27 No Cook Christmas Appetizers For Cold Holiday Party Finger Food Snacks and Dips
I love Christmas and I LOVE festive Holiday party food – and all these cold Christmas appetizers, finger foods and simple snacks were just PERFECT for the party I planned for our neighbors and friends.
We had the BEST time and I actually enjoyed it as well since these were NO COOK appetizers, I didn’t stress the party food prep and spent more time enjoying my party than in the kitchen.
Updated on December 13, 2024
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Planning a Christmas Party for My Neighbors
As the holiday season approached, I felt a wave of excitement wash over me. This year, I decided to host a Christmas party for my neighbors.
It was the perfect opportunity to bring everyone together, share some festive cheer, and enjoy delicious food without spending all my time in the kitchen.
I wanted to create a warm and inviting atmosphere filled with laughter, conversation, a few cocktails and, of course, tasty appetizers – and that is exactly how it all turned out. I still get compliments about that night!
The No-Cook Appetizer Idea
While I planning the party food I wanted to set out, I quickly realized that no-cook appetizers would be the way to go.
With so many delicious options available, I could focus on enjoying the party rather than slaving away in the kitchen. I started brainstorming ideas that would be easy to prepare and sure to impress my guests.
One of my favorites was a cheese platter. I picked up all kinds of crackers and meats and cheeses along with some colorful fruits like grapes, strawberries and figs.
I arranged everything on my kitchen island charcuterie-style, adding some candies and dips. It looked stunning and was a hit with everyone!
Dips and Spreads
Next, I thought about dips. And I ALSO remembered how many of my neighbors and friends LOVE my 7-layer Crockpot dip so I decided to make a cold version that all my “I gotta eat healthy” friends could also eat.
So, I found this “skinny” 7-layer dip recipe.
Even tho it was “good for you” (ie, not THAT bad for you haha!), it was really good and even my “I eat everything and never gain a pound” friends gobbled it up too.
I also prepared a cranberry jalapeno dip that was both sweet and spicy and so, So, SO good!
Finger Foods Galore
As I continued planning, I wanted to include some fun finger foods. I decided on mini caprese skewers — simple yet elegant. I threaded cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and mozzarella balls onto toothpicks, drizzling them with balsamic glaze for that extra touch. They were not only delicious but also added a pop of color to my spread.
Another crowd-pleaser was pigs in a blanket. I wrapped mini sausages in crescent roll dough and baked them until golden brown. They were easy to grab and munch on while mingling, making them a perfect addition to my appetizer lineup.
Sweet Treats to End the Night
Since it was a no cook / no bake themed Holiday party, I naturally went with a No Bake Cheesecake – and it was delicious!
I also set out a “fancy” platter of Gnomie Christmas Bites that were SO stinkin’ cute!
I found the recipe for those Gnome Brownie Bites here.
But I have to admit, since it was a NO COOK party food thing, I did not bake the brownies. I “cheated” a little and used those little brownie bite mini muffin things – worked perfectly!
Here are more of the crowd’s favorite No Cook appetizers from our party:
No Cook Appetizers
If you’re looking for SIMPLE Christmas appetizers, these easy no cook appetizers were the perfect cold finger foods, elegant small bites, room temp shareable snacks and dips to make ahead for our neighborhood Holiday party crowd.
Let’s make Cowgirl Caviar dip! I know, it’s really called CowBOY Caviar or Texas Caviar, but my recipe version is LAZY easy fast and simple. If you can open a can, you can make this simple salsa-like dip recipe in MINUTES!
Super simple no cook appetizers with only THREE ingredients in each recipe!
Cream Cheese, Ritz Crackers and pepper or wine jelly are the few ingredients in this simple festive Christmas appetizer!
Christmas Charcuterie Board Ideas – From simple snack boards, festive party appetizer platters, dessert trays and beautiful Christmas charcuterie boards, you will find the perfect idea for your Holiday party guests to nibble on!
Pinwheel appetizers are probably my favorite large group snack food to make WITHOUT cooking – so simple and they usually have just a few cheap ingredients.
The perfect sweet and savory appetizer recipe, cranberry jalapeno dip is just a little bit spicy but a whole lot of delicious. Bright and colorful, perfect for the holiday season. This party dip can be made ahead of time, takes less than 10 minutes, and requires no cooking!
57 Food Platters For Parties – Need cheap and easy party food ideas? Check out this BIG list of make ahead party food platters for a crowd
Yummy EASY seasoned oyster cracker recipes – Whether you’re hosting a gathering or just need quick and easy snacks for a party, seasoned crackers like firecracker crackers or ranch oyster crackers are guaranteed hits.
Looking for some yummy cold appetizers and room temperature finger foods for your next event? These appetizer recipes below are easy to make ahead, can be served cold or room temp – and all are absolute crowd-pleasers!
