Sometimes the multitasking of the holiday season—shopping and cooking and bartending and mingling—can be tough to juggle. Fear not: These appetizers are just right for grabbing in hand while you mix and a-mingle in the jinglin' feet. Plus, they’re delicious and a breeze to prepare. Here, 23 small bites that are prime for serving at holiday parties this year. (Warning: They just might overshadow the main course.)
23 Small Bites to Serve at Holiday Parties
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Published Nov 13, 2022
1. Mini Mason Jar Chicken Potpies
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly, make ahead
Your guests will have no choice but to be totally charmed by these tiny soul-soothers. Make the filling and assemble the jars in advance, so all you have to do the day of is bake.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Store-bought puff pastry saves the day once again. This dish is equal parts festive, simple and unexpected, plus it can be made in a standard nine-inch dish if you don't have mini pie plates or ramekins.
3. Goat Cheese and Honey Bites
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Fresh thyme and a generous drizzle of honey make this dish decidedly elegant, so much so that your relatives will have no clue how easy the bites were to prepare. Use hot honey or add crushed red pepper flakes for a touch of heat.
4. Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Bites
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
It doesn't get more nostalgic than a mini bowl of tomato soup crowned with a double-decker grilled cheese sammy. The soup is made with canned produce, so it's easy to pull off in the winter.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
This retro appetizer just got the update it deserves, courtesy of chopped pecans, dried cranberries and a duo of fresh herbs. Serve with plenty of toasted bread and crackers.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, vegetarian
Little ones will be psyched to see these ooey-gooey poppables hit the hors d'oeuvres table. They're packed with both yellow and white cheddar cheeses.
8. Mini Spinach-Ricotta Calzones
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Just as mouthwatering as the full-sized version, but way less filling. Serve them with marinara and pesto sauces for dipping, or add crumbled Italian sausage to the creamy filling for a flavor boost.
9. Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Bites
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
The recipe calls for using reduced fat cream cheese and nonfat Greek yogurt in the filling, but don't let that fool you: The bites are still irresistibly rich and indulgent.
10. Cranberry-Brie Puff Pastry Pops
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
One bite, and you'll want to eat every meal on stick from then on. You don't even need to make your own cranberry filling; the recipe suggests using pre-made jam or sauce instead.
11. Goat Cheese Stuffed Figs with Pancetta
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Trust us on this: You'll want to make a second (or even a third) batch. Between the salty pancetta, creamy goat cheese and crunchy pine nuts, your guests are destined to gobble the first plate down in a flash.
12. Mini Lasagnas
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Introducing your new favorite way to use a muffin tin. Instead of large pasta sheets, we substitute wonton wrappers due to their small size and shatteringly crisp texture when baked.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Sweet, salty, crunchy and undeniably autumnal, this version of crostini is so tasty that you won't even miss the bread (yes, really). Take your pick from smoked salmon and chives or dried cranberries and almonds.
14. Easy Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
Crispy, salty prosciutto, tender shrimp and all the garlic butter dipping sauce you desire—what's not to like? Serve these little guys warm with toothpicks or cocktail forks.
15. Brie-Stuffed Pretzel Bites
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
Soft, squishy pretzel dough is the coziest vehicle for this crowd-favorite cheese. Prepare the dough the night before to save time before the big feast.
16. Cheese Crostini with Cranberry Fig Jam
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes (plus cooling time)
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
This gussied-up baguette is ready for its holiday close-up. Make the cranberry jam up to a week in advance so it has plenty of time to cool and thicken before serving.
17. Prosciutto, Pear and Arugula Rolls
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, no cook
No-cook appetizers are a hostess's best friend. Add gorgonzola, blue cheese or goat cheese crumbles to the rolls if desired, or substitute your favorite sweet-tart apple for pear.
18. Crispy Parmesan Brussels Sprout Bites
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
These sprouts encrusted in cheese and breadcrumbs are bound to convert any Brussels hater at first chomp—and that's without the the zingy, drool-worthy dipping sauce.
19. Mini Apple Tarts
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Pie? Never heard of her. We're partial to these tiny fall tartlets, which bake to golden brown perfection in mason jar lids to achieve a uniform shape.
20. Keto Guacamole Burger Bites
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, beginner-friendly
Heavy on the avocado, light on the carbs. The little burgers are actually tiny meatballs; in case that isn't enticing enough, they're wrapped in bacon for good measure.
21. Herbed Goat Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
Three cheeses (goat! fontina! Parmesan!) and a trio of fresh fall herbs transform modest creminis into something downright spectacular.
22. Mini Caramel Pecan Pies with Cinnamon Roll Pie Crust
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
If you thought those Insta-worthy caramel drips were impressive, just wait until you sink your teeth into the ingenious cinnamon roll crust. We'll take ours with a bowl of vanilla ice cream, please.
23. Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
When in doubt of what to serve the picky kids' table, this timeless dessert is sure to do the trick. Did we mention the dough comes together in a single bowl?
Additional reporting by Alexandra Hough
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.