30 Christmas Finger Food Appetizers for a Holiday Party

Planning a holiday party? These 30 Christmas finger food appetizers include cheese balls, cranberry brie bites, pull-apart breads, crostini, dips and festive veggie trays.

The best Christmas party food is easy to grab with one hand. These finger food appetizers are festive, mostly make-ahead and look great on the table, like these Christmas appetizers for a party.

You will find cheese boards and cheese balls, puff pastry and bread bites, crostini and savory bites, plus dips and platters. For single-serve options, try these individual Christmas cheese ball appetizers.

Here are the appetizers.

Related Articles

• Christmas Party Snacks and Finger Foods
• Cranberry Appetizers for a Holiday Bash
• Phyllo Cup Appetizers
• Crostini Appetizers
• Puff Pastry Appetizers for a Party

CHRISTMAS FINGER FOOD APPETIZERS

🧀 Cheese Boards and Cheese Balls

Easy, make-ahead favorites for the center of the table.

1. Christmas Charcuterie Wreath

Cheese, beef salami, crackers, fruit and rosemary arranged in a wreath. It’s the centerpiece of the appetizer table.

Build it around a small bowl so you get a perfect circle, then remove the bowl or fill it with dip.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cheddar, cubed
• 6 oz brie or gouda
• 4 oz beef salami, folded
• 1 cup red grapes
• 1/2 cup cranberries or pomegranate
• Crackers
• Fresh rosemary sprigs

Instructions:

1. Set a small bowl in the center of a round board.
2. Lay rosemary around it in a ring.
3. Fill in with cheese, beef salami, fruit and crackers.
4. Add more rosemary to cover gaps.

2. Christmas Wreath Antipasto Skewers

Mini skewers of mozzarella, olives, tomatoes and beef salami arranged in a wreath shape.

Make the skewers the day before and arrange the wreath right before serving.

Ingredients:

• 24 mini mozzarella balls
• 24 cherry tomatoes
• 24 olives
• 24 folded beef salami slices
• 24 basil leaves
• Short skewers
• Fresh rosemary

Instructions:

1. Thread mozzarella, basil, beef salami, olive and tomato on each skewer.
2. Arrange in a circle on a round platter.
3. Tuck rosemary around the edges.
4. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if you like.

3. Snowman Cheese Ball

Three stacked cheese balls decorated as a snowman. Kids and adults both love it.

Chill each ball well before stacking so the snowman doesn’t slump.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups shredded white cheddar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 green onions, minced
• Black peppercorns
• 1 baby carrot tip
• Crackers

Instructions:

1. Mix the cream cheese, cheddar, garlic and onion.
2. Shape into 3 balls of different sizes and chill.
3. Stack on a platter.
4. Add peppercorn eyes and buttons and a carrot nose.

4. Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Ball

Tangy goat cheese rolled in dried cranberries and pecans. Sweet, savory and very festive.

Roll in the coating right before serving so the pecans stay crunchy.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 4 oz goat cheese
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tbsp parsley

Instructions:

1. Mix the cream cheese, goat cheese and honey.
2. Shape into a ball and chill 1 hour.
3. Mix the cranberries, pecans and parsley.
4. Roll the ball in the mixture and serve with crackers.

5. Mini Cheese Ball Bites

Bite-size cheese balls rolled in herbs, nuts and cranberries and set on pretzel sticks.

Roll the balls in different coatings for a colorful platter.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• Chopped pecans
• Chopped dried cranberries
• Chopped parsley
• Pretzel sticks

Instructions:

1. Mix the cream cheese and cheddar.
2. Roll into 1-inch balls and chill.
3. Roll in pecans, cranberries or parsley.
4. Insert pretzel sticks before serving.

6. Caprese Skewers

Tomato, basil and mozzarella on a skewer with balsamic glaze. The red, white and green fits Christmas perfectly.

Season with flaky salt right before serving.

