89 Thanksgiving Appetizers Just As Exciting As The Turkey
From classy cranberry brie bites to a family-friendly turkey-shaped cheese ball, we've got every app your hungry crowd could ever want.

The biggest food holiday of the year is right around the corner, so we know you're about to be busy planning everything for the best Thanksgiving ever: the turkey, casseroles, veggies, potatoes, desserts...it can be a LOT, but we implore you to not forget one very important thing: appetizers! While you’re making sure everything is coming together perfectly for dinner, your guests need something to nosh on, something to keep them occupied, and something to get them talking to one another (family or friends can all sometimes use the encouragement). Whether you’re looking for quick and easy last-minute options or want something more elaborate, we’ve got something on this list for you.
If adding another thing to your Thanksgiving prep list seems overwhelming, don’t worry. We’ve got some crazy simple shortcuts that’ll keep the stress off of you while still being impressive to your guests. One of our favorites has gotta be using store-bought crescent roll dough, puff pastry, or pizza dough to make a myriad of appetizers without much effort. Check out our cranberry brie bites, our apple cheddar bundles, our cheesy green bean & mushroom tart, or our caramelized onion & goat cheese bites to see how versatile they can be.
Another one of our fallback options is, of course, cheese. No one is mad about a big hunk of brie, goat cheese, or cream cheese to snack on, so you can practically just put out a plate of some and call it a day. We do recommend making it extra special by going just a bit further with your presentation, but really, some of these recipes are practically that easy. Try our (goat cheese-stuffed) bacon-wrapped dates, our pumpkin cheese ball, our cheese ball bites, our whipped feta roasted potatoes, our turkuterie (yep, shaped like one!) to see what we mean.
Another option is to take a note from many of our favorite restaurants and ply your guests with bread before the meal. Any variety of appetizer bread will help engender hospitality (“breaking bread”) among your guests, and really, that's what Thanksgiving is all about. Try our Parmesan bread bites, our cranberry brie pull-apart bread, our antipasto roll-ups, our Mediterranean pinwheels, or our cranberry brie biscuit dip. Speaking of dip, feel free to go easy and put out some bread, veggies, and crackers with a simple homemade option, like our cranberry whipped feta dip, our caramelized onion dip, our muhammara, or our bacon spinach dip. They're sure to be beloved by all and keep everyone distracted from inquiring as to when dinner will be served too. 😉
One more thing you’re not going to want to forget? Drinks! Check out our favorite fall drinks and Thanksgiving cocktails for ideas too.