Holidays & Occasions Christmas Christmas Recipes Slow-Cooker Appetizers Perfect for Christmas Entertaining By Jenna Sims Jenna Sims Jenna is a Digital Editor for Southern Living and joined the team in 2014. She writes, produces, and assigns content with a focus on email growth and commerce content. She covers a range of topics in the lifestyle space from holiday gift guides to new product launches to tips for cooking with your air fryer. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on June 24, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Jennifer Davick Whether you're hosting a party before Christmas or need a quick bite to hold your crowd over until Christmas dinner is served, these slow-cooker appetizers will do the trick. Thanks to the "leave it and let it cook" method of a slow-cooker, you'll have more time to dedicate to the main dish when you let your slow cooker take care of the appetizer. Convenience items like frozen meatballs can easily be dressed up to create delicious Chipotle-Barbecue Meatballs with just a few ingredients. Plus, we bet you never knew a frozen bag of corn can be the secret to a crowd-pleasing dip with just a few minutes of prep time. With recipes this easy, you may want to make more than one to feed your hungry holiday guests. Keep scrolling for 10 holiday slow-cooker recipes your guests and kids will love. 01 of 10 Grape Jelly Meatballs Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland Recipe: Grape Jelly Meatballs Grape Jelly Meatballs are a favorite for any occasion, holidays included. This are made what we like to call, "the ump-and-stir" method. Easy and delicious! 02 of 10 Slow-Cooker Cranberry-Pear Butter Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Slow-Cooker Cranberry-Pear Butter This recipe can be made for morning biscuits or small bread-bites pre-dinner. It also makes a beautiful (and tasty) addition to a cheese plate alongside cut baguettes or crackers. 03 of 10 Corn and Jalapeño Dip Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Corn and Jalapeño Dip If you're expecting a large holiday crowd, you may want to double this recipe. It's made with cheese, corn, and topped with bacon, so it's sure to be a crowd-pleaser. 04 of 10 Chipotle-Barbecue Meatballs Jennifer Davick Recipe: Chipotle-Barbecue Meatballs The prep for this popular appetizer couldn't be easier thanks to frozen meatballs and bottled barbecue sauce. It's made with only five ingredients total. 05 of 10 Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip Photo Jennifer Davick, Prop Stylist: Missie Crawford, Food stylist: Toni Brogan Recipe: Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip We love pimiento cheese in all forms, and this Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip is no exception. Give the dip a quick stir before serving. 06 of 10 Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe: Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip While buffalo chicken dip is most served at Super Bowl parties and tailgates, there's no reason it shouldn't appear on a holiday table, too. After all, everyone loves Frank's Red Hot, right?! 07 of 10 Chicken Enchilada Dip Jennifer Davick Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Dip During the holiday party season, it can seem like hosts are serving variations of the same thing. One thing most are not serving is Chicken Enchilada Dip, which means if you make it at your holiday soiree, it'll definitely stand out. 08 of 10 Artichoke and Crabmeat Dip Jennifer Davick Recipe: Artichoke and Crabmeat Dip When making this dip, try to leave the prized chunks of lump crabmeat as intact as possible. Plus, this dip pairs well with store-bought crackers so make it quick and easy. 09 of 10 Crawfish Dip Greg DuPree Recipe: Crawfish Dip Cooking this dip in a slow cooker will ensure it stays warm until you're ready to serve. It's the perfect dip for your friends who want crawfish year-round. 10 of 10 Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce This is an appetizer that will be enjoyed by both kids and adults. Top the red sauce with fresh basil for a pretty, seasonal color pairing. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit