, cream cheese and bacon filling, topped with crunchy panko and air fried until golden. Hot, creamy, crispy game-day bites.
Get the recipe -
7. French onion dip
Deeply golden, jammy onions folded into tangy sour cream with a little garlic and Worcestershire. The real-onion version of the classic chip dip, ready in 20 minutes.
Get the recipe -
8. Pigs in a blanket
Cocktail franks wrapped in strips of crescent dough and baked in a hot oven until puffed and golden, with a quick honey mustard for dipping.
Get the recipe -
9. Sausage-stuffed mushrooms
Bite-size cremini caps filled with Italian sausage, cream cheese and Parmesan, baked until golden and bubbling. A crowd-pleasing holiday appetizer.
Get the recipe -
10. Air fryer baked brie with jam and pecans
A whole wheel of brie warmed in the air fryer until molten, then topped with raspberry jam, toasted pecans and honey. The easiest holiday party appetizer.
Get the recipe -
11. Hot crab dip
Lump crab folded into a warm, creamy cheese sauce seasoned with Old Bay, lemon and garlic. A Maryland-style party dip made on the stovetop in 15 minutes.
Get the recipe -
12. Stovetop candied pecans
Toasty pecan halves coated in a crackly cinnamon brown-sugar glaze, made in one skillet in about 15 minutes. Great for snacking, gifting or topping salads.
Get the recipe -
13. Jalapeño popper dip
Everything you love about jalapeño poppers in a skillet: creamy cheddar and cream cheese, fresh jalapeños and bacon under a crisp, buttery panko top.
Get the recipe -
14. Whipped feta dip with hot honey and chili
Salty feta blitzed with Greek yogurt until silky, then finished with warm chili honey. Serve with toasted pita chips for scooping.
Get the recipe -
15. Caprese skewers with balsamic glaze
Cherry tomatoes, mini mozzarella balls and basil threaded onto skewers, then drizzled with a quick sticky balsamic reduction and good olive oil.
Get the recipe -
16. Honey garlic meatballs
Frozen cooked meatballs simmered in a sticky honey, garlic and soy glaze until glossy and hot through. Stick a toothpick in each and watch them vanish.
Get the recipe -
17. Classic shrimp cocktail
Plump shrimp gently poached in lemony water, chilled fast in an ice bath and served with a zippy homemade horseradish cocktail sauce.
Get the recipe -
18. Cranberry brie bites
Crisp mini phyllo cups filled with melty brie, tangy cranberry sauce and toasted pecans, baked straight from the freezer. An easy holiday party appetizer.
Get the recipe -
19. Blistered shishito peppers
Shishitos seared in a screaming-hot skillet until charred and slumped, then showered with flaky salt and lemon, Spanish pimientos de Padrón style.
Get the recipe -
20. Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus
Asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto and pan-fried until the ham crisps and the spears turn just tender. Finished with lemon and shaved parmesan.
Get the recipe -
21. Prosciutto-wrapped dates
Sweet Medjool dates stuffed with tangy goat cheese or a toasted almond, wrapped in prosciutto and crisped in a skillet. Salty, sweet and irresistible.
Get the recipe -
22. Salt and pepper calamari
Tender squid rings tossed in a peppery cornstarch coating and shallow-fried in batches until crisp. Served with lemon and a quick garlic aioli.
Get the recipe -
23. Pan con tomate
Crisp toasted bread rubbed with garlic, topped with fresh grated tomato, a drizzle of good olive oil and flaky salt. The simplest Spanish tapa there is.
Get the recipe -
24. Spiced stovetop nuts
Mixed raw nuts toasted in a pan with smoked paprika, cumin and rosemary, then glossed with a little maple syrup and salt. Warm, crunchy and hard to stop eating.
Get the recipe -
25. Gambas al ajillo
Spanish garlic shrimp sizzled in golden olive oil with chile and smoked paprika, served with crusty bread for mopping up every drop of garlicky oil.
Get the recipe
Mix make-ahead and last-minute bites: dips and crostini toppings can be ready in advance, while hot bites go in right before guests arrive.