62 Holiday Finger Foods to Nosh on All December Long

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 16

Seven ingredients (including store-bought puff pastry) make this crowd-pleaser a total breeze to prepare. "They may look fancy but take all of ten minutes to put together," former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen states. "And they'll disappear from your party in even less time."

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 4 to 6

You don't need to brave a spitting vat of oil to make impossibly crispy chicken wings at home. "The trick is to dredge them in baking powder before popping them in the oven, which reacts with the skin and jump-starts the browning process," Gillen explains. "You can make them even crispier by baking them on top of a wire cooling rack, but a sheet pan works fine, too."

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 24

When in doubt, you can never go wrong with a batch of classic chocolate chip cookies. "These mini chocolate chip cookies are meant to be eaten in multiples (or, better yet, by the handful)," Gillen writes. "As an added bonus, this is a one-bowl situation, because I'm far more interested in eating cookies than doing dishes."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
• Serves: 48 bites

What’s better than mac and cheese? These poppables, obvi. The gooey baked bites are crispy on top yet tender and chewy on the inside. "If you've got picky eaters who aren't into onions, you can always sub them for a quarter teaspoon of onion powder," PureWow VP of editorial Candace Davison writes after trying the recipe herself. "It adds a little savory flavor, no crunch. I'm also a fan of using chili powder instead of cayenne for more of a smoky note."

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

Odds are you already love cauliflower. It's the surprise star ingredient in these cheesy, crunchy bites that taste just as good as their potato-based predecessors. "I recommend one crucial shortcut: Buy frozen riced cauliflower," Davison says after testing the recipe at home. "You can steam it in the microwave or simply let it thaw, then squeeze out the excess liquid with paper towels, like the recipe recommends. It cuts your prep time in half."

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6

Bye, naked tortilla chips—hello, holiday finger food. This ingeniously designed, sized-down version of nachos lets you enjoy cheesy goodness (along with chicken, black beans and all the fixings) in every bite. Bonus points for topping them with homemade guacamole.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

Apple cider adds a seasonal touch to your holiday finger food display—and also happens to make the mini doughnuts impeccably moist. They taste like you got them from a local farm (and I won't tell, if that's the story you give your guests...but you deserve the credit, IMO).

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

All the flavor of the O.G., minus the mess—and the boiling noodles. Instead, the recipe suggests using crispy wonton wrappers in place of pasta for maximum convenience and extra crunch. Picky eaters will ask for seconds, trust.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, Paleo-friendly, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 30 pieces

Soft pretzels are my personal weakness, and these nutty gems are just right for gluten-free and Paleo guests alike. However, anyone will likely fall for them at first bite. The dough is made from cassava flour, coconut milk, honey and a few pantry staples.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 8 to 10

Think of this holiday finger food as savory, cheesy monkey bread. All you need are five ingredients (including easy store-bought pizza dough) for this unconventional, elegant-yet-casual appetizer that's designed for sharing.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
• Serves: 20 dogs

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful? No, the answer is no—and all the picky eaters at the kids' table are sure to agree. Dip 'em in ketchup, mustard, ranch dressing or hot sauce.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 12

You love French onion soup. Now, imagine it baked into bite-size bowls of puff pastry with a ton of gooey Gruyère. Swoon. Did I mention you'll only need nine ingredients to pull 'em off? Yup, you can thank me later.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 20 cheesecakes

These lightened-up bites are the perfect way to indulge in dessert without going overboard. (Thanks, Greek yogurt.) The pretty topping is nothing but pomegranate arils swimming in pomegranate molasses, BTW.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8

These treats are shockingly easy to make at home. Serve them with plenty of hot fudge, raspberry sauce or dulce de leche for dipping (or heck, serve all three, let your guests take their pick and watch the compliments roll in).

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

These baked quinoa chicken nuggets are crispy, moist, ready in 30 minutes and way tastier than the frozen kind. Your kids won't mind the tender quinoa, since it turns into a crispy breading once it's baked. Pass the honey mustard, please.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
• Serves: 6 to 8

Never trust a person who doesn’t like mozzarella sticks. (It’s fried cheese, people—what’s not to love?) Stick them with toothpicks and serve alongside plenty of marinara—or pesto, if you're fancy—and napkins for easy grabbing.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
• Serves: 40 bites

I should warn you: These Brie-stuffed pretzel bites won’t last long. Top them with flaky salt and dunk them in honey mustard or fig jam to make it the ultimate holiday finger food. (They'd look nice on an over-the-top charcuterie board, no?)

