Four Easy Last Minute Holiday Party Apps

These last minute holiday party apps are the perfect small snack to serve guests – no matter how much planning you’ve put into your party!

I mean, everyone knows that a party is only as good as the food. Right?

At least, I can’t fathom a good party without a good spread.

Music? Sure, whatever.

Decorations? Meh.

But good finger food!? SIGN ME UP PLEASE.

That always makes a party fall flat?

A stressed out host running around like a chicken with her head cut off.

You know the kind she’s taping up decorations as people walk in the door, stressing over the food, running out of booze, not enjoying her own party.

Don’t be that host.

These 3 (and a bonus- so it’s really 4) easy last minute holiday party apps that are riDONKulously simple. So easy you probably have most of this stuff in your fridge right now!

And here they are! Three fresh easy appetizer recipes, plus one of my old favorites down at the bottom.

Scroll through and see which of these easy last minute holiday party apps you’ll be pulling out at your next last-minute party!

This slow cooker hoisin bbq cocktail sausage recipe is so easy it feels like cheating.

Slow Cooker Hoisin BBQ Cocktail Sausages

Ruthy Kirwan

Hoisin is a slightly sweet, smoky barbecue sauce from China. Paired with li’l smokies or cocktail sausages and heated in a crockpot makes them feel fancy, but it’s just as easy as opening a jar of sauce and a packet of sausages.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Course Appetizer

Servings 8

Equipment

• 1 7 QT Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 12 ounces Hoisin barbecue sauce
• 16 ounces cocktail sausages

Instructions

 

Make From Fresh:

• Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and stir to coat.
• Turn the crockpot to high and heat through, about 18-20 minutes
• Serve with toothpick

Notes

Here’s a crockpot recipe that is so easy it feels like cheating. Hoisin is a slightly sweet, smoky barbecue sauce from China. Paired with li’l smokies or cocktail sausages and heated in a crockpot makes them feel fancy, but it’s just as easy as opening a jar of sauce and a packet of sausages.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Blue Cheese and Maple Crostini take unexpected flavors and make them seem familiar!

Blue Cheese and Maple Crostini

Ruthy Kirwan

The savory, earthy flavor of blue cheese on these crostinis pairs especially well with something sweet, although maple syrup here is a bit unexpected.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 4 mins

Course Appetizer

Servings 8

Equipment

• 1 Full-Size Sheet Pan, 11 x 7 inch

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 7-8 good quality crusty bread sliced (I prefer sourdough)
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 ounces blue cheese
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400*F and line a large rimmed sheet pan with raised cookie grates.
• Slice the bread slices into strips about 2 inches wide
• Arrange the bread slices on the raised cookie grate and drizzle evenly with the olive oil.
• Bake the bread for 3-4 minutes or until toasty brown on either side, then remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Divide the blue cheese evenly between the slices, spreading the cheese gently with a butter knife.
• Drizzle the blue cheese toasts evenly with the maple syrup and serve.

Notes

Make sure you use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup! Real maple syrup will give a more rounded flavor, where pancake syrup is just overly sweet sugar.
I prefer using a blue cheese with a lot of flavor, like a Danish blue, but just about any crumbly blue-veined cheese will work well here.

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Peanut Butter and Nutella Pastries take just three simple ingredients and some time in the oven.

Peanut Butter and Nutella Pastries

Ruthy Kirwan

Who doesn’t go nuts over the combo of peanut butter and Nutella!? Combine them with flaky layers of puff pastry and you’re in business.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Course Appetizer

Servings 8

Equipment

• 1 Full-Size Sheet Pan, 11 x 7 inch

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 whole frozen puff pastry
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1 banana

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400*.
• Line a rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil and arrange one half of the puff pastry in the center of the pan.
• Melt the peanut butter in the microwave until smooth and easily coats a metal spoon. Spread the peanut butter evenly on the puff pastry, coming right up to the edges.
• Melt the Nutella in the microwave until smooth and easily coats the back of a metal spoon. Drizzle evenly on top of the peanut butter and use a spoon to smooth out evenly.
• Peel and slice banana, then place evenly on the peanut butter and nutella spread.
• Place the other half of the puff pastry on top and place in the oven.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until the puff pastry has browned and it cooked all the way through.
• Remove from the oven, then wait until cool, then slice and serve.

Notes

This recipe is made simply with melted peanut butter and warm Nutella smeared between two sheets of packaged puff pastry and baked. It could not be an easier dessert! For a delicious level up, add slices of bana between the layers, too.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Last but not least, these (bonus!) turkey and cranberry pinwheels.

These are my favorite thing to make after Thanksgiving with extra cranberry sauce. And they’re great with other last minute holiday party apps since they’re easy finger food to pop on the side of a plate.

You can change it up with another type of jam (blackberry or blueberry work great here) and the cheese can be a spread, cream cheese, chevre- anything that’s soft, slightly tangy and spreadable.

Chilling these pinwheels will make them hold their shape a bit better, but they’re just as good when rolled and cut fresh, too. Click here to grab the entire recipe.

There you have it: 4 crazy easy last minute holiday party apps you can use to help pull off this season’s shindig!