40 Easy Snacks to Make at Home (That Aren’t Cheese and Crackers for the Millionth Time)

1. 15-minute Mezze Plate With Toasted Za’atar Pita Bread

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy

This beauty is practically no-cook, since all the recipe calls for is toasting the pita bread in a skillet. The rest is all store-bought ingredients like hummus, marinated artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers.

2. Sesame-soy Deviled Eggs

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, crowd-pleaser

The timeless party appetizer was overdue for an umami-rich makeover. Not only is the filling infused with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil, but each egg is finished with black sesame seeds and roasted seaweed for good measure.

3. Ritz Crackers With Whipped Honey Ricotta And Bacon

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly

We said no cheese and crackers...but this over-the-top version of the last-minute snack is fair game. Bonus points for candying the bacon in maple syrup and brown sugar.

4. Homemade Cheese Crackers

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead

These Cheez-Its replicas are extremely easy to make, and you can customize the type of cheese you use to suit your palate (although we're partial to cheddar and Parmesan).

5. Spicy Avocado Hummus

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: no cook, vegan, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <30 minutes

Part guacamole, part hummus, this dip is fabulous for the indecisive. (And yes, you can dip both pita and tortilla chips into this pretty chickpea snack.)

6. Grilled Cheese Crostini

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser

These two-bite cuties are the best snack for when you’re contemplating your next meal. Brie and bread make them filling, while fresh mint and balsamic strawberries fancy the dish up.

7. Broiler S’mores

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly

No tent or campfire necessary—these s’mores are sofa-friendly and just as good as the real thing. Sing-along and ghost stories optional (but recommended).

8. Roasted Veggie Chips

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, vegan

High heat and a mandoline are all you need to make these crispy baked chips. Using a variety of root vegetables offers a beautiful range of color, flavor and texture, but if you only have one or two of the suggested ingredients, that’s OK, too.

9. Easy Homemade Potato Chips

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, vegan, make ahead

If standard potato chips are more your thing, we've got you covered. Broiling thinly sliced spuds coated in oil creates a crispy chip that’s even better than its bagged counterparts.

10. Easy Homemade Pickles

• Time Commitment: 48 hours
• Why We Love It: vegan, make ahead, crowd-pleaser

Pickling is a great way to preserve your produce and transform it into a new snack. These Kirby cukes turn mouth-puckering and zingy after two days in vinegar solution.

11. Chocolate Granola

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly

This granola hits that sweet spot between snack and dessert, thanks to hearty brown sugar oats, chocolate chunks and almonds. Eat it by the handful or with milk.

12. Easy Cherry Almond Granola Bars

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, make ahead

You'll never buy granola bars again when you see how easy it is to make your own. They're pretty nutritious, but that won't stop us from finishing them with a drizzle of chocolate.

13. Sourdough With Whipped Cottage Cheese And Raspberry Chia Jam

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian

You deserve a fancy toast. In fact, you deserve many fancy toasts. Start your snacking on the right foot with this one, which is pretty enough to serve at brunch.

14. Roasted Mixed Nuts

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead

We all know that nuts are a healthy snack, but they can also be so boring. Spice them up and eat them warm for some fancy flair.

15. Spring Crudites With Romesco Sauce

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegan, make ahead

Consider this your challenge to do a little better than eating baby carrots out of the bag and plummeting them straight into a jar of dip. A beautiful presentation gives you the mental break you deserve for snack time.

16. Mini Yogurt Cheesecakes

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

Greek yogurt makes up most of the filling for these sweet cuties, so yes, they’re a healthy-ish snack. (In our book, that means we're going for seconds. And thirds.)

17. Roasted Edamame

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegan

If you have a bag of frozen edamame in your fridge, you essentially have everything you need to make this vitamin-packed finger food. The recipe makes four to six servings, but we have a hard time sharing.

18. Brie-stuffed Pretzel Bites

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, kid-friendly

Soft pretzels stuffed with cheese are the epitome of self-care. Go the extra mile by finishing them with everything bagel seasoning instead of coarse salt.

19. Tater Tot Nachos

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why We Love It: sheet pan recipe, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, high protein

This tray of tots is serving big snack energy. Add as much hot sauce, salsa verde and pickled onions as you can stomach.

20. One-ingredient Watermelon Sorbet

• Time Commitment: 4 hours (includes freezing time)
• Why We Love It: no cook, <10 ingredients, make ahead, crowd-pleaser

Have a watermelon? Make this frozen dessert that is 100 percent fruit and lasts for weeks in your freezer (if you don’t eat it all in one sitting, that is).

21. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Blueberry Cauliflower Smoothie

• Time Commitment: 5 minutes
• Why We Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegan

Adding cauliflower to boost a smoothie’s creaminess may be the best thing GP’s ever done. Mix things up with whatever berries or greens you have on hand.

22. Salted Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: no cook, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, high protein, dairy free

Replace your candy bar cravings with this smoothie that mimics everything that’s great about a peanut butter cup, from the chocolatey cocoa powder to the flaky sea salt.

23. Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why We Love It: gluten free, vegan, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, make ahead

Your Taco Tuesday spread just got a million times more impressive. Serve them with plenty of guac and salsa. (Might we suggest this grilled mango variety?)

24. Jalapeño Poppers

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, high protein

So much better than the version from the freezer aisle, these poppers are super easy to make—and even easier to eat. No game day is complete without 'em.

25. Fruit Roll-ups

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser

Congrats on adulthood: You can finally eat as many fruit roll-ups as you want—and from scratch! It’s not hard at all, we promise.

26. Best-ever Brownies

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, one bowl, beginner-friendly

Sometimes you just need a brownie break in the middle of the day. These easy handhelds (which are loaded with crumbled Oreos, BTW) are here for you.

27. Roasted Chickpeas

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, sheet pan recipe

A healthy alternative to grains, chickpeas crisp up nicely and are snackable by the handful.

28. Five-ingredient Golden Milk Snack Bites

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: no cook, gluten free, vegan

Cashew butter is the base for these creamy, sweet and turmeric-filled bites. Melted coconut butter can double as frosting, if you're feeling decadent.

29. Vegan Banana Bread

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, vegan

Walnuts and sweet bananas add so much texture to this snackable bread. Slather it with butter or cream cheese, or just enjoy a plain slice.

30. Garlic Parmesan Popcorn

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly

This salty, savory gem with a glass of wine? Swoon. The seasonings are mashed into the melted butter before it's poured on, so each piece of popcorn is dripping with garlicky, cheesy splendor.

31. Smoky, Savory Fire Crackers

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients

Dress up a regular pack of saltines with this easy recipe that makes the plain crackers equal parts sweet, spicy and crispy.

32. Vegan, Gluten-free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies With Tahini And Maple

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why We Love It: gluten free, vegan, beginner-friendly

These cookies have everything: tahini, maple syrup, oatmeal, our hearts. Keep a batch of dough in the freezer and pop some in the oven whenever snack time rolls around.

33. Jammy Soft-boiled Eggs

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, one pot, beginner-friendly

Sometimes an impeccably cooked egg just hits the spot. This high-protein snack takes only minutes to make (and seconds to scarf down).

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, ready in <30 minutes, crowd pleaser

Imagine noshing on a crispy, hot chicken flauta while you curl up with the latest Netflix drop. And you only need three ingredients: a whole rotisserie chicken, flour tortillas and cheese. If you’re feeling fancy and want to make a whole dinner out of it, follow the recipe to make an Instant Pot-roasted chicken.

• Time Commitment: 58 minutes
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy

If you have 20 minutes and a bounty of fresh peaches on a summer afternoon, you’ll want to whip up a batch of these Homemade Peach Crumb Bars by Grandbaby Cakes. The recipe takes just 20 minutes to pull together and comes out of the oven in less than 40. You’ll want to dig in while they’re warm, but they also keep marvelously in the fridge for a few days, so you have a midnight treat at the ready.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: ready in 30 minutes, crowd-pleaser

Who remembers downing an entire pack of Milano cookies as an afternoon snack? Good news: This recipe makes a few bags’ worth, and the whole process takes about 30 minutes start-to-finish. If you want to put a spin on the chocolate filling, add some mint extract.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser

A hot slice of cornbread is a wonder, and the addition of sweet potatoes makes it something to behold. The great thing about cornbread is that you can pull it together quickly—in this case, with just ten minutes of prep (and then your oven takes care of the rest). If you’re in a pinch and don’t have a mashed sweet potato, you can sub for canned puree.

When it’s out of the oven, serve warm with butter, your choice of syrup or do it the Southern way: pack it into a glass and pour on the buttermilk.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, low sugar, air fryer recipe

Chip lovers will appreciate these Air Fryer Veggie Chips. (Let’s face it: the store-bought stuff is expensive!) Slice your vegetables of choice on a mandoline to ensure thin and even rounds. Some good options: sweet potatoes, carrots and beets. When frying, it’s recommended to give the basket a shake every five minutes so that the vegetables cook evenly. Make a huge batch and your midnight snack is set for the week.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour (including chill time)
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy

Sweet-and-salty snack fans will love these super-easy Peanut Toffee Chocolate Clusters. With just four ingredients and about 10 minutes of work, you’ll have a pile of them to store for whenever a craving strikes.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, ready in <30 minutes

Cinnamon and sugar are a great pairing, and if you want it in a gluten-free, dairy-free package, try these Vegan Snickerdoodle Energy Balls. They’re loaded with almond butter, maple syrup and vegan chocolate, making them a perfect pick-me-up when you’re feeling bogged down by the afternoon slump.