When the holidays come around, I find that I’m entertaining more and more smaller groups. I don’t have a large space to invite 100 of my closest friends, so smaller more intimate gatherings seem to be my go to method of having people over. Serving small bites and cocktails has served me well for years, and having a large assortment of go to appetizer recipes ready to go, makes entertaining during this busy time a lot more manageable. Whether I choose to just put out a bowl of fancy nuts and a couple of dips, or pull out all the stops and do both cold and hot appetizers, I have my favorite tried and true recipes ready. I’ve compiled them into my favorite Jingle Bell Bites: 25 Christmas Appetizers Made Easy. And today, I’ve compiled them all into one easy to follow post.
Whether you are having a trim-the-tree party, or an elegant cocktail hour, I’ve got your covered. Many of these can be put out on a buffet or passed on elegant trays. You decide. Another thing I’ve taken into consideration, is different diets. Have you noticed that it gets harder and harder to please everyone? You’ve got vegans, and vegetarians, those on gluten-free diets, keto, no sugar, Paleo, and new to the game, carnivores. I’m a Weight Watcher, myself, and while I can have anything I like, moderation is key so I like having choices. This list of 25 holiday appetizers has something for everyone. I’ll often round out all my parties with a fruit tray and vegetable tray to be sure there is a little something for everyone. Bowls of mixed nuts or my Sriracha Nuts are great additions to any party. When in doubt, ask your guests about their preferences and limitations. Most will offer to bring something, so suggest they bring something they can eat. That will solve lots of issues right off the bat.
First up, dips. Who doesn’t love a great dip? To avoid the dreaded double-dipper in the crown, I’ll often put a spoon in the dip, with a small stack of plates right next to it to kind of guide the way. Let them spoon a little on to their plate, along with other apps they are trying, and move along. One way of serving dip that has been incredibly successful, is by creating individual cups of dip. I do that a lot with my 7 Layer Mexican Dip Cups, but you can do that with any dip. If I have a large, rowdy crowd coming over (maybe for a game day during the holidays), I’ll prep a bunch of dip cups and let everyone grab one or two. That solves the double dip issue immediately.
If, on the other hand, you have dignified guests and aren’t worried about double dipping, just put out large bowls and let your guests enjoy. Here are some of my favorite dips for the holidays.
DIPS
This dip has all your favorite Mediterranean flavors in one bowl. A creamy white bean spread is topped with fresh vegetables like tomato and cucumber, and has all the yummy Kalamata olives and feta cheese to add those Greek notes. Fresh herbs, lemon and olive oil bring it all together and when served with pita wedges, can turn this into a yummy starter. For the record, I’ve been know to have this for lunch!
Doesn’t everyone love a good hummus? Well, when I first had this at Duke’s restaurant in Huntington Beach, CA, I knew I had tried something special. It was genius to add those rich, decadent nuts to the mix. Finished with chopped macadamia nuts on top, gives it crunch and texture. So good and special enough for any party.
This is definitely one of my favorite dips. The jewel tones on top make it the perfect holiday appetizer. The flavors and textures just make this dip sing. There is sweet and spicy, crunchy and tart, and just a complete bite of flavor. Make double batches, this never lasts long.
This is a decadent splurge for sure. Crab can be expensive. But, when I want to dazzle my guests and get a couple of WOWS from the crowd, this will be on the menu. Large flaky pieces of crab are mixed into guacamole and sit on top of it, making each mouthful sinful! Save this for intimate gatherings when you want to impress.
This is an oldie but goodie and one of the first recipes I ever published on my blog. Some thought it was to “fancy” because of the fresh flowers. Others, just omitted those and just served it with the chopped cucumber relish that is in the recipe. This is fabulous and I serve it year round.
This is a game day favorite, but I whip it out on the holidays too because people just love it. It is warm and comforting, ooey-gooey, sweet and slightly spicy too. Can’t say enough about this favorite…you’ll be making this one year-round too.
HOT APPETIZERS
Boursin Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
Boursin Cheese is one of those fan favorites that people crave. I have a niece who would eat the entire container with a pile of crackers every holiday. Don’t worry, Brandy, I’m not saying a word!!! Using that herbie spread to fill my mushrooms was a delicious no-brainer. Easy to assemble ahead of time and baked off in the oven in minutes. They never last long, so plan on multiple batches.
For my veggie lovers, I make these crispy cauliflower bites and serve with a blue cheese dressing and hot sauce just like they were wings. They are a lot easier to eat, are a lot less messy, but are just as delicious. You definitely want to try these. You may have some wing snobs convert.
Fried Baby Brie Bites with Tart Cherry Jam
I love brie anyway I can get it, but these little crispy bites of yummy are by far, one of my favorite ways to eat brie. Served on a warm tart cherry jam, these can be served as a first course for an elegant meal too. They are devoured quickly, so prep lots of them.
I enjoy crostini in any form, but these feature steak, blue cheese and caramelized onions and are sprinkled with an unexpected burst of flavor; pomegranate seeds. Talk about the perfect bite. You want to make these.
Baked Brie with Walnuts, Brown Sugar, Honey & Momofuku
Another favorite around here is this amazing baked brie with its sweet and spicy topping that also gets some crunch from walnuts. Baked brie is amazing with almost any topping, but this is by far one of my favorites.
Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms
I did include a couple of different stuffed mushrooms in my 25 favorite Christmas appetizers, because the flavor combos couldn’t be more different. This recipe features mushrooms stuffed with seafood and is a yummy bite. Both crab and shrimp are used and the filling is to die for.
Coconut Shrimp with Apricot & Horseradish Sauce
I’m a huge fan of shrimp (if you’ve been following me for any length of time, you already know that). These coconut crusted shrimp with a sweet and spicy apricot and horseradish sauce are a long time favorite. I created this recipe after having a similar recipe in my favorite place on the planet, Montauk, NY. I enjoyed these every year at a road side seafood shack, and crave them all the time. Since these are baked, you cam prepare these well in advance and bake them off right after guests arrive. Served on a bed of flaked coconut on a large platter, they make a great presentation.
Brie, Fig & Pecan Puff Pastry Bites
The truth is, I don’t care what you stuff, roll or place on top of puff pastry, it always tastes good, looks good and makes for a delicious holiday appetizer. For these puff pastry bites, I used three simple ingredients: my favorite cheese (brie), fig jam and chopped pecans. Couldn’t be easier to make and everyone loves them. I served them here on a small handled board, but a serving tray works too. Swap in your favorite jam and nut and make them your own.
This puff pastry bite takes a little bit more work since there is a sauce involved, but it is an easy sauce, and the results are so good, you’ll be glad you took the time. My Croque Monsieur appetizers are a take on my favorite French sandwich but are gone in one bite. Enjoy this one served on a silver tray!
Corn Cakes with Pineapple and Basil Salsa
I love these in the summer, but these are a fun, unexpected treat around the holidays. Use fresh pineapple in the salsa and make the cakes smaller so they are gone in one or two bites. Don’t they scream party on a plate?
Fresh Figs, Blue Cheese, Pistachios, Honey and Thyme Tart
This is one of my blog’s favorite posts and with good reason, it is delish! While I serve this up as a starter course or for lunch with a salad, during the holidays, I cut the tart into small squares and serve as finger food to my guests. They can’t get enough and everyone wants the recipe, so send them to the blog or print out copies of the recipe for them to take home. So good.
Sweet and Spicy Lil Beef Smokies
This is one of those throwback recipes that I used to make when I first started entertaining. These, some pigs-in-a-blanket, and an onion dip would be my entire entertaining budget! Everyone BYOB and we had the best times ever. How I miss those early, easy days of just enjoying the people. I still serve these when my lifetime friends stop by. I think we all remember, smile, have a couple and let the laughter flow. These are easy to make and will be gone in a flash. Throw them in your crock pot and walk away!
COLD APPETIZERS
This couldn’t be an easier appetizer to make. You can make these long in advance and they are a nice upgrade to your cheeseboard. These are great as one of your antipasto appetizers. Serve on long, gold tipped toothpicks or mini skewers and watch them disappear.
If you add one thing to your cold appetizer choices this year, make this it. This is the perfect addition to your cheeseboard and is a delicious, and very Italian, condiment served with crackers, fruit and nuts. Add it to your antipasto appetizers when putting out an appetizer buffet, and you’ll have a well rounded menu. You make it with a variety of fresh and dried fruits and the flavors just burst in your mouth. This also makes a wonderful gift. Add to a mason jar or jars with clamp lids, add a bow and a tag and you are done. A favorite among family and friends.
Pistachio-Cherry Goat Cheese Balls
Easy to make, and beautiful to look at. This addition to your Christmas cheese display will get oohs and aahs from your guests and taste amazing too. You could easily substitute another chopped nut and try dried cranberries too.
Blini with Fat-Free Greek Yogurt, Salmon Roe & Chives
This is an elegant appetizer that I’ve lightened up (both for the waistline and the wallet). I substituted fat-free Greek yogurt for the more traditional sour cream or Crème Fraîche, and used Salmon Roe instead of caviar for a more affordable version of this classic appetizer. Serve these with a glass of champagne and your guests will be in heaven.
There is shrimp cocktail and then their is my shrimp cocktail. The perfect shrimp are cooked in their shells in a delicious broth seasoned with herbs and vegetables. The flavor the shells impart of the shellfish is so important and all the flavors infused into the cooking liquid make for the most amazing flavored shrimp. You’ll never make shrimp cocktail any other way again. Serve them on a large platter with cocktail sauce or fancy it up, and serve them in coupe glasses or martini glasses at your next dinner party. Enjoy.
What’s a party without a bowl of nuts? Glaze them and make them sweet and spicy, and your guests will be begging for the recipe. I make big batches of these during the holidays and keep them in covered containers for impromptu gatherings. They also make a great gift when packaged in clear gift bags with big red bows.
Rosemary Raisin Pecan Crackers
Once you make your own gourmet, fancy crackers, there is no going back to the overpriced store bought version. Making your own allows you to play with the flavor combinations and create an incredibly satisfying cracker. It is one you’ll be proud to put on any cheese board or charcuterie platter.
And there you have it, my Jingle Bell Bites: 25 Irresistible Christmas Appetizers good for all your entertaining all holiday long. Did you enjoy this post? Find something you absolutely must try? I hope so. If you try any of the recipes, let me know. If you enjoyed this post and found it helpful, be sure to leave a comment and a rating. For other appetizer recipes, check out my Starters page.
