25 Celebratory Christmas Appetizers to Wow a Crowd Our collection of Christmas appetizers includes our best recipes for festive handheld bites, from dips and spreads to fried and pastry-wrapped delights. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines and Kim Wehby Kim Wehby Kim Wehby is a copy editor with over a decade of experience in the food and beverage space, including a senior editorial role at People Inc. Food Studios. She's edited and developed content for Food & Wine, Southern Living, and Eating Well. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 15, 2025 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely When holiday hosting rolls around, it’s easy to create a festive spread that feels casual, classic, or a little bit of both. Crowd-pleasers like bacon-wrapped dates and warm spinach dip pair beautifully with snacks such as marinated feta and seared steak bites, especially when rounded out with a relish tray or charcuterie board to give guests plenty to graze on. Whether you’re planning a cozy get-together or a full-blown celebration, these Christmas appetizers will help you kick things off deliciously. Keep all of your recipes at your fingertips. With the MyRecipes app you can easily save and organize your favorites from anywhere, including Instagram and TikTok, in one convenient place. Get the free app. 01 of 25 Bacon-Wrapped Dates Photographer: Kelsey Hansen, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali These are the perfect sweet-savory, juicy-crispy bites for your holiday appetizer table. Dates and bacon are dressed up with walnuts and herbs plus savory cream cheese and blue cheese. Drizzle them with honey for an extra-sweet touch. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 25 Cacio e Pepe Potato Croquettes Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Ward / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall Cacio e pepe takes the shape of crisp, golden croquettes in this playful appetizer reinterpretation. A blend of riced russet and Yukon Gold potatoes is seasoned with Pecorino Romano, plenty of black pepper, and a touch of garlic, then wrapped around a cube of Fontina cheese that melts into a gooey center as they fry. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 25 Clams Casino Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen With buttery breadcrumbs and crispy bacon, clams casino is always a good bet. Assemble the stuffed clams up to a day ahead of time, then top with the panko mixture and pop them in the oven when your guests arrive. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 25 Mushroom Toasts with Délice de Bourgogne Eva Kolenko Délice de Bourgogne, a triple-crème cheese that's even more luscious than Brie, is topped with pan-roasted mushrooms and herbs in this elegant appetizer from Top Chef winner and host Kristen Kish. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 25 Grape, Walnut, and Labneh Crostini with Spicy Honey Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Cookbook author Adeena Sussman's festive recipe is full of contrasting textures, with creamy labneh, roasted grapes, and crunchy nuts layered atop sourdough toasts. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 25 Green Peppercorn–Marinated Feta Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Cubed feta takes on marinades and seasoning beautifully. Put this elegant app together in five minutes, then enjoy its full-bodied flavor on your cheese platter eight hours later. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 25 Crispy Hash Browns with Crème Fraîche Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Baked and grated russet potatoes are fried to golden brown perfection then blanketed in crème fraîche and topped with briny fish roe for this over-the-top appetizer from San Diego chef Charlotte Sandoval. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 25 Gougères with Smoked Salmon, Caviar, and Prosciutto Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman Made with nutty Gruyère, these airy cheese puffs are the perfect vessel for crème fraîche plus silky smoked salmon and caviar or salty prosciutto and fresh thyme. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 25 Smoked Sausage Wreath Abby Hocking This elegant wreath appetizer will be prettier than any other smoked sausage dish on the holiday table. Lingonberry jam and rosemary and thyme sprigs add a delicate, floral touch to lighten the otherwise hefty sausage. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 25 Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Green Goddess Dip Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Juicy lamb meatballs seasoned with warm spices inspired by North African sausage merguez meet a cool, herb-packed green goddess dip. Bake or pan-sear the meatballs ahead, then rewarm before serving; the creamy dip can chill until guests arrive. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 25 Cheese Tarts with Bacon and Fingerling Potatoes Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless A golden layer of puff pastry is topped with creamy French cheese, crisp bacon, caramelized onions, and fingerling potatoes for this craveable appetizer from 1994 F&W Best New Chef Terrance Brennan. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 25 Pickled Crudités with Buttermilk Dip Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Alexandria Juhl Punch up your crudité platter by quick-pickling the veggies, then serve with a cool, creamy buttermilk dip to complement the tang. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 25 Carrots en Croûte Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen In this hearty plant-forward appetizer from F&W's Justin Chapple, roasted carrots are wrapped with flaky puff pastry for a charming, curry-spiced version of pigs in a blanket. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 25 Classic Cheese Ball with Spiced Pecans Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kay Clarke Recipe developer and tester Liz Mervosh brings us this appetizer that's as classic for the holidays as it is year-round in the South. Flavors of maple syrup, smoked paprika, and pecans shine through in this cheesy holiday treat. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 25 Brussels Sprouts Baba Ghanoush Greg DuPree Brussels sprouts stand in for roasted eggplant in chef Michael Solomonov's version of baba ghanoush. A colorful topping of hazelnuts, parsley, and more roasted brussels sprouts completes the festive dip. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 25 Garlic-Butter Steak Bites Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford A velvety pan sauce rich with garlic, butter, Worcestershire, and vermouth makes these steak bites as luxurious as any steakhouse-level dinner, but just right for serving with toothpicks as an appetizer. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 25 Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip Justin Walker Made extra-rich and flavorful with four kinds of cheese — cream cheese, Gouda, mozzarella, and Parmesan — this crowd-pleasing baked spinach artichoke dip is especially effortless thanks to the use of frozen veggies. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 25 Dirty Martini Shrimp Cocktail Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Renu Dhar / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Upgrade the classic by poaching big, beautiful shrimp in a broth infused with lemon and shrimp shells, brining them in olive juice, and infusing jarred cocktail sauce with gin and vermouth. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 25 Deviled-Egg Crisps Greg DuPree Inspired by the deviled egg toast Missy Robbins serves at Lilia, Justin Chapple pipes creamy deviled egg puree over crisp artisan crackers, then finishes with a shaved jalapeño crown plus sprinkles of smoky-sweet Urfa biber and lime zest. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 25 Crab Rangoon Dip Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Props Styling by Josh Hoggle This indulgent crab rangoon dip turns the beloved appetizer into a creamy, oven-baked party starter: Sweet lump crab meets rich cream cheese and sharp cheddar, garnished with scallions and served with crispy wonton chips. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 25 Duck Liver Pâté with Blackberry Conserva William Hereford Fruit-forward, tart blackberries shine against Angie Mar's rich duck pâté. Enjoy with grilled bread slices and whole-grain mustard. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 25 Sweet Potato and Feta Bourekas Greg DuPree Frozen puff pastry sheets make easy work of these crisp and savory little parcels. Inspired by his grandmother's recipe, chef Michael Solomonov's version is stuffed with sweet potato, Bulgarian feta, dill, and olives. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 25 Herbed Salmon Tartare with Chips Ditte Isager Impress your Christmas dinner guests with this tangy salmon tartare from Nadine Levy Redzepi. Fresh and hot-smoked salmon combine with cucumber, cornichons, and crème fraîche for an enticing range of textures and flavors. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 25 Crab and Avocado Toasts © Lucy Schaeffer This recipe layers sweet crab meat tossed with fresh mint and lime juice over creamy mashed avocado and crisp toast, making for a simple but elegant starter. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s an easy way to bring a little holiday magic to the table. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 25 Pigs in a Blanket © Abby Hocking In this playful appetizer from Jen Pelka, classic pigs in a blanket are brushed with a glaze of honey, mustard, and black pepper. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Recipes Appetizers Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit