Once Labor Day weekend ends, you may immediately start dreaming up autumn menu ideas and easy recipes for a fall dinner party. Or maybe it's your annual Halloween party, or a weekend getaway. Before you start working on your first apple pie of the season, I suggest beginning with quick starters and finger foods that all your guests can get behind. Here, you'll find 65 recipes for fall appetizers that never disappoint, ranging from delicata squash rings with garlic-lemon sauce to French onion cups.
The 65 Best Fall Appetizers to Devour This Season
How do you like *these* apples?
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Published Aug 23, 2024
Liz Andrew/Michael Marquand/Nico Schinco
1. Fall Charcuterie Board with Black Pepper-Honey Brie, Figs and Rosemary
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, special occasion-worthy
- Serves: 4 to 6
Your guests will think you ordered this spread from a fancy cheese shop. "You can follow the recipe to a T or just use our suggested cheese selection as a jumping off point," writes PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen. "I think all boards are best with a creamy cheese, a semisoft cheese and a blue cheese, but anything goes."
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
- Serves: 6 to 8
"These seasonal pudding parfaits wouldn’t look out of place in a cocktail party dessert spread, but kids wouldn’t turn them down either," asserts Gillen. I won't tell if you take a shortcut and use store-bought pudding instead of cooking your own.
3. The Classiest Cheese Balls in the Universe
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
- Serves: 10 to 12
When it comes to entertaining in the fall and winter, cheese balls are a no-brainer. Try modernized combos like everything bagel seasoning with goat cheese, lemon-dill with cheddar and pomegranate with blue cheese.
4. Crispy Parmesan Brussels Sprout Bites
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
- Serves: 8 to 10
Hello, panko-Parm breading and tangy Dijon dip. Here, the sprouts are baked on a sheet pan instead of fried in a pan for a healthier spin (and to minimize mess).
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 4 to 6
Skip the store-bought tortilla chips and substitute roasted and herbed beets, turnips, parsnips and radishes. Fresh herbs take the crispy fall appetizer over the top.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, make ahead
- Serves: 8 to 12
When these hit the table, I'm a kid all over again. (What picky eater can resist a snack baked in a mini muffin tray?) And yes, I'll be dipping them in ketchup, thank you very much.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 6 to 8
Mamma mia. These five-ingredient, prosciutto-wrapped balls of pizza dough taste like straight-up salty, savory bliss. Dip them into marinara or pesto, if you feel so inclined.
8. Delicata Squash Rings with Garlic-Lemon Sauce
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 8
Transform the season’s bounty in just 40 minutes—this fall appetizer will be gobbled up in five. Don't worry about peeling the squash; its stripy skin is pretty and edible.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 8 to 10
Meet the savory, funky monkey bread you’ve always dreamed about. It’s only 30 minutes—and five ingredients—away, thanks to store-bought pizza dough.
10. Acorn Squash and Caramelized Onion Dip
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 6 to 8
Beware: Once your guests get a taste, you’ll have no choice but to whip this up for every future holiday party you ever host. A swirl of Greek yogurt and a flourish of herbs on top will conjure all the oohs and ahhs.
11. Cranberry-Brie Pie Crust Bites
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
- Serves: 14
This fall appetizer is eager to make its Thanksgiving debut. If you're feeling ambitious, skip the jiggly jarred stuff and make your own red wine cranberry sauce instead.
12. Apple Cider Doughnut Holes
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
- Serves: 6
Want to see some kids’ table magic? Set out a bowl of these poppable treats and watch them disappear before your eyes. Use local apple cider in the doughnut batter if you can find some.
13. Roasted Squash and Farro Salad with Avocado Dressing
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegan, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 4
Because you’ll need something healthy to serve at Thanksgiving before all those fresh-baked pies hit the dessert table. Massage (or briefly sauté) the bite-sized kale to make it as tender as possible.
14. Brie-Stuffed Pretzel Bites
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
- Serves: 8 to 10
Dough meets cheese: What can go wrong? The answer is absolutely nothing. They'll be a tailgate favorite in no time, and your go-to for every Super Bowl party you ever host or attend.
15. Instant Pot Spicy Thai Butternut Squash Soup
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, Instant Pot recipe, vegan
- Serves: 4
Gluten-free, vegan and mind-blowingly simple, this soup is as stunning as it is easy to prepare. Set out bowls of peanuts, sesame seeds and diced scallions so your guests can garnish their own bowls.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, kid-friendly
- Serves: 8
Careful: These are dangerously poppable. Set the bites out with marinara, ketchup and pesto at your kid's next slumber party. They won't miss the frozen pizza bagels, promise.
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 6 to 8
Everyone’s favorite finger food just got a makeover—and it looks good, even without the green goddess dressing. Did I mention this fall appetizer only requires eight ingredients?
18. Prosciutto and Fig Salad Board
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, <10 ingredients
- Serves: 4
A bowl? Never heard of it. This elegant presentation has dinner party written all over it. Plating the salad on a cutting board makes for easier serving, plus it's easy on the eyes.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 6
Spicy yogurt makes everything better, no? But TBH, these fried beauties made of spaghetti squash, scallions and kale don’t need much help in the deliciousness department.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 6
Well, aren’t you fancy? Trade bread for crispy roasted sweet potatoes, then top the pieces with smoked salmon and cream cheese, dried cranberries and roasted almonds (or whatever else your heart desires).
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 6
Start with fresh artichokes or opt for canned if you want to save yourself the prep work. Either way, these tangy dippers are going to taste unreal slicked in garlic aioli.
23. Cheesy Polenta Bites with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 8 to 10
Thanks to their miniature size, each and every morsel is totally surrounded by a crispy, cheesy, buttery outer crust. The goat cheese and pancetta on top are just tasty bonuses.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 6
Behold: a timeless starter that everyone's sure to dig into. Pile this fall appetizer high with salami, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, cornichons and, well, whatever else strikes your fancy.
25. Baked Brie with Figs, Pistachios and Orange
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 8 to 10
What looks (and tastes) incredibly seasonal and elegant is actually a breeze to prepare, even for newbies. You should probably bookmark this one for Christmas—just saying.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 8
Eat your heart out, Outback Steakhouse. I hope you're serving a stellar cut of beef for the main course; the horseradish dipping sauce will taste great on that, too.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, low carb
- Serves: 6 to 8
Bye-bye, buns. These veggie sliders are stuffed with prosciutto, pearl mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. Your keto guests will be stoked.
28. Spicy Cranberry Barbecue Meatballs
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 8
You’re three ingredients and 20 minutes away from the easiest fall appetizer ever. (Chalk it up to your choice of frozen meatballs.) Just stick 'em with toothpicks and serve with napkins.
29. Crisp Fall Green Salad with Benne Seed Ginger Dressing
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 6
If you love sesame seeds, this dressing made with the heirloom variety is about to become your new best friend. The fussiest part of this recipe is quickly blitzing the zippy dressing in your blender; the rest is all assembly.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, make ahead, vegan
- Serves: 6
Appetizers don't get more classic than this. Fresh herbs, smoked paprika and cayenne bring a ton of flavor to your choice of nuts (I'm partial to a mix of almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews and pistachios).
31. Cranberry, Brussels Sprouts and Brie Skillet Nachos
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 6
Save the queso and guacamole for a rainy day and serve this seasonal delicacy instead. If you have any leftover turkey lying around (like on Black Friday, for instance), pile that on, too.
32. Boursin Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Bacon
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
- Serves: 8 to 10
Like a fancy cheese ball—but even easier. This fall appetizer is only nine ingredients away and pairs beautifully with seeded crackers, crostini, fries and crudités.
33. Pumpkin Soup in Mini Pumpkin Bowls
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, gluten free
- Serves: 4
All hail the gourd of the hour. You'll get to use all of it, too: the flesh for the soup, the seeds for a crunchy topping and the hulled pumpkin for a bowl.
34. Cranberry-Brie Puff Pastry Pops
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
- Serves: 9
Because hors d'oeuvres (and everything else) are just better on a stick. Frozen puff pastry makes this fall appetizer a cinch to pull together at a moment's notice.
35. Tomato Soup in Grilled Cheese Bread Bowls
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
- Serves: 4
OK, ready for this? Serve the soup in a hulled-out loaf of bread, then transform the topper into a melty grilled cheese sandwich for dipping. I know, brilliant.
36. Pumpkin Polenta
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
- Serves: 6
Whether you serve this as starter or a side, no one will miss the mashed potatoes. Fresh herbs and grated Parm offer plenty of savory, salty bliss to every bite.
37. Easy Skillet Mushroom and Gouda Fondue
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan, <10 ingredients
- Serves: 4
A shallow skillet makes this crowd favorite super easy to dip bread or crudités into—no metal skewers required. Smoky gouda and white wine make the dish equal parts decadent and sophisticated.
38. Pumpkin Pizza Crust with Arugula and Prosciutto
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
- Serves: 4
It's the craftiest way to use up any spare canned pumpkin purée, if you ask me. Peppery arugula, salty prosciutto and creamy blue cheese are just the matches for buttery, sweet pumpkin crust.
39. Biscuit Dough Pumpkin Hand Pies
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
- Serves: 16
Since the pies are wrapped neatly in flaky biscuit dough (yup, the kind from a can), they travel like a charm. Serve them sliced into pieces as a starter or whole for dessert.
40. No-Bake Mini Mason Jar Spiced Cheesecakes
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, no bake
- Serves: 8
Cocktail hour isn’t complete without these teeny-tiny sweets, starring gingersnaps and red currant jelly. Assemble them ahead and keep them in the fridge for up to two days.
41. Pumpkin Beer Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, specail occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
- Serves: 6
I'm not saying you *need* to serve it with mini soft pretzels…but I don't see why you wouldn’t. Use your favorite pumpkin beer in the broth to up the seasonal ante.
42. Whipped Ricotta with Roasted Pumpkin
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 4
It’s made with roasted kabocha squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin, ricotta cheese and...not much else. Finish it with olive oil and shichimi togarashi for a little razzle dazzle.