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4

Cute, compact and, dare I say it, better than regular sized pizza. I'm betting they'll last about 30 seconds on the kids' table. Go wild with additional toppings, like black olives, mushrooms and pepperoncini.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8 to 10

Serve up these sprouts with tangy dipping sauce and toothpicks, then watch them vanish before your eyes. They're breaded in Parmesan-spiked panko breadcrumbs for good measure and plated with fresh lemon for spritzing.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 24 tortillas

Warm, fresh homemade tortillas kick the store-bought kind to the curb. And guess what? They’re incredibly easy to make (with four ingredients, including water), and the filling possibilities are endless. Teeny-tiny tacos, anyone?

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
• Serves: 8

Confession: Sometimes, I get a little lot nostalgic for a classic Hostess snack cake, specifically coconut-encrusted Sno Balls. Luckily, they're easy to make from scratch, even for newbie bakers. Your inner child will thank you.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
• Serves: 16 pavlovas

These light-as-air meringue bites are begging to be shown off on your Instagram story. They're crowned with fresh cardamom whipped cream, crunchy pistachios and ruby-red strawberries, so brace yourself for plenty of praise.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, high protein
• Serves: 8

Hi, mind-blowingly easy sliders. No one needs to know they're filled with rotisserie chicken and store-bought Buffalo sauce. The crumbled blue cheese gives them a from-scratch appearance, so no one will be the wiser.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegan
• Serves: 40 pieces

It's a vegetarian version of a timeless holiday finger food that never gets old. Even kids won't mind the carrots taking over for cocktail weenies here, thanks to the familiar doughy exterior. Pass the green goddess dip, will ya?

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 to 8

Confession: I love potatoes in all forms. Add to that list this miraculous recipe that reinvents its classic namesake. The chips have all the essentials of a baked spud, only with a delightfully unexpected, crispy base.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 to 8

This classed-up version of jalapeño poppers will fit in at any holiday party. In case you need more convincing beyond their looks, you'll only need four ingredients to pull them off, including store-bought pimento cheese.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 12

What a delicious way to celebrate citrus season. If you ask me, no one can turn down a miniature dessert, including these picturesque pastries. It’s definitely OK to devour two (or five) in rapid succession.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 36 cookies

Aren't these the most adorable, bite-sized cookies you've ever seen? Eat your heart out, Oreos. The creamy filling is tangy (shoutout to cream cheese), rich and kissed with vanilla, but I wouldn't blame you for adding a touch of salt to the mix for contrast.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 30 crostini

These are as sophisticated as they are incredibly simple to make. Now, would you like one with smoked salmon and whipped cream cheese or dried cranberries, roasted almonds and crème fraîche first?

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 24 pies

Want a dessert that looks impressive but is ready in less than an hour? These decadent cuties will do the trick. They're finished with a simple caramel sauce made from store-bought candies, so you won't have to do too much extra work for the garnish.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
• Serves: 8

Outback Steakhouse has nothing on this shrunken version of its signature appetizer. Make a second batch of the garlicky horseradish aioli to spread on sandwiches, drizzle on chicken wings or serve with steak.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6

A medley of fresh herbs, dry spices and flaky sea salt transforms this old-school bar snack into an appetizer worth sharing. Use whatever combination of nuts you'd like, although I'm partial to whole almonds, pecan halves, walnut halves, cashews and pistachios.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8

Salty prosciutto meets store-bought pizza dough and sharp grated Parm to create an irresistibly savory holiday finger food you'll want to make year after year. Dunk them in ranch dressing, marinara sauce or nothing at all.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

It's not like this autumn gourd is suddenly out of season after Thanksgiving. These crispy fry alternatives will be ready in just 40 minutes, and they look much more impressive than expected, albeit delicious, spuds.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 4 to 6

I'm betting you have just about all the necessary ingredients to make these crunchy creminis in your kitchen right now. Fresh herbs, sherry vinegar and a few pantry staples take the 'shrooms way over the top with minimal effort.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6

Top anything with a quartered fig to make it look a million times fancier in an instant. Most importantly, these are cooked in maple syrup and bacon fat to make them doubly delectable in a sweet-and-savory way.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegan, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

This root vegetable is at peak deliciousness in the winter. Show the turnips some extra love by baking them to crispy perfection and dusting them with Old Bay seasoning before doling them out.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 14

These cuties straddle the line between appetizer and dessert. Not only does the recipe call for a mere six ingredients, but the bites will be ready in 15 minutes flat. Serve them before the big meal to whet everyone's appetites or after, if you're a cheese-for-dessert kind of person.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Hanukkah or not, no one can turn down a shatteringly crisp potato pancake. Serve these classic latkes with lots of applesauce and sour cream—although they're drool-worthy even without condiments, TBH.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, vegetarian
• Serves: 24 quesadillas

Psst: Wanna know how to get the world's crispiest quesadillas? Swap tortillas for wonton wrappers, then lightly fry them until they're shatteringly crunchy and golden brown on both sides. Ta-da.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 12

This one hits me right in the childhood every time. (C'mon, who doesn't love a double-decker sammy?) Slather mayo on the white bread before placing the grilled cheese sandwiches in the pan for an extra crispy exterior.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

These blow standard chicken fingers way out of the water. Drown me in the tangy, spicy, umami-kissed dipping sauce, please. (It offers a generous dose of complex heat, courtesy of canned chiles in adobo and gochujang.)

