Do you want to wow your party guests with amazing appetizers? You are in the right place! Whether you are planning a birthday party, baby shower, or just a get-together for your friends and family, we came up with a list of 20 of the best finger food appetizers that will totally transform your next party!
Delicious Finger Food Appetizers
1. Fried Mac and Cheese Balls
These mac and cheese balls are perfect for any party! They’re crispy, cheesy, and creamy, and you only need a few pantry staples like eggs, panko breadcrumbs, and oil for frying! Plus, you can use leftover mac and cheese, which means you finally have a reason to pull that leftover mac and cheese out of your freezer.
Keep in mind that you need cold mac and cheese for this recipe, so if you are making the mac and cheese fresh, you will need to refrigerate it for a few hours first. We also recommend using this cookie scoop to make your little mac and cheese balls perfect every time!
2. Ham and Cheese Sliders
Ham and cheese always go great together, and throwing them on a Hawaiian roll is the recipe for fantastic finger food! These yummy sliders come together in minutes, so you won’t have to put too much work into them. The best part is the yummy, buttery poppy seed mixture that goes over the top!
This recipe calls for Swiss cheese, but feel free to get creative and try a different cheese if Swiss isn’t your thing! You will need a good cookie sheet or pan for this recipe. We love this set of pans from Amazon!
3. Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
Sausage balls are a classic at any party or event, and for good reason! However, these sausage balls are slightly different from your usual ones because they include yummy cream cheese! The addition of the cream cheese ups the flavor profile and adds more moisture, making for a perfect sausage ball in every bite!
Related: 21 Best Finger Food Ideas to Serve at Your Next Party
4. 3-Ingredient Crescent Sausage Bites
These 3-ingredient crescent sausage bites are super easy to make and are absolutely delicious! They come together in minutes and make great finger food appetizers for almost any occasion. You simply mix the cooked sausage and cream cheese in a mixing bowl, then spread it over a layer of crescent rolls. Place another layer of crescent rolls on top, then toss them in the oven until the crescent rolls are browned. Viola!
The recipe calls for hot sausage, but you can substitute it for mild if you don’t want or kick. You can also try turkey sausage and fat-free cream cheese to lighten them up.
5. Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
We love these firecracker chicken meatballs because you make them in the slow cooker, so you can turn them on warm until it’s close to the time your guests are supposed to arrive, so there is plenty of time to make your other appetizers! Keep in mind that these are spicy, so be careful serving them at a party where there will be a lot of kids!
6. Pig Shots
While they may take a bit more effort than other finger food appetizers, these pig shots will not disappoint! They feature yummy kielbasa sausage wrapped in bacon and stuffed with a super yummy cream cheese filling! You can also baste them in BBQ sauce halfway between cooking to take them over the top.
They are usually made in a smoker and smoked at about 230 degrees for 2-4 hours. However, this recipe shows how to make them using simply an air fryer! Alternatively, you can use an oven for the pig shots. However, the bacon may not get as crispy using this method.
7. Tater Tot Appetizer Cups
Think loaded tater tots made into little finger food appetizers with melty cheese, creamy sour cream, and crunchy bacon! Umm, yes, please! This recipe is super quick and easy to put together using only a muffin tin! This recipe calls for frozen tater tots, which makes it almost effortless. However, if you like making things from scratch or want to test out your gourmet chef skills, feel free to make your tater tots from scratch using this recipe!
Related: Delicious Chocolate Coconut Balls – No Bake Recipe
8. Bunless Burger Bites
Get straight to the point with these yummy bunless burger bites! We think this appetizer is super creative and a nice change of pace from traditional burger sliders (not like we don’t LOVE a good cheeseburger slider). These bunless burger bites are also great for those looking for a bit of a lighter option. If you really want to make them the perfect low-cal appetizer, switch the regular ground beef to lean or extra lean ground beef, which will save on the fat.
9. Bacon Cheddar Ranch Pinwheels
Bacon, cheddar, and ranch are a trio that just fit perfectly together! It doesn’t matter what you make; if you add these three ingredients, you can’t go wrong! That is why we just love these bacon cheddar ranch pinwheels! The best part is they are super easy to make, and you only need a few ingredients to pull this appetizer together.
These are perfect for many different occasions, and they are also kid-friendly, so they are great for even the pickiest of eaters. We think these toothpicks would be super cute to use if you are making them for a kid’s party. Just roll them up skinnier before cutting so they will fit nicely on the toothpicks.
10. Baked Sushi Cups
These baked sushi cups are just perfect for an Asian-themed party or for any party if you and your guests love sushi! Sushi can be hard to make, and it takes some experience to perfect it! Luckily, you don’t have to be a sushi chef to pull these off these incredible baked sushi cups. You can get most of the ingredients at your local grocery store. The only thing you may have a hard time finding is the nori, which is the seaweed wraps. If you run into this issue, you can find them here on Amazon.
11. Easy Tomato Bruschetta
Bruschetta makes for great finger food appetizers because it’s crisp and refreshing! It’s just perfect for an outdoor party in the spring or summer or to offer at a party with a lot of heavy and filling appetizers. We love bruschetta because it comes together quickly but is absolutely delicious. The balsamic glaze really makes the bruschetta, so we recommend getting a good quality brand like this one!
12. Mini Beef Taco Cups
No party is complete without a Mexican-inspired appetizer, and these mini beef taco cups are just the ticket! We love that these taco cups feature corn tortillas instead of flour, which gives them a more authentic Mexican flavor and makes them a bit lighter. The only tools you will need for this recipe are a skillet and a muffin pan! The recipe also says to microwave the corn tortillas to make them more pliable, but if you don’t have a microwave, you can warm them in your skillet just enough to warm them.
13. Mini Twice Baked Potatoes
Twice-baked potatoes are so yummy, but traditional ones are too big to be good finger food appetizers. That’s why these mini versions that are made using baby potatoes are sure to wow your guests! Twice-baked potatoes are different than traditional potato skins because instead of simply topping the potatoes with the ingredients, you actually scoop the potato out of the skins after they are cooked and mix them with yummy add-ins like butter, cheese, and sour cream! Then, add more cheese on top and pop them in the oven until the cheese is yummy and bubbly!
14. Cranberry Brie Bites
These cranberry brie bites will totally wow your party guests with their delicious combination of sweet and tangy! They are also super easy to make and only require a few ingredients! We recommend this rolling pin for rolling out your crescent roll dough! You can also add a bit of a kick to these cranberry brie bites by adding a thin slice of fresh jalapeno (not pickled) to the top before baking!
Related: 15 Luau Finger Food Ideas We Can’t Resist
15. Jalapeno Popper Wontons
These jalapeno poppers are savory and delicious! The mild heat of the jalapenos paired with the creamy cream cheese and crispy bacon wrapped in a crunchy wonton creates a unique flavor that your party guests will rave about! The best part about these is you can make the filling ahead of time and refrigerate it until you need it!
16. Crock Pot Bacon Wrapped Smokies
We are big fans of slow cooker recipes, and this one is no exception! Sure, you could serve your guests regular slow cooker smokies, but why not wrap them in bacon instead? The bacon gives them a bit of texture and gives them an extraordinary flavor!
17. Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
These crab-stuffed mushrooms put a spin on traditional stuffed mushrooms, and you probably won’t eat them another way again! The mushrooms are stuffed with yummy ingredients like cream cheese, crispy bacon, and flaky crab meat. They are sure to be a huge crowd-pleaser!
18. Buffalo Chicken Bites
Most everyone loves a good buffalo chicken dip, but why not turn it into delicious finger food? With these buffalo chicken bites, your guests can enjoy the yummy flavors of buffalo chicken dip without having to hassle with the chips and dip. This recipe uses phyllo cups to make things super easy, but if you can’t find them at your local supermarket, you can get them here!
19. Easy Antipasto Skewers
Instead of a normal charcuterie board at your next party, how about giving these delicious antipasto skewers a try? Your guests will get all of their favorites in perfect portions on one easy-to-eat skewer! If you want to get super fancy, we think these pearl skewers are just adorable!
20. Pesto Pinwheels
These pesto pinwheels are super unique and will have your party guests begging you for the recipe! Puff pastry sheets, jarred pesto, and parmesan cheese are the only ingredients you need to bring this recipe to life! Feeling fancy? Feel free to make your own pastry shell and homemade pesto if you want to go all from scratch!
