Do you also ask yourself every year, "What should I cook as a Christmas dinner menu this year?" I feel the same way every year. And most of the time, the devil lies in the details. One has already discovered a desired main course, but by God has no idea for a matching appetizer!
I like to call this the annual Christmas cooking dilemma, which doesn't occur just before Christmas but usually much earlier.
To help you out and shower you with ideas, I started searching for amazing recipes that will help you fight your Christmas cooking dilemma.
And I found what I was looking for. Honestly, I had so much support from so many amazing people that I now have more than 70 Christmas Eve appetizer ideas at my fingertips for you! Isn't that great?
In today's blog post, you'll find the first 37 appetizer recipes to choose from for your perfect Christmas menu. Find 36 more Christmas dinner appetizer recipes here.
What Christmas appetizer recipes are you going to discover in this post?
- Elegant Christmas appetizers
- Christmas themed appetizers
- Christmas themed fruit appetizers
- Christmas appetizers make-ahead
- Meat appetizers for Christmas
- Old-fashioned Christmas appetizers
- Easy appetizer finger foods
- Gluten-Free, vegan, allergy-free appetizers
- Christmas Eve party snacks
- Christmas Eve snack food ideas
And much more!
There are quite a bunch of recipes I've got lined up for you here. And it can feel a bit overwhelming to have so many Christmas party appetizer recipes at your fingertips!
That's why I highly recommend you to pin this listing, so you can have it at your fingertips whenever you need it.
You can download your recipe link list as a PDF too! Click the image below and claim your copy! This way, you have the links to all these delicacies secured and don't have to search long!
But now I've babbled enough and do not want to keep you longer from browsing through the recipes! Have fun!
The first 37 appetizer recipes for your perfect Holiday Gathering
These merry little Christmas deviled eggs are so cute, so festive and incredibly tasty!
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Easy to grab, personal-sized bread bowls perfect for appetizers or sides at your next holiday party! With cheesy tangy filling and chewy, soft bread in every bite, you’ll want a muffin for each hand! Mini Spinach Dip Bowls Do you love spinach dip as much as I do? It’s my […]
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Everyone is planning their summer vacations, including me. I’ve decided to a ‘staycation’ this year! What’s a staycation? Well, I’m not going to do any kind of traveling. I’m gonna
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A healthy and delicious grain-free snack! Savory Italian Tigernut Flour Crackers, easy and homemade, gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and allergy-free!
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"The fondest memories are made gathered around a table."
Author unknown
Soup Maker Chicken Liver Pate. The easiest way ever to make a homemade chicken liver pate. Probably the most famous Christmas starter!
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Throw a holiday party in style with this easy puff pastry recipe filled with raspberry jam, brie, and a festive sprig of thyme.
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Have some fun with your appetizer selection with these Cream Cheese Penguins! As much fun to see as they are to eat! They make everyone smile!
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Wonderfully easy holiday appetizer that packs a punch of flavor thanks to a three-cheese spread and tangy homemade cranberry apple sauce.
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This Christmas Caprese Salad consists of tomatoes, bocconcini and fresh basil arranged in the shape of a candy cane. A delicious, simple salad that will add a fun, festive touch to your holiday table!
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This Christmas Caprese Salad consists of tomatoes, bocconcini and fresh basil arranged in the shape of a candy cane. A delicious, simple salad that will add a fun, festive touch to your holiday table!
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An individual cheese board is the perfect solution for small get-togethers or an upscale holiday party. These mini, single serve charcuterie boards look very elegant, without the fuss of putting together a huge platter. The best part? Nobody has to share their cheese board for one.
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Olive Hummus is the star of this appetizer platter! Homemade hummus with olive pesto, served with fresh vegetables and pita.
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Wow your crowd with an epic Christmas appetizer made with the most delicious party dip. Scallion Olive Party Dip recipe is quickly shaped into a Christmas cheese wreath for your best party presentation ever.
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This Crostini with Brie, Coppa and Raspberry is an elegant appetizer, the basic ingredients for which can go a long way if prepping for a crowd. Crostini itself can be made with hundreds of ingredient combinations, the foundations being a baton of crusty bread and some type of cheese. I have opted for a sweet and savory crostini for Christmas!
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The proverbial Christmas cheese ball is now a savory holiday masterpiece, a Bacon Scallion Cheese Wreath. It’s flavorful, kind of cute, and it makes about 3 cups which will round out the food table in a room full of party-goers.
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Baked Brie with Pistachios, Pomegranate and Rosemary. Creamy and cheesy with a crunchy, sweet/tart and savory topping wrapped in puff pastry.
