These are the best Christmas appetizers for your next Christmas party, from classic appetizers like cheese balls to elegant puff pastry bites and bacon-wrapped dates!
A big, beautiful Christmas dinner is great and all, but one of our favorite ways to entertain is to put out a big spread of small bites!
These Christmas Appetizers are easy to mix and match so you can have a variety of foods for every taste. They look impressive but are simple to prepare!
Here, you’ll find appetizers for every palate and skill level, from no-cook, low-effort snacks to elegant, put-together appetizers.
What are the best Christmas appetizers for a holiday party?
The best appetizers for a holiday party are ones that include seasonal ingredients, such as cranberries, or are warm and cozy, like Crockpot Smokies.
If you’re serving them before dinner, you want lighter, smaller bites that are just enough to keep your guests from becoming hangry.
If your Christmas Appetizers are the meal, then you want a selection of lighter and heartier bites with a little more variety.
Some of my favorites for serving at holiday parties include Baked Brie Bites, Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini, and the iconic Cheese Ball. They’re easy to make, have that warm holiday feel, and are the perfect size for munching!
How many Christmas appetizers do I need per person for a party?
A general rule of thumb I like to follow is to allow for 3-5 bites per person if they are accompanying a meal, or 15-20 appetizer bites per person if you are serving a meal of finger foods.
I know that might sound like a lot, but you’d rather have too many than not enough! Plus, you can always make a double or triple batch of many of these recipes to allow for larger crowds, such as the Cheese Ball Recipe or Bacon-Wrapped Dates.
Cranberry and Bacon Cream Cheese Appetizer
Cranberries and Christmas are one of my favorite dynamic duos! I make a delicious cranberry-based jam made with dried cranberries, cranberry juice, balsamic vinegar, brewed coffee, and other flavors for an irresistible, sweet-savory combo.
This holiday appetizer uses flaky puff pastry dough as the base for the bites. This recipe is super versatile because you can make 4 different types of brie bites, like tomato and pesto, red pepper jelly, bacon and caramelized onion, and cranberry brie bites!
What's a Christmas party without this traditional Christmas appetizer? This easy recipe uses a block of cream cheese, bacon, sour cream, shredded cheddar, nuts, and savory flavors to create the perfect quick appetizer! Pair it with crackers to soak up all that savory flavor.
Smoky, savory, and down-right addicting, these Bacon Wrapped Smokies are an easy Christmas appetizer for your next holiday party! All you need is some bacon, cocktail wieners or little smokies, brown sugar and optional chili powder.
This Spicy Baked Feta is an easy appetizer for your next Christmas party! It requires 5 simple ingredients and can be baked in less than 30 minutes, perfect for last-minute holiday gatherings.
These Crockpot Little Smokies are an easy low-effort appetizer for your next holiday party. Toss them in the slow cooker for low for 3-4 hours or high for 1.5-2 hours, and you'll have a delicious appetizer guests will love!
If you want the perfect Christmas appetizer recipe guests can take home with them, whip up these Easy Candied Nuts! They're coated in a cinnamon-sugar mixture with a hint of vanilla. Perfect for snacking on before dinner or as a light dessert!
These Cranberry Meatballs are made with pre-cooked meatballs cutting the prep time down to only 10 minutes! The addition of cranberry sauce and balsamic vinegar gives these meatballs a sweet and tangy flavor leaving a lasting impression on the taste buds.
With cream cheese, butter, toffee bits, white chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and salty peanuts, this dessert appetizer is perfect for your next Christmas cocktail party! Plus, it's easy to make ahead of time and is freezer friendly.
This easy elegant appetizer is an ever-popular Christmas appetizer, made with dried cranberries, smoky bacon, maple syrup, and brewed coffee! I love making this appetizer for the holidays because it's a sweet and savory appetizer the whole party will love.
Pizza on toast? Sign me up! This Pizza Toast uses 5 ingredients, plus optional toppings, including store-bought garlic bread! In other words, it's one of the easiest Christmas Appetizers and is a crowd-pleaser every time I make it!
If you've got 10 minutes, you can make these insanely easy Tortilla Roll-Ups! These delicious bites are made with cream cheese, pizza sauce, tortillas, creamy havarti cheese, and pepperoni slices. Perfect for popping in your mouth while you're waiting for the feast to begin!
Cute Christmas Appetizer – Christmas Tree Veggie Tray
Want a festive appetizer but don’t feel like cooking? This Veggie Christmas Tree is your answer! All you need is some mini cucumbers, celery, cherry tomatoes, an orange bell pepper, and homemade buttermilk ranch, and you’ve got a crowd-pleasing snack your guests can munch on.
Celebrate the Christmas season with a festive Brie Wreath! You only need three ingredients to make it, including a puff pastry, brie cheese, and an egg. It's elegant, easy, and only takes 30 minutes to make!
This salty, sweet appetizer is so easy and only takes 12 minutes to bake! Fresh medjool dates are pitted, filled with goat cheese, and wrapped in thin-cut bacon. Then, they're drizzled in a maple syrup glaze made with red pepper flakes, cilantro, and sweet onion!
If it's brie, it's meant to be! Creamy brie is slathered on top of thinly sliced toasted bread, aka crostini, and drizzled with honey and fresh herbs. It's an elegant appetizer that looks like it takes a long time to make, but only takes 20 minutes total!
What better way to get your veggies in than by smothering them in a creamy dip made with mayonnaise, sour cream, and bacon? This Bacon Spinach Dip is creamy, smoky, and perfect for serving alongside crusty bread slices or crackers!
Don't feel like cooking but still want a fancy appetizer? The Cheese Board is your saving grace! Grab a large wooden board and toss on some brie cheese, blue cheese, Italian meats like prosciutto and salami, nuts, dried fruit, and other finger foods. You've got salty, sweet, and smoky flavors so there's something for everyone to enjoy!
You can prep many of the following appetizers ahead of time. Here are some simple ways to cut down on your prep time:
Snowman White Chocolate Toffee Cheese Ball and Cheese Ball Recipe: You can prep this entire appetizer beforehand and keep it in the freezer for up to 1 month!
Crockpot Little Smokies: You can freeze these for up to 2 months or refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini and Cranberry and Bacon Cream Cheese Appetizer: You can make the cranberry jam up to one week ahead of time and store it in the fridge! You will need to reheat it before spreading on the crostini.
Christmas Tree Veggie Tray: You can chop up the veggies and store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Store the buttermilk ranch (if homemade) for up to two weeks in the fridge.
Baked Brie Bites: You can cut up the phyllo dough ahead of time or purchase phyllo shells. Or, you can make the recipe as directed and freeze for up to one week.
Tortilla Roll-Ups: Make the recipe as directed and refrigerate for up to 3 days and freeze for up to 3 months!
Bacon Spinach Dip: Make the bacon 1-2 days in advance and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to add it to the dip.
Brie Wreath: You can prep the brie and dough before baking and store in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
Candied Nuts: These can be stored at room temperature for up to one week and frozen for up to 3 months!
Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs: Form the meatballs a day in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Or, you can make the recipe, freeze the meatballs in their sauce for up to 2 months.
Bacon-Wrapped Smokies: These can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips for making these Christmas Appetizers
Use store-bought where you can and make the rest from scratch! Unless you really want to make homemade phyllo dough or bread, you can totally buy store-bought.
Many of the above appetizers require similar ingredients, so try to make a few different appetizers and use up all the ingredients you can!
My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!
Leave A Reply