Hosting a Christmas Eve party doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. I have 25+ of the best budget-friendly Christmas Eve finger food ideas that will make your party unforgettable.
25+ Best Christmas Eve Finger Food Ideas On A Budget
1. Salami Pinwheels
Pinwheels are a classic finger food choice. Everyone loves them, they’re easy to make and they’re affordable. These pinwheels have just three ingredients: salami, cream cheese and banana peppers. Not a fan of salami? You can use any deli meat you like or swap it out for a vegan option, like Tofurkey slices.
2. Pig Shots
Rich, hearty and flavorful, these pig shots will be the hit of your party. The best part? You need just a few ingredients: bacon, kielbasa, cream cheese, cheddar cheese and spices. Just assemble each shot and cook in the air fryer for 12-15 minutes (or the oven for 25 min). Easy!
3. Cheesy Garlic Cruffin
Cruffins are a mix of a croissant and a muffin. They’re normally sweet, but you can find savory variations like these cheesy garlic ones. Filled with cheesy garlic chive butter, these cruffins are the ultimate finger food. You can use storebought crescent dough to save time or make your own.
Here’s a great tutorial on how to make your own dough 👇
4. Christmas Charcuterie Board
No list of finger foods is complete without charcuterie. And yes – charcuterie can be budget-friendly because it’s essentially a dozen different finger foods on a platter. In fact, you could probably just have one big charcuterie board and call it a day for appetizers. To make your board more festive, try adding red and green foods, like tomatoes, olives, cucumbers and fresh herbs.
5. Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Bites
Looking for some spicy Christmas Eve finger food ideas? Here’s a great one – and it’s super easy and affordable to make. Squares of crescent dough stuffed with cream cheese and spicy jalapeno pepper jelly. Yum! If you’re not a fan of pepper jelly, you can use any type of sweet or savory jelly you want.
6. Cranberry Brie Bites
Cranberry and brie are a winning combination for holiday parties. These bites take these flavors to the next level by combining them together inside flaky puff pastry. You could even make these ahead of time and reheat them the day of the party. While you can use canned cranberry sauce to save time, I recommend making your own. It’s so easy and cheap!
Here’s how 👇
Related: 25+ Best Christmas Appetizer Ideas to Wow a Crowd
7. Mashed Potato Bombs
Bite-sized mashed potato bites loaded with cheese and a hint of spice. This recipe calls for instant mashed potatoes, but you can use homemade. Bake in a muffin tin for just 30 minutes, and you have a tasty finger food everyone will love.
8. Cheesy Pesto Wreath
How gorgeous is this pesto wreath? You wouldn’t even know that this entire dish takes just four ingredients: crescent dough, pesto, cream cheese and mozzarella. Garnish with fresh cherry tomatoes and rosemary sprigs to make this finger food look like a million bucks. I recommend serving this with marinara dipping sauce – yum!
9. Artichoke Bites
Flaky puff pastry bites stuffed with a creamy artichoke filling and topped with savory bacon and fresh parsley. This is one appetizer everyone will devour, and you won’t have to spend hours in the kitchen making it. A package of puff pastry, a simple artichoke dip recipe and a muffin tin are all you need to bring this recipe to life.
10. Festive Crudité Platter Wreath
Looking for a healthy finger food option? Nothing beats a good crudité platter. Arrange fresh veggies on a bed of kale and serve with a homemade Greek yogurt dip. You can add any veggies you like, but a mix of red, green, orange and white will make your platter more festive.
11. Cheesy Crabmeat Canapes
Want to indulge a little without going over your budget? These canapes are the perfect choice. Fresh crabmeat mixed with a delicious cheese spread and broiled on top of English muffins. What’s not to love? This recipe makes enough for 32 servings, so you can easily feed a crowd on a budget.
12. Jalapeno Popper Bites
Who says Christmas Eve finger food ideas have to be boring? These popper bites are spicy and addicting. To make them, you’ll stuff tortilla scoops with a jalapeno and bacon cream cheese filling. It’s the perfect finger food for any Christmas Eve party.
13. Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry Bundles
Tasty ham baked with gooey cheese in a flaky puff pastry bundle and topped with everything bagel seasoning. This is such a simple and affordable finger food that doesn’t compromise on flavor. You can use any type of cheese you want for this recipe, but sharp cheddar will give it a nice bite.
14. Antipasto Appetizer Bites
I love antipasto but never thought to bake it like the Brown Eyed Baker does with these bites. Layers of deli meat and roasted red pepper baked between sheets of crescent dough and mozzarella. In just 30 minutes, you’ll have 32 bites ready to feed a crowd.
15. Glazed Kielbasa Bites
It doesn’t get much simpler than this finger food recipe. Top slices of kielbasa with pineapple and tangy teriyaki, sweet chili, honey and pineapple glaze. Bake for 20 minutes, and serve. It doesn’t get much easier or more affordable than this recipe.
Related: 30+ No Bake Christmas Finger Food Ideas for Your Party This Year
16. Cheesy Bacon Rotel Cups
Cheesy bacon Christmas Eve finger food ideas are always a massive hit during the holidays, and these Rotel cups are sure to be a household favorite. Your cups will be made out of Phyllo shells, and for anyone who doesn’t know, Rotel is a mixture of green chilis and diced tomatoes.
You’ll add bacon, mayo and Monterey Jack cheese before baking.
17. Artichoke Bruschetta
Bruschetta is always a fast and easy finger food to make for any holiday, and for Christmas, why not add some artichoke on top? Creamy and delicious, the spread is made out of artichokes, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, mayo and a few spices.
An electric mixer is recommended to blend the cheeses together well.
18. Blackberry Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Twists
Prep time is long for this one, but only 30 minutes of it is active prep. You’ll combine blackberries, sugar, lemon juice and water into a saucepan, bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 – 30 minutes.
You’ll take out your puff pastry while the jam is cooking and roll it out before filling.
Making the twist out of the dough is a little tricky, but the recipe explains each step in great detail for you.
19. Mushroom Cheese Puff Bites
Mushroom cheese puffs are delightful, but if you’re not a fan of mushrooms, skip this recipe. For everyone else, this five-ingredient recipe uses puff pastry, cremini mushrooms, sharp white cheddar, yellow onions and garlic cloves.
All you need are a cutting board and a muffin pan to make them.
20. Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Bites
Bacon, ranch and cheese are enough to get me on board with making these cheese balls. Perfect for snacking, you’ll need cream cheese, cheddar cheese, dry ranch seasoning mix, bacon crumbles, fresh chives and pecans.
21. Chicken Cordon Bleu Bites
Prep time is 30 minutes for these chicken bites. And if you’ve never had chicken cordon bleu before, it’s made with deli ham and Swiss cheese. Great Grub also offers a recipe for a dipping sauce that adds to the flavor.
Related: 20 Delicious Finger Food Appetizers for Your Next Party
22. Pimientos Cheese Cups
Southern comfort food is always a fun addition to any holiday spread. You’ll need shredded smoked cheddar cheese, cream cheese, diced pimientos, mayo, eggs and a few other ingredients. You’ll need a mini muffin pan to bake these cheese cups.
23. Cream Cheese Wontons
One of the Christmas Eve finger food ideas that I didn’t have on my radar this year was cream cheese wontons. But they’re so easy to make with pepper jack cheese, cream cheese, soy sauce and a few other interesting ingredients that I never would have thought to add on my own.
24. Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
If you have 30 minutes, you can make these spicy meatballs. You’ll need ground chicken, garlic, salt and pepper, eggs, breadcrumbs, paprika and onion powder. But the true magic starts with the firecracker sauce, which is made out of:
- Hot sauce
- Brown sugar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Salt
- Red pepper flakes
25. Irish Potato Bites
Do you have potatoes sitting in your pantry and need to find something to do with them? If so, Irish potato bites should be at the top of your list. You’ll cut your potatoes in half and scoop out some of the middle.
You’ll mix the contents of what you scooped out with:
- Butter
- Cheddar cheese
- Corned beef
- Salt
And you’ll add the mixture to the center of the potatoes that you just scooped before baking them.
26. Parmesan Crusted Tortellini Bites
I would never have thought to make tortellini bites on my own, but let me tell you: these are tasty. You’ll either need to bake these in the oven or use an air fryer, which is the healthier choice in most cases.
And all you need are three cheese tortellini, all-purpose flour, eggs, Panko breadcrumbs Parmesan cheese, marinara sauce and a handful of other ingredients to make this finger food.
27. Jalapeno Popper Wontons
Jalapenos are already filled with flavor, but when you add them to a mix of cream cheese, Mexican-style cheese, mozzarella cheese and ranch seasoning, the flavors meld perfectly together. These jalapeno poppers are wrapped in wontons, and bacon crumbles are added.
