In my life I am always the one that hosts the parties. With the pool in the backyard, we are the go-to place for the sports teams, cheerleading events, birthday parties and of course, all the fall holidays. And I’d be lying to you if I didn’t admit that I often cater the big portion of the main dish party food (chicken finger platters coming right from Publix).
But as a side dish recipe site, I take pride in having delicious and homemade appetizers and finger foods at the ready. You will not see me skimping when it comes to serving the side of the plate.
Cold appetizer recipes fulfill just that. If I can pull it, prep it, and serve it all without turning on the oven or skillet, its a total win in my book. I wanted to share some of my very favorite go to recipes for cold finger foods that are perfect for your next get together.
Fruit and Vegetable-Based Appetizers:
Easy to assemble and travel well, vegetables and fruits are a great choice to display on party table. The fruit trays and food always goes first but as long as the veggies are paired with a great dip (also listed below), those get eaten up as well.
Whether you’re looking for elegant cold appetizers or just simple crowd-pleasers, here are 8 great fruit and vegetable cold appetizer recipes that take no time at all.
Caprese Salad Appetizers are a fun way to serve up everyone’s favorite (tomatoes and mozzarella) in individual bite sized deliciousness. SO easy to make and done in minutes, you can dip your Caprese salad bites in mini containers of balsamic and create the most adorable food tray.
Peach Caprese Skewers: A simple, refreshing appetizer featuring grape tomatoes, basil, mozzarella cheese, and peach slices. Topped with balsamic glaze for a burst of flavor!
Try our delicious recipes for stacked and open-faced cucumber cream cheese bites. With fresh cucumber, creamy creamy cheese filling, and vibrant bell pepper toppings, these bites are a great summer party appetizer. See below on how to make a platter or a little mini sandwiches.
Ranch Cucumbers are a crunchy, ranch-flavored treat that's super easy to whip up! Slice up mini cucumbers, toss with ranch seasoning and a splash of lemon juice, and let them chill. This viral tiktok recipe is a great choice for a summer poolside treat, perfect for a quick snack or as a refreshing side.
Beautiful and delicious rainbow fruit skewers, made with melon balls – watermelon, cantaloupe, and honey dew melon are a great no stress finger food for parties.
Make your next party a hit with these watermelon mojito skewers. Alcohol-soaked fruit that's easy to prepare and great for serving an adult-only crowd.
There can be no party without a cold dip. Dips pair well with veggies, an assortment of crackers, and even torn bread, making them an easy cold appetizer option that everyone will love.
The best part is that most dips can be made a day or two ahead. If you party has a few days of plan time, you can wake up knowing you are already ready when the first guest arrives. Dips also have the benefit of being the most cost-effective appetizer recipes, so its not hard to set out a variety of the best options.
Below are 10 cold dip recipes that I could personally eat all day long.
Keto Friendly and low carb cucumber dip combines sour cream and mayo for a perfect slightly tangy, slightly sweet blend. SO good with vegetable sticks and slices of cucumber, chances are there will be no dip left!
Fiesta Corn dip recipe with whole kernels of corn, green onions, and loads of Cheddar cheese making the perfect easy and cold large party dip. No fail Mexican party dip that every one is sure to LOVE
This 7 layered dip recipe with refried beans and seasoned sour cream is a filling party dip perfect for any night of the week. Layers of refried beans, cheese, salsa, lettuce, cheese, and black olives make perfect choices. Pile on the pico and lets get dipping into this taco dip!
This creamy and delicious cream cheese veggie dip is the perfect way to add a little extra zing to your favorite vegetables! Enjoy this easy-to-make dip for your next party or get-together! Best at room temperature to keep the cream cheese soft for dipping.
From scratch homemade ranch dip, perfect for vegetable trays, wings, and potato chips. Ranch seasonings are pulled right from the pantry and whipped up in 10 minutes or less, a perfect restaurant quality ranch dip that is thick and creamy.
Tart cranberries and sweet jam make this cranberry cream cheese dip a fall favorite appetizer that serves up a crowd. Everyone will be asking for this recipe!
