Hosting is stressful, especially during the holidays when you have a mountain of things on your to-do list. In the chaos of planning the main course, side dishes and dessert, you may have forgotten all about appetizers. I’ve got you covered. Here are 25 of my favorite last minute Christmas appetizers that are easy to make and will save your sanity.
25 Last‑minute Christmas Appetizers to Save Your Sanity
1. Christmas Trees
A simple but festive and delicious recipe. For this, you’ll need puff pastry sheets, basil pesto and Parmesan cheese.
Roll out the puff pastry and slice into strips. Fill the center with your pesto and cheese mix. Then, start folding the strip on itself to form a tree shape (like in the Pin).
Insert a skewer to hold it together, and use a star cookie cutter to create the star topper.
Bake in the oven until golden brown. Sprinkle some more Parmesan cheese on top as decoration.
2. Cranberry, Pecan and Cheese Log
Last minute Christmas appetizers don’t get much easier than this recipe. This cheese log is made with crushed pecans, dried cranberries, cream cheese and shredded white cheddar.
Fold all of the ingredients together and form into a log shape with the help of some plastic wrap. Roll your log in some more crushed pecans, dried cranberries and chopped chives.
Serve with crackers, and you have an easy appetizer that will please everyone.
3. Baked Cranberry Feta Dip
Tart cranberries and savory feta cheese come together in this tasty dip that your guests will go crazy over.
Add some fresh cranberries to a casserole dish and mix with fresh orange juice, orange zest, honey and rosemary. Place a whole block of feta at the center of the dish and brush on some hot honey, red pepper flakes and plain pepper.
Bake until the cranberries are soft and bubbly. Serve warm with crackers.
4. Christmas Popcorn
This popcorn recipe is addictive, and it’s ridiculously easy to make. Toss some Christmas M&Ms with popcorn in a bowl. Melt white chocolate wafers in the microwave and pour over the popcorn.
Add some sprinkles while the chocolate is still warm and gooey. Let it set to harden, or place it in the fridge if you want to speed things up.
5. Rice Krispies Trees
Rice Krispies treats are always a crowd-pleaser, but this recipe puts a festive spin on things by shaping your treats into Christmas trees.
This Pinner also adds pink food coloring, but you can add whatever colors you want.
The recipe is simple. Melt butter and marshmallows in the microwave, add your food coloring and mix in the Rice Krispies cereal.
Place in a round cake pan to set and then cut into triangles (like you would cut a pizza). Insert a popsicle stick into the bottom of each triangle to create your tree trunk.
You can use a piping bag to drizzle on more melted white chocolate and decorate your trees, or serve them as-is.
Related: 25 Mini Christmas Appetizers for Easy Serving
6. Pimiento Cheese Crackers
This appetizer will take you all five minutes to put together, and everyone will be happy to dig in and devour it.
Buy a tub of pimiento cheese from the grocery store, and serve it in a pretty bowl with a spreading knife and a variety of crackers.
7. Candy Cane Skewers
These skewers don’t actually feature any candy canes, but the tomato, basil and mozzarella create a festive display.
Thread whole cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls and fresh basil leaves (alternating between these ingredients) onto skewers. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.
No baking and no cooking involved.
8. Stuffed Mini Peppers
These stuffed mini peppers may just be one of the best last minute Christmas appetizers on this list. They’re festive, easy to prepare and a little spicy.
You can tweak the filling however you want, but the base recipe is a mix of cream cheese and chili flakes. I also like to add Parmesan or pecorino cheese to the mix.
Halve your mini sweet peppers and remove the seeds. Fill with your cream cheese mix, and bake at 400F for about 10 minutes. Top with fresh basil.
9. Cheese Trees
These mini cheese trees are the cutest appetizers and they take no time to prepare. Just unwrap a Laughing Cow cheese wedge, and insert a pretzel stick into the larger side of the triangles.
Sprinkle dried fruit or nuts on the sides and top of the wedges, and then add fresh herbs.
Offer a few different variations to appeal to different tastes and keep your plate colorful.
10. Healthy Pizza Bites
These pizza bites have a healthy, delicious filling of diced red peppers, jalapeños and mozzarella. Even though the recipe sounds complicated, it’s quick and easy.
The trick is to buy pizza dough from the grocery store. Divide the dough into 33 equal parts, and using your fingers, press each dough ball to form a 3” round base. Place some of your pepper and mozzarella mix in the center, and wrap all sides of the dough around the veggie and cheese to create a tightly sealed ball.
Arrange the pizza bites on a baking tray shaped like a Christmas tree.
Spread a little bit of pizza sauce over the bites and add some toppings, like Parmesan cheese and basil leaves.
Bake and serve.
11. Caprese Wreaths
This caprese wreath is naturally festive and delicious. It’s also one of the easiest last minute appetizers you’ll find.
Build your wreath with alternating rows of tomato and mozzarella with fresh basil leaves in between. Drizzle on a little olive oil and balsamic glaze. You can serve with mini toasts or crackers.
12. Christmas Deviled Eggs
If you know how to make deviled eggs, then you know how to make Christmas deviled eggs. The only difference with this recipe is that the yolk filling adds diced white onion and pepper. Adding small sprigs of rosemary to each egg gives this appetizer a pretty red and green color that’s perfect for the holidays.
13. Boursin Fig Hot Honey Pistachio Dip
This recipe only needs five ingredients: Boursin garlic and herb cheese (x2), pistachios, Mike’s hot honey, fig spread and bruschettini.
Spread the cheese out on a platter. Add a layer of fig preserves and spread it across the cheese. Top with crushed pistachios and a drizzle of hot honey.
Serve with the bruschettiini.
14. Sandwich Trees
This is one of the easiest last minute Christmas appetizers, but I can promise you that everyone will love them.
To make these sandwich trees, you’ll need long skewers, a star cookie cutter, salami (or any deli meat), cheese and gherkin pickles.
Use the star cookie cutter to create little star tree toppers with the cheese. Thread your star onto a skewer, and then add folded pieces of deli meat (you want it to look like a tree) and finish with a whole gherkin pickle to create the base of the tree.
15. Prosciutto Wrapped Boursin Cheese
Here’s a simple but elegant appetizer that’s perfect for a last minute rush. Grab a slice of prosciutto crudo and add a dollop of Boursin cheese to the middle. Roll up the slice to wrap the cheese inside. Repeat with all of your prosciutto slices.
Pan-sear on both sides until they’re nice and crispy.
Place them on a serving platter, add a drizzle of honey and top with freshly crushed walnuts.
Related: 21 Christmas Rice Krispie Treats Kids Can Help Make
16. Pecan and Cranberry Cheese Balls
Cheese balls are the ultimate last minute appetizer because they take just a few minutes to make.
This recipe combines cream cheese with shredded white cheddar, chopped green onions, browns sugar, spices, dried cranberries and pecans.
Just mix your ingredients together, and form a ball. Dip your cheese ball in leftover nuts, spices and herbs. Then use plastic wrap to hold the shape while it chills until your guests arrive.
Serve with crackers or crostini.
17. Pig in a Blanket
A classic appetizer that just so happens to be quick and easy to prepare. You really only need three ingredients for this one: crescent rolls, cocktail weenies and butter.
Wrap the cocktail weenies in the crescent roll dough and spread melted butter on top. Bake until the dough is puffed and golden brown.
You can make your own honey mustard sauce, or you can use a prepared dipping sauce if you’re pressed for time.
18. Shrimp-filled Phyllo Cups
Here’s a fancy appetizer that your guests will love and you can easily put together at the last minute.
The filling is a mix of cooked shrimp, celery, Thousand Island dressing, mayo and lemon juice. Bake the phyllo cups while the filling chills in the fridge.
Fill the shells with the shrimp mixture just before serving and garnish with some fresh parsley.
19. Spinach Puffs
A traditional appetizer that’s quick and delicious. You can make this so many different ways, but I like to use spinach artichoke dip as the filling. It saves you a few extra steps and is just as tasty as making it yourself.
To prepare these, cut rolled-out puff pastry dough into squares. Place one square in each of your muffin tin’s cups. Add a spoonful of the dip and bake.
You can add shredded cheese on top before baking if you want your puffs to be extra cheesy.
20. Roasted Stuffed Dates
Stuffed dates are my go-to appetizer when I need something quick and tasty to serve my guests.
All you have to do is halve your dates, remove the pits and fill the center with cream cheese. Place them neatly in a casserole dish and top with a mixture of chopped walnuts, rosemary, cinnamon, orange zest, orange juice and olive oil.
Bake until warm and golden brown, and then drizzle with some extra honey.
21. Candied Kielbasa Bites
No list of last minute Christmas appetizers is complete without at least one kielbasa recipe. You’ll love this one because the glaze is a mix of sweet and savory.
It combines honey with brown sugar, ketchup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and spices.
Just slice your kielbasa sausage into bite-sized rounds and arrange them in a casserole dish and top with the glaze before baking.
22. Brie-and-Apple Tatin Bites
These tatin bites are so fun to make, and your guests will love them. Fresh apple slices are tossed with a simple caramel sauce and paired with Brie wedges on top of puff pastry slices.
Bake your bites for 12-15 minutes, and you’re ready to serve.
23. Bacon Wrapped Dates
Here’s another stuffed date recipe, but this time, they’re wrapped in bacon and topped with honey before baking.
The cream cheese filling features fresh herbs and honey, which complements the savory bacon.
Related: 21 Savory Pie Recipes to Make This Season That Beat Pumpkin
24. Bruschetta Dip
This delicious dip has two layers: a creamy feta base and a classic bruschetta topping with tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Prepare the feta layer, spread it into your serving dish and top with the bruschetta.
Serve with crostini or crackers.
25. Cocktail Meatballs
You only need three ingredients for this appetizer: frozen meatballs, grape jelly and chili sauce.
While this can still be a last minute dish, you will need to plan a little in advance. The meatballs need to cook in a slow cooker for about 3-4 hours.
If you need to speed things up, you can try baking them in a casserole dish. The meatballs are pre-cooked, so you really just need to warm them up and allow them to soak up the sauce.
