40 Christmas Eve Snack Ideas
Updated: Jul. 30, 2020These easy-to-make snacks are perfect for Christmas Eve celebrations.
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Peppermint Popcorn
Crisp and minty, this simple popcorn snack is a hit with all 10 of our children. For variety, use whatever kind of candy you like. —Shirley Mars, Kent, Ohio 2 / 40
Reindeer Snack Mix
Rudolph and his pals will be dashing, dancing and prancing to gobble up this savory snack mix. Humans also will enjoy the buttery, perfectly seasoned and wonderfully crunchy combination. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen 3 / 40
Cherry Cheese Logs
Our party guests flock to this holiday gem of an appetizer - cherry-studded cream cheese served with graham or water crackers and pears. —Libby Walp, Chicago, Illinois 4 / 40
Santa Deviled Eggs
I love creating special deviled eggs for parties. These little Santas are easier to make than they look, and everyone raves over them. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado 5 / 40
Bacon Water Chestnut Wraps
The holidays around the house just wouldn't be the same without these classic wraps. Through the years, Christmas Eve guests have proven it's impossible to eat just one. —Laura Mahaffey, Annapolis, Maryland 6 / 40
Bacon Cheese Wreath
My grandmother makes this smoky bacon and Parmesan spread for parties and holiday get-togethers. For a pretty yuletide presentation, decorate the cream cheese wreath with green parsley and red pimientos. —Lisa Carter, Warren, Indiana 7 / 40
Candy Snack Mix
Chock-full of raisins, peanuts and M& M's, this crunchy salty-sweet mix stays fresh for weeks. I keep it on hand to serve to unexpected guests or to fill decorative containers to give as last-minute gifts. —Mary Newsom, Grand Ridge, Florida 8 / 40
Garlic-Herb Mini Quiches
Looking for a wonderful way to impress guests? You’ve got it—and you need only five ingredients to make these tasty apps! —Josephine Piro, Easton, Pennsylvania 9 / 40
Crab Crescents
This recipe is so good, no one will guess how quickly you put it together. These little bites are delicious and decadent! —Stephanie Howard, Oakland, California 10 / 40
Candied Pecans
I pack these easy candied pecans in jars tied with pretty ribbon for family and friends. My granddaughter gave some to a doctor at the hospital where she works, and he said they were too good to be true! —Opal Turner, Hughes Springs, Texas 11 / 40
White Chocolate Party Mix
You won't be able to stop eating this irresistible white chocolate party mix. The light, sweet coating is great over cereal, peanuts, pretzels and M&M's. —Norene Wright, Manilla, Indiana 12 / 40
Chicken Crescent Wreath
Here's an impressive-looking dish that's a snap to prepare. Even when my cooking time is limited, I can still serve this delicious crescent wreath. The red pepper and green broccoli add a festive touch. —Marlene Denissen, St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin 13 / 40
Aussie Sausage Rolls
I was born and raised in Australia, but moved to the U.S. when I got married. When I long for some Australian recipes, I bake up a batch of this sausage roll recipe and share them with neighbors or co-workers. —Melissa Landon, Port Charlotte, Florida 14 / 40
Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread
This festive dip is a snap to make, taking only 10 minutes from start to finish. Thanks to its hint of sweetness, both kids and adults will gobble it up. —Frankie Robinson, Lockhart, Texas 15 / 40
Pomegranate Pistachio Crostini
Pomegranate seeds intrigue me, so I sliced French bread, smeared it with cream cheese, and added seeds, pistachios and chocolate. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah 16 / 40
Muffin-Tin Pizzas
I just baked these mini pizzas and the kids are already demanding more. The no-cook pizza sauce and refrigerated dough make this meal a snap. —Melissa Haines, Valparaiso, Indiana 17 / 40
Cranberry Brie Pinwheels
People may wonder when you found the time to make these crisp, flaky pinwheels—but they’re really quite easy to do. And the filling is bursting with savory goodness and a touch of sweetness. —Marcia Kintz, South Bend, Indiana 18 / 40
Smoky Bacon Wraps
These cute little sausage and bacon bites are finger-licking good. They have a sweet and salty taste that's fun for breakfast or as an appetizer. —Cara Flora, Kokomo, Indiana 19 / 40
Brie Puff Pastry
My husband was in the Air Force so we've entertained guests in many parts of the world. I acquired this recipe while in California. It's one of my favorite special appetizers. —Sandra Twait, Tampa, Florida 20 / 40
Lasagna Dip
My lasagna noodle chips turned out great and are out-of-this-world crispy. And the dip truly tastes like rich, cheesy Italian-American lasagna. —Linda Cifuentes, Mahomet, Illinois 21 / 40
Bacon-Pecan Stuffed Mushrooms
When I had my kitchen remodeled, I lost the recipe for these mushrooms. But I'd shared it so many times, I had no trouble finding someone to “lend” it back to me. —Beverly Pierce, Indianola, Mississippi 22 / 40
Festive Guacamole Appetizers
For ages, my brother's family and I have gotten together on Christmas Eve, and we always eat Christmas snacks while we open our presents. This Tex-Mex spin on classic appetizer pizza is one we have again and again. —Laurie Pester, Colstrip, Montana 23 / 40
Holiday Appetizer Meatballs
These beefy meatballs are a perennial favorite at our holiday parties. You won't believe how easy these holiday appetizers are to make. —Pat Waymire, Yellow Springs, Ohio 24 / 40
Appetizer Tomato Cheese Bread
I found this recipe a few years ago in a dairy cookbook, and it has become a family favorite. My husband, Wayne, and our two children are mostly meat-and-potato eaters, but I don't hear any complaints when I make this bread! —Penney Kester, Springville, New York 25 / 40
Vegetarian Buffalo Dip
A friend made Buffalo chicken dip and that got me thinking about creating a vegetarian dip with the same flavors. This addictive dip is so amazing, no one will miss the meat. —Amanda Silvers, Old Fort, Tennessee 26 / 40
Warm Spiced Nuts
I like to set out bowls of spiced nuts when hosting holiday parties. Sometimes I stir in M&M's to make it a sweet and salty snack. —Jill Matson, Zimmerman, Minnesota 27 / 40
Festive Apple Dip
I came up with this layered peanut butter treat when my dad gave me a big bag of apples. The dip has been one of my favorites ever since. In addition to serving it with apples, try it with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, banana chunks or animal crackers. —Theresa Tometich, Coralville, Iowa 28 / 40
Soft Beer Pretzel Nuggets
What goes together better than beer and pretzels? Not much that I can think of. That’s why I put them together into one recipe. I’m always looking for new ways to combine fun flavors. I love the way this recipe turned out! —Alyssa Wilhite, Whitehouse, Texas 29 / 40
Mini Hot Browns
Here's my take on the famous Hot Brown sandwich. Guests quickly saddle up for juicy turkey slices and crispy bacon piled on toasted rye bread and then topped with a rich cheese sauce. —Annette Grahl, Midway, Kentucky 30 / 40
Potato Chip Clusters
Just three offbeat ingredients add up to one unique, delectable, no-bake treat. These super-easy, sweet-and-salty candy clusters make for merry munching during holiday trips or parties. They travel well in containers without melting or getting soft. —Donna Brockett, Kingfisher, Oklahoma 31 / 40
Pepperoni Roll-Ups
Here is a fast appetizer recipe that goes over well at my house. Each bite has gooey melted cheese and real pizza flavor. Try serving them with pizza sauce for dipping. —Debra Purcell, Safford, Arizona 32 / 40
Striped Chocolate Popcorn
For a bake sale last year, I wanted to try something different. I’d seen chocolate popcorn in a candy shop and thought I’d try making it. This recipe was a great success. —Mary Schmittinger, Colgate, Wisconsin 33 / 40
Champion Chicken Puffs
My guests peeled rubber getting to the table to munch on Champion Chicken Puffs. These tender bites are made with hassle-free refrigerated crescent rolls and a flavorful chicken and cream-cheese filling. —Amber Kimmich, Powhatan, Virginia 34 / 40
Holiday Salsa
When we offer this cream-cheesy salsa of fresh cranberries, cilantro and a little jalapeno kick, everyone hovers around the serving dish until it’s scraped clean. —Shelly Pattison, Lubbock, Texas 35 / 40
Cheddar-Pecan Crisps
Lots of holiday treats are sweet. For a change of pace, I fill goodie bags with my cheese crackers. The recipe has a large yield, but you can freeze the dough logs to bake later. —Heather Necessary, Shamokin Dan, Pennsylvania 36 / 40
Green Bean Casserole Stuffed Mushrooms
Green bean casserole is one of our must-haves for Thanksgiving dinner, but it needed updating. This bite-sized version gets fun reactions from everyone who eats it. —Kaytie Pickett, Jackson, Mississippi 37 / 40
Baked Crab Dip
We enjoyed this exquisite crab dip at my grandson's wedding reception. It looks fancy but is easy to make. You can even fill the bread bowl early in the day and chill it until serving. Just remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. —Marie Shelley, Exeter, Missouri 38 / 40
Chive Biscuit Ornaments
Ring in the holiday season with these tender bell-shaped bites. They used cookie cutters and whole chive "hangers" to form the warm and appetizing ornaments, which get a slight kick from red pepper flakes. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 39 / 40
Apricot-Glazed Bacon Spirals
Here’s a real crowd-pleaser for an appetizer table or brunch buffet. A whole piece of crispy bacon is rolled into each spiral. It's so good with the apricot preserves, which make it a sweet-and-salty treat. —Kellie Mulleavy, Lambertville, Michigan 40 / 40
Sweet & Salty Snowmen
My son and I made these pretzel snowmen using different candies. They make fun table decorations when set in glasses of coconut “snow.” —Carol Berndt, Avon, South Dakota Originally Published: July 30, 2020
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