29 Holiday Hors d'Oeuvre Recipes for Every Party Make each bite at your next festive cocktail party the best ever. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 2, 2025 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Fred Hardy Jr. / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling Use an array of hors d'oeuvres to set the tone for a dazzling and delicious holiday cocktail party. Keep things playful with andouille sausage hogs in a blanket, or put a sophisticated spin on classic onion dip. From creamy caviar-topped crab canapés to crisp butternut squash wontons, these are our best holiday hors d'oeuvres for merry, bright gatherings. Keep all of your recipes at your fingertips. With the MyRecipes app you can easily save and organize your favorites from anywhere, including Instagram and TikTok, in one convenient place. Get the free app. 01 of 29 Smoked Sausage Wreath Abby Hocking This striking and festive wreath from F&W's Justin Chapple is made with Hillshire Farm® Smoked Sausage encased in crisp puff pastry. Sweet-tart lingonberry jam balances out the smoky sausage alongside crispy fried herbs, which make for a beautiful (and tasty) garnish. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 29 Pepper Jelly Cocktail Meatballs Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Inspired by slow-cooker grape jelly meatballs, F&W recipe developer Nicole Hopper coats these broiled pork and beef meatballs in a sticky, spicy-sweet sauce made with pepper jelly and chipotles in adobo sauce. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 29 Dirty Martini Dip Mini Stuffed Potatoes Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Sally McKay / Prop Styling by Abby Armstrong Tender roasted baby Yukon Gold potatoes are stuffed with a creamy, salty filling made from two cheeses and briny olive juice. Chopped gin-marinated Castelvetrano olives add a bright finishing touch to complete these bite-sized party poppers. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 29 Crudités with Miso-Sesame Dip Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This umami-packed dip from 2024 F&W Best New Chef Leina Horii combines earthy toasted sesame seeds, nutty white miso, and rice vinegar for a mild sweetness and acidity. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 29 Gougères with Smoked Salmon, Caviar, and Prosciutto Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman Made with nutty Gruyère cheese, these airy puffs are the perfect vessel for crème fraîche and your choice of toppings. We recommend silky smoked salmon and caviar or fresh thyme and ribbons of prosciutto. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 29 Creamy Mushroom Tartlets Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen “Whether you need passed canapés at your next cocktail party or a stunning side dish to pair with a main course, this dish hits all the marks,” chef Wylie Dufresne says. To make it, he tops rounds of store-bought puff pastry with a cream sherry-infused cashew spread and heaps of fresh shiitakes, then bakes them until they're delightfully golden. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 29 Thai-Style Shrimp Cocktail Aubrie Pick For a new take on the classic app, cook and chill large tail-on shrimp to serve with a quick garlic aïoli and super-spicy fish sauce–based dipping sauce. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 29 Bacon-Wrapped Dates Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali These are the perfect sweet-and-savory, juicy-and-crispy bites for your holiday spread. Dates and bacon are dressed up with toasted walnuts and herbs plus a savory mix of cream cheese and blue cheese. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 29 Shakshuka Deviled Eggs Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas Give crowd-pleasing deviled eggs the shakshuka treatment by spooning smoky, garlicky harissa-spiked tomato jam onto each egg half. The velvety yolk filling includes tangy yogurt along with the usual mayo to balance the flavors. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 29 Creamy Crab Canapés with Lemon and Caviar Food & Wine / Photo by Fred Hardy Jr. / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling These creamy crab canapés from chef Grant Achatz combine delicate lump crab, whipped cream, bright lemon zest, and luxurious caviar atop crisp brioche rounds for an effortlessly elegant appetizer that comes together in just 30 minutes. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 29 Caramelized Five-Onion Dip Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Onion dip is plenty delicious in its own right, and in this recipe from F&W's Justin Chapple, five types of caramelized onions bring loads of additional flavor to the party. Cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream provide the dip's velvety base. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 29 Garlic Butter Chicken Bites Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Coat chunks of boneless, skinless chicken breasts with a luscious lemon pepper and garlic butter sauce, then serve with toothpicks for an irresistible hors d'oeuvre. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 29 Oysters Rockefeller Chris Simpson / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop styling by Thom Driver For this classic and crowd-pleasing appetizer, legendary chef Emeril Lagasse tops shucked oysters with a spinach-herb sauce and buttery crushed crackers, then bakes them until browned. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 29 Potato-Gruyère Tart Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell Flaky store-bought puff pastry is the foundation for this festive tart. Caramelized onions and thin slices of tender potatoes bake atop a bed of thyme, mustard, Gruyère, and cream for an appetizer your guests won't be able to resist. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 29 Chicken Liver Pâté Diana Chistruga Jacques Pépin's classic recipe for cool, silky-smooth chicken liver pâté comes together in just minutes and makes a terrific party snack. Don't worry if you have leftovers — just pop them in the freezer to enjoy later. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 29 French Onion Roast Beef Sliders Chris Simpson / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Pair nutty Gruyère cheese with savory roast beef, sandwiched in the sweetness of Frenched onions and King's Hawaiian rolls, for a melty and warm easy-to-share party food. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 29 Baked Brie with Spiced Pears and Cherries Sarah Crowder / Food Styling by Bridget Hallinan In this timeless appetizer, spiced fruits and nuts rest atop Brie inside a golden, crisp shell of puff pastry. A final drizzle of honey and sprinkle of flaky sea salt enhance all the sweet and savory flavors. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 29 Caviar Waffle Bites Greg DuPree For this inventive and playful take on blini, strips of waffles house pockets of caviar, crème fraîche, and chives, making perfect grab-and-go appetizers. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 29 Croquetas de Pollo Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Crispy on the outside and creamy within, these Spanish chicken croquettes made for delicious and easy-to-eat hors d'oeuvres. Plus, they're great for being made in advance and keep well in the freezer. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 29 Chile Crisp-Glazed Bacon Bites Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Bacon makes everything better, including these cubed morsels drizzled with a homemade chile crisp. Enhanced by ginger, garlic, and toasted dried chiles, this snack is sure to get your holiday party started. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 29 Grape, Walnut, and Labneh Crostini with Spicy Honey Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Roast red seedless grapes top toasted sourdough slices along with creamy and tart labneh, toasted walnuts, and a drizzle of hot honey for this near-effortless and elegant appetizer. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 29 Hogs in a Blanket Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Served with store-bought chutney mixed with whole-grain mustard and prepared with frozen puff pastry, this high-brow take on the classic snack swaps out the usual hot dogs for andouille sausage. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 29 Cheesy Sausage Cocktail Toasts Jennifer Causey For these tasty toasts, cookbook author Andrea Slonecker borrows from the nostalgic flavors of her childhood and swaps in creamy mascarpone and robust Taleggio for the Velveeta in her grandmother's original version. "The topping can be made a few days ahead, and it's as straightforward as browning some Italian sausage and melting in the cheeses," she writes. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 29 Lubia Pokhteh (Red Kidney Bean Dip) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Tart with fire-roasted tomatoes and enriched with crisp, deeply browned onions, this Persian mashed–kidney bean dip is usually served to celebrate the winter solstice, but it adds a special touch to any seasonal spread. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 29 Bacon-Wrapped Scallops Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Wrap thick-cut bacon around large sea scallops for this timeless appetizer that's easy to have ready in just half an hour. Get the Recipe Save 26 of 29 Pickled Pepper Cheese Ball Justin Walker Tangy pickled cherry peppers are folded into a creamy blend of cream cheese and two types of cheddar, then shaped into a festive cheese ball studded with smoked almonds and chives — perfect for serving with crackers at your holiday gathering. Get the Recipe Save 27 of 29 Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Pickles and Gin-Spiked Sour Cream Dan Perez / Food Styling and Prop Styling by Nurit Kariv Capture the essence of latkes without any shredding or frying by simply boiling, smashing, and baking baby yellow potatoes on a sheet pan. They're a terrific canvas for dollops of gin-spiked sour cream; sprinkles of salmon roe, chives, dill, and parsley; and diced quick-pickled veggies. Get the Recipe Save 28 of 29 Cheddar Cheese Coins Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver With their crisp texture, buttery mouthfeel, and sharp, cheese-filled bite, these savory cheddar coins invite all kinds of toppings. Try variations with green chile and cornmeal, benne and black pepper, or bacon. Get the Recipe Save 29 of 29 Butternut Squash and Sage Wontons Tina Rupp Hospitality expert Jill Donenfeld fills store-bought wonton wrappers with mashed butternut squash and roasted garlic for an easy make-ahead appetizer. Steam the wontons a couple days in advance, then sauté them until crispy right before serving. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Recipes Appetizers Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit