Easy Holiday Appetizers Guests Will Rave About

Fans of festive holiday appetizers, here are some quick, go-to recipes to make your holiday party a hit. These easy appetizers are attractive, yet simple to create. This holiday season, I put together a list of ten easy appetizers sure to be a hit. There are even a few keto-friendly options on this list. From a party host who prefers to socialize with guests rather than work frantically in the kitchen, here are the party appetizers you’ve been looking for!

A Huge Fan of Savory Appetizers

If you socialize with me at a holiday party, you will most likely find me hovering around the appetizers. I have a shameless weakness for them. Yes, I also crave sweets, but savory appetizers are what I most long for. I raided my own recipe files as well as my Pinterest account to gather these ideas. I’ve responsibly begun the list with the more healthy options. Sit back and let your taste buds start anticipating the flavors which await.

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Festive Dried Fruit

Serve up a selection of dried fruit. You could dry berries, pineapple, apples, apricots, or cherries. There are many other possibilities. If you would like to read about the details of drying fruit in a food dehydrator, I wrote about an assortment of foods that are great to dry.

Crispy, Crunchy Delightful Dill Pickles

Some may not consider dill pickles to be an appetizer, but I beg to differ. Homemade dill pickles are a finger food that gets raves from my guests every time I serve them. Here’s my favorite recipe for Super Easy Quick Dill Pickles. Keto-friendly, low in calories, dill pickles are the perfect appetizer.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

What is a holiday party without meatballs? The party is even better when the meatballs can be simmered in a crockpot. This delicious easy holiday appetizer features my dad’s delicious shortcut meatballs, which involves a bag of frozen meatballs and Mr. Yoshida’s Sweet Teriyaki Cooking Sauce. That’s it! Just put the meatballs in a crockpot, pour the sauce over the meatballs and set the heat to low. Heat the meatballs for about 3 hours, then put them out for your guests to devour.

It’s a winner, and you don’t need to let anyone know the meatballs were frozen. Your guests will love them no matter what.

Little Smokies

This appetizer is a family favorite, and it couldn’t be easier. Here are the ingredients:

1 package little smokies smoked sausages

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

Simmer together in a saucepan on low or a little crock pot on low. Serve when warm. Yummy and easy!

Clam Dip

Another favorite easy holiday appetizer, this recipe has been in my family for years. In addition to being part of a great holiday spread, it’s also a terrific item for picnics at the beach. I should never be left alone with this dip. It’s too tempting! Here’s the recipe:

1 8 ounce block of cream cheese, at room temperature

1  6.5 ounce can of chopped clams

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, to taste

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

A few drops of hot pepper sauce, to taste

Drain clams and reserve clam juice. Mix clam juice with cream cheese, a little juice at a time, until a smooth consistency is achieved. Add the seasonings and mix well. Finally, add the drained clams. Enjoy with your favorite chips or crackers.

Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball

I adore this recipe. Its simple ingredients and beautiful presentation make it a lovely addition to any party. To view the recipe, go to my post about Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball. You will not regret it!

Easy Seafood Dip Supreme

This easy recipe was recently shared with me by my husband’s cousin, and it’s quickly become a favorite. It contains many of my favorite ingredients, and it’s delicious. I’ve tried it with crackers, chips, bread, celery sticks and it’s a standout. To learn how to make it, go to my post called Easy Seafood Dip Supreme.

Homemade Salsa

I grow tomatoes in our garden for one main reason: This salsa recipe is a winner. I try to make enough of this easy canned salsa to last until the next growing season. Sometimes, we run out before I make the next batch. I usually have a few jars on the shelf for holiday entertaining, though. Here’s the recipe for Easy Canned Salsa. If you would like, you could save this recipe for the summer, when you might have home-grown ingredients on hand. Then you could make some to have in your pantry for next year’s holiday season.

Mom’s Special Guacamole

When people first taste this homemade guacamole, they know there’s something different about it. Its flavor is like no other. Since I grew up eating it, all other guacamole recipes pale in comparison. Here’s how to make my mom’s special guacamole. You can increase the spiciness as much as you like.

2 ripe medium-sized avocados

1-2 tablespoons ketchup

2 teaspoons bottled or fresh lemon juice

1-2 teaspoons dried, minced onion

1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder, to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, to taste

A few drops of hot pepper sauce, to taste

Remove the skin and the pit from each avocado. Mash avocados, then add all other ingredients. For mashing the avocados, there’s nothing better than this round masher. Mine was given to me by a dear family friend, but here’s one exactly like it.

Stir to combine. Serve with tortilla chips or with your favorite taco, flauta, tostada or burrito recipe. Bliss!

Scrumptious Ham and Dill Pickle Dip

Mini Sausage Rolls

These bite-sized savory gems are perfect for parties. They may be served warm from the oven or taken on a picnic. They are also a great addition to any tea party. Try the easy mini sausage roll recipe and watch your guests devour them.

Other Party Ideas You Might Enjoy:

My Recipes to Try Pinterest Board

I’m always looking for new, easy recipes to try. I get many of my ideas from Pinterest. If I find a recipe I’d like to try, I save it to my Recipes to Try board. My family members have been beneficiaries of my many Pinterest experiments. Most of them have turned out well. Do you have a Pinterest account? If you like to collect easy recipes as well, I’d love to follow you.

More Food Inspiration

Do you have any favorite easy appetizer recipes you enjoy serving? I’d enjoy knowing about them, if you would care to share. It’s always nice to have a plan when it comes to meals and parties. If you’re looking for a way to get more organized with your meal-planning efforts, I’ve got something for you. Free, editable meal planners! The templates can be used over and over, as often as you need them. You can make as many duplicates as you like, and you’ll be able to save old meal plans for future reference. I hope it simplifies things for you.

Get my digital, editable, printable templates!

Have a fabulous day, and have fun serving up (and eating) easy holiday appetizers!

Lisa Mitchell is a wife, mom, and school librarian who likes to create and share recipes, often using fresh ingredients from her family’s small Pacific Northwest farm. To get more easy recipes, click on over to the Food page.

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