Holiday Finger Foods

November 07, 2012
Credit: Alison Miksch
Perfect for socializing and catching up, these no-fuss finger foods are easy to pick up and chow down.From Thanksgiving to New Years Eve, parties are nearly non-stop. Whether you’re hosting or attending, you’re going to need a deep repertoire of holiday finger food recipes. Here we’ve compiled the best and the easiest holiday finger food appetizers for you to prepare. Some of these finger food recipes can be prepared ahead of time and frozen and there are holiday finger foods that can be thrown together at the last minute with ingredients likely to be found in your pantry. Start clicking to get your wheels turning on the best holiday finger foods to please guests this season.
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Inside-Out Hot Brown Bites

Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Inside-Out Hot Brown Bites

We've reimagined this signature Kentucky sandwich of bacon, turkey, and cheese sauce into beautiful bite-size cups.

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Smoked Trout Crostini with Radishes and Dill Cream

Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Smoked Trout Crostini with Radishes and Dill Cream

For a fresh appetizer, try the smoked trout crostini with radishes and dill cream. An appetizer consisting of sour cream spread on a triangle of toasted crostini and topped with smoked trout and radishes will give guests a break from warm appetizers typically served at a dinner party. These perfect little triangles also offer a beautiful presentation, fooling guests into believing you worked much harder than you did on this appetizer. A fresh squeeze of lemon juice will also give guests the burst of freshness that will perfectly balance out your appetizer platter. For an even more colorful spread, replace the trout with smoked salmon.

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Petite Sweet Potato Biscuits with Pulled Pork and Slaw

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Petite Sweet Potato Biscuits with Pulled Pork and Slaw

The sweet potato biscuits freeze beautifully—thaw, bake, and top them just before serving.

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Bacon-Fig Tassies

Credit: PHoto: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Bacon-Fig Tassies

Pinched for time? Swap the dough for frozen mini-phyllo pastry shells.

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Sweet Potato Tartlets

Credit: PHoto: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Sweet Potato Tartlets

These festive tarts are the perfect sweet treat for grazing guests. You can make them up to a day ahead, and store, covered, in the fridge.

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Benne-Maple Roasted Pecans

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Benne-Maple Roasted Pecans

Make these a few days ahead, and chill in an airtight container.

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Cuban Sliders

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Cuban Sliders

A welcome change from the ubiquitous hamburger slider, this mini sandwich has all the flavor of a great Cuban. The key here is to crisp the bread by warming the sandwiches in a hot jelly-roll pan and adding weight on top of the bread.

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Fried Hominy

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Fried Hominy

Dangerously delicious, this is the new popcorn for tree trimming—if you don't eat it all first.

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Gumbo Rice Fritters

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Gumbo Rice Fritters

You can make the rice balls two weeks ahead and freeze. Bread and fry straight from the freezer.

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Marinated Olives and Almonds

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Marinated Olives and Almonds

A big batch of these antipasti will last in the refrigerator up to a week. It's the perfect snack to keep on hand to serve unexpected holiday company.

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Mushroom Puffs

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Mushroom Puffs

Flaky puff pastry envelopes a rich mix of cream cheese, mushrooms, onions, and Parmesan cheese. You can even assemble and freeze these ahead of time.

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Southern-Style Smørrebrød

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Southern-Style Smørrebrød

Sparked by the leisurely pleasures of the cocktail-and-canapé Mad Men era, smørrebrød (Danish open-faced sandwiches) are the latest craze in stress-free entertaining. With a little clever prep, you can set out an impressive DIY spread in under an hour. Now we'll toast to that. Skål, y'all!

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Tuna-Apple Mini Melts

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Tuna-Apple Mini Melts

A creamy tuna-apple mixture fills mini-phyllo pastry shells and is topped with Havarti cheese slices to make a tasty, bite-sized appetizer.

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Tiny Tomato Tarts

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Tiny Tomato Tarts

With all the flavor of a traditional tomato pie, these tiny tarts will be a hit at your party. These bite-sized tarts are made with a simple blend of diced tomatoes, piecrusts, a blend of cheeses, and fresh basil. This recipe can also be made ahead by baking the pastry shells up to three days before they are served and storing in an airtight container, leaving the filling to be prepared the day of the party. A medley of Parmesan, cheddar, and mozzarella cheeses make this finger food a delicious alternative to a large slice of tomato pie while still being reminiscent of the Southern favorite.