Christmas-themed shaped cheese balls are the perfect no cook party food that's oh SO festive and simple to make!
Super Easy NO BAKE Christmas Cookies! Freezer Friendly Christmas Cookies, Sweets, Christmas Dessert Bars and More Christmas Goodies.
The Big Night
In the end, my no-cook Christmas party was a success, and I couldn’t have been happier.
I learned that with a little creativity and planning, hosting a festive gathering can be both enjoyable and stress-free. I can’t wait to do it all over again next year!
More Appetizers To Try:
Room Temp Apps
So many have asked me specifically about the best ROOM TEMPERATURE appetizers to serve. So I got out my trusty party food notebook (yes, I'm old school haha!) and gathered my favorite room temp finger foods, appetizers and dips we've served over the past months of book club gatherings.
Gougères are classic French cheese puffs that make a great snack or canapé. They are essentially a savory choux pastry, with cheese added into the mixture. Then you bake them up to crisp, light deliciousness. Perfect for parties when you want some room temp finger foods to set out.
Finger sandwiches can be a wonderful room temperature finger food to add to your party food table - there's SO many recipes to choose from - mix and match the recipes for party platter that will be everyone!
Let’s make Cowgirl Caviar dip!
I know, it’s really called CowBOY Caviar or Texas Caviar, but this recipe version is LAZY easy fast and simple.
If you can open a can, you can make this simple salsa-like dip recipe in MINUTES!
Yummy EASY seasoned oyster cracker recipes – Whether you’re hosting a gathering or just need quick and easy room temperature snacks for a party, seasoned crackers like firecracker crackers or ranch oyster crackers are guaranteed hits.
Room temp party food doesn’t get any easier than adding all the antipasto toppings like olives, pickled veggies, artichokes, pepperoncini, salami, salami, prosciutto, pasta, and mozzarella balls to a big pile of lettuce for an Italian salad everyone will love.
This creamy dill pickle hummus recipe is a wonderfully tangy take on classic hummus. It has a big pickle flavor and that smooth texture you love and expect from hummus. Make it quickly and easily right in your food processor for the perfect no-cook dip to serve at room temp with pita chips.
The surprisingly delicious pasta chips are crunchy with a salty flavor that’s not too much (kinda taste like potato chips) and perfect to leave out and munch on during any get together.
Perfect in their simplicity, these lovely cucumber sandwiches are a delightful addition to any lunch or tea party. Crisp cucumber and creamy dill-flavored cream cheese sandwiched between fresh pieces of bread make you think you are dining in high society.
A quick and easy appetizer to set out, this red pepper jelly cream cheese dip takes just minutes to make! Made with whipped goat cheese, cream cheese, lemon zest and a hint of rosemary. Serve with crackers, celery or crostini.
Simple room temp charcuterie-style snack boards are not only wonderful snacks to set out at room temp, they're also really pretty!
The best seasoned crackers recipes for easy party snacks! 19 super simple homemade snack crackers with so many yummy seasonings! From everything bagel, chex mix and seasoned saltines to spicy firecracker, savory Ritz and ranch seasoned crackers recipes to make for your next get together.
Hummus bites make the perfect room temp finger food and are a healthy snack too. This appetizer recipe can be added to or changed up a bunch of different ways.
Pickle Roll Ups with ham are so easy to make in 10 minutes using just 3 ingredients. Deli ham with a layer of cream cheese, all rolled around a dill pickle is really the perfect appetizer.
These delicious Veggie Pizza Roll Ups are SO good and yep, really pretty to look at. Best of all, super easy to make!
Just assemble the few ingredients and wrap the night before, then slice and serve.
These little bite size "pickle dip cups" are bites of heaven... in a cup!
1 c plain greek yogurt
4oz cream cheese
1/4 c parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 tsp of each: garlic powder, pepper, smoked paprika
1 c dill pickles, finely chopped
1/2 c ham, chopped
Phyllo shells
Chopped chives
Preheat oven to 375°F, line a mini muffin tin with phyllo cups or a baking sheet if they don’t fit.
In a medium bowl mix together Greek yogurt, cream cheese, parmesan & seasonings until smooth.
Then add pickles & ham, mix until fully combined.
Fill each phyllo cup with a spoonful of dip, bake for 15 minutes until edges are golden brown/dip is hot. Let cool, slightly, garnish with chopped chives & enjoy!
Lots more Phyllo Cup Recipes here.
You can see this specific recipe on Instagram here:
Need cheap and easy party food ideas? Check out this BIG list of make ahead party food platters for a crowd.
All my favorite bite size party sandwiches, pinwheel roll up appetizers, charcuterie boards and fruit, veggies, cheese and cracker trays with dips on one page – YAY!
