25 New Year’s Eve appetizers
Ring in the new year with bites that feel special but leave you free to enjoy the party. Every appetizer here is ready in 20 minutes or less.
Updated October 2026 · ranked by popularity
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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8. Maryland crab cakes
Maryland-style crab cakes packed with lump crab, Old Bay and just enough cracker to bind, pan-fried golden and served with a quick remoulade.
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9. Christmas crack (saltine toffee)
Saltine crackers baked under bubbling brown sugar toffee, then covered in melted chocolate and pecans. Sweet, salty and impossible to stop eating.
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10. Oreo balls
Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies mixed with cream cheese, rolled into truffles and dipped in white chocolate. Three ingredients, no baking, ready for the cookie tray.
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11. Peppermint bark
A layer of dark chocolate and a layer of creamy white chocolate, topped with crushed candy canes and snapped into shards. Homemade holiday bark in 20 minutes.
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12. 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.
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13. 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.
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14. Cannoli dip
Sweet whipped ricotta and mascarpone with vanilla, orange zest and mini chocolate chips. All the flavor of cannoli, served with broken waffle cones and cookies for dipping.
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15. Quick chocolate mousse
Melted dark chocolate folded through softly whipped cream for a light, spoonable mousse you can eat right away. No eggs, no chilling, topped with raspberries.
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16. 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.
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17. 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.
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18. Seared scallops with lemon-butter caper sauce
Dry sea scallops seared hard for a deep golden crust, then spooned with a quick garlic, lemon and caper brown butter. Restaurant-style in 15 minutes.
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19. 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.
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20. Churros with chocolate sauce
Crisp, ridged churros piped from a quick choux-style dough, fried in small batches, rolled in cinnamon sugar and dunked in a thick, glossy chocolate sauce.
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21. Ten-minute tiramisu cups
Coffee-dunked ladyfingers layered with a whipped vanilla mascarpone cream and a heavy dusting of cocoa, in glasses and on the table in ten minutes.
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22. 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.
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23. 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.
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24. 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.
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25. 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.
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Plan about five to six bites per person per hour for a cocktail-style party, and more if the appetizers are replacing dinner.