My traditional Christmas appetizers are the party foods I grew up nibbling while we waited for dinner: cheese balls, hot dips, cocktail meatballs and a big bowl of homemade Chex mix. These 60 easy Christmas appetizers are old fashioned classics made for a crowd, and many of them can be made the day before so you're not stuck in the kitchen when guests arrive.
Grandma's Christmas Party Spread
Every year we had a huge Christmas party at Grandma's house, and the appetizers came out long before dinner did. There was always a cheese ball on the counter, a slow cooker of meatballs, a plate of deviled eggs and her homemade Chex mix in bowls around the living room.
Nobody went hungry waiting for the ham.
When it's time to plan the whole day, my old fashioned Christmas dinner round-up has the mains and sides, and my old fashioned Christmas candy fills the sweet bowls.
For more party food any time of year, my simple appetizer recipes and these slow cooker meatball recipes are easy to make for a crowd.
Classic Christmas Dips, Spreads and Cheese Balls
This is real Southern pimento cheese made from scratch with sharp cheddar, mayonnaise and diced pimentos, with no Velveeta or cream cheese. Chill it for at least an hour so the flavors come together, then spread it on crackers or celery sticks.
Shredded chicken, cream cheese, sour cream and Frank's RedHot melt together in the slow cooker on low for 1 to 2 hours. Microwave the cubed cream cheese for 15 to 20 seconds before it goes in so it melts smoothly.
A classic cheese ball is cream cheese and sharp cheddar mixed with green onion, Worcestershire and herbs, then rolled in chopped pecans. Chill the wrapped ball inside a bowl for at least 3 hours so it keeps its round shape.
Dried cranberries and pecans give this white cheddar and cream cheese ball its red and green Christmas look. It's best after at least 4 hours in the fridge, so make it the night before or the morning of your party.
Port wine cheese was a retro cocktail party snack, and this homemade version blends extra sharp cheddar and cream cheese with ruby port cooked down to a syrup, then rolls it in pecans. Reducing the port keeps the cheese from tasting harsh or weeping.
Slices of cheddar or Colby Jack and cream cheese soak overnight in a pimento, green onion and herb dressing, so the platter comes out red and green. The author believes the recipe came from Southern Living. Freeze the cream cheese for 20 to 30 minutes so it slices cleanly.
Sweet and spicy pepper jelly poured over a block of cream cheese is one of the easiest Christmas appetizers there is, and this version adds cheddar and green onions. Warm the jelly in the microwave in 10-second bursts so it spreads smoothly.
Fresh cranberries, jalapeno, cilantro and lime make a bright red salsa that's spooned over softened cream cheese and served with crackers. Make the salsa the day before, then drain off the extra juice right before serving.
This hot dip bakes spinach, artichoke hearts, cream cheese and Italian cheeses at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until it's bubbling. Squeeze the spinach dry and blot it with paper towels so the dip doesn't turn watery.
Lump crab, cream cheese and sharp cheddar bake into a creamy hot dip with a little kick from jalapeno and hot sauce. It bakes at 350°F for about 30 minutes, then gets the rest of the cheese and green onions for the last few minutes.
The author's mother-in-law started making this cold shrimp dip in the 1970s, and guests still ask her to bring it. Canned tiny shrimp go right in with the cream cheese, chili sauce and lemon, with no cooking or deveining needed.
Made from the original recipe on the Knorr vegetable soup package, this spinach and water chestnut dip has been a party favorite since the 1970s. Chill it for at least 6 hours, and hollow out the bread bowl right before serving so it doesn't get soggy.
This old-school party dip is just canned minced clams, cream cheese and Worcestershire sauce. Chill it overnight if you can, and serve it with sturdy ridged chips because it's thick.
Dried chipped beef, cream cheese, sour cream and a little horseradish make a salty, tangy dip you can serve cold or bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving so it's easy to scoop.
Deviled ham is a retro spread of finely chopped ham, cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard and a dash of hot sauce, also known as ham salad. No food processor? Dice the ham very fine and mix everything by hand.
Corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese bake together at 350°F for 30 minutes into all the flavor of a Reuben sandwich. Assemble it up to 2 days ahead and bake it straight from the fridge.
Browned sausage, Velveeta, cream cheese and a can of Rotel melt together in the slow cooker on low for about 2 hours. Drain the sausage grease well so the dip doesn't turn oily.
Just three ingredients, sweet Vidalia onions, Swiss cheese and mayonnaise, bake at 400°F into a bubbly, golden dip. Take it out as soon as the top starts to brown, or the mayonnaise can break and turn oily.
Traditional Hot Christmas Appetizers
My Swedish meatballs simmer in a creamy gravy of cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, beef broth and sour cream. For a party, skip the noodles and set out the slow cooker with toothpicks. Stir in the sour cream during the last hour.
