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On New Year’s Eve we skip the big supper and graze on appetizers from the moment the chores are done until the ball drops. A table full of little bites keeps everybody happy, and the cook gets to sit down and enjoy the party too.
Here are 21 New Year’s Eve appetizers I love, from warm beer cheese and Reuben dips to steak crostini, smoked salmon blini, crab cakes, coconut shrimp, honey garlic wings and good old ham and pickle roll ups. Each one links to the cook who created it, with the full recipe. Want more for the night? Our New Year’s Eve food ideas cover meatballs, sliders, dinners and lucky foods, and our New Year’s Eve party ideas have drinks, games and decor.
1. Beer cheese dip with pretzels
SaveCredit: Ain’t Too Proud To Meg
A warm pot of beer cheese is about as Midwest as party food gets, and it is the first thing I set out when the neighbors come over. Soft pretzel bites and a bowl of this will keep a crowd happy for hours.
Meg makes a quick roux with butter and flour, seasons it with garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder and a little Worcestershire, then whisks in a cup of beer and some whole milk. Melt in sharp cheddar and Gruyere a handful at a time until it is thick and creamy. The whole thing takes about 20 minutes in one saucepan.
2. Hot Reuben dip
SaveCredit: Recipe Girl
If you love a Reuben sandwich, this dip has every bit of that flavor in a scoopable form. It is also a smart way to use up a little leftover corned beef.
Lori stirs together a can of rinsed and well dried sauerkraut, shredded Swiss cheese, chopped corned beef, mayonnaise and a spoonful of Dijon. Spread it in a small baking dish and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes until it bubbles. Serve it with rye cocktail bread and a little Thousand Island on the side.
3. Caramelized French onion dip
SaveCredit: South Your Mouth
Once you make onion dip from real caramelized onions, the packet kind just will not do anymore. It is sweet, salty and so good with a bag of ridged potato chips.
Mandy cooks two very large chopped yellow onions low and slow in butter and oil with salt and a little sugar for about 20 minutes, then adds Worcestershire, thyme and garlic and keeps going until they are deep golden. Cool the onions and stir them into a pint of sour cream. Make it the day before so the flavor has time to come together in the fridge.
4. Ham and pickle roll ups
SaveCredit: Lamberts Lately
Every family reunion I have ever been to had a plate of these, and they always disappear. Some folks around here call them pickle wraps or Minnesota sushi.
You need only three things, which are whole dill pickles, softened cream cheese and deli ham. The trick is to pat the ham and pickles completely dry so the cream cheese sticks. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on each slice of ham, roll it tightly around a pickle and cut it into 1 inch rounds.
5. Tomato bruschetta
SaveCredit: Mother Thyme
I like to have something fresh and bright between all the cheesy dishes, and bruschetta fits the bill. It is also one of the cheapest appetizers you can make for a crowd.
Jenn mixes seeded and chopped Roma tomatoes with garlic, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and lets it chill for at least 15 minutes. Brush baguette slices with softened butter, sprinkle them with garlic powder and toast them at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Spoon the tomatoes on top just before serving so the bread stays crisp.
6. Steak crostini with horseradish cream
SaveCredit: Season & Thyme
These little toasts feel like a steakhouse supper in one bite, which makes them perfect for the last night of the year. One small steak makes a whole platter.
Stir sour cream, horseradish, Dijon, salt and pepper together and chill it for 30 minutes. Toast baguette slices at 400°F for about 10 minutes, then sear a seasoned hanger steak in a hot cast iron skillet to medium rare, about 130 to 135°F inside. Let it rest, slice it thin against the grain and pile it on the toasts with sautéed mushrooms, a dollop of the cream and chopped chives.
7. Smoked salmon blini
SaveCredit: RecipeTin Eats
Blini with smoked salmon are the fanciest thing I make all year, and New Year’s Eve is the night for them. They look elegant next to a glass of something bubbly.
Nagi’s little pancakes are made with a yeasted batter of plain and buckwheat flour that rises for about 1 1/2 hours before you pipe small rounds into a hot pan. Top each one with a cream cheese and crème fraîche spread with dill and lemon, a curl of smoked salmon and a sprig of fresh dill. If you are short on time, store bought blini work fine with the same toppings.
8. Gougères (French cheese puffs)
SaveCredit: Recipe Girl
Gougères sound fancy, but they are really just cheesy little puffs of choux pastry, and they are so much fun to pull out of the oven. Warm ones vanish faster than I can fill the basket.
