17 Festive & Fun Last-Minute Appetizers That Are Ready in 15 Minutes By Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Wimberly is EatingWell's Editorial Fellow. As a food and mental health blogger, Camryn explores how food and cooking can help improve mental health and also be an avenue to connect with one's culture and heritage. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 17, 2024 SAVE RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: See More Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling With these holiday appetizers, there’s no need to stress out when you realize you were invited to a party and forgot you offered to bring an app—or if you have several to make for a party you’re hosting. From dips and spreads to charcuterie sticks, these appetizers are fun and festive and can be put together in 15 minutes or less. Recipes like our Whipped Feta Honey Toast and Apricot-Stilton Bites will become holiday favorites for years to come. Love any of these recipes? Tap "Save" to add them to MyRecipes, your new, free recipe box for EatingWell. 01 of 17 Cucumber Salmon Bites Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco Look no further for your impromptu snack—these 3-ingredient cucumber salmon bites are a surefire hit. Beyond being an ideal choice for midday, this quick and easy recipe doubles as a satisfying appetizer. If you have a bit more time and a few extra ingredients at your disposal, try enhancing the cream cheese with chopped fresh herbs like dill or chives. View Recipe Save 02 of 17 Whipped Feta Honey Toast Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling This whipped feta toast gets a drizzle of honey and a sprinkling of your favorite fresh herbs. This easy appetizer takes only 10 minutes, making it perfect for last-minute guests. Using a food processor gives the feta mixture a light and airy texture. You can mix it by hand for the same great flavor with a coarser texture. View Recipe Save 03 of 17 Apricot-Stilton Bites Photographer: Rachel Marek, Prop stylist: Holly Dreesman, Food stylist: Gabriel Greco Savory blue cheese and sweet-tart dried apricots combine for an impressive last-minute appetizer for any gathering. Light agave syrup has a sweet, neutral taste, whereas dark agave syrup will add more caramel flavor. If you don’t have agave syrup, you can use honey in its place. View Recipe Save 04 of 17 Whipped Feta with Pomegranate, Pistachios & Honey This easy, quick appetizer is perfect for any gathering. Be sure to process the feta and cream cheese together until you see a smooth texture and ribbons start to form. Doing so will ensure any bits of feta are broken down, and you’ll avoid a grainy texture. The drizzle of hot honey adds a pleasant spice and plays well with the salty pistachios, but you could substitute regular honey or date syrup if preferred. View Recipe Save 05 of 17 Cheddar-Apple Cracker Bites This easy recipe comes together in just 5 minutes, making it a quick snack or appetizer. The sweetness of the Fuji balances well with the Cheddar, but you can use another variety of apple if you prefer. This recipe calls for 3 thin apple slices per cracker, but feel free to use just one if you’re craving a more cheesy bite. View Recipe Save 06 of 17 Cherry & Goat Cheese Crostini Cooking Light These flavorful crostini come together in just 10 minutes, making them an easy appetizer for any occasion. When fresh cherries aren't available, substitute thawed frozen cherries. Gently pat them dry before assembling. View Recipe Save 07 of 17 Pimiento Cheese-Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh A quick spread of pimiento cheese stuffs these mini bell peppers for an easy, three-ingredient appetizer. View Recipe Save 08 of 17 Garlic-Butter Steak Bites Jacob Fox These protein-boosting garlic-butter steak bites are great to pull together for a party or gathering. Serve these tasty bites skewered with toothpicks alongside skewered veggies. View Recipe Save 09 of 17 Apricot, Prosciutto & Parmesan Bites Jamie Vespa, M.S., R.D. These 3-ingredient apricot, Parmesan and prosciutto bites are as simple to make as they look, and they taste even better. Simply layer each ingredient on top of the other and secure with a toothpick for an easy bite-size starter. View Recipe Save 10 of 17 Rich & Creamy Crab Dip Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf Matthew Raiford considers this creamy crab dip to be an ode to the people who worked at the now-closed Lewis Crab Factory in Brunswick, Georgia. His dad was a boilerman, which meant he worked all night cooking crabs. Once they cooled, women typically did the work of picking the crabmeat from the shells. We love the light tang that the goat cheese adds to his version. Serve with slices of warm beer bread or crunchy vegetables. View Recipe Save 11 of 17 3-Ingredient Cranberry-Brie Crostini Alex Shytsman With just three ingredients, you can pull together an impressive appetizer perfect for holidays or dinner parties. The tangy cranberries cut through the richness of the cheese to create a balanced bite. This quick appetizer can be easily doubled to feed a crowd. View Recipe Save 12 of 17 Turmeric-Ginger Tahini Dip Flavored with turmeric, ginger and garlic, this tahini dip recipe is perfect for dipping vegetables or topping your next falafel. View Recipe Save 13 of 17 Whipped Feta Dip with Roasted Red Peppers Victor Protasio This super-creamy whipped feta dip is savory with just a hint of sweetness from honey. This healthy dip is perfect for veggies, whole-grain crackers or bread. View Recipe Save 14 of 17 Roasted Beet Hummus This vibrant hummus recipe couldn't be easier—just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away! Roasted beets make this healthy dip extra flavorful. Serve with veggie chips, pita chips or crudités. View Recipe Save 15 of 17 Baked Brie with Blackberry Jam Jamie Vespa, M.S., R.D. Baked Brie is a classic, crowd-pleasing party appetizer, whether it’s wrapped up in a pastry, in bite-size form or covered in a fruity jam, like in this recipe. In this easy 3-ingredient appetizer, we top a wheel of Brie with blackberry jam, bake for 10 minutes and serve with crisp apple slices or crackers. It’s so simple yet so delicious, that you’ll wonder why you don’t make it more often! View Recipe Save 16 of 17 Lemon-Thyme Whipped Ricotta This stunning yet easy appetizer recipe infuses creamy ricotta with fresh herbs and lemon. Serve with whole-grain crackers and cut-up vegetables or use as a spread for sandwiches or sauce for pasta. View Recipe Save 17 of 17 Lemon-Garlic Marinated Shrimp Marinating precooked shrimp in garlic- and lemon-infused oil is a simple yet elegant appetizer. View Recipe Save Explore more: Healthy Recipes Cooking Methods Quick & Easy Quick & Easy Appetizers Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit