If you’re throwing a party and don’t want to just set out a boring cheese plate, you don’t need to be a chef to make these recipes everyone will love.
Here are 15 of the best finger foods that are perfect appetizers during holidays or snacks for the big game:
Homemade Mini Corn Dogs
Sure, you could go buy a box of frozen mini corn dogs for a couple of bucks at your nearest grocery store, but it is incredibly easy to make your own — and they’ll taste much better. All you need to do is fry vegetable oil in a pot, mix up some simple batter for the breading, dip and fry up the sausages.
Find the recipe here.
Pesto Pinwheels
Just mix, spread, roll, cut and done — these pinwheels are simple, but so delicious. Feel free to substitute the tortilla for bread dough or even use canned biscuit dough like Pillsbury if you want the breading to be a bit more thick.
Find the recipe here.
Tomato and Basil Bruschetta
There are many variations of bruschetta. The Italian classic has been reimagined with strawberries, peach salsa and figs and goat cheese. But you can’t go wrong with serving the original tomato and basil bruschetta. The dish might look a bit complex, but don’t let the plating trick you into being overwhelmed. It’s very simple to make.
Find the recipe here.
Grilled Stuffed Jalapeños
Do you like bacon? Cheese? Delicious, crisp peppers? This recipe is for you. Just stuff the cheesy mixture into the peppers and place them on the grill, cheese side up, for less than 10 minutes. The grilled jalapeños are a tasty and a healthier alternative than frying them, which is another popular preparation of this dish.
Find the recipe here.
Stuffed Celery
Think of this finger food as a grown-up rendition of ants on a log. But instead of peanut butter and raisins, the celery is stuffed with a cream cheese and vegetable mix combo and topped with walnuts and bacon. It’s the perfect quick snack.
Find the recipe here.
Oreo Balls
If you want impossibly sweet desserts that you and your guests won’t be able to stop munching on, look no further. Oreo balls are a finger food favorite for anything from weddings to graduation parties. But plan ahead when it comes to prep time — after rolling the Oreo and cream cheese mixture into balls, they have to chill in the fridge for an hour. This dish isn’t something you can throw together quickly.
Find the recipe here.
Pecan Pie Bites
Enjoy sweet and crunchy pecan pie without committing to an entire plate with these bite-sized adaptations. This dish is great for dessert platters for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving potlucks and breaks away from what’s expected — pie, pie and more pie.
Find the recipe here.
Mini Sausage Tarts
These crunchy sausage tarts are perfect for any party. Just mix sausage, cheese and ranch salad dressing with your choice of extra ingredients like olives, tomatoes or peppers and fill the mini fillo shells.
Find the recipe here.
Chicken Salad Tomato Cups
Want to go a healthier route? Try these chicken salad tomato cups, which are essentially homemade chicken salad stuffed into a tomato. But you better have a gentle, steady hand — this dish requires carefully scooping out the insides of campari tomatoes to make a shell, which can be a tricky and messy process.
Find the recipe here.
Irish Potato Bites
You can’t have a proper St. Patrick’s Day party without potatoes and corned beef. Just finely chop the beef, mix it with sour cream, butter and cheese and spoon it into a hollowed-out potato half. Bite in and wash it down with green beer if you’re feeling extra festive.
Find the recipe here.
Chicken Taco Mexican Pinwheels
Similar to the aforementioned pesto pinwheels, this dish is an easy four-step process to make — mix, spread, roll and cut. If you want the chicken to have a bit more kick, try adding some finely minced jalapeños into the spread.
Find the recipe here.
Bacon Jalapeño Deviled Eggs
If you love deviled eggs but are tired of doing the same old thing, mix it up and add some heat. This spicy take on deviled eggs is sure to be a hit for any host or hostess. Just throw bacon bits and diced jalapeños into your traditional deviled egg recipe and voila.
Find the recipe here.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
The most difficult thing about making this dish is not eating all of it as you go. For any sweet cheesecake lovers, this recipe is a dream. Just mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract together, use a piping bag to fill a hollowed strawberry and top the filling with graham cracker crumbs. Nobody will be able to resist them.
Find the recipe here.
Garlic Cheese Bombs
Cheese lovers, rejoice. It looks like you’re just eating a garlic bread ball, but then bam it’s a cheesy explosion in your mouth. This appetizer is incredibly simple to make — just put cheese in the center of each piece of biscuit dough, fold the dough over and bring the ends together to make a little envelope and bake.
Find the recipe here.
Mac And Cheese Bites
Another cheesy finger food to delight dairy lovers everywhere, and without the gooey mess. This dish is essentially macaroni and cheese muffins (made with a muffin tin and everything) and taste incredible.
Find the recipe here.
