12 Holiday Appetizer Recipes

Everyone loves appetizers! It’s not something I prepare often throughout the year as a dish to serve before a meal, but I do prepare a whole meal with just appetizers from time to time. Every single recipe in this collection of 12 Holiday Appetizer Recipes has been hand-selected and approved by me at Lord Byron’s Kitchen. These appetizers a so good you just might want to keep them all for yourself!

Appetizers are big for us on Christmas Eve. We gather in the living room with plates piled high, cold drinks close by, and watch our favourite holiday movies. Usually, I make a huge charcuterie, but last year, I tried something different! I prepared and perfected 12 different holiday appetizer recipes that are festive, Christmasy, family-friendly, or all of the above, that you can make and enjoy with your family this Christmas.

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That series was called Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Appetizers. It was a holiday series much like the many I have shared over the past few years. I published one recipe each day for 12 consecutive days, and just like when each series ends, I’m placing all of the recipes from that series into one post.

I do this because it’s easy to miss a recipe, especially when there are 12 of them day after day. Not everyone has time to check out a recipe every day. And, not everyone who reads my recipes has subscribed to my blog. Lastly, rather than having you search for each of the recipes, it’s easier just to scroll down one page and see them all at once.

On the backend, I’ve done all the work for you. As soon as you see a picture of an appetizer item that you like, just click on the green highlighted box that says “CHECK OUT THE RECIPE.” A new window will open in your browser so that you don’t lose your place on this page. No searching, no downloading, each and every recipe is just a click away. Let’s get to it!

Puff Pastry Christmas Trees

This light and airy appetizer is prepared with store-bought sheets of frozen puff pastry and your favourite sun-dried tomato or basil pesto. They’re so quick and easy to prepare – anyone can do this! Serve with a side of warm marinara sauce for best results.

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Crab Apple Cranberry Meatballs

Serve these Crab Apple Cranberry Meatballs as a holiday appetizer and watch just how quickly they disappear! Store-bought frozen meatballs are paired with frozen cranberries, apple juice, and a jar of jelly to make a very delicious and festive party favourite!

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Honeyed Cheese Bread

Toast or grill thinly sliced bread and top it with whipped goat cheese. Drizzle over your favourite honey and garnish with fresh thyme leaves and berries. Honeyed Cheese Bread is sweet and salty and is completely irresistible. The creaminess of the cheese and honey is a great match for the chewiness of the toasted baguette.

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Artichoke and Crab Flatbread

Cheesy, garlicky, and spicy are three words one could use to describe this Artichoke and Crab Flatbread. Easy to prepare, but authentically delicious, this appetizer will be talked about long after the holidays are over, which is why this recipe makes two!

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Newfoundland Hors D’oeuvres

Christmas just isn’t Christmas in Newfoundland without these hors d’oeuvres! Sure, they look rather simplistic and it’s easy to have a dislike for canned sausages, but these are so delicious! If you can slice cheese and skewer it onto toothpicks, you can easily assemble these little appetizers!

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Whipped Honeyed Jalapeno Ricotta

When you whip ricotta with garlic, onion, oregano, and sour cream, not only is the flavour incredible, but the texture is silky smooth. Topped with homemade Jalapeno Honey, this dip is cool and spicy at the same time. Serve with your favourite crackers and bread.

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Holiday Cheese Log

This Holiday Cheese Log is packed with a tonne of flavourful add-ins, such as chili flakes, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh chives. Seasoned with garlic, onion, basil, oregano, and more, this holiday appetizer is a tremendously delicious party favourite!

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Cranberry Sausage Bites

Oven-roasted smoked sausage is topped with a slice of aged cheddar cheese and dressed with cranberries. The big-bite combination of salty sausage, and creamy cheese, with sweet and bitter cranberries, is delightful!

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Dried Apricot and Walnut Appetizers

Don’t be shy; this appetizer is meant to be eaten in one big bite! Dried Apricot and Walnut Appetizers have combinations of flavours and textures that just make everything all right. Topped with whipped cream cheese and drizzled with honey, these are simply delectable!

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Savoury Brie and Beet Tart

The combination of roasted beets, walnuts, and cheese is unbeatable! This Savoury Brie and Beet Tart has all three of those ingredients baked on a light and fluffy puff pastry, drizzled with honey, and topped with fresh herbs. It’s hard to eat just one slice!

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Turkey Salad Crostini

Chopped turkey breast meat is combined with bacon, cheese, and cranberries and piled onto lightly toasted or grilled bread. These crostini are savoury and sweet and have the makings of a great Christmas dinner in appetizer form. Alternatively, serve the turkey salad with crackers as a dip!

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Cheesy Bacon Twists

This appetizer consists of salty bacon twisted around light and airy, buttery puff pastry with shredded cheddar cheese all in brown sugar, thyme, oregano, garlic, onion, and ground black pepper seasoning! Words do not exist to describe how wonderfully delicious these are!

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