Once Labor Day weekend ends, it's time to start dreaming about autumn menu ideas and easy recipes for your first fall dinner party. Or maybe it's a monster movie marathon, your kids' Halloween party or a weekend getaway. What should you tackle first? Pumpkin bread? A warm and cozy soup? Cinnamon rolls? Apple pie? We always like to start at the top with quick apps and handhelds that all your guests can get behind. Behold: 65 recipes for fall appetizers that’ll never disappoint.
The 65 Best Fall Appetizers to Devour This Season
2. French Onion Cups
Your favorite feel-good soup baked into puff pastry, Gruyère and all.
3. The Classiest Cheese Balls In The Universe
When it comes to entertaining in the fall and winter, cheese balls are a no-brainer. Try combos like everything bagel seasoning with goat cheese, lemon-dill with cheddar and pomegranate with blue cheese.
4. Crispy Parmesan Brussels Sprout Bites
Hello, panko-Parm breading and tangy Dijon dip. Bake them instead of frying for a healthy spin.
5. Roasted Veggie Chips
Skip the store-bought tortilla chips and substitute roasted and herbed beets, turnips, parsnips and radishes.
6. Baked Mac-and-cheese Bites
When these hit the table, we’re kids all over again. And yes, we’ll be dipping them in ketchup, thank you very much.
7. Prosciutto Bites
Mamma mia. These five-ingredient, prosciutto-wrapped balls of pizza dough taste like straight-up salty, savory bliss.
8. Delicata Squash Rings With Garlic-lemon Sauce
Transform the season’s bounty in just 40 minutes. They’ll be gobbled up in five.
9. Baked Gorgonzola Bites
Meet the savory monkey bread you’ve always dreamed about. It’s only 30 minutes away.
10. Acorn Squash And Caramelized Onion Dip
Beware: Once your guests get a taste, you’ll have no choice but to whip this up for every future holiday party you ever host.
11. Cranberry-brie Pie Crust Bites
Skip the jiggly jarred stuff and make your own red wine cranberry sauce instead.
12. Apple-cider Doughnut Holes
Want to see some kids’ table magic? Set out a bowl of these poppable treats and watch them disappear.
13. Roasted Squash And Farro Salad With Avocado Dressing
Because you’ll need something healthy to serve at Thanksgiving before all those fresh-baked pies.
14. Roasted Sweet Potato And Caramelized Onion Flatbread
Pizza night can be as simple as piling roasted veggies, mozzarella and thyme onto store-bought flatbread.
15. Instant Pot Spicy Thai Butternut Squash Soup
Gluten-free, vegan and mind-blowingly simple. Set out bowls of peanuts, sesame seeds and diced scallions so your guests can serve themselves.
16. Eggplant Parm Bites
Careful, these are dangerously poppable. Set them out with marinara, ketchup and pesto at your kid's next slumber party.
17. Carrot Pigs In A Blanket
Everyone’s favorite finger food just got a makeover. And she looks good, especially dripping with green goddess dressing.
18. Prosciutto And Fig Salad Board
A bowl? Never heard of it. This elegant presentation has dinner party written all over it.
19. Spaghetti Squash Fritters
Spicy yogurt makes everything better. But these fried beauties made of spaghetti squash, scallions and kale don’t need much help.
20. Sweet Potato Crostini
Well, aren’t you fancy? Trade bread for crispy roasted sweet potatoes, then top with smoked salmon and cream cheese, dried cranberries and roasted almonds or whatever else your heart desires.
21. Crispy Roasted Artichokes
Start with fresh artichokes or opt for canned. Either way, these tangy dippers are going to taste unreal slicked in garlic aioli.
22. Bacon, Onion And Asiago Fondue
Nothing cures a chilly fall day like a mini skillet of ooey-gooey cheese. And it’s got crispy bacon and caramelized onions to boot.
23. Cheesy Polenta Bites With Brussels Sprouts And Pancetta
Thanks to their miniature size, each and every morsel is totally surrounded by a crispy, cheesy, buttery outer crust.
24. Italian Bruschetta Bar
A timeless starter that everyone’s sure to dig into. Pile it high with salami, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, cornichons and, well, whatever strikes your fancy.
25. Baked Brie With Figs, Pistachios And Orange
You should probably bookmark this one for Christmas. Just saying.
26. Baby Blooming Onions
We hope you’re serving steak for the main course. The horseradish dipping sauce will taste great on that too.
27. Brussels Sprout Sliders
Bye-bye, buns. These are stuffed with prosciutto, pearl mozzarella and cherry tomatoes.
28. Spicy Cranberry Barbecue Meatballs
You’re three ingredients and 20 minutes away from the easiest app ever. Just stick ’em with toothpicks and serve with napkins.
29. Crisp Fall Green Salad With Benne Seed Ginger Dressing
If you love sesame seeds, this dressing made with the heirloom variety is about to become your new best friend.
30. Roasted Mixed Nuts
Appetizers don't get more classic than this. Fresh herbs, smoked paprika and cayenne bring a ton of flavor to your choice of nuts.
31. Cranberry, Brussels Sprouts And Brie Skillet Nachos
Save the queso and guac for a rainy day and serve this seasonal delicacy instead. If you have any leftover turkey lying around, pile that on too.
32. Boursin Cheese With Caramelized Onions And Bacon
Like a fancy cheese ball—but even easier.
34. Cranberry-brie Puff-pastry Pops
Because hors d’oeuvres (and everything else) are just better on a stick.
35. Tomato Soup In Grilled Cheese Bread Bowls
OK, ready for this? Serve the soup in a hulled-out loaf of bread, then transform the topper into a melty grilled cheese sandwich for dipping. We know, brilliant.
36. Pumpkin Polenta
Whether you serve this as starter or a side, no one will miss the mashed potatoes.
37. Easy Skillet Mushroom And Gouda Fondue
A shallow skillet makes this crowd favorite super easy to dip bread or crudités into. No metal skewers required.
38. Pumpkin Pizza Crust With Arugula And Prosciutto
Spicy arugula, salty prosciutto and creamy blue cheese are just the match for buttery, sweet pumpkin crust.
39. Biscuit Dough Pumpkin Hand Pies
Since the pies are wrapped neatly in flaky biscuit dough, they travel like a charm. Serve sliced into pieces as a starter or whole for dessert.
40. No-bake Mini Mason Jar Spiced Cheesecakes
Cocktail hour isn’t complete without these teeny-tiny sweets, starring gingersnaps and red currant jelly.
41. Pumpkin Beer Broccoli Cheddar Soup
We’re not saying you *need* to serve it with mini soft pretzels…but we can’t see why you wouldn’t.
42. Whipped Ricotta With Roasted Pumpkin
It’s made with roasted kabocha squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin.
43. Mini Apple Tarts
Wanna know the secret to their cute, round, shape? They’re baked in mason jar lids.
44. Peanut Butter Dip
We dare you to dip just one pretzel—we’re pretty sure it’s impossible.
45. Pumpkin Flatbread With Gruyère And Crispy Sage
Sink your teeth into roasted pumpkin, garlicky sage and gooey Gruyère in all its gluten-free glory.
46. Brown-sugar Pear Puff Pastries
Time to stock up on pears at the farmers market. Impress your guests with bakery-level beauties that are shockingly easy to tackle yourself.
47. Apple, Grape And Pecan Pasta Salad
Crisp apples and chopped nuts give the quintessential summer side some fall flair.
48. Slow-cooker Chicken Potpie Soup
The edible equivalent of a mother’s hug. The white cheddar-chive biscuit on top is the ultimate pièce de résistance.
49. Pizza With Butternut Squash Sauce
Marinara takes a back seat to a seven-ingredient sauce that’s the most decadent pairing for creamy ricotta and melted mozzarella.
50. Mini Caramel Pecan Pies With Cinnamon Roll Pie Crust
We know you’re not supposed to have sweets before dinner, but one look at these and all your guests will make an exception.
51. Green Bean Casserole Galette
Just because it’s a vegetable course doesn’t mean it can’t be wrapped in flaky pastry—especially on a holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
52. Homemade Cheese Crackers
These Cheez-Its replicas are extremely easy to make, and you can customize the type of cheese to suit your palate.
53. Whipped Feta Avocado Crostini With Pomegranate
Monique Volz’s chic twist on avocado toast is worthy of being served on a silver platter.
54. Bacon-wrapped Cheese Straws
These flaky, crisp homemade crackers are conversation-pausing swirls of goodness.
55. Brussels Sprout And Apple Tart
Don't skimp on the walnut pesto.
57. Sweet Potato Wedges With California Avocado Aioli
Come sweater season, we nosh on sweet spuds every chance we get. Here, they're paired with a decadent homemade aioli made with a whole avocado.
58. Ritz Crackers With Whipped Honey Ricotta And Bacon
Got 15 minutes? Then this satiating starter is within reach. Bonus points for candying the bacon in maple syrup and brown sugar.
61. Caesar Pasta Salad
Who said summer has dibs on pasta salad? This crisp, zingy number tastes good all year long. Chalk it up to the homemade Caesar dressing complete with anchovy paste and grated Parm.
62. Vegan Miso Caramel Dip With Pretzels And Granny Smith Apples
A spoonful of dissolved miso paste adds a punch of funky, umami-laced richness to the dip. Swap in whatever apples you have on hand (or trade pretzels for potato chips).
63. ‘frycuterie’ Board
Aka the most likable appetizer on the planet. Everyone will be psyched over this mix of crinkle-cut, curly and sweet potato fries and tots (especially the kids).
64. Black Sesame Shortbread
Believe it or not, you don't need an electric mixer to pull off melt-in-your-mouth shortbread. Melting the butter eliminates the need for beating and creaming it and cornstarch gives the cookies a delicate texture without any extra work.
65. Spanish Tapas Board
Because nothing gets a party started like a massive mélange of meat and cheese. This board also boasts tender patatas bravas with saffron aioli and heirloom pan con tomate.
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.