Bring butter, water, milk, salt and a pinch of nutmeg to a boil, stir in the flour all at once and cook it for a minute. Let it cool for 5 minutes, beat in 4 eggs one at a time and then the Gruyere. Pipe golf ball sized puffs, brush them with egg wash, sprinkle on more cheese and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then at 350°F for about 20 more. The recipe makes about 36, and they reheat in 5 minutes.
9. Baked mini crab cakes
SaveCredit: Rada Cutlery
I love crab cakes but I do not love standing over a skillet frying them during a party. These are baked in a mini muffin tin, so there is no shaping and no frying.
Beat cream cheese with an egg, sour cream, orange and lemon zest, cayenne, chives and Parmesan, then fold in two small cans of drained crabmeat. Press a buttery mix of panko, chives and Parmesan into greased mini muffin cups, add the crab filling and bake at 350°F. The batch makes 48, and they can be made ahead and reheated. Serve them with a quick cocktail sauce.
10. Coconut shrimp with sweet chili sauce
SaveCredit: Panlasang Pinoy
Coconut shrimp always feels like a treat from a restaurant, and they are easier to make at home than you would think. My kids would eat a whole platter if I let them.
Season a pound of large peeled shrimp with salt and pepper. Dredge each one in flour, dip it in a simple batter of flour, milk, egg and baking powder, then roll it in a mix of bread crumbs and sweetened coconut and fry until golden. Vanjo makes his own sweet chili sauce with rice vinegar, sugar, garlic and Thai chili, thickened with a little cornstarch.
11. Spanakopita triangles
SaveCredit: Supergolden Bakes
These flaky little spinach and feta pies are a favorite with the grown ups at our party. They are a bit of work, but you can fold them weeks ahead and bake them from frozen.
Lucy sautés scallions and leeks with parsley and dill, stirs in squeezed dry spinach, then adds feta, cream cheese or ricotta, eggs and lemon zest. Cut phyllo into long strips, brush with olive oil, double them up and fold a spoonful of filling into tight triangles. Sprinkle them with sesame seeds and bake at 350°F until golden. One batch makes about 50.
12. Mini quiche four ways
SaveCredit: Carlsbad Cravings
Mini quiches are my answer when I need a lot of appetizers from a few ingredients I already have. Everyone can grab the flavor they like best.
Cut 2 1/2 inch rounds from pie crust, press them into greased mini muffin pans and fill them with an egg and heavy cream custard seasoned with garlic, onion and dried herbs. The four fillings are ham and broccoli, bacon and Gouda, spinach and mushroom, and a Mediterranean mix with olives, sun dried tomatoes and feta. Bake at 350°F. They are make ahead and freezer friendly.
13. Pork and cabbage potstickers
SaveCredit: i am a food blog
Folding dumplings together is one of my favorite ways to pass the time on a long winter evening. Put the kids to work and you will have a pile of them in no time.
Stephanie fills store bought dumpling skins with ground pork and napa cabbage seasoned with garlic, ginger, soy, Shaoxing wine and toasted sesame oil. Fry them until the bottoms are crisp, then add a splash of water and cover the pan to steam the tops. You can fold a big batch ahead and freeze them on a sheet pan for the party.
14. Chicken satay with peanut sauce
SaveCredit: The Healthy Maven
Anything on a stick is good party food in my book, and these chicken skewers are always a hit. The peanut sauce is so good I keep the extra for noodles the next day.
Davida marinates cubed chicken breast in coconut milk, peanut butter, maple syrup, curry powder and soy sauce for at least an hour. Thread 4 or 5 pieces on each skewer and grill them on medium high heat for about 4 minutes a side. Blend peanut butter, ginger, garlic, curry powder, rice vinegar, soy, sesame oil, lime juice and water for the dipping sauce.
15. Honey garlic baked chicken wings
SaveCredit: The Lemon Bowl
My husband would skip every other appetizer for a plate of good wings. These are baked, not fried, so I am not stuck at the stove all night.
Pat party wings dry, toss them with oil, salt and pepper and bake on a foil lined sheet at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes until crispy. Whisk honey, minced garlic, Dijon, olive oil, salt and cayenne in a big bowl and toss the hot wings right in it. Pile them on a platter and scatter sliced scallions over the top.
16. St. Louis toasted ravioli
SaveCredit: Global Kitchen Travels
Toasted ravioli is a St. Louis favorite, and it is really fried, not toasted. A bag of frozen ravioli turns into a crunchy appetizer that kids and grown ups both love.
Thaw a package of frozen cheese ravioli on a sheet pan so they do not stick together. Dip each one in buttermilk seasoned with salt and crushed red pepper, coat it in Italian breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown. Serve them hot with warm marinara for dipping and a snowfall of grated Parmesan.
17. Pepperoni pizza puffs
SaveCredit: Bite-Sized Bash
These little pizza cups are the snack I make for the kids’ table, and the grown ups always sneak a few. They take about 15 minutes in the oven.
Unroll a tube of refrigerated pizza dough, cut it into 12 squares and press them into a greased muffin tin. Fill each cup with mozzarella, a spoonful of pizza sauce and mini pepperoni, top with more cheese, garlic powder and Italian seasoning, and bake at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and bubbly.
18. Loaded potato skins
SaveCredit: Life Currents
Potato skins are pure comfort food, and every Midwest kitchen has the ingredients on hand. They are one of the heartier appetizers, so nobody goes home hungry.
Bake oiled russet potatoes at 400°F for about 50 minutes, let them cool, halve them and scoop out the middles, leaving about 1/4 inch. Brush both sides with melted butter, season and broil until crisp. Fill them with sharp cheddar and crumbled bacon, broil until the cheese bubbles and finish with sour cream and green onions. Save the scooped potato for breakfast hash.
19. Mini twice baked potatoes
SaveCredit: For the Love of Cooking
If potato skins feel too big for a cocktail party, these little two bite potatoes are the answer. They look dressed up on a white platter.
Bake baby yellow potatoes at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes until tender, halve them and scoop out the insides. Bake the shells for 10 minutes with olive oil and salt, then mash the potato with butter, sour cream, cheddar, bacon bits and green onions. Spoon it back in, top with cheese and bake 5 to 7 minutes more.
20. Southern cheese straws
SaveCredit: Julia’s Simply Southern
Cheese straws are a Southern classic, and they are the perfect crunchy nibble to go with a glass of champagne. They also keep for a week, so you can bake them early.
Julia creams butter with 2 pounds of extra sharp cheddar, then mixes in flour, salt, cayenne, black pepper and a dash of garlic powder. Pipe the stiff dough through a cookie press with a star tip into 3 to 4 inch strips and chill them for 30 minutes to an hour so they do not spread. Bake at 325°F for about 20 minutes until golden and crisp.
21. Homemade Chex mix
SaveCredit: The Cottage Mama
No snack table at my house is complete without a big bowl of homemade Chex mix. It is the first thing I make in December, and it lasts right through New Year’s.
Combine corn, rice and wheat Chex with pretzels, Cheez-Its and mixed nuts in a big roasting pan. Melt butter with Worcestershire, seasoned salt, garlic powder and onion powder, pour it over and stir well. Bake at 250°F for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes, then spread it out on paper towels to cool.
How to plan New Year’s Eve appetizers
Plan on about 8 to 10 bites per person if appetizers are the whole meal, and a little less if you are also serving supper. Pick a mix of one or two warm dips, a couple of cold platters, something meaty and something crunchy, so there is a little of everything.
Make as much as you can ahead. The French onion dip, cheese straws and Chex mix are all better made a day or more early, and spanakopita, potstickers and mini quiches can be frozen weeks ahead and baked straight from the freezer.
Stagger the oven. Put the dips and potato dishes in first, then the wings, and save the quick bakes like pizza puffs and crab cakes for later in the night, so a fresh warm platter comes out every hour or so until midnight.
New Year’s Eve appetizers FAQ
What are good appetizers for New Year’s Eve? Crowd favorites include beer cheese dip, hot Reuben dip, ham and pickle roll ups, steak crostini, smoked salmon blini, mini crab cakes, coconut shrimp and honey garlic chicken wings.
What New Year’s Eve appetizers can I make ahead? Caramelized French onion dip, cheese straws and homemade Chex mix keep well for days. Spanakopita triangles, potstickers and mini quiches freeze well and bake from frozen.
How many appetizers do I need for a New Year’s Eve party? If appetizers are the main meal, plan on 8 to 10 bites per guest over the night and 5 or 6 different recipes. If you are serving dinner too, 3 or 4 appetizers are plenty.
What are fancy but easy New Year’s Eve appetizers? Steak crostini with horseradish cream, smoked salmon blini made with store bought blini, gougères and bruschetta all look elegant but use simple ingredients.
