Holidays & Occasions Christmas Christmas Recipes Quick and Easy Christmas Appetizers You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less 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 June 22, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Laurey W. Glenn We've all been there. It's Christmas time—our favorite season, for sure. But, nonetheless, it's the season of constant cooking, entertaining, and planning that can feel like a marathon at sprint speed. Not that we don't love it; we're a glutton for punishment when it comes to celebrating the season with our favorite holiday foods and our less-than-calm family. Planning the perfect Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas morning brunch, and a lineup of endless baked goods makes us forget about another important holiday food feature: the appetizers! So, we've rounded some quick and easy holiday appetizers that will have you covered no matter the occasion (or how down-to-the-wire the prep time is) to get you through the holiday season. These no-fuss holiday appetizer ideas are simple, delicious, and can be whipped up in under 30 minutes so they won't add too much to your already-full plate. 01 of 23 Bacon Bow Tie Crackers Recipe: Bacon Bow Tie Crackers Buttery crackers and salty bacon slices are a match made in snack heaven. It doesn't get much easier (and tastier) than this 2-ingredient recipe. 02 of 23 Stuffed Endive with Herbed Goat Cheese Laurey W. Glenn Recipe: Stuffed Endive with Herbed Goat Cheese Belgian endive lettuce plays the vessel for creamy herbed goat cheese in this cool appetizer, and you can display it in a festive star-shaped way for the party! 03 of 23 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 A holiday appetizer roundup wouldn't be complete without the presence of pepper jelly and it has no better companion than a tart, soft goat cheese. 04 of 23 Basic Pimiento Cheese Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Basic Pimiento Cheese It's not a proper Southern holiday party without pimiento cheese making an appearance. This recipe schools you in the two game-changing steps to perfect pimiento cheese: using diced jarred pimientos instead of sliced and hand-shredding your cheese. 05 of 23 Cherry-Pecan Brie Jim Franco Recipe: Cherry-Pecan Brie A sweet blend of cherry preserves, balsamic vinegar, and pepper give this Brie round a festive feel. Top with some pecans for that nutty flavor. 06 of 23 Melon, Mozzarella, and Prosciutto Skewers Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey Recipe: Melon, Mozzarella, and Prosciutto Skewers Make this fresh, no-cook appetizer even faster by getting a package of pre-sliced melon from the produce section. 07 of 23 Beef-and-Asparagus Bundles Ralph Lee Anderson Recipe: Beef-and-Asparagus Bundles Maybe it's because we can't usually find quick appetizers using beef, but these have us pretty excited! They are fresh, cool, and sure to please the crowd. 08 of 23 Pancetta Crisps With Goat Cheese and Pear Ralph Anderson Recipe: Pancetta Crisps With Goat Cheese and Pear These look fancier than they are to make: With only a few instructions and a little pep in your step, you'll have these pear slices with baked pancetta, crumbled goat cheese, and a drizzle of honey ready in no time. 09 of 23 Mini Caprese Bites William Dickey Recipe: Mini Caprese Bites These never disappoint at any party—they are just too easy to pick up and pop in your mouth without missing a beat. 10 of 23 Chicken Salad Tarts Jennifer Davick Recipe: Chicken Salad Tarts Each tart shell is filled with delicate and creamy chicken salad for one delicious bite—we could have these anytime! 11 of 23 Black Pepper-Goat Cheese Log Ralph Anderson Recipe: Black Pepper-Goat Cheese Log You only need to sprinkle the goat cheese log with pepper and drizzle with olive oil, and you have this pretty, savory appetizer perfect for a crowd. 12 of 23 Shrimp with Honey-Garlic Sauce Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Shrimp with Honey Garlic Sauce This quick appetizer is ready in just 15 minutes, and the whole party is guaranteed to love these saucy shrimp with honey adding a surprising richness and hint of sweetness. Serve skewered or in a bowl with toothpicks. 13 of 23 Ham-and-Cheese Skewers Charles Walton IV Recipe: Ham-and-Cheese Skewers These are almost too easy, but have tons of different flavors and textures going on for the perfect bite. Just thread blue cheese wedges, apple slices, cubes of deli ham, and fresh watercress leaves onto wooden skewers—and you're ready to go. 14 of 23 Cheddar Cheese Straws Lee Harrelson Recipe: Cheddar Cheese Straws Cheese straws are a Southern staple for any time or place, so they're sure to go quick at any party. (Hint: make extra!) 15 of 23 Buttery Toasted Pecans Photo: Iain Bagwell Recipe: Buttery Toasted Pecans Melted butter and simple seasoning is the secret to these buttery, flavorful toasted pecans. 16 of 23 Baked Brie Bites Laurey W. Glenn Recipe: Baked Brie Bites Make these extra fast and easy by using frozen mini phyllo pastry shells. The melty baked brie bites, complemented with red pepper jelly and pecans, will be ready in less than 20 minutes. 17 of 23 Fresh Herb-Tomato Crostini Jennifer Davick Recipe: Fresh Herb-Tomato Crostini This recipe is fresh and light. And who doesn't love anything that goes on a toasted French baguette? 18 of 23 Curried Shrimp Tarts Beau Gustafson Recipe: Curried Shrimp Tarts Give a new spin to your typical shrimp appetizer with this curry-infused shrimp salad topped with mango chutney; it's bursting with epic flavor with a cool, creamy finish. 19 of 23 Black-Eyed Pea-and-Ham Dip Southern Living Recipe: Black-Eyed Pea-and-Ham Dip A little classic southern pizzazz, thanks to black-eyed peas and country ham, makes this dip great for your holiday season. Serve with cornbread crackers for an extra touch. 20 of 23 Feta-Olive-Fresh Herb Cheese Ball Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Feta-Olive-Fresh Herb Cheese Ball Did someone say cheese ball? It's just the thing your cheese board has been missing—for a more festive spin, roll it into a Yule log. 21 of 23 Caesar Salad Bites Photo: Jennifer Davick/Prop Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell/Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns Recipe: Caesar Salad Bites These perfect hand-held salad bites are a fresh, crisp addition to your holiday snack lineup. 22 of 23 Afterburners Southern Living Recipe: Afterburners Shrimp, jalapeño peppers, and bacon? You can't go wrong, especially if you serve them with some spicy queso dip. 23 of 23 Smoky Snack Mix Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Smoky Snack Mix A cocktail party always needs a snack mix, and we have just the one for you. From hostess gifts to your go-to party bites, this quick recipe will be loved by adults and kids alike. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit