27 Make-Ahead Hors d'Oeuvres for Thanksgiving Shorten your Thanksgiving day to-do list with festive and delicious appetizers that can be made in advance. 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 Updated on November 11, 2025 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Photographer: Kelsey Hansen, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali Alleviate some holiday stress by prepping your Thanksgiving appetizers in advance. By the time your guests arrive for dinner, all you'll have to do is arrange the crudité platter. From savory dips to fantastic cheese-stuffed mushrooms and miniature deviled crab cornbread muffins, here are our favorite easy Thanksgiving make-ahead appetizers. 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 27 Green Curry Deviled Eggs Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox Store-bought green curry paste gets whizzed in the food processor along with yolks and aromatics to make the filling for this twist on a classic appetizer. The filled eggs can be made ahead and refrigerated; garnish with the crunchy puffed rice mixture just before serving. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 27 Crudité Platter with Pimiento Cheese and Shiro-Miso Dip Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This crowd-pleasing appetizer features two make-ahead dips served with crisp raw veggies and roasted delicata squash. Citrus-spiked miso dip is a refreshingly light complement to the crudités, while classic pimiento cheese is tangy, creamy, and satisfying. If you prep the vegetables in advance, all that's left to do is season the delicata rings and pop them in the oven right before your guests arrive. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 27 Cheddar Cheese Coins Cheddar Cheese Coins. Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver With their crisp texture, buttery mouthfeel, and sharp, cheese-filled bite, these savory cheddar coins are delicious plain or with your favorite toppings. Try variations with green chile and cornmeal, benne and black pepper, or bacon. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 27 Bacon-Wrapped Dates Photographer: Kelsey Hansen, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali At once chewy, crispy, sweet, savory, and smoky, these bacon-wrapped dates hit all the right notes to satisfy your guests in a single bite. 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 05 of 27 Creamed Corn Dip Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Inspired by creamed corn, this dip boasts the sweet and buttery flavors of the popular side with a hearty texture signature of any cream cheese–based dip. Since Thanksgiving doesn't coincide with peak corn season, feel free to use frozen sweet yellow corn here. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 27 Chipotle-Cranberry-Glazed Turkey Meatballs Photo: Jennifer Causey / Food stylist Ali Ramee Cookbook author Carrie Schloss seasons turkey meatballs with cumin, ancho chile powder, and smoked paprika, pops them in the oven, then submerges the baked meatballs in a chipotle-cranberry glaze made from orange-infused cranberry sauce. The finished dish can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for several months; alternatively, the individual components can be prepared in advance and put together just before serving. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 27 Classic Cheese Ball with Spiced Pecans Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kay Clarke Spiced toasted pecans bring new flavors to the classic party-perfect cheese ball with notes of maple syrup and smoked paprika. If you're making the ball more than a day ahead, wait to roll it in the pecan mixture until right before serving. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 27 Musubi Lettuce Wraps with Pineapple Salsa Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee In this version of musubi — the beloved Hawaiian snack made of Spam, sushi rice, and nori — recipe developer Robin Bashinsky swaps in sticky-sweet ham and tops everything off with vibrant pineapple salsa. Prep the cabbage and toppings in advance and assemble just before serving. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 27 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 them with the panko mixture and pop them in the oven when your guests arrive. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 27 Lubia Pokhteh (Red Kidney Bean Dip) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Tart with fire-roasted tomatoes and enriched with crisp, deeply browned onions, this Persian dip of mashed kidney beans can be made two days ahead. For even more of a jump start, fry the onions up to a week in advance. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 27 Wild Mushroom Galette Michael Piazza Go ahead and bake this herb-tinged roasted mushroom galette earlier in the day — the flaky crust stays crisp even when filled with creamy ricotta. Plus, the dough can be made in advance and chilled for several days or frozen for a month. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 27 Green Peppercorn–Marinated Feta Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Marinate cubed feta a day ahead, then pair it with crackers and fruit to anchor your cheese board. The cheese’s slightly airy texture makes it ideal for soaking up the spicy, herbal vinaigrette. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 27 Mini Deviled Crab Cornbread Muffins Kelly Marshall These cornbread muffin bites are a party staple for chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls. Sweet, spicy, and earthy flavors that sing of autumn come from a thoughtful blend of deviled crab, corn kernels, coriander, and brown sugar. Make the deviled crab mixture a day ahead; the muffins can be baked two hours in advance and rewarmed in the oven. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 27 Maw Maw B’s Preserved Figs Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox Fresh figs simmered in a thick, sweet syrup are perfect for serving as part of a cheese board. Make them up to a month ahead of time and store in the fridge. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 27 Mushroom Conserva Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Marinated in a blend of Champagne vinegar, olive oil, toasted fennel seeds, garlic, and thyme, tender beech, cremini, and oyster mushrooms comprise a winning appetizer waiting to take your Thanksgiving snack spread to the next level. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 27 Za'atar-Spiced Beet Dip with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts © Antonis Achilleos Baked beets bring vibrant color to Yotam Ottolenghi's luscious puree of yogurt, garlic, chiles, maple syrup, and fragrant za'atar. The dip can be made in advance, but hold off scattering on the roasted hazelnuts, goat cheese, and scallions until you're ready to serve — we like it with warm bread. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 27 Mixed Nuts with Crispy Herb and Garlic Con Poulos A blend of pecans, cashews, pistachios, and marcona almonds is toasted in olive oil infused with garlic, rosemary, and sage for the ultimate holiday nut mix. Make them up to five days in advance and try not to eat them all before your guests arrive. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 27 Red Pepper, Garlic, and Pecorino Gougères © Maura McEvoy Cookbook author Melissa Clark's savory cheese puffs are cleverly flavored with pureed garlic and red pepper for a make-ahead appetizer your guests won't be able to resist. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 27 Goat Cheese–Stuffed Mushrooms with Breadcrumbs © Frances Janisch For these texturally satisfying bites, creamy chèvre is stuffed into cremini mushrooms and topped with crispy herbed breadcrumbs. You can make these a day ahead and refrigerate them without the breadcrumbs, then sprinkle the topping on before serving. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 27 Feta-Stuffed Marinated Olives Photo by Dan Perez / Food Styling and Prop Styling by Nurit Kariv Adeena Sussman turns Castelvetrano olives into a fragrant, bright, and herbaceous addition to any grazing table spread with za'atar, feta, lemon, chile, and parsley. The simple snack is ready in 20 minutes and can be made three days ahead. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 27 Crostini with Roasted Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Preserved Lemon © Guy Ambrosino Creamy ricotta and sweet roasted butternut squash are complemented by bright, salty preserved lemon relish atop crisp baguette slices. Make the toppings a day in advance, then toast the bread and reheat the squash when you're ready to serve. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 27 Butternut Squash and Sage Wontons © Tina Rupp Hospitality expert Jill Donenfeld fills store-bought wonton wrappers with mashed butternut squash and roasted garlic. Steam the wontons a couple days in advance, then sauté them until crispy right before serving. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 27 Sausage and Apple Stuffing Bites © Con Poulos Since stuffing is one of the most popular parts of a Thanksgiving meal, try serving it as fun little hors d'oeuvres. Here, stuffing balls are made with sweet Italian sausage, homemade croutons, and chopped Granny Smith apple packed into muffin cups and baked until they're golden. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 27 Mayan Pumpkin Seed Dip © Con Poulos Called sikil pak in the Yucatán, this thick pumpkin seed spread from Top Chef finalist Mike Isabella combines pepitas with shallots, jalapeño, garlic, parsley, cilantro, lime juice, and a touch of orange zest. Make it up to three days ahead and serve it with tortilla chips for a festive Thanksgiving snack. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 27 Caramelized Onion and Gruyère Tart © Robert Wright Chef Ashley Christensen nestles shredded Gruyère and Marsala-glazed caramelized onions in a savory, buttery cornmeal pastry for this vegetarian tart. The dough can be made up to a month ahead and frozen; the baked tart can be refrigerated overnight. Simply rewarm it and cut into wedges to serve. Get the Recipe Save 26 of 27 Cauliflower Fritters © Akiko Ida & Pierre Javelle Chef José Andrés folds finely chopped cauliflower into spiced, whipped egg whites, then fries the batter by the tablespoonful to make tiny fritters to top with yogurt sauce and salmon caviar. You can make these crispy bites early in the day and then reheat just before serving. Get the Recipe Save 27 of 27 Chicken Liver Pâté Toasts © Michael Turek Woodsy herbs lend an earthy sophistication to this simple appetizer that can be fully made ahead — the pâté will keep in the fridge for four days, while the toasts can be stored in an airtight container for three days. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Holidays & Occasions Thanksgiving Recipes and Ideas Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit