With Christmas just around the corner, you may wonder what food to prepare for your party. After all, you probably want to surprise your guests with something delicious. At the same time, it’s important to serve something that will fit every palate and make everyone feel included.
The good news is that if you need to satisfy a whole crowd of friends and family members this year, you’re in a good place. Below, you’ll find four easy, quick, and tasty appetiser ideas that won’t require you to stay in the kitchen for a whole day. With these suggestions in mind, you’ll be able to spend more time relaxing or having fun with your guests rather than cooking without an end in sight.
From vegan-friendly stuffed mushrooms to sweet mini cherry pie cups, here are the ideas to inspire you!
Mini Cherry Pie Cups
These mini cherry pie cups are an adorable and easy-to-make Christmas appetiser. They take less than 30 minutes to prepare, which means that you can make a whole batch of them in less than an hour.
For the best effect, you can serve these little cups of deliciousness with whipped cream. If you don’t want to prepare your own, you can buy a whipped cream dispenser and get high-quality cream chargers by googling “nangs Australia” or wherever you’re based.
Ingredients
- refrigerated pie crust (buy it pre-made at your local supermarket)
- one can of cherry pie filling
- whipped cream
Instructions
Remove crusts from pouches and put them on a work surface such as a table or a kitchen counter. Use a round cookie cutter to cut rounds. It’s best if they’re the size of a regular cupcake.
Next, fit the rounds into ungreased muffin cups. Spoon about two tablespoons of cherry pie filling into an ich cup.
Finally, bake for 15 minutes at 425°F or until the edges are golden brown. Cool and serve with whipped cream.
Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
The second idea on this list is a vegan-friendly stuffed mushroom recipe. Even though the recipe calls for vegan cream cheese, you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy these amazing stuffed mushrooms. They’re packed with flavour and so easy to make that you can prepare them right before the arrival of your guests.
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby mushrooms, cleaned and dried
- 1 pack of vegan cream cheese, softened
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, parsley, garlic salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth. Set aside.
The next step is to remove the mushroom stems. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into each mushroom cap. Drizzle with remaining olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cranberry Sauce Meatballs
For this recipe, you’re going to need some frozen meatballs. It may seem a bit lazy, but the cranberry sauce will turn them into fantastic gourmet appetisers, and no one will even know that you didn’t prepare the meatballs from scratch.
You can use turkey meatballs to make this recipe a bit leaner, but pork is also a good choice.
Ingredients
- 24 ounces of frozen turkey meatballs
- 1 can jellied cranberry sauce
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 12 ounces chilli sauce
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ spoon of ground cumin
Instructions
Put a large saucepan over medium heat. Combine all the ingredients except the meatballs. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Lastly, add meatballs and cook for 25 minutes or until fully cooked. Serve and enjoy!
Cheese Ball Bites
Next up on this list is a delicious cheese ball recipe. These bite-sized snacks are so easy to throw together. They’ll make your guests feel like they’re at a high-class party.
Make sure to prepare a large batch of these, or they’ll be gone before you know it. That’s how perfectly cheesy and delicious they are!
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 block of softened cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Kosher salt
- pepper Freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Cook bacon until crispy. Drain using a paper towel and then chop. After that, take a large bowl and stir together cream cheese, cheddar, and spices. Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to form bite-size balls. Put them on a parchment–lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least one hour or until firm.
Meanwhile, take another bowl or a baking sheet and stir together bacon and pecans. Then, take firm cheese balls and roll them in the mixture. Leave the balls on a counter so they can come to room temperature and serve.
In Conclusion
There you have it, four fantastic appetiser recipes that are sure to impress your guests! You can whip all of them in less than a few hours or choose just one and dedicate no more than 30 minutes to prepping and cooking.
All of the recipes on this list are easy to make and can be prepared in advance so that you can enjoy the party as much as your guests. The best thing is that everyone will find them tasty, regardless of their age. This way, you won’t have to worry about preparing separate menus for adults and kids and will spend Christmas day having fun and enjoying the company.
