20 Delicious Party Appetizer Recipes to Get You Through the Big Event (2024)

As two of the main holidays draw near, we must think about either going to or hosting a party. Even beyond the holidays though, there will be different events that come up such as the Superbowl or a bridal shower.

One of the best parts of a party is the food. If you are looking for some inspiration for party appetizers to get the party started, this is the post for you.

Delicious Party Appetizers

1. Potato Skin Bites

These bites are similar to potato skins but take a whole lot less time to make. With bacon and chives on it, what could be better?

Perfect for the meat and potato kind of person this dish, brought to you by Lauren Miyashiro over at Delish, is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

2. Caprese Skewers

When people think of appetizers they typically think about smaller sizes. The skewers add to the appetizer affect as well I think.

They definitely make it finger food because you can pick a skewer up from the plate and start munching right away.

And these Caprese bites are so nice and fresh looking, with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls, they are a perfect refreshment from the heavy food overload of the holidays. Jessica Erin at Stuck on Sweet did well on this one.

3. Banana Split Bites

These banana splite bites are perfect for a combination of sweet tooth and healthy. They have fruit pushed through a skewer or popsicle stick and dipped in melted chocolate. The author from Our Family of Seven created this, also choosing to dip hers in peanuts which gives it that nice crunch.

If this is a summertime treat- try freezing it for a little bit before serving for a nice cool off.

4. The Ultimate Cheese Board

Cheese has to be one of the great wonders. It pairs so well with so many different things, from prosciutto to blackberry wine and everything in between. Joyful Healthy Eats author came up with the ultimate way to create a cheese plate. Trust me when I say you can never go wrong with one of these.

Unless, of course, you’re vegan.

5. Spicy Chicken Cheeseballs

I made something similar to this when my oldest was a little one. She would eat the taco balls that I made very quickly, always making the daycare employees very happy.

The question is, what is not to love? There is meat, seasoning, cheese, and bread all wrapped up into little bit sized goodness. Sounds like a winner to me, so hats off to the author over at Everday Made Fresh.

6. Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Spread

The idea of cream cheese and caramel already has me drooling but add bits of toffee to that and I am over the moon. This seems like the perfect dip for apples. Michael over at Inspired by Charm adds pears to the mix as well. I couldn’t agree more on his fruit choices.

Although, I might be tempted to just stick my finger in and start eating as is.

7. Pineapple Salsa

My husband made something similar to this a while back. He chose to make a teryaki chicken with pineapples over a bed of rice in a cored out pineapple.

Tonia over at The Gunny Sack did a great job of making her pineapple look fresh and beautiful. I love the cilantro and optional jalapeno. This would be a perfect salsa to go with dip at a party. Just look at the colors!

8. Cheese Ball Bites

When I was growing up, my mother had two appetizers she would have at her events every time- the cheeseball and meatballs in a crockpot. The first was, by and large, my favorite. Instead of doing the little bites though, she would make a large ball and add the chips around it for decoration.

While this is almost spot on her recipe, I love the fact that they made it into bite-sized cheese balls. I would probably still have to have some chips but either way they are mmmm-mmmm good. Check them out over at Delish.

9. Meatballs

You should have known this one was coming! Again, pretty much her exact recipe. Yet, I saw this one and decided it might just be a (smidge) bit better because it has pineapples in it. The pineapples mixed with the barbeque sauce and brown sugar give it a fresh taste that we sometimes crave when we don’t even realize it.

I love this recipe because it can be super easy to make. If you want to purchase pre-made meatballs and barbeque sauce, you are pretty well set to go. If you, like me, prefer to make your own, that’s okay too. However you want to do it! To see the full recipe, check out Allan’s blog The Practical Saver.

10. Buffalo Chicken Celery Sticks

This would be great for a party where you know people who are carbohydrate concious are going to be. The chicken is more of a main focal point than the celery; however, my original reason for adding this recipe is because most people only think of celery with peanut butter or ranch by itself. What a unique flavor twist!

The recipe takes fifty minutes of prep time but I am sure it will be well received and worth the effort. London at Evolving Table did a great job with this recipe that even includes the calorie information!

11. Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs

Another interesting way to use meatballs, Michaela over at An Affair from the Heart made a simple burger recipe that screams both “Let’s Party” and “Watch those Carbs”. The fact that we can combine two very opposite things and make them go well together is quite an accomplishment.

12. Garlic Pull Apart Bread

I hope you didn’t think I was going to stay all carbohydrate concious the whole time we were talking about partying? How does that saying go? Calories eaten at a party doesn’t count. Something like that.

This cheesy pull apart artisian bread- complete with carbohydrates- is brought to you by Sharon over at Street Smart Kitchen. It’s great for finger foods and for those nights when you want to make spaghetti and bread. So many of these recipes have the ability to give you a two-for-one deal!

13. Jalapeno Popper Wonton Cups

This appetizer would go over well in my household because these are two individual items that we already love. My husband and oldest daughter love jalapenos. As in, I could leave the seeds in for their side of the wontons. Crazies. And we all love wontons with cream cheese. I hand make my wrappers but finding them in the store would be easier.

My favorite part about this recipe though is how pretty it is. I could see this on a platter ready to go out to a party. Cathy over at Lemon Tree Dwelling did good on this one. I’m going to put it on my list for New Year’s Eve!

14. Glazed Kielbasa Bites

Another meat-a-pineapple recipe. Pineapples just go so well with meat. I could see this recipe being used at New Year’s Eve for the presentation but also at an event for the superbowl or Easter as well.

You know how to be sure it’s a good recipe? I had to go through three different websites to find the original. Ali from Jam Hands sure has a lot of people trying and writing about her delicious appetizer!

15. Chicken and Waffles

I had never heard of chicken and waffles until I was an adult. As a foodie, I felt as if I had no choice but to try this classic Southern dish. While it won’t be on the top of my breakfast wish list, it was pretty good.

Jillian over at Food, Folks, and Fun came up with this recipe. She recommends using both premade chicken strips and waffles. Thankfully she does recommend you use real maple syrup. However, if you, like me, prefer the real deal, here is a site where you can pick up a silver dollar waffle griddle.

16. Five Ingredient White Queso

When my husband and I lived in Tennessee, we would go to the Mexican restaurant quite often. I’m about ninety percent sure it was because we both loved the queso. Imagine to our surprise almost four years ago when we moved to Texas and the restaurants here brought out yellow cheese with chunks of stuff in it. We swore against eating queso down here after several times of this happening.

This recipe, made by Valentina from The Baking Fairy, gives you the option of using real cheese or White American for part of it. Yet, thankfully, no Velveeta is on her list of ingredients. She goes through the do’s and don’ts at the end of the recipe so be sure to read fully!

17. Texas Sheet Cake Bites

We all know there has to be something sweet at a party and these Texas Sheet Cake Bites fulfill that need. Chocolaty and rich, it has both the batter and the drizzle to make you swoon.

I would add some sort of nut- probably pecan because they are my favorite- to the icing recipe or at least place a nut on top because typically Texas Sheetcake does have nuts in the icing.

These bites would take you far with one batter because you don’t need a lot in the mini muffin pans. To see the full recipe visit Holly over at Life in the Lofthouse.

18. S’mores Bites

S’mores are one of those year-round foods that, especially closer to summer, I crave. This recipe, brought to you by Laurie at Tipjunkie.com, is a great party treat.

Her pictures go beyond this as she makes several different types of s’mores including some that have notes of our favorite mouse friend. Sprinkles, different color chocolate, adding sticks- these S’mores are fair game and all equally as cute!

19. No-Bake Strawberry Champagne Cheesecake

At first, I thought this one would be a winner because it looks beautiful; however, add to that it doesn’t need baking and the fact that it has some of my favorite ingredients- whipped cream, strawberries, and graham crackers- and it is all around a winner. Oh, and did I mention there really is champagne in the recipe? That adds to the wow factor!

I am not real fond of the idea of eating strawberries out of season, though for this recipe I might grab some of my frozen ones out of the freezer and use them. There will be a bit of runniness to it but I have a feeling that would just make it prettier in my opinion. To see all the details check out Abby’s recipe over at Style Me Pretty Living.

20. Cranberry Bacon Jam Crostini

This recipe looks and sounds delicious. The savory in the bacon combined with the sweet-tart taste of the cranberry makes it sound almost sinful. So much so that I am having my students who are competing in the fair make this as one of their jam recipes.

Marion from Life Tastes Good came up with this for New Year’s Eve and it is perfect for a small grab and bite treat that is a bit unusual. My favorite kind of food!

Conclusion

No matter if you prefer your party appetizers to be sweet or savory, there was something on this list for everyone. A bit that feels like it should be a meal or something to hold you over. Grab a drink and try a little sampling of it all. Each of these brought to an event are sure to win over the crowd. Try one for yourself at the next big event and be sure to leave a comment below telling us how it went for you!