The Holiday Collection
The short answer: The easiest appetizers are no-cook or 5-ingredient bites you can make ahead: caprese skewers, pinwheels, deviled eggs, a cheese board, slow cooker meatballs and a warm dip with chips. Below are 60 easy appetizer ideas grouped by how much work they take, plus how many to make per person, a make-ahead timeline and how long food can safely sit out.
Our picks for easy appetizers
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I love cooking and hosting the family for the holidays, and the best appetizer spreads I know mix one or two warm things with a lot of easy cold ones so the cook gets to enjoy the party too.
No-cook easy appetizers
- Caprese skewers with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil
- Cheese and cracker board
- Deli meat and cream cheese roll-ups
- Veggie tray with ranch or hummus
- Chips with salsa and guacamole
- Stuffed mini peppers with herbed cream cheese
- Cucumber rounds with whipped feta
- Antipasto skewers with salami, olives and tortellini
- Fruit skewers with yogurt dip
- Prosciutto-wrapped melon
- Pimento cheese with celery and crackers
- Smoked salmon on cucumber
5-ingredient appetizers
- Deviled eggs
- Pigs in a blanket
- Bacon-wrapped dates
- Ham and cheese sliders
- Pesto pinwheels in puff pastry
- Cranberry brie bites in phyllo cups
- Tortilla pinwheels with ranch cream cheese
- Sausage balls
- Bruschetta on toasted baguette
- Stuffed mushrooms with sausage and cream cheese
Dips
- Buffalo chicken dip
- Rotel dip
- Spinach artichoke dip
- Seven-layer bean dip
- French onion dip
- Queso
- Hummus with pita chips
- Whipped feta with honey
- Corn dip
- Taco dip
Bites and skewers
- Meatball skewers with marinara
- Mini quiches
- Chicken satay skewers
- Shrimp cocktail
- Cheese-stuffed tortellini skewers
- Mini BLT bites
- Cucumber sandwiches
- Spanakopita triangles from the freezer aisle
Warm oven appetizers
- Baked brie with jam
- Crispy potato skins
- Mozzarella sticks
- Jalapeño poppers
- Garlic parmesan wings
- Mini pizzas on English muffins
- Loaded nacho tray
- Sweet and spicy roasted nuts
Slow cooker appetizers
- Grape jelly meatballs
- Little smokies in barbecue sauce
- Slow cooker queso
- Honey garlic chicken wings
- Slow cooker spinach dip
- Sweet and sour meatballs
Make-ahead and budget appetizers
- Pasta salad cups
- Marinated cheese cubes
- Popcorn bar with three seasonings
- Seasoned oyster crackers
- Black bean salsa
- Egg salad on crackers
How many appetizers to make
These are common planning rules of thumb. Adjust for your crowd and the time of day.
| Party type | Pieces per person | Number of kinds |
|---|---|---|
| Before a dinner | 4 to 6 | 3 to 4 |
| Cocktail party, no dinner (2 to 3 hours) | 10 to 15 | 6 to 8 |
| Game day or open house | 8 to 12 | 5 to 7 |
| Holiday party with a full buffet | 3 to 5 | 3 to 5 |
Balance the spread: one warm dish, one dip, one fresh or vegetable option, one cheese or meat option and one sweet bite covers most tastes.
Make-ahead timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 week before | Pick the menu, write the shopping list, buy frozen and pantry items |
| 2 days before | Buy fresh produce and cheese |
| 1 day before | Make dips, pinwheels, deviled egg filling and marinated cheese |
| Morning of | Assemble skewers and cut vegetables, cover and chill |
| 1 hour before | Heat the oven items and start slow cooker dips |
| At the party | Set out small batches and refill from the fridge or oven |
Food safety for party appetizers
- The 2-hour rule: the USDA's danger zone guidance says perishable food shouldn't sit out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
- Hot stays hot: hold warm dips and meatballs at 140°F or above in a slow cooker or chafing dish.
- Cold stays cold: set dips and shrimp over a bowl of ice, or swap in fresh trays from the fridge.
- Clean hands and boards: the FDA's safe food handling tips cover washing hands and keeping raw meat apart from ready-to-eat food.
- Reheat leftovers to 165°F, the FoodSafety.gov safe minimum for leftovers and casseroles.
Holiday appetizer ideas
Hosting for the holidays? Browse our Christmas appetizers, Thanksgiving appetizers, Christmas charcuterie board and Christmas party food, then run through the holiday party planning checklist.
Plan the party
- Christmas Budget & Gift Planner, $4.99. Menu, to-do and budget pages for holiday hosting.
