Christmas appetizers are my favorite part of any holiday party. In my opinion, there’s nothing better than grazing and snacking on cheese, bread, etc.!
This roundup of recipes has a mix of easy Christmas appetizers for a party, Christmas Eve finger foods, and small bites. Each one of them feels and looks special without taking a ton of time.
You’ll find seafood options like shrimp cocktail shooters and smoked salmon bruschetta. There are also cheesy favorites like baked brie and goat cheese croquettes. Additionally, there are simple dips, sliders, festive boards, and more!
Many of these can be prepped ahead, baked right before serving, or pulled together quickly. This way, you can spend more time with your family instead of being stuck in the kitchen!
Looking to round out your Christmas menu? Be sure to check out more of my Christmas dinner menu ideas. These include Christmas side dishes, salads, soups, desserts, and potluck-style dishes featuring seasonal produce. You’ll also love my Christmas brunch recipe collection. It has everything you need to make the holiday morning extra special. 🎄
Just a heads up: some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely love and use (or would use) myself, and your support helps keep this site going! Thank you so much.
Now, let’s get into the appetizers!
Christmas Appetizers
Bruschetta on Crostini – Heavenly Spiced
This bruschetta on crostini features crispy baguette slices topped with creamy goat cheese, a fresh tomato basil mixture, and a homemade balsamic glaze. It’s an easy yet elegant appetizer that’s perfect for Christmas appetizers and holiday gatherings.
Stuffed Mushrooms with Crab – Heavenly Spiced
These stuffed mushrooms with crab combine cream cheese, fresh herbs, garlic, and lump crabmeat in cremini mushroom caps, topped with golden toasted panko for a rich, savory bite. Prepping the filling the night before makes them an easy choice for Christmas appetizers or easy Christmas Eve appetizers you can pop in the oven when guests arrive.
Mediterranean Charcuterie Board – Heavenly Spiced
A Mediterranean Charcuterie Board is a vibrant, flavorful spread perfect for sharing at parties and gatherings. It features tons of delicious cured meats, cheeses, fresh fruits, and vegetables, complemented by dips like hummus and tzatziki.
Shrimp Cocktail Shooters – Heavenly Spiced
These shrimp cocktail shooters layer chilled shrimp, a quick 4-ingredient homemade cocktail sauce, cucumber, and dill sprigs in shot glasses rimmed with Old Bay. They’re a sleek Christmas party appetizer option you can prep ahead by cooking the shrimp and mixing the sauce in advance.
Roast Beef Sliders – Heavenly Spiced
These roast beef sliders are stacked with thinly sliced marinated eye-of-round roast, melted provolone, garlic horseradish aioli, and pickled red onions on sweet Hawaiian rolls. You can prep the roast, aioli, and onions the night before, making them a standout choice for Christmas party appetizers.
Crispy Cauliflower Bites – Heavenly Spiced
These crispy cauliflower bites are coated in flour and panko, then air-fried until golden and crunchy. They’re ideal for easy Christmas appetizers or holiday party appetizers. Serve them with a homemade herbed buttermilk ranch dressing for a make-ahead bite your guests can enjoy straight from the tray.
Air Fryer Italian Sliders – Heavenly Spiced
These Air Fryer Italian Sliders stack Italian meats, melted mozzarella and provolone, and tangy banana peppers between sweet rolls, then get brushed with garlic herb butter and cooked quickly in the air fryer. They’re a go‑to for holiday appetizers or Christmas party appetizers, especially because you can assemble them in advance and bake them just before guests arrive.
Ranch Cottage Cheese Dip – Heavenly Spiced
This ranch cottage cheese dip blends creamy cottage cheese with fresh herbs like dill, parsley, and chives, seasoned to mimic your favorite ranch. It comes together in under five minutes and can be made in advance, making it perfect for holiday appetizers for Christmas or easy Christmas Eve snacking.
Cheesy Pesto Crescent Roll Wreath – Fab Everyday
This Cheesy Pesto Wreath uses crescent dough spun into a ring and filled with cream cheese, mozzarella, and basil pesto, baked until golden, and served in festive slices. Topped with rosemary sprigs and cherry tomatoes, it’s an easy option for Christmas appetizers you can prep ahead.
Asparagus and Mushroom Cheese Soufflé Bites – Cooking with Wine Blog
These asparagus and mushroom cheese soufflé bites combine creamy blend of mascarpone, cream cheese, and crème fraîche into crispy phyllo shells topped with tender asparagus tips. Ideal for holiday appetizers or Christmas party appetizers, they’re party‑ready and can be prepped ahead; just fill and bake before serving.
Christmas Deviled Eggs – Chef Savvy
These Christmas Deviled Eggs are topped with pomegranate seeds and parsley leaves for a flavorful Christmas day appetizer that looks as good as it tastes. You can boil the eggs and mix the filling a day ahead, then fill and garnish just before serving for stress-free Christmas Eve or Christmas party appetizers.
Cheese Ball with Herbs and Spices – Buttered Veg
This festive cheese ball blends creamy cheeses with savory spices, then gets rolled in pecans and parsley for a beautiful, crowd‑friendly appetizer. Make it in advance, chill it in the fridge, and pull it out just when your holiday guests arrive.
Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates – Coley Cooks
These bacon‑wrapped dates are stuffed with creamy goat cheese, wrapped in crispy bacon, and drizzled with honey for a perfectly sweet‑and‑salty Christmas appetizer. You can assemble them up to three days ahead and simply bake before serving, making them a smart choice for holiday party appetizers.
Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board – Tessie’s Table
This Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board arranges layers of cheese cubes, cured meats, fresh fruit, and rosemary sprigs into a festive tree shape with a brie “star” at the top for added flair. It’s a make‑ahead friendly appetizer that you can assemble hours in advance and chill until your Christmas party guests arrive.
Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip – My Rad Kitchen
This baked spinach and artichoke dip heats together cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, yogurt, artichoke hearts, spinach, and mozzarella and parmesan into a bubbling, golden‑topped dip. It’s make‑ahead friendly, perfect to prep ahead and bake just before you set out your Christmas day spread.
Cranberry Serrano Glazed Meatballs – Cooking with Wine Blog
These baked cranberry‑serrano glazed meatballs bring together ground beef and pork, and are coated in a flavorful glaze made with fresh cranberries, serrano peppers, beef stock, orange juice, brown sugar, and chili powder. They’re built for holiday entertaining because you can prep the glaze ahead of time and bake the meatballs just before guests arrive!
Brie and Jam Phyllo Cups – Sheri Silver
These Brie and Jam Phyllo Cups pair creamy brie cheese with fig jam in crisp mini phyllo shells, finished with an optional drizzle of hot honey and rosemary sprigs. Quick to assemble and bake, they’re a chic option for easy Christmas appetizers or holiday party appetizers you can prep in advance.
Cranberry Jalapeño Salsa – Hungry Whisk
This cranberry‑jalapeño salsa combines frozen cranberries, spicy jalapeños, red and green onions, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and maple syrup for a bright, flavor‑packed appetizer. Ready in about 10 minutes and no cooking required, it’s a go‑to for holiday appetizers or easy Christmas party appetizers you can prep ahead.
Christmas Antipasto Wreath – Chef Savvy
This Christmas Antipasto Wreath features skewers of green olives, salami, prosciutto, marinated mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil, and pepperoncini arranged in a festive wreath shape. You can prep it a few hours ahead, just assemble and refrigerate until guests arrive for an easy and eye‑catching holiday appetizer!
Goat Cheese Appetizer with Pomegranate and Pistachios – Foodess
This pomegranate goat cheese appetizer features crispy slices of baguette crostini topped with creamy goat cheese, tart pomegranate arils, and salty pistachios. A delicious combo perfect for a (nearly) no-cook Christmas appetizer recipe.
Hummus Wreath – Mallory the Dietitian
This Hummus Wreath transforms a simple bowl of hummus into a festive holiday appetizer by arranging it in a ring on a platter and decorating with chopped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and a red pepper “bow”. It can be prepped in under ten minutes and served right away; ideal for Christmas party appetizers or quick Christmas Eve entertaining.
Goat Cheese Croquettes – The Littlest Crumb
These crispy goat cheese croquettes blend thyme‑infused goat cheese, panko‑breaded coating, and a drizzle of honey with chopped walnuts and almonds for a rich, tasty bite. They’re freezer‑friendly (just bread them ahead of time) and make an impressive addition to Christmas appetizers!
Smoked Salmon Bruschetta – Next Level Baker
This smoked salmon bruschetta layers toasted bread with basil pesto, whipped goat cheese, smoked salmon, and garnishes like red onion and microgreens. It’s a refined appetizer that comes together fast, ideal for your Christmas appetizer spread.
Baked Brie with Jam – Wholefully
This baked Brie with jam features a wheel of Brie topped with your choice of jam and pecans, then baked until melty and golden. You can prep this one ahead, too. Just arrange the toppings and bake it when guests arrive for a tasty holiday appetizer.
Warm Mediterranean Marinated Olives with Lemon and Herbs – Entirely Emmy
This Persian‑style marinated olive and eggplant dish layers roasted eggplant with a mix of green and Kalamata olives, parsley, green onions, walnuts, golden raisins, and lemon‑garlic‑balsamic marinade. It can be prepped ahead of time, chilled, and then finished with a creamy avocado herb vinaigrette just before serving!
FAQ: Christmas Appetizers
What is a good appetizer for a Christmas party?
Good Christmas appetizers are festive, flavorful, and great for sharing. A Christmas tree charcuterie board, hummus wreath, Christmas deviled eggs, or cranberry-serrano glazed meatballs are perfect seasonal appetizer choices for a Christmas party. Choose recipes that can be prepped ahead to make entertaining stress-free!
What are good party finger foods?
Good party finger foods should be easy to hold and packed with flavor. Stuffed mushrooms with crab, croquettes, phyllo cups, or pomegranate goat cheese crostini work perfectly for holiday gatherings!
What’s the best way to present Christmas appetizers?
Use a mix of wooden or marble boards and small bowls or ramekins for dips, spreads, and nuts. Add height with tiered trays or cake stands, and include fun touches like decorative toothpicks, cocktail picks, festive platters, napkins, or holiday-themed placemats to make the table feel extra special and inviting. I’ve included my favorites for inspiration below!
What utensils and gadgets are helpful for a Christmas appetizer spread?
Cheese knives, spreaders, small tongs, spoons, and herb scissors make it easy for guests to serve themselves. For prepping hot or bite-sized appetizers, an air fryer or mini muffin tin is helpful, and silicone mats, glass containers, or reusable silicone bags simplify cleanup. It’s also helpful to have to-go boxes on hand for any leftovers! Find eco-friendly options below.
Cooking & Serving Equipment
Large Walnut Wood Cutting Board
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Set of Three French Charcuterie Boards
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Marble Multi-Purpose Pastry Slab
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Spode Christmas Tree Collection Stacking Bowls
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Christmas Ceramic Dipping Bowls
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Spode Christmas Tree 3 Section Server with Tree Handle
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Spode Christmas Tree Gold Salad Plate (Set of 4)
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Vintage Christmas Holly Holiday Serving Plate
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Spode Nostalgic Holiday Serving Tray
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Charcuterie Stainless Steel Set: Knives, Tongs, Spoons Forks, Toothpick, Honey Dipper, Tags
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Handmade Embroidered Linen Christmas Napkins
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Christmas Handprinted Placemat Set
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Buy Now → ![Image of Glass Bento Box Containers with Bamboo Lids, 3 Compartment Glass Meal Prep Containers [3 Pack] - 100% Plastic Free, Eco-Friendly](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91YOS26C2qL._AC_UL232_SR232,232_.jpg)
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Silicone Reusable Food Storage Bags
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100% Compostable Take Out Food Containers [50-Pack] Eco-Friendly & Biodegradable
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I’d love to hear about your experience with these Christmas Appetizer Recipes! Please leave a question or recipe review. Get in touch via email and follow me on social media, which I have linked below.
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