10 Quick and Easy Party Snacks and Appetizers

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

For a sweet-and-salty appetizer, your guests can enjoy with drinks, candied nuts are sure to please. You can use roasted pecans, almonds, walnuts, or cashews. Cinnamon, salt, and vanilla give them their festive flavor.

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.

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