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 12

Thanks to store-bought pizza dough, these come together faster than you'd think. Spruce up the filling with crumbled Italian sausage (or miniature pepperoni) if you'd like to make them more filling or flavorful.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 8 to 10

You know how the crispy corner pieces of cornbread are the best part? That's basically what every one of these bites is like—the cheese and pancetta are merely bonuses. (Oh, and there's goat cheese, too.)

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

No meat, no problem. Swap honey for agave in the marinade to make it vegan; just don't skip the cornstarch or pressing all the excess liquid out of the tofu, which are key steps in ensuring the bites' crispy texture.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, one pan, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 15

This just might be the most low-lift slider recipe of all time. Simply assemble the sandwiches, brush them with butter and bake until the cheese melts. Go the authentic route by piling on Cuban-style roast pork, if you're feeling ambitious.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8

Prediction: These delectable rolls will be gone ten seconds after you set them out. Chalk it up to crispy bacon and gooey provolone—how can your guests resist? These would pair well with eggs on Christmas morning, too.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

This verdant spin on traditional latkes incorporates everyone's favorite holiday veggie into the mix—and only one potato. In case you need help shredding the Brussels sprouts, this handy guide has you covered.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 12

Uh oh, your guests are arriving in ten and you don't have an appetizer planned?! Not to worry: Frozen puff pastry will save the day once again, and it'll only take you 20 minutes from start to finish. Crisis averted.

• Time Commitment: 2 hour and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
• Serves: 12

You only think this holiday classic is outdated. Recipe developer Erin McDowell gave it the makeover it deserved with a few wintry ingredients and a fun-sized package. It puts the dry store-bought stuff to shame, promise.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, make ahead
• Serves: 12

Consider this a nutty, flavorful spin on a somewhat retro classic. Most importantly, this holiday finger food recipe only calls for six ingredients, so you won't have to waste the day grocery shopping to prepare it. (Plus, you can prepare it in advance and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.)

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, high protein
• Serves: 4

It doesn't need to be game day to whip up these babies. With crispy bacon and salty Parm, there's no doubt in my mind that your guests will be craving seconds of this spicy, creamy appetizer the moment they finish their first helping.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, low sugar, vegetarian
• Serves: 16

Chocolate and avocado? These two ingredients may seem like an unlikely duo, but they actually play together perfectly. The creamy avocado makes the brownies fudgy, buttery and moist—just the way I like 'em.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: no cook, low sugar, paleo, gluten free
• Serves: 24 cups

Paleo-friendly and super satisfying, these dessert bites are a total step up from the Hershey classic. The creamy outer coating is nothing but melted bittersweet chocolate and coconut oil.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 16

This simple sweet-and-savory number will only take you 15 minutes to whip up. Just don't forget to add the white pepper right before plating—it makes a difference, promise.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It:  beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook
• Serves: 6

These delightful sammies are so colorful and undeniably a fan favorite. But best of all, they require no cooking to come together, and they can be assembled in advance. They're small too, so seconds and thirds are a must, if you ask me.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 8

This simplified version of the classic Middle Eastern dish is surprisingly easy to make at home. And again, they're small, so you can eat as many as you want and pile on the tangy yogurt sauce with abandon. (I won't judge.)

• Time Commitment: 4 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, kid-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 12 to 16 taquitos

Sweet, spicy and made in the slow cooker? Count me in. Serve them with a green salad for a main dish or solo (preferably with queso, sour cream or guac) as an appetizer. You can even freeze them to reheat later.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, pescatarian
• Serves: 8

So classy, so easy. You may think summer has an exclusive claim to these handhelds, but I promise that your guests, relatives or roommates will scarf them down any time of the year. Make the filling ahead and toast the buns right before serving.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 60 crackers

Like Cheez-Its, only so much better. Party guests will love noshing on these savory, salty squares made with both cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. The rest is all pantry staples (including water, salt and flour) that you already have on hand.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 30 to 35 meatballs

Who doesn’t love a meatball amped up with umami? Stick them with toothpicks so your guests can help themselves, and finish them with a flourish of sliced scallions and sesame seeds for good measure.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 16

Presenting the cutest holiday finger food ever: Teeny-tiny tacos that are equal parts spicy, filling and refreshing. Leave it to adobo chipotle sauce and pico de gallo to make them look totally photogenic.