33 Crowd-Pleasing Appetizers for Thanksgiving

Crab Rangoon Dip — The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Are you hosting guests for Thanksgiving? Keep their hunger at bay as you put the finishing touches on the holiday meal, with these crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving appetizer recipes.

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Mexican Ceviche Shrimp Cocktail

Juanmonino / Getty Images

Master chef Rick Bayless created this shrimp cocktail recipe inspired by Mexican culinary traditions that is similar to ceviche. Lightly poached, juicy little shrimp are infused with the flavor of fresh lime and served with a zingy, tangy cocktail sauce.
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Devils on Horseback

The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

Bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed dates deliver a fantastic combination of sweet and savory flavors that has made "devils on horseback" a classic party appetizer for decades. For easy serving, prep this appetizer ahead of time, for last-minute broiling when guests arrive.
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Classic Cheese Straws

Ian O'Leary / Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images

You only need a handful of ingredients, and about half an hour, to bake up a big batch of delicious cheese straws for dipping and munching. Add more or less cayenne pepper, to suit your spice preference.
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Crab Rangoon Dip

The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Sweet, salty, creamy crab rangoon dip has all the favorite flavors of the popular Chinese-American appetizer, transformed into a party dip! Follow the instructions here for making this decadent dip, plus fried wonton pieces for scooping up all the deliciousness.

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Easy Baked Brie

The Spruce / Pete Scherer

Baked brie is a classic party starter that is always welcome at holiday time. It is so easy to prepare, and makes an elegant impression on a platter, with gently melting brie cheese, fruit preserves, toasted walnuts, and of course mini toasts or crackers for spreading.
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Cheesy Potato Croquettes

The Spruce / Marian Blazes

Cheesy potato croquettes are a grown-up version of tater tots, with a similar, satisfyingly crunchy exterior, and warm potato filling inside. Cheese is added to the mashed potato stuffing here, for a yummy, extra layer of flavor.
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Cranberry Brie Bites

The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Get your guests excited for the turkey and cranberry sauce to come, with these cute cranberry and brie appetizers that are easily made in muffin tins. They are flaky, sweet, and creamy, with melting brie cheese, tangy cranberry sauce, walnuts, and honey, nestled in golden puff pastry cups.
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Basil Walnut Spread

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

In just a few minutes, you can use this recipe to create a gorgeous spread for crackers and toasted baguette slices. Basil walnut spread makes the most of a few, simple ingredients, with a wonderful, tangy flavor and richness from cream cheese.

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Fig Crostini

The Spruce / Molly Watson

Delight your guests with these easy and fancy fruity toasts. The luscious flavor of chopped fresh figs gets a boost from a splash of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Add optional blue cheese or goat cheese crumbles for a heartier version.
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Spanakopita Bites

Brian Hagiwara / Getty Images

Treat Thanksgiving guests to a taste of the Greek islands, with these scrumptious spinach, feta cheese, and phyllo dough bites. They are simple to prepare using prepared phyllo pastry shells, and look cute on your appetizer table.
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Stuffed Mushrooms With Clams

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Stuffed mushrooms are a classic party appetizer, and this creative recipe boosts their flavor, by filling broiled mushroom caps with a delectable mixture of minced canned clams, butter, garlic, parsley, and breadcrumbs.
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Crockpot Chex Party Mix

The Spruce

Meet the easiest party appetizer ever! The ever-popular Chex party mix is a snap to prepare in the crock pot, with all the great, toasty taste of traditional oven-baked mixtures. Every handful is different, and delicious, with nicely-spiced buttery Chex cereal, pretzels, cheese crackers, and peanuts.

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Jalapeño Poppers

TheCrimsonMonkey / E+ / Getty Images

Make restaurant-style jalapeño poppers at home with this easy appetizer recipe. Simply hollow out the little peppers, stuff with a flavorful, seasoned cream cheese filling, roll in breading, and deep-fry until golden brown.
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Festive Cheese and Pecan Ball

Lauri Patterson / Getty Images

Sweet dreams are made of cheese! Guests will enjoy digging into this retro-inspired party cheese ball, with cream cheese, cheddar, and a fabulous, tangy flavor from Worcestershire sauce, all rolled in crunchy chopped nuts. Serve with crackers for spreading.
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Copycat Avocado Egg Rolls

Leah Maroney

Straight from the Cheesecake Factory's menu, these tasty appetizers offer a nice change to the traditional egg roll filling. Chopped avocado is combined with sundried tomato, cilantro, and red onion and seasoned with fresh lime juice and salt. Once this mixture is nestled inside the wrapper, the egg rolls are deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. A homemade tamarind cashew sauce is served on the side for dipping.
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White Bean Hummus

Envision / Getty Images

Canned white cannelini beans are used instead of chickpeas in this Middle Eastern-style recipe, for a tasty, mild-flavored hummus, that gets a lovely lift from fresh lemon juice. Dress the top with a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of cumin or paprika, for a pretty presentation. Serve with crackers or pita triangles.

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Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Cranberry cocktail meatballs are crowd-pleasing appetizers that are perfect for enjoying at Thanksgiving. Made with ground beef or pork, with or without added pineapple chunks, they make a tasty starter. Serve with toothpicks for spearing.
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Smoked Salmon Crostini

The Spruce / Leah Maroney

With only a few ingredients, you can assemble an appealing appetizer with this easy recipe. Bright, salty smoked salmon nestles atop creamy ricotta cheese, zesty lemon juice, and fresh-snipped herbs, on crusty baguette slices.
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Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

Leah Maroney

Made with refrigerated pizza dough, these pretty ham and cheese pinwheels are easy to throw together before tackling your big meal. Salty ham and gooey cheese make a perfect filling. It's the right-sized bite for your guests before they dig into the main attraction.
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Spinach and Artichoke Dip

The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Serve up a big bowl of warm, creamy, cheesy spinach and artichoke dip with crackers, to keep Thanksgiving guests happy until the meal is served. Make it on the stove or in your crock pot, for an easy appetizer that always pleases.

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Pumpkin Hummus

The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

Pumpkin hummus is a quick and easy appetizer that can be made ahead and served while you prep the rest of the big meal. The addition of pumpkin purée adds creaminess and fall flavor and color. Serve with warm pita or pita chips.
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Asparagus Gruyere Tart

The Spruce / Molly Watson

Make a statement this Thanksgiving with this beautiful asparagus and gruyere tart that can be cut into squares for serving as an elegant appetizer. It is simple to make with store-bought, frozen puff pastry, and just a few other ingredients, but guests can be forgiven for thinking you labored it all afternoon.
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Chipotle Pumpkin Queso Dip

The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

Velvety, smoky, cheesy chipotle pumpkin queso dip is a fabulous fall appetizer for serving at autumn holiday gatherings. Only four ingredients are needed to make this tasty, recipe inspired by flavors from traditional Mexican cooking. Serve with tortilla chips for scooping.
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Moroccan Olives With Harissa

Adam Horne / Flickr / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Upgrade the same-old cocktail olives with the addition of harissa, a chili paste from North Africa that packs a punch of heat and flavor. It makes a nice complement to a dish of salty, briny, olives, preserved lemon, parsley, and olive oil.

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Cheddar Bacon Puffs

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Cheddar and bacon puffs pack a wallop of flavor into airy little bundles, and use simple pantry ingredients. The dough begins on your stovetop, and comes together in a stand mixer, before baking up in the oven. This recipe freezes well, stored in airtight freezer bags, for reheating later.
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Easy Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

The Spruce

Savory bacon and sweet, briny scallops are a flavor match made in heaven. Warmed bacon is wrapped around luscious sea scallops to create delicious appetizers that cook in minutes using your oven's broiler, to create these elegant appetizer bites.
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Dilly Deviled Eggs

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Tasty deviled eggs can be made ahead on the holiday morning, for a fuss-free Thanksgiving appetizer. These have a tasty, tangy filling, including dill pickle, dried dill, and dill pickle juice, along with egg yolks, mayonnaise, and a hint of mustard.
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Gluten-Free Crab Cakes

Paul Poplis / Getty Images

Delicious, pan-fried crab cakes make an elegant appetizer for holiday gatherings. Try this gluten-free version which replaces the usual breading with crushed gluten-free crackers, for a crunchy crust without wheat. Use lump crab meat, if available, for this recipe.

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Grilled Apple and Brie Flatbread

Sabrina S. Baksh / Regarding BBQ Inc.

Apples and brie go together wonderfully, especially when served warm, as in this recipe, which uses them to dress up simply grilled flatbread. A little honey, thyme, and chopped walnuts are added on top, for extra flavor and crunch.
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Caramelized Candied Peanuts

The Spruce

Sweet, crunchy, sugar-coated caramelized candied peanuts give guests a nice break from savory appetizers. They are quick and easy to make, with just a few ingredients, and make a great party nosh to enjoy with pre-dinner drinks.
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Baked Thai Coconut Shrimp

Iain Bagwell / Getty Images

Make restaurant-style Thai coconut shrimp at home, with this quick and easy recipe. Baking the breaded shrimp in the oven, instead of deep-frying, means fewer calories and less fat, with all the great flavor you crave. Serve with store-bought Thai sweet chili sauce for dipping.
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Three-Cheese Caramelized Onion Tart

The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Prepared puff pastry makes this impressive-looking tart with caramelized red onions and three kinds of cheese quite easy to prepare. Tweak the flavor as you like, by varying the cheeses and herbs to suit the tastes of guests.

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Sausage Roll Appetizers

The Spruce

Puff pastry bites stuffed with seasoned sausage meat make a satisfying appetizer to keep guests' hunger at bay before the Thanksgiving meal. You can make these tasty bites ahead and freeze them, for easy reheating at holiday events.

Easy Thanksgiving Desserts