43. Mini Apple Tarts
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 6
Wanna know the secret to their cute, round, shape? They’re baked in mason jar lids. Your guests won't clock the store-bought pie dough, trust.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 8
I dare you to dip just one pretzel—I'm pretty sure it’s impossible. Not only is this crowd-pleasing fall appetizer ready in a flash, but it's also make ahead- and kid-friendly.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 4 to 6
Your favorite feel-good soup, baked into puff pastry with a boatload of Gruyère. These may look fancy, but you likely have most of the necessary ingredients already on hand.
46. Brown Sugar Pear Puff Pastries
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 10
Time to stock up on pears at the farmers market (or grocery store). Impress your guests with bakery-level beauties that are shockingly easy to tackle yourself.
47. Apple, Grape and Pecan Pasta Salad
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
- Serves: 6
Crisp apples and chopped nuts give the quintessential summer side some fall flair. It checks all my boxes: sweet, crunchy, tart, salty and comforting.
48. Slow Cooker Chicken Potpie Soup
- Time Commitment: 7 hours and 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
- Serves: 8
The edible equivalent of a mother's hug. The white cheddar-chive biscuit on top is the ultimate pièce de résistance, but the soup itself is nothing to sneer at either.
49. Pizza with Butternut Squash Sauce
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
- Serves: 4
Marinara takes a back seat to a seven-ingredient sauce that’s the most decadent pairing for creamy ricotta and melted mozzarella. I wouldn't blame you for subbing (or adding) burrata to the mix, too.
50. Mini Caramel Pecan Pies with Cinnamon Roll Pie Crust
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
- Serves: 8 to 12
I know you’re not supposed to have sweets before dinner...but one look at these and all your guests will make an exception (even the picky eaters at the kids' table). Who can decline a mini dessert?
51. Green Bean Casserole Galette
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
- Serves: 10
Just because it’s a vegetable course doesn’t mean it can’t be wrapped in flaky pastry—especially on a holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas. This masterpiece is a far cry from the mushy casseroles of holidays' past.
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 2 to 4
These Cheez-Its replicas are extremely easy to make, and you can customize the type of cheese to suit your palate. (Seriously, you'll only need seven ingredients to make them, including salt.)
53. Whipped Feta Avocado Crostini with Pomegranate
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 4
Monique Volz’s chic twist on avocado toast is worthy of being served on a silver platter. Finish the crostini with pumpkin seeds for extra crunch.
54. Bacon-Wrapped Cheese Straws
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, make ahead
- Serves: 10 to 12
These flaky, crisp homemade crackers are conversation-pausing swirls of goodness. Your guests will be so in awe of them that they won't even notice the store-bought puff pastry.
55. Brussels Sprout and Apple Tart
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 8 to 12
Use any sort of sweet-tart apple you'd like, and sub honey or agave for maple syrup if you'd prefer. Whatever you do, just don't skimp on the earthy walnut pesto.
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, make ahead
- Serves: 6
With fresh herbs, garlic and a drizzle of olive oil, canned white beans are transformed from a pantry shortcut to a party-ready fall appetizer. Feel free to briefly pan-fry the beans before tossing in the other ingredients.
57. Sweet Potato Wedges with Avocado Aioli
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
- Serves: 2
Come sweater season, I nosh on sweet spuds every chance I get. Here, they're paired with a decadent homemade aioli made with a whole avocado.
58. Ritz Crackers with Whipped Honey Ricotta and Bacon
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 1 to 2
Got 15 minutes? Then this satiating starter is within reach. Bonus points for candying the bacon in maple syrup and brown sugar. (Trust me, its autumnal sweet-and-salty flavor is worth the effort.)
59. Pepper Teigen’s Thai Glazed Ribs
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, dairy free
- Serves: 4
How do these ribs cook up in 20 minutes, you ask? They're deep-fried instead of smoked or grilled, so they're ready to devour in a fraction of the time.
60. Feta Wrapped in Phyllo with Sesame and Honey
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 2 to 4
Six ingredients + five minutes of prep = the most comforting fall appetizer of all time. Serve it as a starter, side or after dinner with fresh fruit and vino.
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, <30 minutes
- Serves: 4 to 6
Who said summer has dibs on pasta salad? This crisp, zingy number tastes good all year long. Chalk it up to the homemade Caesar dressing, complete with anchovy paste and grated Parm.
62. Vegan Miso Caramel Dip with Pretzels and Granny Smith Apples
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 2
A spoonful of dissolved miso paste adds a punch of funky, umami-laced richness to the dip. Swap in whatever apples you have on hand—I like using Granny Smith, but Fuji or Honeycrisp would be great too. Trade pretzels for potato chips while you're at it.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 4 to 6
Aka the most likable appetizer on the planet. Everyone will be psyched over this mix of crinkle-cut, curly and sweet potato fries and tots (especially the kids).
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
- Serves: 16
Believe it or not, you don't need an electric mixer to pull off melt-in-your-mouth shortbread. Melting the butter eliminates the need for beating and creaming it and cornstarch gives the cookies a delicate texture without any extra work.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
- Serves: 10 to 12
Because nothing gets a party started like a massive mélange of meat and cheese. This board also boasts tender patatas bravas with saffron aioli and heirloom pan con tomate.
