For holiday appetizers before dinner, plan on 3 to 4 pieces per person across 2 to 3 kinds, or 8 to 12 pieces per person across 4 to 6 kinds for a 2 to 3 hour cocktail party. You can make cold dips and cheese balls 1 to 2 days ahead, and assemble stuffed mushrooms and oven bites up to 24 hours ahead, adding 5 to 10 minutes to the bake if they go in cold.
This guide groups our tested recipes by dish, with total time and servings, and shares what to pick up on our shelves for each.
Quick reference
| Cocktail party of 2 to 3 hours | 8 to 12 pieces per person, 4 to 6 kinds |
|---|---|
| Appetizers before dinner | 3 to 4 pieces per person, 2 to 3 kinds |
| Cold dips and cheese balls | make 1 to 2 days ahead |
| Stuffed mushrooms and bites | assemble up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate |
| Baking chilled appetizers | add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake if they go in cold |
| Hot holding temperature | 140°F or above in a slow cooker on warm or a 200°F oven |
| Room temperature limit | 2 hours maximum for perishable food (1 hour above 90°F) |
Warm Dips
When you need warm dips for a party in a hurry, Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip by Sargento® bakes shredded rotisserie chicken, wing sauce, and Philadelphia cream cheese in 25 minutes for 6. If your crowd loves greens and artichokes, Baked Spinach & Artichoke Dip by Best Foods® and Hellmann's® blends real mayonnaise, spinach, and water chestnuts in 45 minutes for 4, while our Cheesy Artichoke Dip with Chives & Warm Baguette serves 8 in 50 minutes with a Semifreddi's baguette for scooping.
For casual holiday grazing, try Bacon-Cheddar Beer Dip with Pretzel Bun Bread Sticks & Apple Slices (60 minutes, serves 8). To save oven space, let our Slow Cooker Spinach, Feta & Sun-Dried Tomato Dip with Pita Chips warm in the slow cooker in 90 minutes for 8, or dress up a festive table for 6 with Warm Snow Crab, Spinach & Brie Cheese Dip with Baguette (90 minutes).
Ingredients PASTEURIZED MILK AND CREAM, SALT, CAROB BEAN GUM, CHEESE CULTURE
Ingredients Artichoke Hearts, Citric Acid.
Ingredients Spinach.
Ingredients SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, WHOLE EGGS, DISTILLED VINEGAR, EGG YOLKS, SALT, SUGAR, LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (USED TO PROTECT QUALITY), NATURAL FLAVORS.
Ingredients Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Reduced Fat Milk, Salt, Microbial Enzymes), Provolone Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Microbial Enzymes, Smoke Flavor), Asiago Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Microbial Enzymes), Parmesan Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Microbial Enzymes), Romano Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Cow's Milk, Salt, Microbial Enzymes), Fontina Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Microbial Enzymes), Anticake (Potato Starch, Powdered Cellulose), Natamycin (Mold Inhibitor).
Ingredients Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water and Salt.
Ingredients Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sunflower Oil and/or Canola Oil, Whole Wheat Flour, and Less than 2% of the Following: Organic Cane Sugar, Sea Salt, Yeast, Oat Fiber, Malted Barley Flour, Ascorbic Acid (Antioxidant), and Rosemary Extract (Antioxidant).
Bites From the Oven or Air Fryer
If you love stuffed mushrooms, we have two takes: Rondélé Cheese & Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms with savory sausage, basil, and herb cheese (32 minutes, 5 servings), and Air Fryer Cheesy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms with Artichokes & Sun-Dried Tomatoes made with dungeness crab and goat cheese (50 minutes, 6 servings). For green starters, wrap spears in Primo Taglio prosciutto and Boursin garlic and herb cheese for our Cheesy Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus (30 minutes, 5 servings), or bake panko-crusted Baked Spinach Parmesan Bites in 40 minutes for 8.
When feeding a crowd, grab Pillsbury crescent rolls to bake 16 servings of Hot Dog Crescent Roll Bites with Special Sauce in 25 minutes, or use a muffin pan to make 12 servings of Mac & Cheese Bites with Honey-Mustard Mayo Dipping Sauce (70 minutes). For a smaller group of 4, our Air Fryer Blooming Onion with Chili Aioli Dipping Sauce is ready in 35 minutes.
Ingredients Cultured Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Whey, Skim Milk, Salt, Dehydrated Vegetables (Garlic, Onion), Locust Bean, Guar, and Xanthan Gums (Stabilizers), Vinegar, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid (to Protect Flavor), Black Pepper, Parsley, Ground Nutmeg.
Ingredients Pasteurized Cultured Milk and Cream, Dried Garlic, Salt, White Pepper, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative) Parsley, Chives.
Ingredients Pork Meat, Sea Salt.