Ingredients:

• 24 cherry tomatoes
• 24 mini mozzarella balls
• 24 basil leaves
• Balsamic glaze
• Olive oil
• Short skewers

Instructions:

1. Thread tomato, basil and mozzarella on each skewer.
2. Arrange on a platter.
3. Drizzle with oil and balsamic glaze.

🥐 Puff Pastry and Bread Appetizers

Warm, flaky and cheesy bites guests always reach for.

7. Cranberry Brie Bites

Brie and cranberry sauce baked in crescent dough cups. Warm, melty and always the first to go.

Cut the brie with the rind on. It melts just fine.

Ingredients:

• 1 tube crescent dough
• 4 oz brie, cubed
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
• Chopped pecans
• Fresh rosemary

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 375°F and grease a mini muffin tin.
2. Cut the dough into 24 squares and press into the cups.
3. Add a cube of brie and a spoon of cranberry sauce.
4. Top with pecans and bake 15 minutes.

8. Cranberry Brie Phyllo Cups

Crispy phyllo shells filled with brie, fresh cranberries and thyme. Ready in 15 minutes.

Frozen mini phyllo shells don’t need thawing.

Ingredients:

• 30 frozen mini phyllo shells
• 6 oz brie, cubed
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
• Fresh thyme
• Honey

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Fill each shell with brie and cranberry sauce.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Top with thyme and a drizzle of honey.

9. Baked Brie Phyllo Wreath

A wheel of brie wrapped in phyllo and baked into a golden wreath with cranberries on top.

Serve it warm with crackers and apple slices.

Ingredients:

• 1 wheel (8 oz) brie
• 6 sheets phyllo dough
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup cranberry sauce
• Rosemary

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Brush phyllo sheets with butter and layer.
3. Wrap the brie, leaving the top open in a ring.
4. Bake 20 minutes and top with cranberry sauce and rosemary.

10. Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Bread

Dough balls arranged as a Christmas tree, brushed with garlic butter and stuffed with cheese.

Use canned biscuit dough to save time.

Ingredients:

• 2 tubes refrigerated biscuit dough
• Mozzarella cubes
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp parsley
• Marinara for dipping

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Wrap each biscuit piece around a cheese cube.
3. Arrange in a tree shape on a lined tray.
4. Brush with garlic butter and bake 18 to 20 minutes.

11. Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Pizza Bites

Pizza dough bites filled with cheese and baked in a tree shape. Kids and adults both love them.

Add beef pepperoni inside for a pizza flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pizza dough
• Mozzarella cubes
• Beef pepperoni (optional)
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• Italian seasoning
• Marinara

Instructions:

1. Cut dough into pieces and wrap around cheese.
2. Arrange in a tree shape.
3. Brush with butter and seasoning.
4. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes and serve with marinara.

12. Garlic Butter Bread Wreath

Soft rolls baked in a ring and brushed with garlic butter. Put a bowl of dip in the center.

Use frozen dinner roll dough and let it rise in the pan.

Ingredients:

• 16 frozen dinner rolls, thawed
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• Parsley

Instructions:

1. Arrange the rolls in a ring around an oven-safe bowl.
2. Let rise until doubled.
3. Brush with garlic butter and parmesan.
4. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.

13. Christmas Tree Spinach Dip Breadsticks

Puff pastry layered with spinach dip and twisted into a Christmas tree. It looks impressive and tastes amazing.

Freeze for 10 minutes before cutting so the pastry holds its shape.

Ingredients:

• 2 sheets puff pastry
• 1 cup spinach dip
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• 1 egg, beaten

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Spread dip on one pastry sheet and top with the other.
3. Cut a tree shape and slice branches, then twist them.
4. Brush with egg and bake 20 minutes.

14. Mini Beef Franks in a Blanket Wreath

Beef cocktail franks wrapped in crescent dough and baked in a wreath around a mustard dip.

Use all-beef cocktail franks.

Ingredients:

• 1 tube crescent dough
• 24 all-beef cocktail franks
• 1 egg, beaten
• Everything bagel seasoning
• Honey mustard dip

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Cut the dough into strips and wrap each frank.
3. Arrange in a ring and brush with egg.
4. Sprinkle seasoning and bake 15 minutes.

