25 Bite-Sized Thanksgiving Appetizers

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Let friends and family gather around appetizers while dinner is being prepared -- our recipes are so delicious they won't notice if the turkey's running late (get our complete turkey tutorial here)! Choose from easy finger foods such as spiced nuts, deviled eggs, homemade crackers, and more.

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Sweet Potato Rounds

Kate Mathis

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We decked out these nacho-esque sweet potatoes with crumbled cotija cheese and cilantro leaves.

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Spiced Mixed Nuts

Bryan Gardner

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Spiced nuts are a must at any gathering, and Thanksgiving is no exception. Gussy up your favorite blend with sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper.

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Make-Ahead Crackers

David Malosh

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Trade trendy for traditional with these simple slice-and-bake crackers. We love making all three flavors -- whole wheat and sesame, cheddar and gruyere, and fig and almond -- and serving them on a cheese and charcuterie board.

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Chorizo, Parsnip, and Olive Bites

Bryan Gardner

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With just dried chorizo, parsnips, and green olives plus olive oil, and salt you can put together these easy Thanksgiving hors d’oeuvres.

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Persimmon and Brie Crostini

Bryan Gardner

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Sweet persimmons and creamy Brie cheese are an unexpectedly delicious combination, especially when served on toasted baguette slices. Finish with freshly cracked pepper.

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Deviled Egg with Relish

Mike Krautter

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Take classic deviled eggs from good to great with sweet-tangy relish. They’ll be the first to disappear from the buffet table. Ready for more? Check out the rest of our definitive deviled egg recipes.

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Roasted Beets with Tarragon

YASU+JUNKO

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Look at those colors! Roasted golden beets are served in endive leaves with a garnish of fresh tarragon.

Check out our other 3-ingredient or less appetizers.

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Provencal Onion Tart

David Malosh

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Top store-bought puff pastry with sauteed onions, black olives, anchovies, and fresh thyme for our take on the Provencal classic pissadaliere. Serve in bite-sized squares.

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Shrimp Cocktail with Three Sauces

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Treat your guests to a luxe shrimp cocktail spread with a trio of delectable sauces -- mango-basil, remoulade, and tomato-horseradish.

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Roasted Squash Seeds

Marcus Nilsson

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Save yourself all the sorting and rinsing usually associated with cooking squash seeds; roast the whole lot together. The fibrous pulp amplifies their flavor.

Watch how to make Roasted Squash Seeds

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Cocktail Meatballs

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Pimenton (Spanish paprika) adds a smoky kick to these irresistibly moist meatballs. Serve with toothpicks for easy eating.

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Upside-Down Mushroom Tartlets

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Amp up sauteed mushrooms with fresh thyme and nutty Gruyere cheese, top with buttery puff pastry, and bake until golden brown. Invert and serve!

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Seasoned Popcorn

David Malosh

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Spice popcorn every which way for an easy appetizer that lets guests nosh without spoiling their appetite for the feast ahead.

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Warm Marinated Olives

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You can put this easy appetizer together in just 15 minutes on your stovetop (we’re betting your oven’s full!).

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Three-Cheese Gougeres

Johnny Miller

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Three cheers for these three-cheese puffs! Cheddar, blue cheese, and Gruyere are a dream team.

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Roasted Spiced Chickpeas

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Roast chickpeas tossed with cumin, coriander, ginger, and paprika for a healthy pre-meal snack.

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Shrimp and Avocado Salad on Endive Leaves

Johnny Miller

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We like to think of this finger food as guacamole elevated with shrimp. Serve it in endive leaves for an ultra-sophisticated starter.

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Chanterelle Toasts

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If you don't want to splurge on chanterelles, feel free to use any kind of mushrooms you please. Thanks to the generous dose of cream, they'll taste just as luxurious.

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Ratatouille Phyllo Wraps

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An ingenious way to use up leftover ratatouille! Roll it up in store-bought phyllo, cut into logs, and bake until golden. Add feta to the filling for extra richness.

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Squash-Leaf Canapes

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Delight one and all with this festive Thanksgiving finger food! Mini squares of toasted pumpernickel bread are topped with dollops of goat cheese and butternut squash cut into leaf shapes.

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Goat Cheese, Cranberry, and Walnut Canapes

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The combination of walnuts, goat cheese, and dried cranberries in this crostini topping is the ideal mix of sweet, savory, and crunchy.

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Devils on Horseback

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A classic hors d'oeuvre of prunes wrapped with bacon, skewered onto toothpicks, and baked. This tantalizing sweet-and-savory combination will whet the appetites of your Thanksgiving guests.

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Pickled Shrimp

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In this classic Lowcountry appetizer, boiled shrimp are marinated in a mixture of lemon juice, white-wine vinegar, olive oil, onions, garlic, chiles, and a slew of spices. A great make-ahead reipe, the shrimp need a full day for the flavors to develop.

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Cornbread Bites

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Mini muffin tins transform cornbread into a delectable bite-sized appetizer. Try all three flavor combinations: orange-rosemary, jalapeno-cheddar, and caramelized onion-bacon.

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Speedy Smoked-Salmon Crackers

Hector Sanchez

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Spike Neufchatel cheese with horseradish and chives, schmear onto butter crackers, and top with thinly sliced radishes and smoked salmon for a light, elegant starter.

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