Ingredients Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Vegetable Shortening (Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Fractionated Palm Oil, Water, Mono and Diglycerides, TBHQ and Citric Acid [Preservatives], Beta Carotene [for Color]), Sugar, Baking Powder (Baking Soda, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate), Contains 2% or Less of: Vital Wheat Gluten, Palm and/or Soybean Oil, Dextrose, Salt, Monoglycerides, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), L-Cysteine Hydrochloride (Dough Conditioner), Annatto Extract (for Color).
Ingredients Wheat Flour, Sugar, Salt, Yeast, Ascorbic Acid (Dough Conditioner).
Ingredients Parmesan Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Microbial Enzymes), Anticake (Potato Starch, Powdered Cellulose), Natamycin (Mold Inhibitor).
Meatballs, Wings and Sliders
For a hands-off dish that stays warm right in the slow cooker, try our Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Cocktail Meatballs, made with pork sausage and beef simmered in apricot preserves and Dijon mustard (240 minutes, 6 servings). When you want a filling handheld option in 45 minutes for 6, bake tender beef and ricotta meatballs in tomato sauce for our Cheesy Italian Beef Meatball Sliders on King's Hawaiian slider buns.
If you need a crisp platter in 35 minutes for 6, Buffalo Wings with Carrots, Celery & Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing roasts cornstarch-coated chicken wings in a 500°F oven. Toss the baked wings with Frank's RedHot hot sauce and serve them alongside celery, carrots, and a creamy Greek yogurt dressing stirred with Litehouse blue cheese crumbles.
Ingredients Concord Grapes, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Fruit Pectin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate.
Ingredients Aged Cayenne Red Peppers, Distilled Vinegar, Water, Salt and Garlic Powder.
Ingredients Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Sugar, Butter (Pasteurized Cream, Salt), Eggs, Contains Less than 2% of Each of the Following: Sodium Silicoaluminate, Whey, Corn Flour, Monocalcium Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid (Added Asa Dough Conditioner), Potato Flour, Wheat Gluten, Soy Flour, Nonfat Milk, Salt, Yeast, Sorbitan Monostearate, DATEM, Calcium Silicate (Anti-Caking), Calcium Sulfate, Ammonium Sulfate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Sorbic Acid (Preservative), Mono- & Diglycerides, Calcium Phosphate, Wheat Starch, Enzymes.
Ingredients Pasteurized Whole Milk, Salt, Culture, Enzymes, Powdered Cellulose (to Prevent Caking).
Cheese Balls, Butter Boards and Cold Starters
For a make-ahead classic (40 minutes, serves 6), roll Primo Taglio goat cheese into our Cranberry-Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball with Water Crackers and serve with Carrs table water crackers. Feeding a bigger group? Spread softened Kerrygold Irish butter for our Cranberry-Orange Butter Board with Persimmon, Candied Pecans, Honey & Thyme (50 minutes, serves 10), or top warm skillet pancakes for Homemade Blinis with Crème Fraîche, Caviar, Egg & Chives (25 minutes, 24 servings).
For lighter vegetable starters that serve 6 in 35 minutes, we have two fresh dips. Homemade Hummus with Sesame-Thyme Oil & Veggies blends chickpeas, tahini, and lemon, while Veggie Crudité Platter with Fresh Herb "Ranch" Dip pairs crisp produce with a Greek yogurt, dill, and chive dip.
Ingredients Whole Pasteurized Goat Milk, Salt, Cheese Cultures, Enzymes.
Ingredients Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Palm Oil, Salt.
Ingredients Pasteurized Cream, Salt.
Ingredients Pitted Green Olives (Olives, Water, Salt, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Acetic Acid), Pitted Calamata Olives (Olive, Water, Salt, Acetic Acid, Olive Oil), Canola Oil, Pitter Picholine Olives (Olives, Water, Salt, Lactic Acid), Pitted Amfissa Olives (Olives, Water, Salt, Citric Acid Ascorbic Acid), Mustard Seed, Spices, Dehydrated Garlic.
Ingredients Chickpeas, Water, Tahini (Sesame), Soybean Oil and/or Sunflower Oil, Salt, Garlic, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate to Maintain Freshness, Spices, Natural Flavor.
Ingredients Baby Carrots, Ranch Dip (Nonfat Buttermilk [Whey, Water, Skim Milk Powder, Corn Starch, Tapioca Starch, Carrageenan, Locust Bean Gum, Culture], Vegetable Oil [Canola and/or Soybean Oil], Water, Nonfat Sour Cream [Cultured Skim Milk, Corn Starch, Tapioca Starch, Carrageenan, Locust Bean Gum], Apple Cider Vinegar, Sugar, Distilled Vinegar, Less than 2% of Egg Yolk, Maltodextrin, Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Skim Milk Powder, Dried Carrot, Dried Onion, Green Onion, Seasoning Blend [Dextrose, Salt, Natural Flavors, Modified Corn Starch], Dried Garlic, Xanthan Gum, Seasoning Blend [Maltodextrin, Whey Powder, Skim Milk Powder, Modified Corn Starch, Butter Extractives, Natural Flavor], Spices, Lactic Acid, Carrageenan), Cauliflower, Mini Peppers, Broccoli, Celery, Snap Peas. Vegetables May Vary by Season.
Crab and Seafood Starters
For a plated starter in 55 minutes for 4, make our pan-seared Snow Crab Cakes with Fresh Basil, Homemade Tartar Sauce & Lemon, or save time by picking up Waterfront Bistro lump crab meat and Signature Select tartar sauce on our shelves. If you prefer a scoopable dish for 6 (80 minutes), bake our Warm Curried Dungeness Crab Dip with Ginger, Shallots, Cilantro & Naan, made with cream cheese, mango chutney, and curry spices.
For a no-cook seafood option, set out Waterfront Bistro cooked shrimp with cocktail sauce for easy grazing. Want a meatless bake alongside your seafood starters? Our Flatbread with Butternut Squash, Onion, Crispy Sage & Sweet Chili Oil tops naan with mozzarella in 40 minutes for 6.
Ingredients Cooked Shrimp (Litopenaeus Vannamei), Water, Salt, Sodium Tripolyphosphate (to Retain Moisture), Cocktail Sauce: Water, Tomato, Sugar, Prepared Horseradish (Horseradish, Salt, Vinegar), Modified Starch, Salt, Acetic Acid, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Carrageenan, Spices (Chili, Shallot, Garlic, Clove), Natural Flavor.
Ingredients Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled White Vinegar, Horseradish, Salt, Soybean Oil, Dehydrated Onion, Natural Flavor, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder.
Ingredients Pasteurized Crab Meat (Portunus Pelagicus), Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (to Promote Color Retention).
Ingredients Crabmeat, Water, Salt, Sugar, Disodium Phosphate (to Maintain Flavor and Firmness), Citric Acid, Calcium Disodium EDTA (to Preserve Color), Sodium Metabisulfite (Preservative).
Ingredients Water, Soybean Oil, Distilled Vinegar, Sugar, Pickles (Cucumbers, Water, Vinegar, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Xanthan Gum), Modified Food Starch, Contains Less than 2% of Dried Onions, Egg Yolks, Salt, Natural Flavor, Mustard Flour, Xanthan Gum, Spices, Paprika, Dried Garlic, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Calcium Disodium EDTA (Preservative).
How Many Appetizers to Make, and When
Match your menu to your prep schedule so you are not stuck at the stove when guests arrive. You can make cold dips and cheese balls 1 to 2 days ahead, and assemble make-ahead dishes like stuffed mushrooms and baked spinach or mac and cheese bites up to 24 hours ahead to store in the refrigerator (adding 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time if they go in cold).
Once cooked, hot appetizers need to stay at 140°F or above. Use a slow cooker on warm or a 200°F oven to hold already-hot dishes during the party. Set out perishable food in smaller batches from the fridge so nothing sits out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
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Frequently asked questions
How many appetizers per person should I plan for a holiday party?
For appetizers before dinner, plan on 3 to 4 pieces per person and 2 to 3 kinds. For a 2 to 3 hour cocktail party, make 8 to 12 pieces per person across 4 to 6 kinds.
Which make-ahead appetizers can I prepare before Christmas?
Make cold starters like our Cranberry-Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball with Water Crackers or Homemade Hummus with Sesame-Thyme Oil & Veggies 1 to 2 days ahead and keep them chilled. You can also assemble Rondélé Cheese & Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms or Baked Spinach Parmesan Bites up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate them until you are ready to bake.
How long do stuffed mushrooms take to make?
Our Rondélé Cheese & Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms take 32 minutes total (with a 25 to 28 minute bake at 350°F once filled), and our Air Fryer Cheesy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms with Artichokes & Sun-Dried Tomatoes are ready in 50 minutes total. Check each recipe card for full prep and cooking steps, and add 5 to 10 minutes to the oven bake if your assembled mushrooms go in cold from the fridge.
How do I keep warm dips for a party at a safe temperature?
Keep hot appetizers at 140°F or above by using a slow cooker on warm or a 200°F oven. Our Slow Cooker Spinach, Feta & Sun-Dried Tomato Dip with Pita Chips cooks right in the slow cooker in 90 minutes for 8 servings.
How long can holiday appetizers sit out at room temperature?
Perishable food should not sit out for more than 2 hours. If the room or outdoor temperature is above 90°F, limit perishable food to 1 hour.
What is a good mix of Christmas appetizers for dinner versus a cocktail party?
Before dinner, serve 2 to 3 kinds such as our Cranberry-Pistachio Goat Cheese Ball with Water Crackers and Cheesy Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus. For a 2 to 3 hour cocktail party, offer 4 to 6 kinds by adding hearty dishes like Hot Dog Crescent Roll Bites with Special Sauce and Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Cocktail Meatballs.