11 Quick and Easy Party Snacks and Appetizers

The best finger foods for any party

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 07/23/21
Spiced mixed nuts on plates with appetizers.
Diana Rattray

Whether you're getting together with family, going to a holiday party, or celebrating at the office, you'll probably be asked to bring a snack or dish. Here you'll find a number of and popular finger foods and party snacks, and many of them are super easy to prepare. While some are best served hot, others are served at room temperature so you can bring them with you to the party.

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  • 01 of 11

    Pizza Crostini

    Pizza crostini on a plate.
    Diana Rattray

    These bite-size crostini make a great snack hot from the oven. They take just 10 minutes to cook, just until the cheese is melted. All you need is French bread and pizza toppings. You can use the toppings you like best. You can serve them with hot pizza sauce or marinara for dipping.

  • 02 of 11

    Spiced Savory Spiced Mixed Nuts

    Mixed nuts with other finger foods.
    Diana Rattray

    These savory spiced nuts are always a hit! Worcestershire sauce and a variety of spices give them loads of flavor. You won't be able to stop snacking on these tasty mixed nuts.

  • 03 of 11

    Cheese Straws

    Cheese Straws
    Ian O'Leary/Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images

    These easy cheese straws are sure to be a hit. One of the tricks is to use sharp cheddar for the best flavor. Add a little more cayenne pepper for extra punch. The dough is easy to make either in a food processor or mixing it in a bowl. Then it takes only minutes to roll them into straws and bake. You can serve them warm or make them ahead and serve at room temperature.

  • 04 of 11

    Pigs in a Blanket

    Crescent Roll Hot Dogs "Pigs in a Blanket"
    Diana Rattray

    Mini hot dogs or sausages are wrapped with cheese in refrigerated crescent rolls to make this crowd-pleasing appetizer. You can dress them up by brushing the top of each crescent wrapped hot dog with an optional egg and water mixture and then sprinkling them lightly with sesame seeds or poppy seeds. Serve them with mustard and chili sauce or barbecue sauce. 

    Continue to 5 of 11 below.
  • 05 of 11

    Baked Spinach Balls

    Baked Spinach Balls
    Diana Rattray

    These baked spinach balls are a great appetizer and they are very easy to make. They are finger food if you simply serve them speared with a toothpick. You can provide dipping sauces such as a grainy mustard, marinara sauce, chipotle mayonnaise, or a mustard and mayonnaise dip. You may find you enjoy them so much that you'll be making them as meatless meatballs to have with spaghetti.

  • 06 of 11

    Tortilla Roll-ups

    Tortilla Roll Ups
    Diana Rattray

    Serve these tasty, easy tortilla snacks with your favorite salsa, guacamole, or a spicy dip. This recipe uses a cheese and vegetable filling with cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and chopped vegetables. You can spice them up with some minced jalapeno peppers. You can also change it up by adding meat such as diced ham, crumbled bacon, or thinly-sliced turkey.

  • 07 of 11

    Truffle Popcorn

    oil popped popcorn seasoned with fine truffle salt

     Pete Scherer

    Truffle salt dresses up homey popcorn, making this movie-theater mainstay worthy of star billing on your snack table. It's healthy and economical; truffle salt is expensive, but a little goes a long way. Pop a batch of truffle popcorn for a romantic movie night, a girlfriends' get-together, or a boys' beer bash.

  • 08 of 11

    Cajun Spiced Pecans

    Pecan Halves
    Photo: Diana Rattray

    These savory and spicy pecans are sure to please your guests. They are easy to make as you simply place the pecans, butter, herbs, and spices in a slow cooker and stir them occasionally for about two hours. That's simple to do as you get ready for the party.

    Continue to 9 of 11 below.
  • 09 of 11

    Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

    Simple bacon wrapped shrimp recipe

    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

    Bite-sized bacon-wrapped shrimp appetizers look and taste elegant enough for a party. Or, try bacon-wrapped scallops instead. You can make them ahead and then transfer them to a warming tray or slow cooker for serving. Experiment with seasoning them with lemon pepper or a little Creole or Cajun seasoning. Serve with a lemon aioli for dipping.

  • 10 of 11

    Crockpot Chex Party Mix

    Chex Mix
    Steve Johnson/Flickr

    Making your own party mix allows you to choose what savory crunchy snacks to include. This recipe shows how you can make it in a crockpot, which is a great way to multitask. You might also use a variation to make it gluten-free.

  • 11 of 11

    Parmesan-Stuffed Dates

    Bacon-Wrapped Parmesan-stuffed Dates
    A.M.P.A.S.

    Here's another variation of what to wrap in bacon for an appetizer. Cheese-stuffed dates are a delightful change from seafood.