15. Cranberry Feta Pinwheels

Cream cheese, feta, cranberries and green onion rolled in tortillas. Bright, tangy and make-ahead.

Roll them a day ahead and slice right before serving.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup crumbled feta
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup green onions
• 4 large tortillas

Instructions:

1. Mix all the filling ingredients.
2. Spread over the tortillas and roll tightly.
3. Chill at least 1 hour.
4. Slice into 1-inch pinwheels.

16. Puff Pastry Mushroom Goat Cheese Bites

Flaky puff pastry cups filled with goat cheese, spinach and mushrooms. Elegant and easy.

Cook the mushrooms until all the liquid is gone.

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 8 oz mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup spinach
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 oz goat cheese
• 1 egg

Instructions:

1. Sauté the mushrooms, spinach and garlic.
2. Cut pastry into squares and press into a mini muffin tin.
3. Fill with the mushroom mix and goat cheese.
4. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

🍤 Crostini and Savory Bites

One-bite appetizers that look fancy but are easy to make.

17. Goat Cheese Crostini with Apple and Pomegranate

Toasted baguette with goat cheese, apple and pomegranate. Sweet, tangy and festive.

Drizzle with honey right before serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 baguette, sliced
• 4 oz goat cheese
• 1 apple, diced
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• Honey
• Thyme

Instructions:

1. Toast the baguette slices.
2. Spread with goat cheese.
3. Top with apple and pomegranate.
4. Drizzle with honey and add thyme.

18. Caprese Crostini with Balsamic Glaze

Crispy crostini topped with mozzarella, tomato and basil. Easy and very popular.

Rub the toasted bread with a garlic clove for extra flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 baguette, sliced
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• Basil
• Olive oil
• Balsamic glaze

Instructions:

1. Brush the bread with oil and toast.
2. Top with mozzarella, tomato and basil.
3. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.

19. Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites

Cucumber rounds topped with dill cream cheese and smoked salmon. Light, fresh and low carb.

Pat the cucumber dry so the cream cheese sticks.

Ingredients:

• 1 English cucumber, sliced
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1 tbsp dill
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 4 oz smoked salmon
• Capers

Instructions:

1. Mix the cream cheese, dill and lemon.
2. Pipe onto cucumber slices.
3. Top with a piece of salmon and a caper.

20. Shrimp Cocktail Shooters

Shrimp hung on small cups of cocktail sauce. Easy to grab and very pretty.

Use cooked, chilled shrimp with the tails on.

Ingredients:

• 24 cooked jumbo shrimp
• 1 1/2 cups cocktail sauce
• Lemon wedges
• Small clear cups
• Parsley

Instructions:

1. Fill each cup with cocktail sauce.
2. Hang 1 or 2 shrimp on the rim.
3. Add a small lemon wedge and parsley.
4. Chill until serving.

21. Christmas Deviled Eggs

Classic deviled eggs dressed up with red pepper and parsley for the holidays.

Make the filling a day ahead and pipe it right before serving.

Ingredients:

• 12 eggs
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper
• Diced red pepper
• Parsley or chives

Instructions:

1. Hard boil, peel and halve the eggs.
2. Mash the yolks with mayo, mustard, salt and pepper.
3. Pipe into the whites.
4. Top with red pepper and parsley.

22. Mini Chicken Empanadas

Flaky little pies filled with chicken, cheese and green chiles. Great warm or room temperature.

Use refrigerated pie crust for the easiest dough.

Ingredients:

• 2 refrigerated pie crusts
• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
• 1 can (4 oz) green chiles
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 egg, beaten

Instructions:

1. Mix the chicken, cheese, chiles and cumin.
2. Cut the crusts into 3-inch circles.
3. Fill, fold and crimp with a fork.
4. Brush with egg and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

23. Turkey Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Mushroom caps filled with turkey sausage, cream cheese and parmesan. Hearty and full of flavor.

Bake the caps for 5 minutes first so they don’t get watery.

Ingredients:

• 24 cremini mushrooms
• 1/2 lb turkey sausage
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• Parsley

Instructions:

1. Remove the stems and pre-bake the caps 5 minutes.
2. Brown the turkey sausage and mix with cream cheese and parmesan.
3. Fill the caps and top with breadcrumbs.
4. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes.

24. Grape Jelly Cocktail Meatballs

All-beef meatballs in a sweet and tangy grape jelly sauce. Just 3 ingredients in the crockpot.

Keep them warm in the crockpot and serve with toothpicks.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb frozen all-beef meatballs
• 1 jar (18 oz) chili sauce
• 1 cup grape jelly

Instructions:

1. Add everything to a crockpot and stir.
2. Cook on low 4 hours or high 2 hours.
3. Stir and keep warm for serving.

🥑 Dips and Festive Platters

Crowd-pleasing dips and fun holiday-shaped trays.

25. Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip

Sweet and spicy cranberry salsa poured over cream cheese. Bright red and very addictive.

Make the cranberry topping a day ahead so the flavors blend.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 jalapeño, seeded
• 2 green onions
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 lime, juiced
• 8 oz cream cheese
• Crackers

Instructions:

1. Pulse the cranberries, sugar, jalapeño, onions, cilantro and lime in a food processor.
2. Chill 1 hour.
3. Spread cream cheese on a plate.
4. Spoon the cranberry mix on top and serve with crackers.

26. Hot Crab and Artichoke Dip Bread Bowl

Creamy, cheesy crab and artichoke dip baked in a bread bowl. Rich and perfect for a crowd.

Toast the bread cubes alongside the bowl for dipping.

Ingredients:

• 1 round sourdough loaf
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 cup parmesan
• 8 oz crab meat
• 1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1 cup mozzarella

Instructions:

1. Hollow out the bread and cube the insides.
2. Mix the cream cheese, mayo, parmesan, crab and artichokes.
3. Fill the bowl and top with mozzarella.
4. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.

27. Christmas Guacamole Wreath

Guacamole shaped into a wreath and decorated with pomegranate, tomatoes and cilantro.

Squeeze lime over the top to keep it green.

Ingredients:

• 4 avocados
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 cup red onion, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• Salt
• Pomegranate seeds
• Cherry tomatoes
• Tortilla chips

Instructions:

1. Mash the avocados with lime, onion, cilantro and salt.
2. Spread in a ring on a platter.
3. Decorate with pomegranate and tomatoes.
4. Serve with chips.

28. Christmas Tree Veggie Tray

Broccoli, tomatoes and peppers arranged as a Christmas tree with ranch dip. Healthy and eye-catching.

Use a yellow pepper star for the top.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 yellow pepper
• Cauliflower
• Celery for the trunk
• Ranch dip

Instructions:

1. Arrange the broccoli in a tree shape.
2. Add tomatoes and cauliflower as ornaments.
3. Cut a pepper star for the top.
4. Add a celery trunk and serve with dip.

29. Cucumber Christmas Tree Appetizer Tray

Cucumber bites topped with cream cheese and red pepper, arranged in a tree shape.

Assemble no more than 2 hours ahead so the cucumbers stay crisp.

Ingredients:

• 2 English cucumbers, sliced
• 8 oz herb cream cheese
• Diced red pepper
• Fresh dill

Instructions:

1. Pipe cream cheese onto each cucumber slice.
2. Top with red pepper and dill.
3. Arrange in a tree shape on a platter.

30. Santa Vegetable Tray

Red peppers, tomatoes and cauliflower arranged into Santa’s face. A fun, healthy party platter.

Use cauliflower for the beard and a bowl of dip for the face.

Ingredients:

• Red peppers and tomatoes
• Cauliflower florets
• Cucumber slices
• Olives for eyes
• Ranch dip

Instructions:

1. Lay out red veggies in a hat shape.
2. Add cauliflower for the trim and beard.
3. Set a bowl of dip in the middle for the face.
4. Add olive eyes.

Choose a few cold, a few warm and one fun platter, and your Christmas party table is ready.