Christmas appetizer recipes are uniquely admirable and best to enjoy the spirit of the holiday season in their appearance, often featuring traditional holiday colors and symbols. These appetizers can range from intricate finger foods shaped like Christmas trees or wreaths to simpler, yet still festive, dishes infused with the vibrant reds and greens of the season. Ingredients like fresh herbs, red bell peppers, or cranberries may be employed to incorporate these holiday hues naturally.
Christmas Appetizer Recipes
Moreover, these appetizers may be aesthetically arranged on serving plates or platters to enhance their festive appeal further. The visual appeal of these appetizers not only adds to the festive atmosphere but can also stir up holiday excitement and become a conversation starter at gatherings. The delight Christmas appetizer recipes bring visually is almost as important as their flavors in making the holiday feast memorable.
Christmas Tree Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 3 x 8 ounce/(225g) packages cream cheese softened
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
To Decorate
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ of each yellow and red bell peppers diced
- 1 tablespoon pistachios roughly chopped, optional
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts optional
Bacon Wrapped Dates With Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 slices of bacon, sliced in half
- 16 dates
- 4 ounces goat cheese
Hedgehog Cheeseball With Almonds
Ingredients
- 2 c Cream Cheese 16 oz or 2 bricks, softened
- 1 c Cheddar Cheese, shredded 4 oz
- ½ c Bacon Bits
- 2 tablespoon Ranch Dressing Mix or 1 (1 oz) packet store bought
- ½ cup Canned Black Olives, chopped or sliced
- 2 tablespoon Chives, finely sliced
- ¾ c Slivered Almonds You may need more or less depending how densely you apply them on the cheese ball
- 5 dashes each, Tobasco and Worcestershire sauce
- Salt, Pepper + Lemon Juice to taste (I use approx ½ teaspoon of pepper and lemon. Cheese and bacon are salty so I don't find the need for extra salt.)
Pepperoni Twirls
INSTRUCTIONS
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
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Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Roll out the pizza dough into a long oval, approximately 24 inches by 12 inches. I used a little bit of flour on my rolling surface, on the rolling pin, and on my hands to keep the dough from sticking.14 ounces whole wheat pizza dough
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Sprinkle about half of the shredded cheese over the entire area of dough.1 ½ cups reduced fat shredded mozzarella
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Place the pepperoni slices in a single layer over the cheese.40 slices turkey pepperoni
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Spread the baby spinach over the pepperoni slices.2 handfuls fresh baby spinach
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Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the spinach.
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Starting from one of the long edges, carefully roll the dough into itself until you have a long log of dough with the toppings inside.
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With a very sharp knife, cut the dough width-wise into about 1 inch rings.
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Place the rings in a single layer on the baking sheets, then bake for approximately 8 minutes.
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Makes about 24 pieces.
Caprese Tortellini Skewers With Balsamic Glaze
INGREDIENTS
- 18 cheese tortellini
- 18 mozzarella small bite-sized balls
- 18 grape tomatoes
- 18 fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- drizzle of balsamic glaze as much as desired
Hot Spinach Christmas Dip
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided use
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- bread, crackers and vegetables for serving
- cooking spray
Charcuterie Skewers
Ingredients
- 8 oz mozzarella balls
- 2 lbs white cheddar cheese cut in large chunks
- 8 oz dry salami sliced thin
- 6 oz pepperoni sliced thin
- 15 dill cocktail pickles
- 30 cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 30 olives green or black
- 15 medium basil leaves
Puff Pastry Pinwheels
INGREDIENTS
- 1 oz frozen spinach thawed, washed, and roughly chopped
- 5 pieces of frozen artichoke hearts thawed, washed, dried, and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- ¼ cup red onions diced
- 1½ tablespoon cream cheese
- 4 oz mozzarella block I used Organic Valley's Mozzarella
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
- ¼ cup milk dairy or non-dairy
- 1 sheet puff pastry I use Greenwise's Puff Pastry
Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball Bites
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces (½ block or 4 tablespoons) full-fat cream cheese, softened (do not use low-fat, fat-free, or whipped)
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 small jalapeno, minced (seeds and membrane optional for heat)
- ¼ cup crumbled cooked bacon
Easy Christmas Sausage Roll Wreath With Cranberries
INGREDIENTS
- 400g/14oz sausages (use your favourite, good quality, free-range sausages)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup pecans
- ¼ cup flaked almonds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper
- 1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
