42 Easy Christmas Appetizers Ready In 30 Minutes Or Less These holiday party snacks made the Nice List. By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough Sadik 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. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on December 12, 2024 Close Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Christmas time is our favorite season, for sure. But, nonetheless, the constant cooking, entertaining, and planning can feel like a marathon at sprint speed. While we're busy working away in the kitchen, a table full of appetizers can come to our rescue. Whether you're planning the perfect Christmas Eve dinner or a holiday cocktail party, don't forget to set out those trays of finger foods, dips, and spreads to keep hunger at bay. We've rounded up 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 season. These no-fuss Christmas 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. 39 Easy Christmas Eve Appetizers To Welcome Your Holiday Guests 01 of 42 Baked Brie With Jam Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox You'll need just 10 minutes of hands-on time to pull together this decadent baked brie before your holiday gathering. Toasted pecans, rosemary, and fruit preserves make a delicious pairing for creamy cheese and toasted baguettes. Get the recipe Save 02 of 42 Spicy Pear-And-Cheddar Bites Credit: Dane Tashima; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Of all the fancy recipes in our November issue, this humble appetizer was actually one of our recipe developer's favorites. Baking the buttery crackers in a simple olive oil and spice mixture takes the flavor and texture over the top. Get The Recipe Save 03 of 42 Riesling-Gruyère Fondue Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless We'll see your cheese board and raise you a fondue board. It feels extra-elegant for a holiday soirée. Get The Recipe Save 04 of 42 Onion Jam Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox With a little planning, you can put this appetizer together in seconds. Make the jam ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks. Then you can pull it out and serve it over cream cheese with just a moment's notice. Get The Recipe 05 of 42 Stuffed-Pepper Wreath Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Christine Keely This adorable appetizer will definitely win the most-Instagrammed dish on the holiday table. You can prep your wreath the morning of your event and chill it in the fridge until it's time to serve. Get The Recipe Save 06 of 42 Christmas Charcuterie Board Credit: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer A charcuterie board is one of the most beautiful ways to serve an appetizer without having to cook a thing. Get The Recipe Save 07 of 42 No-Stuff Deviled Eggs Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Break out a sleeve of Ritz crackers and forget the piping bags. The hardest part of this recipe is boiling the eggs for 10 minutes and peeling them. Add a dollop of spicy mayonnaise and a slice of hard-boiled egg on each cracker for a fancy finger food that will be the hit of the party. Get The Recipe Save 08 of 42 Ritz Cracker Party Sandwiches Credit: Morgan Hunt Glaze; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Sandwich ham, Swiss cheese, and pepper jelly between two buttery crackers for an easy appetizer that'll disappear quickly. Get The Recipe Save 09 of 42 Party Cheese Ball Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox No gathering in complete without a cheese ball, and this one comes together in just 10 minutes. Serve with red and green vegetables for a festive touch. Get The Recipe Save 10 of 42 Bacon Jam Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox You'll love how easy this smoky-sweet bacon jam is. Serve it with whipped goat cheese, cream cheese, or alone with bread for the ultimate easy but impressive appetizer. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 42 Charcuterie-Board Snack Mix Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer Forgo the picture-perfect charcuterie board that can be time-consuming to assemble for this snack mix version. The sweet-and-savory snack mix includes gourmet crackers, dried figs, pistachios, Parmesan crisps, and even crispy baked prosciutto chips. And it only takes a moment to refill the bowl. Get The Recipe Save 12 of 42 Two-Layer Pimiento-And-Cheese Dip Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Micah Morton; Prop Stylist: Ginny Branch For a spin on pimiento cheese, try this two-layer dip that's topped with a romesco-style sauce. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 42 Million Dollar Dip Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley This indulgent dip lives up to its name. The combination of bacon, chive-and-onion cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mayo, almonds, and scallions will have everyone coming back for a second scoop. Serve with assorted crackers and sliced vegetables. Get The Recipe Save 14 of 42 Ranch Oyster Crackers Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox It's an understated appetizer, we'll give you that, but the bowl will be empty by the end of the night. The herby ranch flavor on these petite crackers is just too irresistible to deny. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 42 Creamy Spinach-Ricotta Crostini Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Appetizers are often the first impression of any party, so why not serve something that looks impressive, yet takes 15 minutes to pull together? The food processor is a big time saver, allowing you to skip mincing garlic and finely chopping herbs. Also, you can prepare the spinach-ricotta mixture up to two days in advance and assemble the crostinis later. Get The Recipe Save 16 of 42 Okra In A Blanket Credit: James Ransom, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn All you have to do is assemble this no-cook appetizer. Wrap pickled okra with thinly sliced ham and serve with a quick, homemade dip made with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, and dill. Get The Recipe Save 17 of 42 Smoked Salmon-Potato Chip Canapés Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Our elevated, holiday version of "fish and chips" comes together in just 20 minutes for an impressive, bite-sized appetizer. All you need is packaged smoked salmon, crème fraîche, potato chips, and a few fresh ingredients for the garnishes. Get The Recipe Save 18 of 42 Herbed-Goat Cheese Spread Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely With just four ingredients and a mixing bowl, you'll have this appetizer ready in five minutes. Serve it on the side with crunchy baguette slices, crostinis, or veggies; or spread it across store-bought focaccia and top with herbs for a wow-worthy presentation. Best of all, you can switch the herbs according to the season—for winter, use rosemary, chives, and sage. Get The Recipe Save 19 of 42 Shrimp With Honey-Garlic Sauce Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley This quick appetizer is ready in just 15 minutes, and the whole party is guaranteed to love these saucy shrimp with honey that adds a surprising richness and hint of sweetness. Serve skewered or in a bowl with toothpicks. Get The Recipe Save 20 of 42 Creamy Crab Dip Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez Looking for an easy throw-together appetizer? This is just the one. Stir together the seven ingredients, top with chopped chives, and serve with celery sticks and crackers. Get The Recipe Save 21 of 42 Baked Brie Bites Credit: Stacy K. Allen, Food Stylist: Torie Cox, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster 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. For a bit of holiday greenery, add a parsley leaf to each one. Get The Recipe Save 22 of 42 Buttery Toasted Pecans Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Melted butter and simple seasoning is the secret to these easy and flavorful toasted pecans. We recommend toasting them for the full 25 minutes to bring out their nutty aroma and flavor. Get The Recipe Save 23 of 42 Basic Pimiento Cheese Credit: Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke 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. Get The Recipe Save 24 of 42 Caesar Salad Bites Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick/Prop Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell/Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns These hand-held salad bites are a fresh, crisp addition to your holiday snack lineup. Grape tomatoes add a bright pop of red for a more festive appetizer. Use your favorite bottled salad dressing to make this simple recipe. Get The Recipe Save 25 of 42 Afterburners Credit: Stacy k. Allen, Props: Josh Hoggle, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Shrimp, jalapeño peppers, and bacon? You can't go wrong with this three-ingredient recipe, especially if you serve them with some spicy queso dip. The shrimp cook perfectly in 10-12 minutes under the broiler. Get The Recipe Save 26 of 42 Pickapeppa Snack Mix Credit: JAMES RANSOM A cocktail party always needs a snack mix, and we have just the one for you. This recipe uses the classic rice-cereal squares (such as Chex), pretzels, and unsalted peanuts with the popular Jamaican hot sauce, brown sugar, and tongue-torching cayenne pepper and chili powder. Get The Recipe Save 27 of 42 Melon, Mozzarella, And Prosciutto Skewers Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey We've added smooth and creamy mozzarella to the classic combination of salty prosciutto and sweet melon. If you're short on time, make this no-cook appetizer even faster by getting a package of pre-sliced melon from the produce section. Get The Recipe Save 28 of 42 Mini Caprese Bites Credit: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser These never disappoint at any party—they are just too easy to pick up and pop in your mouth without missing a