Food and Recipes Appetizers 32 Retro Party Appetizers We'll Never, Ever Stop Making By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South.She earned a B.A. in Journalism at the University of Georgia. She hopes to inspire your travel bucket list with her features on road trips through Texas Hill Country, bourbon tours in Kentucky, and the best beach getaways on the Gulf Coast. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 31, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Robbie Caponetto; Prop Styling: Mary Beth Wetzel; Food Styling: Pam Lolley When we say something is "an oldie but a goodie," it's the highest form of compliment—because somehow it was able to withstand the test of time and trends. No easy feat. While we're happy to say goodbye to the congealed tuna loaf and frozen cheese salad—yes, those were real and once thrived—we're never letting go of these vintage appetizer recipes. These are the all-stars. Generations of Southern community cookbooks have featured these dips, spreads, bites, and nibbles. That deliciously creamy, cheesy crab dip gracing the holiday spread? Your great-aunt Barb has made many. And those warm, saucy meatballs sitting pretty at the cocktail party? Just ask your grandmother. Because some party appetizers just never die, and thank goodness for that. Many of these party appetizers date decades back—we're betting that this 1960s cocktail party food is ready for its comeback. Read on for 35 easy and classic finger-food appetizers, both hot and cold, that are so good you won't ever need another party recipe. 01 of 32 Cocktail Meatballs Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland Recipe: Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs Back in the day, cocktail meatballs might as well have been a requirement on the appetizer spread. We wouldn't mind if that rule stuck around. 02 of 32 Cheddar-Horseradish-Walnut Cheese Ball Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Cheddar-Horseradish-Walnut Cheese Ball We'll repeat it until the cows come home: It's not a Southern party without a cheese ball. 03 of 32 Mini Tomato Sandwiches Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Tomato Tea Sandwiches The tomato sandwich is a tale as old as time—but these cookbooks were savvy enough to include a miniature appetizer version, too. Odds are, you know the easy version, but make sure to try our Mini Tomato Sandwiches With Bacon Mayonnaise next. 04 of 32 Hot Cheesy Crab Dip Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Hot Cheesy Crab Dip Crab dip is always welcome at a friendly gathering, from football tailgates to the Christmas party. 05 of 32 Smoked-Fish Dip Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Smoked-Fish Dip Guaranteed to rake in the compliments, this smoked fish dip is packed full of fresh herbs like scallions, parsley, and dill. 06 of 32 Basic Pimiento Cheese Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Basic Pimiento Cheese Now, every Southern cook knows how to make a top-notch pimiento cheese spread, but the add-on ingredients can change from one to the next, with things like Worcestershire, cayenne, and even shaved onion making appearances. This one is a winner. 07 of 32 Spinach-Artichoke Dip Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Spinach-Artichoke Dip Ah, the dip that launched a thousand renditions. This most iconic of snacks comes in many variations, but here's a traditional crowd-pleaser. 08 of 32 Butter-Baked Saltine Crackers Southern Living Recipe: Butter-Baked Saltine Crackers Southern hostesses for generations past have known how to upgrade any store-bought staple, including saltine crackers. 09 of 32 Deviled Eggs Southern Living Recipe: Classic Deviled Eggs Show up with a tray of deviled eggs, and you're instantly the favorite of everyone in the room. 10 of 32 Ham-And-Cheese Sliders Photography and Styling: Karen Rankin Recipe: Ham-And-Cheese Sliders Southerners will instantly recognize this handheld staple, and the first bite is bound to kickstart all kinds of reminiscing about the last time a melty, gooey, baked ham-and-cheese slider hit the taste buds. 11 of 32 Buttery Toasted Pecans Photo: Iain Bagwell Recipe: Buttery Toasted Pecans This is about as simple as it gets—and perfect for setting out in a bowl when unexpected company drops by. 12 of 32 Baked Oysters with Bacon, Greens, and Parmesan Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Baked Oysters with Bacon, Greens, and Parmesan Something about baking oysters elevates them from basic to party-worthy, and you can't change our minds about that. Parmesan cheese is a tasty pairing with bacon and collard greens. 13 of 32 Cheese Fondue Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Beer-Cheese Fondue Either by way of melty cheese or gooey chocolate, fondue gave every cocktail party guest something fun to do back in the day. 14 of 32 Bacon Bites Oxmoor House Recipe: Bacon Bites Crispy bites of salty goodness are what awaits you with this three-ingredient recipe that always disappears before anything else. 15 of 32 Cheese Dreams Iain Bagwell Recipe: Cheese Dreams What's a cheese dream, you might ask? Well, if you don't know, bless your heart. These bites of heaven are enough to make a Southern crowd holler. 16 of 32 Sweet Heat Pickles Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Sweet Heat Garden Pickles The vintage cookbooks never met something they couldn't pickle, mark our words. It so happens that these pickled vegetables make the perfect appetizer accoutrement. 17 of 32 Chicken Liver Mousse Crostini with Pepper Jelly Hector Sanchez Recipe: Chicken Liver Mousse Crostini with Pepper Jelly This retro snack might seem out-there to some, but to us it's just nostalgic enough to keep around. This smooth, velvety mousse gets topped with spicy-sweet pepper jelly. 18 of 32 Crab Cake Bites with Old Bay Seasoning Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Crab Cake Bites with Old Bay Seasoning Crab cakes always feel like a delicious splurge for any special occasion, and making them miniature-sized ensures everyone gets a bite. 19 of 32 Angel Biscuits Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Angel Biscuits These fluffy, petite biscuits make the best accessory to any spread, especially when pimiento cheese or chicken salad is involved. 20 of 32 West Indies Crab Salad Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: West Indies Crab Salad This little-known Southern salad—believed to have originated in Mobile, Alabama—is a beloved party snack you'd find in a tattered coastal cookbook. (But it's still just as popular today.) Place it out with crackers and crudité. 21 of 32 Baked Goat Cheese Spread with Pepper Jelly Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Baked Goat Cheese Spread with Pepper Jelly Pepper jelly and cream cheese is a duo that never disappoints, but goat cheese works just as deliciously and adds a bit of extra tang. 22 of 32 Party Poppers Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Party Poppers You can hardly go wrong with a spicy jalapeno stuffed with melty cheese and wrapped in bacon. This recipe is a longtime classic appetizer, reimagined. 23 of 32 Homemade Chicken Salad Southern Living Recipe: Homemade Chicken Salad It's hard to beat this protein-packed spread for daytime entertaining, no matter if you like a classic recipe or one with extra flair, like our Cranberry Chicken Salad. 24 of 32 Oysters Rockefeller Southern Living Recipe: Oysters Rockefeller This recipe dates back to 1899, and since then it's earned a long-standing spot in any Louisiana community cookbook. 25 of 32 Party Puffs with Ham Salad Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Cheese Puffs with Ham Salad It doesn't get more festive than party puffs. Classic ham salad just sends it over the edge. 26 of 32 Lump Crab Mornay Iain Bagwell Recipe: Lump Crab Mornay This dip is decadence in a dish. Its masterful blend of creamy cheese, crabmeat, and just a little bit of heat has long made crab mornay a Southern classic. 27 of 32 Mini Quiches Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Asparagus-and-Goat Cheese Mini Quiches Mini quiches separate ho-hum brunches and showers from next-level affairs. Smaller snack food is the way to go for instant party success. 28 of 32 Sparkling Cranberries Melina Hammer; Styling: Buffy Hargett Recipe: Sparkling Cranberries Like tasty little jewels, these sugared berries make the perfect party attaché. 29 of 32 Fresh Fruit Salad Jen Causey Recipe: Fresh Fruit Salad Don't worry, this isn't just cut fruit in a bowl. It's dressed up for a party with orange juice, honey, and mint. 30 of 32 Sausage Balls Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Classic Sausage Balls Simple, yet totally crowd-pleasing, sausage balls are every Southern cook's three-ingredient trick up the sleeve. Try our updated twist on this classic snack: Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites. 31 of 32 Cheese Straws Robbie Caponetto; Prop Styling: Mary Beth Wetzel; Food Styling: Pam Lolley Recipe: Cheddar Cheese Straws You won't find a one-bite wonder like the cheese straw or biscuit. Crunchy, cheesy, and oh-so addicting, they've saved hostesses for generations. 32 of 32 Red Chipotle Pepper Jelly Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Red Chipotle Pepper Jelly If you have a jar of this pepper jelly in your fridge or freezer, you're a block of cream cheese and a pack of crackers from one of the most nostalgic Southern appetizers ever. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit