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Thanksgiving dinner is a long wait, and people get hungry while the turkey rests. A few good appetizers keep everyone happy, give guests something to do with their hands and free you up to finish the gravy.
Below are 16 Thanksgiving appetizers that I would be glad to put on my own table. Some bake, some simmer in the slow cooker and some need no cooking at all, and many can be made a day ahead. Each one says what it is, how to make it and how to serve it. When you plan the rest of the meal, pair them with our Thanksgiving side dishes, Thanksgiving dinner ideas and Thanksgiving table decor ideas.
1. Baked brie with honey and pecans
SaveCredit: Winding Creek Ranch
If I could only make one Thanksgiving appetizer, this would be it. A whole wheel of brie goes into the oven until the middle turns soft and gooey, then gets a drizzle of honey and a handful of chopped nuts.
Bake it at 350 degrees until it relaxes when you press the top, usually around ten to fifteen minutes. Serve it with crackers, sliced apples and pears so people can scoop right in.
2. Cranberry brie bites
SaveCredit: Vanilla Bean Cuisine
These little phyllo cups hold a spoonful of cranberry sauce, a cube of brie and a few toasted pecans. They look fancy and take almost no work, and they use up cranberry sauce you already have.
Fill store bought mini phyllo shells, bake just until the cheese melts, and finish with a sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary. You can fill them ahead and bake them while the first guests take off their coats.
3. A cranberry brie puff pastry wreath
SaveCredit: Simply Delicious
This one is a showstopper that is really just puff pastry, cranberry sauce, brie and nuts. The pastry is cut and folded into a wreath shape, so it looks like you worked all afternoon.
Thaw the pastry, spread on the sauce, add the cheese and nuts, then fold the points over and brush with egg. It is best served just warm so the cheese does not run everywhere.
4. A turkey pecan cheese ball
SaveCredit: Grits and Gouda
A cheese ball dressed up like a turkey is the appetizer kids ask for by name. Pecans make the feathers, and bell pepper slices and crackers finish the tail.
Shape your favorite cheese ball mixture, press the pecans in rows, then tuck in sliced peppers and a few crackers around it. It is a good one to put in the middle of the table while dinner cooks.
5. Slow cooker cranberry meatballs
SaveCredit: Nutmeg Nanny
Frozen meatballs, cranberry sauce and a little chili sauce make a sweet and tangy bite that keeps itself warm. It is the easiest thing on this list when your oven is already full.
Whisk the sauce, pour it over the meatballs in your slow cooker and let it heat through until bubbly. Set out toothpicks and a small napkin stack, and drop a few fresh cranberries on top for color.
6. An autumn charcuterie board
SaveCredit: Frolic and Fare
A fall board is a no cook way to feed a crowd. Think sliced cheeses, nuts, grapes, apple slices and dried apricots, arranged in a loose, generous spread.
Start with the big pieces like a wheel of brie, then fill the gaps with fruit, nuts and crackers. Keep honey or jam in small bowls so nothing gets soggy, and slice the cheese the day before.
7. Smoked deviled eggs
SaveCredit: The Cookin Chicks
Deviled eggs always go first. A little smoke gives the classic filling a deeper, cozier flavor that suits a fall table.
Boil and peel the eggs a day ahead, then mix the yolk filling and pipe it in just before guests arrive. If you keep hens like we do, farm fresh eggs make these taste even better.
8. Beet pickled deviled eggs
SaveCredit: Pete and Gerry’s
These pink eggs are the fun cousin of the classic. Pickling the whites in beet brine turns them a bright magenta, which looks wonderful next to all the orange and brown on the table.
Give them a few days in the fridge so the color and tang can soak in, then fill them with a creamy yolk mixture and add a little fresh dill on top. They are a great way to use a big batch of eggs from the coop.
9. Whipped feta with honey
SaveCredit: She’s Not Cookin’
Blend feta with Greek yogurt, olive oil and a little garlic and you get a silky dip in about five minutes. A drizzle of honey on top takes it from simple to special.