beat. Arrange the skewers on a platter or in cocktail glasses set around your buffet. Get The Recipe Save 29 of 42 Cranberry Brie Bites Credit: Southern Living This tart and creamy mini appetizer will make a splash at your holiday brunch or your Christmas Eve cocktail party. Why not make it for both? Including the frozen phyllo shells, the recipe only requires four ingredients—and bakes in just six minutes. Get The Recipe Save 30 of 42 Beer-Cheese Fondue Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall This appetizer will keep guests busy around the fondue pot all evening. Once you've mixed up the warm, melty cheese sauce, you can get creative. Soft pretzels, sliced cooked bratwurst, steamed broccoli florets, roasted Brussels sprouts, and roasted fingerling potatoes are all options. Get The Recipe Save 31 of 42 Pimiento Cheese-Stuffed Peppers Credit: Greg Dupree; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray For this three-ingredient recipe, pick up a jar of cherry-red Peppadew peppers. Then pipe in pimiento cheese and garnish with a sprinkle of chives. Make them dressier by serving them on your favorite silver platter. Get The Recipe Save 32 of 42 Crispy Cheese Wafers Credit: Courtney West Crispy rice cereal makes these toasted cheese wafers extra crunchy. Use grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese and a pinch of ground cayenne for zestier flavor. Enjoy the wafers on their own or serve with softened cream cheese and pepper jelly. Get The Recipe Save 33 of 42 Smoked-Fish Dip Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Adam Evans, chef at award-winning Birmingham restaurant Automatic Seafood and Oysters, shared this delicious recipe with us. The dip may have a long list of flavorful ingredients, but all you need to do is mix them together. Serve it with crackers or sliced baguette. Get The Recipe Save 34 of 42 Mushroom-Stuffed Phyllo Cups Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Phyllo cups can do some heavy lifting when it comes to a dinner party. The elegant filling for this appetizer combines gourmet mushrooms, garlic, sherry, and cream. Use the food processor to save prep time, and you'll have this bite-sized delight on the table in under 30 minutes. Get The Recipe Save 35 of 42 Lump Crab Mornay For this recipe, pick up fresh jumbo lump crabmeat if you can. Serve the creamy, rich, and warm crab dip with toast points. Keep it warm under gentle heat in a chafing dish or slow cooker. Get The Recipe Save 36 of 42 Spicy Cheese Twists Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis The adorable bow ties are made from frozen puff pastry dough. Layered with thyme and aged Gouda cheese, these cheese twists with a kick are simultaneously crispy and tender. Change up the cheese and herb combinations to suit your fancy—try them with Parmesan and rosemary or Cheddar and bacon. Get The Recipe Save 37 of 42 Spicy Sweet Potato Crostini Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall These honey-sweetened sweet potato slices are dreamy enough for dessert—that is until you taste the creamy goat cheese and spicy heat. Look for sweet potatoes that are uniform in width so that when you cut them, you will have round slices that cook evenly. Get The Recipe Save 38 of 42 Pimiento Cheese Sausage Balls Credit: Southern Living A box of Bisquick, ground pork sausage, chopped chives, and pimiento cheese come together in one undeniably satisfying sausage ball. This big-batch recipe also makes enough for a crowd—providing everyone is willing to share. Get The Recipe Save 39 of 42 Stuffed Mushrooms Credit: Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Tender, meaty, and garlicky mushrooms are always a hit on the appetizer. A couple of extra hands will make light work of the process, as will Boursin, a garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese you can find at the grocery store. Get The Recipe Save 40 of 42 Cranberry Sauce Meatballs Credit: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner We've made cocktail meatballs more festive with jellied cranberry sauce and hot jalapeño pepper jelly. These little, two-bite appetizers are a nice balance of sweet, sour, savory, and spicy. Flecks of fresh jalapeño add color and a touch of raw heat. Get The Recipe Save 41 of 42 Hot Crawfish Dip Credit: Will Dickey This warm and cheesy seafood dip comes together without you having to turn on the oven. Get The Recipe Save 42 of 42 Baked Brie With Pomegranate And Pistachios Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley For the holidays, dress up warm Brie with jewel-red syrup, green pistachios, and chopped thyme. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is removing the pomegranate seeds (or arils) from the fruit, so you can easily save time by buying the pre-separated arils rather than the whole fruit. Get The Recipe Save Explore more: Holidays & Occasions Christmas Christmas Recipes Christmas Appetizers Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit