Holiday appetizers have to be one of the best aspects of the festive season. We look forward to sharing them with family and friends as we celebrate. Food evokes nostalgia, triggering memories from childhood when the holidays were magical.

Food is everywhere for celebrating this time of the year.

There are office parties, parties to celebrate with your friends, family parties, neighbors bring homemade goodies, school parties for the kids before they break for the holidays, and so on and so forth. 

And here you are, looking for something different to add to your holiday cooking repertoire. 

Every year I try to make something different, even if it’s just one new recipe different from the year before. Whether you need holiday appetizers for a crowd or for a small gathering, these tried and true apps will make make everyone happy.

Let’s Elevate Your Holiday Appetizers Game

Christmas Charcuterie Board  These are perfect for holiday parties! You can’t go wrong with a board of cheeses, meats and seasonal fruits and veggies to feed a crowd.

Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage Balls   Come on now, you can’t tell me you haven’t had one. These have always been a staple as far as holiday appetizers. Especially if you’re a Southerner, you know these very well. The addition of jalapeno was a touch of mine (big shocker, I know), and certainly not necessary if you’re not a fan.

It does, however, make them extra special.

I found this pan while shopping on Amazon and highly recommend it. It’s silicone and I absolutely love it.

Jalapeno Popper Bites with Cranberry Sauce –  These festive little bites are soft little pillows of popper goodness with a festive cranberry dip. I have this Spode chip and dip I serve them in that I am truly obsessed with and it’s perfect for your holiday appetizers.

I also love this one and OMG this one that’s shaped like Rudolph and his red nose is the dip bowl!

Lobster Guacamole Crostini   I know guacamole isn’t the first thing you think of when it comes to lobster, but please trust me here. These are absolutely outstanding, and will definitely be the star of the appetizer show.

They’re not only delicious, but they make a gorgeous presentation for any table. Here is the link for the white serving platters (it comes as a set of 4). I get so much use out of these things.

Pomegranate Jalapeno Cheese Ball   This is a not your typical cheese ball. Adorned with jewel-like pomegranate arils and pecans, this tastes just as good as it looks.

It has that addictive sweet and salty taste that hooks just about everybody. If not plated on one of my white platters, I also like to serve it on a bamboo serving set vis-à-vis nostalgia charcuterie this one.

Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Bites   These are always a crowd favorite! They have the perfect ratio of cream cheese to salmon. I use a little caper juice in the cream cheese mixture instead of fighting runaway capers. They would look gorg on this Spode Christmas Tree serving tray.

Pancake Battered Chicken  This has been one of the most popular recipes on the site since I published it. It’s crazy easy to make and tastes insanely delicious.

I also made two different dipping sauces for it, but its good even without them. This acacia serving tray with silver dip bowl would be perfect for serving these. I’m obsessed with it – you HAVE to check it out.

Italian Sub Sliders  These are fantastic party food. I’ve never met a person that didn’t love them and they disappear as fast as I can put them out.

This is very similar to what I use to serve them on, because you’re gonna want to make a double batch.

Happy Holidays!