20 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
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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. 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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4. 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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5. 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.
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6. 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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7. 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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8. 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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9. 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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10. 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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11. 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.
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12. 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.
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13. 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.
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14. 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.
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15. 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.
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16. 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.
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17. 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.
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18. 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.
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19. Smoked salmon cucumber bites
Crisp cucumber rounds topped with lemony dill cream cheese and ribbons of smoked salmon. A fresh, no-cook party bite that's naturally gluten-free.
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20. Whipped ricotta crostini with honey and walnuts
Crisp toasted baguette slices piled with lemony whipped ricotta, toasted walnuts, a drizzle of honey and flaky salt. An elegant party bite in 15 minutes.
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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.