Frozen meatballs cook with pineapple, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger until they're coated in a sticky, sweet and savory glaze. They go straight from the freezer into the slow cooker on high for 2 to 3 hours.
Grape jelly and chili sauce sound like an odd pair, but together they make the sweet and tangy glaze on classic party meatballs. There's no need to thaw: frozen meatballs go right into the slow cooker for 2 hours on high or 4 on low.
Breakfast sausage, cheddar and Bisquick are the base of these classic sausage balls, which bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes. Grate the cheese from a block so it melts better, and freeze the unbaked balls to bake later with about 5 extra minutes.
Cocktail wieners wrapped in crescent dough with a swipe of Dijon and a little cheddar bake at 375°F in about 10 to 12 minutes. Pat the little sausages dry first so the dough sticks.
Little smokies wrapped in bacon and covered in brown sugar bake at 375°F until the bacon is crisp and the sugar turns into a sticky glaze. Cut each bacon strip into thirds so the pieces wrap easily and crisp evenly.
Rumaki, bacon-wrapped water chestnuts with a ketchup and brown sugar glaze, was a popular appetizer in the 1970s. Use regular bacon, not thick-cut, and bake them on a rack so they crisp all the way around.
Sweet dates stuffed with soft cheese and wrapped in bacon bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Assemble them ahead and refrigerate, then bake about an hour before guests arrive and let them rest 15 minutes, since they come out very hot.
Button mushrooms filled with spicy sausage, cream cheese and garlic and topped with Parmesan crumbs bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Make the filling the day before, then pipe it into the caps with a bag with the tip snipped off.
Crescent dough cups filled with brie, cranberry sauce, pecans and fresh rosemary bake in just 10 to 12 minutes. Assemble them the night before, refrigerate, and bake right before serving.
A whole wheel of brie wrapped in puff pastry with blackberry jam bakes at 400°F until golden, so it's warm and gooey when you cut in. Wrap it up to 24 hours ahead without the egg wash, then brush and bake when you're ready.
Ham, Swiss and provolone on Hawaiian rolls bake under a buttery maple and everything bagel topping. Slice the whole slab of rolls in half at once so the sliders go together quickly and evenly.
These baked spinach balls are made with cornbread stuffing mix, Parmesan, eggs and butter. Wring the spinach dry in a towel so they hold together, and freeze them unbaked to bake straight from frozen at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Pimento-stuffed olives wrapped in a sharp cheddar dough are an appetizer that dates back to the 1950s. Dry the olives well and chill the wrapped balls for an hour before they bake at 400°F.
Club crackers topped with bacon and brown sugar bake low and slow at 250°F for an hour until they're crisp and candied. Set them on a rack over a baking sheet so the drippings fall away.
Hanky Panky, ground beef and hot sausage melted with Velveeta and spread on party rye, was especially popular in the 1970s and 1980s. Portion the meat with a cookie scoop to keep it neat, then broil for 2 to 3 minutes or bake at 350°F.
Gougères are French cheese puffs made from choux dough and Gruyère or cheddar, and they bake up golden and hollow. Stir the dough for about 2 minutes after adding the flour to dry it out, and freeze scooped dough to bake straight from the freezer.
These mini quiches hold bacon, onion and Gruyère in a buttery homemade crust, baked at 350°F for about 30 minutes. They freeze for up to 3 months, then reheat covered at 350°F.
Italian sausage, cream cheese, red pepper and mozzarella are rolled up in crescent dough, sliced and baked at 375°F for 15 to 18 minutes. Freeze the log for about 20 minutes so it slices cleanly with a serrated knife.
Gruyère and Emmental melted with white wine is classic Swiss cheese fondue, served with bread cubes and vegetables for dipping. Add the cheese slowly over low heat, and stir in a little more wine if it turns clumpy.
Easy Cold Christmas Appetizers and Finger Foods
My deviled eggs are made the old fashioned way with mayonnaise, yellow mustard, a splash of apple cider vinegar and a sprinkle of paprika. Let the eggs cool completely before peeling so the whites stay neat.
Chilled shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce has been a party favorite for decades, and the shrimp only need about 3 minutes of cooking. Use jumbo shrimp so they stand up in the glass.
Cooked shrimp marinate overnight with onion, lemon and a tangy tomato soup dressing in this make-ahead appetizer. Marinate them 8 to 12 hours, but no more than 24, or the shrimp turn tough.
Chicken livers cooked with onion and butter blend into a smooth, rich spread that's chilled under a layer of melted butter. If it won't blend smoothly, add a spoonful of water or a little olive oil.
Flour tortillas spread with a dill and garlic cream cheese, then layered with ham and cheese, roll up into easy pinwheels. Make them up to 24 hours ahead, but no earlier, so they don't get soggy.
Ham, cream cheese and a whole dill pickle rolled up and sliced make a 3-ingredient appetizer some families call pickle wraps. Pat the ham and pickles dry first so the rolls don't get soggy, and chill them for 2 hours before slicing.
Cucumber sandwiches date back to Victorian England, where they became a popular afternoon tea treat around 1870. This version uses whipped cream cheese, fresh dill and English cucumber on crustless bread. Press them lightly before cutting so the filling stays put.
Thick cucumber rounds topped with cream cheese and everything bagel seasoning take just three ingredients. Let the slices sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then pat them dry so the cream cheese sticks.
Celery stuffed with cream cheese and chopped green olives is a classic, old fashioned appetizer for the relish tray. Let the cream cheese soften first so the filling mixes smooth.
Cherry tomatoes piped full of a garlic and dill cream cheese filling are bright red and bite-size. Bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature so the filling pipes easily.
A crescent roll crust spread with ranch cream cheese and topped with chopped fresh vegetables makes a colorful cold veggie pizza. Let the crust cool completely before spreading, and assemble it 12 to 24 hours ahead.
Ham biscuits have been on Southern tables for generations, and these are bite-size biscuits split and filled with ham and a spread like honey butter. Use a medium cookie scoop for appetizer-size biscuits, and split them while warm with a fork.
Tortellini, salami, mozzarella, olives, artichokes and tomatoes threaded on skewers make a colorful red and green platter. Marinate the cooked tortellini in Italian dressing for an hour, and assemble the skewers up to 24 hours ahead.
Old-Fashioned Christmas Party Snacks
Homemade Chex mix with Worcestershire, seasoned salt and garlic bakes low at 250°F for an hour. Stir it every 15 minutes so it toasts evenly, and let it cool before serving.
Pecan halves toasted with butter, Worcestershire, garlic salt and a pinch of cayenne bake at 250°F for about an hour. Let them cool completely so they firm up before you store them.
Pecans coated in whipped egg white and sugar bake at 250°F for 45 minutes into a crisp, sweet shell. Stir them gently every 15 minutes, and cool them completely before storing.
Mixed nuts roasted with butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, fresh rosemary and sea salt at 325°F make a sweet and salty nut bowl. They crisp up as they cool, so don't over-roast them.
Cheese straws are crisp sharp cheddar crackers with a little cayenne, and they're a regular at Southern parties like bridal showers and church dinners. Use cold butter, and freeze extra dough for 3 to 4 months.
These homemade cheddar crackers have a little cayenne bite and bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes. Chill the dough for 30 minutes so it's easier to roll.
Alabama fire crackers are saltines soaked overnight in oil, ranch mix and crushed red pepper, a longtime Southern party favorite. Use 1 tablespoon of pepper flakes instead of 2 to 3 for a milder batch.
Oyster crackers tossed with ranch seasoning and melted butter bake at 250°F in just 15 to 20 minutes. Whisk the ranch mix into the butter first so every cracker gets coated.
Hard pretzels tossed with oil, ranch, dill, garlic and lemon pepper bake at 275°F for 30 minutes. Spread them on two pans in a single layer so they bake evenly.
Traditional Christmas Appetizer FAQs
What are the most traditional Christmas appetizers?
Cheese balls, deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, cocktail meatballs, pigs in a blanket, sausage balls, spinach dip in a bread bowl and homemade Chex mix are the classics. Many families also have one regional favorite, like cheese straws and ham biscuits in the South or Hanky Panky on party rye.
How many appetizers do I need per person?
A good rule of thumb is 4 to 6 bites per person when appetizers come before a full Christmas dinner, and 10 to 15 bites per person when appetizers are the whole meal. Plan on 3 to 5 different appetizers for a small gathering and 6 to 8 for a big party.
Which Christmas appetizers can I make ahead?
Cheese balls, marinated cheese, Knorr spinach dip, cranberry salsa, marinated shrimp and pinwheels are all made the day before. Sausage balls, spinach balls, gougères and mini quiches freeze well, so you can bake them straight from the freezer on the day of the party.
How do I keep hot appetizers warm at a party?
Serve meatballs and hot dips right from a slow cooker on the warm setting, and stir them now and then. For baked bites, bake them in batches so a fresh tray comes out every 30 minutes or so, instead of baking everything at once.
More Old Fashioned Holiday Recipes
- Vintage Holiday Punch Recipes
- Old Fashioned Christmas Cookies
- Crock Pot Dips
- Retro Holiday Dessert Recipes
- Honey Roast Ham
Leave a Reply