Cowboy Caviar, or Texas Redneck Caviar, is a healthy, flavorful, and easy chunky Texas side dish dip recipe. Full of diced veggies and a healthy serving of beans, its a can't go wrong appetizer or side dish perfect for party crowds, big football games, or as a movie snack – The ULTIMATE Cowboy Caviar recipe! Recently seen as a viral tiktok recipe.
Sliced fresh olive dip with chilled and sliced green and black olives, a perfect Mediterranean appetizer dip full of bold delicious flavors. Great cheese board addition!
Crack dip is a savory, creamy dip made with cream cheese, sour cream, bacon, and cheddar cheese. It's a simple and flavorful dish that's a popular party appetizer. The name comes from the crispy bacon that's sprinkled on top, giving it a "crackling" texture, and also due to how addictive it is! It's easy to make and can be served with chips, crackers, or vegetables.
And that isn’t all! You can look through all our 100’s of tried and true dip recipes here.
Sandwich and Skewer Appetizers:
Sandwich and skewer appetizers are perfect cold party appetizers because the focus is on the filling. From meats and cheeses to chopped fruits wrapped in cream cheese, the only limitation is simply imagination.
Skewers and sandwiches are also easy to transport and add variety to your spread without requiring much extra effort. And because anything with bread is a lot more filling, these cold sandwiches and wraps are a great way to offer something more substantial while keeping the party vibe enjoyable.
Cream cheese cheesecake spread mixed with bite sized pieces of strawberries rolled into a cinnamon sugared tortilla wrap is a great dessert appetizer or cold finger food.
These sandwich kabobs are easy to make and even more fun to customize with cold meats, cheeses and veggies. With a variety of tasty ingredients on a skewer (that also make it easy for dips) they are sure to be gone in an instant!
Mini cucumber sandwiches feature a creamy dill and cream cheese filling topped with crisp English cucumbers and a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning. They are perfect for gatherings as a light, refreshing left chilled appetizer. Easy to make ahead—assemble, refrigerate, and garnish before serving. Enjoy this classic bite-sized cold Hors d'oeuvres.
Pinwheel Sandwiches with Philadelphia Cream Cheese and diced veggies make an awesome party platter addition. Easy to make, with the bold flavors being easily adjustable to include ingredients you love, these tortilla rollups are big game and holiday appetizer approved.
Layered chicken club sandwich with deli chicken meat, artisan cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon, all wrapped in 3 separate layers of toasted bread. Great for a cold appetizer tray or lunch.
Make your own Chopped Italian Sliders, mixing small bites of tasty Italian meats, crisp veggies, cheeses, and seasoned mayo, all stacked on King's Hawaiian buns or sliders. This is a simple recipe that's great for parties or quick dinners, and unlike many other slider versions that require an oven, this is best served room temperature or cold.
Make-ahead cold appetizers are a lifesaver when it comes to stress-free hosting. Here are some of my favorite recipes that you can prepare recipes in advance but serve cold on the day of your event.
From candied nuts to savory snack mixes, I love making ahead so I can focus on the party and not the cooking. Of course you can always check out our article on no-cook finger foods for parties if you prefer to skip the stove altogether.
Candied pecans in a crockpot are a delicious way to enjoy nuts with the light flavor of cinnamon and vanilla all wrapped in the brown sugar. Candied pecans, made in the crock pot, are roasted in the slow cooker and coated with delicious cinnamon, vanilla mixture.
Homemade caramel sauce over fresh popcorn, Chex cereal, and pretzels is a deliciously addicting snack mix that the entire family won't be able to get enough of!
Slow cooker cinnamon candied almonds are lightly covered in a cinnamon and brown sugar base, a perfect slow cooked appetizer snack that doubles as a salad topping.