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Spicy Cheddar "Long" Straws

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Spicy Cheddar "Long" Straws

Cheese straws are like deviled eggs—every Southern cook wants to make great ones. Our best tip for successful cheese straws is to shred your own cheese. It’s stickier and blends better than preshredded cheese.

These tasty strips have the shape of bread sticks but the crisp texture and cheddar-filled taste of cheese straws.

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Sweet Potato Crostini with Goat Cheese and Grape Salsa

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Sweet Potato Crostini with Goat Cheese and Grape Salsa

Spicy, sweet, and totally addictive, this easy appetizer starts with preseasoned fries.

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Orange-Basil Baked Brie

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Orange-Basil Baked Brie

Serve on a pretty cutting board with a cheese knife, and let guests cut their own portions.

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Spicy Cheddar Appetizer Cookies

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Spicy Cheddar Appetizer Cookies

Make party-perfect savory cookies by rolling cheese straw dough into festive shapes.

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Herbed Goat Cheese Bites

Credit: Photo: William Dickey

Recipe: Herbed Goat Cheese Bites

This scrumptious appetizer is easy to prep. Simply roll a log of creamy goat cheese in fresh chopped thyme, parsley, tarragon, and mint in advance. Then, just before serving, spread onto fresh toasted baguette slices and top with sun-dried tomatoes and basil leaves.

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Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip

You can keep the queso blanco warm in a fondue pot or 1-qt. slow cooker. These are hearty, and would be a winner for a tailgate too.

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Pecan-Cheddar Buttons

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Pecan-Cheddar Buttons

These salty cheese straw balls are rolled in finely chopped pecans and baked until crisp and delicious. They're sure to become a new party favorite.

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Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Bread

Recipe: Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Bread

We've taken garlic bread up a notch. These tasty toasts make perfect entertaining starters. For a light meal, serve them with a salad and glass of wine. Mix spreads the day before, and refrigerate overnight. You'll only need to slather them on French bread and bake for a super-quick presentation. So skip the carb counting, and crunch into something delicious.

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Smoked Paprika-Glazed Andouille

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Recipe: Smoked Paprika-Glazed Andouille

Serve andouille with wooden toothpicks to create bite-size appetizers.

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Salt-Roasted Beef Tenderloin Sliders

Credit: Photo: Jim Franco

Recipe: Salt-Roasted Beef Tenderloin Sliders

You can serve these hearty bites between biscuits, brioche, or artisan dinner rolls for an elegant presentation.

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Fingerling Potatoes with Avocado and Smoked Salmon

Credit: Photo: Jim Franco

Recipe: Fingerling Potatoes with Avocado and Smoked Salmon

You'll love the unexpected flavor combination of creamy avocado and fresh dill atop roasted potatoes. This makes a great handheld appetizer when entertaining—just be sure there are plenty to go around.

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Bacon-Wrapped Bourbon Figs

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Bourbon Figs

For bacon-wrapped bliss, turn to these inventive small bites featuring some of our favorite Southern staples.

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Pork Tenderloin Crostini

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Pork Tenderloin Crostini

These delectable open-faced crostini offer a kick with each bite plus a striking presentation thanks to the Cranberry-Pepper Jelly on top.

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Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

Upgrade a typical holiday shrimp cocktail by wrapping the juicy bites in satisfyingly salty bacon.

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Pepper Jelly-Goat Cheese Cakes

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Pepper Jelly-Goat Cheese Cakes

These pretty bites have both green and red pepper jelly melted on top for an indulgent treat.

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Brisket Shooters

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Brisket Shooters

Save time and pick up brisket and sauce from your favorite barbecue joint to use in these party bites.

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Chicken-and-Bacon Satay

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chicken-and-Bacon Satay

A satay is an Indonesian version of kabobs: thinly sliced marinated meat grilled on a skewer and served with lip-licking peanut sauce.

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Pepper Jelly-Pecan Rugelach