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Make this Baked Biscuit Wreath Dip for your next holiday celebration! This spinach dip is nothing short of fantastic. It’s decadent, but not too heavy, and it’s absolutely delicious.
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This favorite appetizer is paired with pumpkin butter and maple for a little fall flavor perfect for the holidays. Creamy, melted brie is topped with a layer of earthy pumpkin butter, warm spices, crunchy candied pecans, and a drizzle of sweet maple syrup before being wrapped in a flaky buttery puff pastry and baked to ooey-gooey perfection. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty, crunchy and chewy for an elegant starter to any holiday meal.
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In this bruschetta with feta and tomato recipe, the garlic and oil are combined before brushing it on the bread slices and toasting. This gives the appetizer a more robust garlic flavor.
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2 Ingredients Parmesan Mushrooms are baby bella mushroom caps stuffed with Parmesan cheese. Healthy and easy mushroom appetizer in 15 minutes!
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Delight your guests this holiday season with these adorable bite-size reindeer cheese ball appetizers. Paired with some crackers or a flat bread this recipe will add a festive and fun touch to your Christmas menu.
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These baked turkey curry empanadas are crispy, flaky, and packed with flavor. The perfect finger food that always gets rave reviews. You will keep going back for more and more.
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Make a 15-minute Christmas Charcuterie Board this Christmas season. Follow the template or use your favorite red, white, and green fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and candies. The best part about snack boards is that you can customize them with your favorite foods.
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"The most treasured things passed down from generation to generation are the family recipes."
Robert St. John
Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker Cocktail Sausage Weenies are simple Party Food. Low Carb, Gluten Free, Keto or non-restrictive ingredients can be used.
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Caesar salad makes a perfect appetizer for a Christmas dinner menu, especially if you plan an American-inspired Christmas dinner, as we did in 2020.
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These Georgian Eggplant Rolls With Walnut Filling are a delightfully simply, healthy vegan appetizer. Three ingredients, some artfully chosen spices, and less than an hour of time and you have a vegan treat for the tastebuds with these walnut stuffed eggplant rolls.
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Turn up the heat with this Vegan Jalapeño Popper Dip! It's warm, spicy, cheesy and completely addictive! Plus, it calls for simple ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to make.
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Bruschetta is an easy Italian appetizer made with bread that is grilled then rubbed with cloves of garlic. It is often topped with olive oil, juicy and bright tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves. A quick appetizer that you can throw together in just 20 minutes!
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Slow Cooker Meatballs are the perfect appetizer! Make these tasty crockpot meatballs with just 3 ingredients and 2 minutes of effort.
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These Candied Nuts are salty-sweet, perfectly crunchy, insanely moreish and satisfying. They’re super easy as they take less than 10 minutes to make, are made using basic ingredients and are made in a frying pan (not the oven). They’re vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free optional, not too sweet, a good source of protein and fiber and are much healthier than the shop-bought version.
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Learn how to make a Christmas charcuterie board for the holidays using your favorite cheeses, crackers, and more!
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Tangy cream cheese and zesty ranch come together in this super simple appetizer. It is easier to make than it looks. Guaranteed to be the cutest item on the holiday buffet!
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Raspberry Goat Cheese Bites are sweet and savory appetizers made with crescent rolls, pesto goat cheese, raspberry jam, and fresh raspberries. They're an impressive and easy finger food!
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These cucumber hummus appetizers are a hit at parties and make a delicious finger food! Made with crisp cucumber, creamy hummus dip and flavorful roasted red peppers, everyone will love this tasty bite! This hummus appetizer recipe is super easy to customize and makes a great healthy snack for any party.
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This sweet and salty grazing board is the perfect mix of appetizers and desserts. Perfect for party snacks.
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These apple and brie sweet potato crostini are a perfectly festive way to celebrate any occasion. They are delicious as an appetizer before a meal, served as hors d’oeuvres during happy hour or cocktail hour, or a great light and healthy snack for both adults and kids.
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These delicious baked avocado fries are a perfect five ingredient appetizer that everyone will love. Vegan, gluten-free, and you won't even realize it!
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Red Beans and Eric says
This is a great collection of recipes. It's making me excited for a Christmas and the dinner we have. I can see some new additions to the spread this year!
kris says
So many good recipes that I'll be saving for the holidays!
Jere Cassidy says
There are so many wonderful appetizer recipes to try. I am not waiting for Christmas to make these.
Adriana says
Wow, so many great options, gotta love those penguins and the snowman, though. You have so many good ideas! Making my list to start planning for the holidays.
Amy Liu Dong says
Everything looks really delicious. I would love to try one recipe per day to taste. Yum!