Candied Walnuts are addicting with a light sugary texture and perfect cinnamon flavor. Keep this candied walnut recipe ready for snacks and pre-meal appetizers all holiday long. Crispy, Crunchy, and coated just right, chances are there won't be much left for anyone else. Better double the recipe *wink*
Spiced nuts recipe for a sweet, savory, salty sand spicy part snack. Hit the spot with addicting cashews, walnuts, peanuts, and almonds with oven toasted party nuts. Make in huge patches for a party or store for a perfect spicy snack.
Homemade Butter Mints are simply the BEST! An easy to make sweet, buttery, and delicious old fashioned candy. Silky smooth, serve after dinner, Wedding or Baby Shower MUST!
Sweet appetizers are a must for any gathering, and these desserts are perfect for serving chilled or at room temperature. Dessert dips are usually displayed with fresh fruit and toothpicks or dipping and a variety of small but plain cookies like vanilla wafters or graham crackers.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip is guaranteed to be the star of your next party – with only 3 simple prep ingredients. Serve with fresh strawberries and sliced apples.
Try this deliciously sweet oreo dip recipe and take your snacking game to the next level. A delectable dessert dip will satisfy your sweet tooth, and you won't regret this easy oreo dessert recipe.
Hot cocoa dip (Viral TikTok Recipe) with marshmallow creme fluff, Cool whip, and a packet of hot cocoa mix is a delicious on season holiday appetizer that everyone will eat right up!
Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball appetizer is the perfect dessert cheese ball with soft cream cheese, mini chocolate chips and all dipped with your favorite cookie or graham cracker
Creamy, smooth Chocolate Chip Dip, a perfect dessert dip with full buttery cheesecake flavors. Starting with cream cheese and butter, the basis of all delicious cheesecakes, this dip transforms into the perfect fluffy dip to load up with chocolate chips. A whole new level of dipping, this cream cheese chocolate chip dip using Philadelphia cream cheese mixes up QUICK and is table ready in under 5 minutes. It takes longer to measure the ingredients than to mix!
Marshmallow fruit dip is a 2 ingredient fruit dip that is super fluffy and amazing for fruit or pretzel dips. If you need a party snack in an instant, cream cheese and marshmallow fluff to the rescue! 2 simple ingredients are all you need to make the creamiest, most fluffy marshmallow dip.
While fudge is considered a dessert, its really great to serve in small pieces as finger food at parties. Chocolate is great at cleansing the pallet on richer foods and dips and you can cut down fudge to a mini size quite easily after a big meal.
Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe! This fudge recipe with butter, sugar, peanut butter and the right amount of vanilla is not only the easiest homemade peanut butter fudge you will make, but is also so rich and decadent just a small slice will satisfy every dessert craving you have!
With all the food available, the only thing left to do now is prep. Last year butter boards were all the rage and while they are fun, are really only meant for more of an intimate gathering like Valentines day.
For larger events that include lots of adults and kids, I tend to go for more of the individual set up with charcuterie cups. They are easy to buy in sets on amazon for a reasonable price and it keeps everyone fingers out of the food.
Individual charcuterie cups are perfect for parties, gatherings, or a fun snack. Each cup is filled with a colorful variety of fresh fruit, savory meats, cheeses, and crunchy vegetables, in a grab and go version. These cups are not only gorgeous on an appetizer table but are also packed with flavors that everyone will love. Customize them (try a dessert version!) and enjoy a delicious, mess-free appetizer that’s easy to serve and even easier to enjoy!
You can place vegetable sticks, fruit skewers, mini sandwiches and even dessert in them. As long as you are serving cold food, these work great. I also recommend grabbing some of the dip containers with lids if you go that route so people can have the dip and appetizer together in a personal container. This also works for those that want to take their food to go.
Alright that’s just about it. I am wrapping up about 40 of my favorite easy cold appetizer recipes and I hope you found one that suites your needs. Follow me over on Pinterest for more ideas as the year develops and tag me if you try anything!~
Trisha Haas is a home cook and mom who believes side dishes are the stars of any meal. On Salty Side Dish, she shares easy, family-friendly recipes that elevate everyday dinners. From quick sides to holiday favorites, Trisha’s blog is a go-to for families looking to add something special to their plates.
