The 8 Fast & Festive Hors D'oeuvres Recipes for Your Next Party
Attention holiday hosts: a round up of hors d'oeuvres to save you time and delight your guests
Now that gathering can happen without a huge risk, the holiday party is sure to make a big comeback this year. But, with the return of events also comes the return of over-scheduling and lack of time. If you’re hosting this year, we’ll give you a leg up by sharing party food recipes that are easy to make but still have a wow factor. A win-win for you and your guests.
Keep these festive hors d'oeuvres recipes handy for multiple reasons.
1. Addictively delicious bites - It’s food that people want to eat when they’re imbibing - we know because we’ve been collecting these recipes after enjoying these hors d’ouevers at various events over the years. When you take a bite of something, then ask the host for the recipe, you know it has to be good.
2. Something new to try - These recipes provide an alternative to the ubiquitous cheese boards and charcuterie platters out there. There’s nothing wrong with them, but they can be a little boring, and perhaps it’s just us, but seeing a half-eaten board is rather unappetizing especially as the night goes on. The form factor of these recipes are individual bites or manageable dips to spread on crackers or bread, so they’re less messy.
3. Quick and easy to whip up - These recipes are deceptively simple and shouldn’t intimidate even the most novice cook. Each one consists of a few ingredients, most of them pantry staples. They don’t require any special techniques – half of them don’t even require an oven!
We’ve tried all of these hors d'oeuvres recipes — and returned to them over and over again — and can happily recommend them.
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Hors D'oeuvres Recipes
Irresistible Nuts
You know those nuts that are addictive due to a combo of sweet, salty and faint bit of spice. Exactly. A bowl of nuts is a party staple, and this recipe kicks it up a notch and is very simple to make with basic ingredients.
The Perfect Puff
This recipe was a revelation when discovered quickly becoming a staple of parties. It’s a light savory bite-full with a slight kick thanks to a dash of cayenne and dried mustard. This cheeese puff or gougères, if you want to sound fancy, only requires a few ingredients and always impresses guests.
‘Cuppa Cuppa’ Dip
This recipe that’s a cross between a cheese dip and onion dip served hot originated in Good Housekeeping or a magazine like that. We first had it at a friend’s birthday and texted after to get the recipe which is served at all their family events. The combo of ingredients may sound awful to some, but we promise it’s magic scooped onto a Triscuit.
To make: Mix 1 cup shred cheddar cheese (or swap for another cheese like swiss), 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup chopped red onions or other sweet onion like Vidalia. Bake in an oven proof dish at 350 for 25 min. Serve warm with crackers or sliced bread!
Marinated Olives
Olives never fail. Sure, you can buy marinated olives at most high end stores, but they’re so easy to marinate at home and would argue they have an edge on flavor and presentation, and you can customize to your liking.
Broiled Bites
This retro recipe was made by my great-grandmother’s housekeeper every holiday, and my mom passed it down to me. A simple mixture of onion and mayo is transformed into a warm, delicious hors d'oeuvres. This recipe has a similar flavor profile to the hot onion dip above, but served up in an elegant single bite.
To make: Preheat broiler. Mix together 3/4 cup finely grated sweet onions like Vidalia or Walla Walla and 1/2 cup mayonnaise. Use a cookie cutter or small glass to cut 1.5-2” circles out of white bread slices (will need around 14 slices). Arrange the bread circles in a single layer on a baking sheet and broil 6” from the heat until lightly toasted. Remove and spread with the mayo/onion mixture. Broil the bites until the topping is bubbling and lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye out! Serve warm.
Boozy Cheese Spread
This boozy rendition of spreadable cheese will win over even skeptics. This is no Cheese Whiz. The secret is adding port and sherry to sharp cheddar blended into a smooth mixture. Liberally spread on a cracker of your choice, it’s a snack and a cocktail in one. Using a pre-made cheese spread saves you time and effort, and mixing the booze yourself makes it so much better than a store bought version.
To make: Blitz 8 oz of packaged sharp cheddar cheese spread (like this cheese from Whole Foods) in a blender with a splash each of port and sherry (a splash could be half an ounce or a full ounce depending on how boozy you want it). Serve with Ritz Crackers, Triscuits and/or Wheat Thins.
Fancy Butter
Butter boards were recently trending, but they’re kinda gross and involved too much freestyling to be considered “easy”. This recipe is way more straightforward and elegant in its presentation. Butter accented with this floral touch is stunning — and tasty.
To make: Buy a log of butter or make one using softened butter (use the parchment and muffin trick demonstrated here). Roll the log in either a mixture of edible flowers (can find here) and/or tarragon and thyme. Serve with radishes and toasted bread slices.
Image via @snarkybutdelish
Baked Feta with Honey, Thyme & Lavender (if you have it)
Melted cheese usually makes quite a splash with guests, but let’s face it camembert is unpleasantly stinky and baked brie requires you to get involved with tricky pastry. Feta makes a nice change, and this recipe is simple with that extra something.
To make: Wrap a brick of feta in paper towel for an hour (to absorb excess water). Place in an oven proof dish (you can use to serve it in), drizzle with olive oil and honey, then sprinkle with thyme and lavender. Bake in pre-heated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes until golden on the outside and molten on the inside. Serve with toasted bread.
Image and recipe inspiration from Great British Chefs