Serve it with warm bread, crackers or raw vegetables. It keeps in the fridge for a few days, so add the honey right before serving.
10. Apple and sage sausage rolls
SaveCredit: Girl Gone Gourmet
Pork, grated apple and sage taste like Thanksgiving stuffing wrapped up in flaky pastry. They are small enough to eat in two bites.
Roll the filling in puff pastry, cut into little pieces and bake until puffed and golden. They are good warm or at room temperature, which makes them easy to set out and forget.
11. Cranberry pecan goat cheese sweet potato bites
SaveCredit: Recipe Runner
Roasted sweet potato rounds make a sturdy little base for creamy goat cheese, chopped pecans and dried cranberries. They bring in two of the best Thanksgiving flavors at once.
Roast the slices until tender, let them cool a bit and top each with whipped goat cheese, nuts and cranberries. A bit of honey and a few rosemary needles finish them off.
12. Rosemary roasted nuts
SaveCredit: Gourmande in the Kitchen
A warm bowl of spiced nuts is the easiest thing to make for guests who like to nibble. The kitchen smells wonderful while they roast.
Toss mixed nuts with maple syrup, fresh rosemary and a little salt and spice, then roast until fragrant, stirring now and then. They also pack well in a tin to send home with company.
13. Baked spinach artichoke dip
SaveCredit: Together as Family
Hot, cheesy and bubbly, this dip is the one people hover around. It is made from pantry staples, canned artichokes and frozen spinach, so it is easy to pull together.
Squeeze the thawed spinach very dry so the dip stays thick, mix everything and bake until golden at the edges. Serve with tortilla chips and toasted baguette slices.
14. Sausage stuffed mushrooms
SaveCredit: Love Grows Wild
Mushroom caps hold a savory filling of sausage, cream cheese and herbs, and they bake into tender, golden bites. You can stuff them ahead and bake them just before serving.
Pop out the stems, cook the sausage with the chopped stems, mix in the cheese and spoon it back into the caps. Bake until the tops brown, and serve while they are hot.
15. Seasoned roasted pumpkin seeds
SaveCredit: Savor the Best
If you carve a pumpkin or cook one for pie, do not toss the seeds. Roasted with oil and spices, they turn into a crunchy snack that costs next to nothing.
Rinse and dry the seeds well, toss them with oil, salt and your favorite seasoning and roast until golden and crisp. Cool them completely before you store them in an airtight jar.
16. Homemade crackers
SaveCredit: The Tortilla Channel
Homemade crackers sound like a project, but they are just flour, oil, salt and water. They taste better than boxed ones next to a wedge of cheese.
Mix the dough, roll it thin, cut it into squares and prick each one with a fork before baking. Sprinkle with flaky salt or chopped rosemary and bake until crisp.
How to plan Thanksgiving appetizers
Pick three or four and mix the kinds, one hot dish, one cold dip, one thing you can pick up with your fingers and one board that needs no cooking. That way nothing fights for oven space at the busiest hour.
Count on about four to six bites per guest, since people still want to eat dinner. Do as much as you can the day before, like boiling eggs, slicing cheese and mixing dips, and bake the hot things as guests arrive. Set the food out away from the kitchen so people do not crowd around you while you cook.
Thanksgiving appetizers FAQ
What are easy Thanksgiving appetizers? A baked brie, a cheese ball, slow cooker meatballs and a whipped feta dip all come together with very little work. A charcuterie board takes no cooking at all.
What can I make ahead for Thanksgiving? Deviled eggs, pickled eggs, dips, cheese balls, roasted nuts and homemade crackers all hold well. Fill phyllo cups and stuffed mushrooms ahead and bake them just before serving.
How many appetizers should I serve? Three to four kinds is plenty for most gatherings. Choose a mix of hot, cold and bite sized so there is something for everyone without overfilling people before dinner.