- [Meal Planner & Grocery List](For classic French-style party bites and a formal hors d'oeuvres list, see hors d'oeuvres. This page keeps easy appetizers and easy appetizer ideas.
/products/meal-planner-grocery-list/), $3.99. Turn your appetizer menu into one shopping list.
- Holiday Season Bundle, $15.99 (regularly $25.94 for the six items bought separately).
Bringing food to someone else's party instead? Our potluck ideas guide sorts easy dishes by course and occasion. Eating alone instead? Turn the same cheese, crackers and fruit into a girl dinner plate.
Browse the Holiday shop or all our Printables. The free Holiday Budget Starter Kit is 3 US Letter pages, emailed after you join the list.
Need a sweet finish for the party? Pick a few easy Mexican desserts to set out after the snacks.
For a warm bite guests can grab with a toothpick, see our baked meatballs with sauce ideas and a size chart.
Need a dip you can make two days ahead? Our homemade hummus blends in 10 minutes and comes with 10 flavor ideas.
For dips and spreads, bake a batch of pita bread and cut it into wedges.
Party seafood: crab salad and sushi bake.
Bigger spread for game day or birthdays: easy party food ideas. Crowd-favorite bite: pigs in a blanket.
The Holiday Collection
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- Spreadsheet for Excel and Google Sheets
- 11 printable pages, US Letter + A4
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Planning the whole season? See the holiday sets from $7, with early prices through Cyber Monday
Frequently asked questions
What are the easiest appetizers to make? The easiest appetizers need no cooking: caprese skewers, a cheese and cracker board, deli meat roll-ups, a veggie tray with ranch, chips with salsa and guacamole, and stuffed mini peppers. Most take 15 minutes or less and use store-bought ingredients.
What are good appetizers for a party? Good party appetizers are bite-size, easy to eat standing up and hold well at room temperature for a short time: meatballs, sliders, deviled eggs, pinwheels, skewers, warm dips with chips and a charcuterie board. Mix one warm dish, one cold dish, one dip and one fresh option.
How many appetizers do I need per person? A common planning rule is about 4 to 6 appetizer pieces per person when a meal follows, and about 10 to 15 pieces per person when appetizers are the whole meal. Plan 4 to 6 different kinds for a small group and 6 to 8 for a larger party.
How long can appetizers sit out? Perishable appetizers should not sit out more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if it's above 90°F, according to the USDA. Serve small batches and refill from the fridge or oven, and keep hot dips hot and cold dips over ice.
What appetizers can I make the day before? Appetizers you can make the day before include pinwheels, deviled eggs, pasta salad cups, marinated cheese, dips like spinach dip or buffalo chicken dip, and meatballs you'll reheat. Keep them covered in the fridge and add crunchy toppings just before serving.
What are cheap appetizers for a crowd? Cheap appetizers for a crowd include deviled eggs, popcorn bars, chips and homemade salsa, pinwheels, veggie trays, slow cooker meatballs, bean dip and seasoned crackers. Eggs, beans, tortillas and frozen meatballs stretch furthest.
What are easy appetizers for Christmas or Thanksgiving? Easy holiday appetizers include a cranberry brie bake, a charcuterie board, deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms, sausage balls, spinach dip and a veggie tray. Our Christmas appetizers and Thanksgiving appetizers lists have more seasonal ideas.
What are easy finger foods for kids at a party? Easy finger foods for kids include mini corn dogs, pizza rolls, fruit skewers, cheese cubes and crackers, pinwheels, pigs in a blanket and a veggie cup with ranch. Keep pieces small and skip anything on toothpicks for little kids.
What appetizers can I make in a slow cooker? Slow cooker appetizers include grape jelly meatballs, little smokies, queso, buffalo chicken dip, spinach artichoke dip and rotel dip. Set the cooker to warm once the dip is hot so it stays safe and doesn't scorch.
How do I keep hot appetizers hot? Keep hot appetizers hot in a slow cooker set to warm, a chafing dish, or a low oven between refills. The USDA says hot food should be held at 140°F or warmer.
How do I plan an appetizer party? Pick 6 to 8 appetizers with a mix of hot, cold, dips and fresh, then work backward to a shopping list and a make-ahead schedule. The Christmas Budget & Gift Planner ($4.99) from HomeBase Paper Co. has menu, to-do and budget pages that keep the party plan in one place.
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A one-page holiday budget, a gift list with a spending limit for every person, and a 6-week countdown so December stays calm and paid for. You'll also get our weekly HomeBase email with simple holiday planning, budgeting and hosting tips.
Sources
- USDA FSIS: Danger zone (40°F to 140°F) fsis.usda.gov
- FDA: Safe food handling fda.gov
- FoodSafety.gov: Safe minimum internal temperatures foodsafety.gov