24 Pretty Canapés To Make For Last-Minute Holiday Parties

Some people have the menus for their holiday party planned months in advance, complete with Christmas cookies and boozy hot chocolate – aaandthen there's the rest of us. If you've putting off planning this year's spread of Christmas appetizers, canapés are the perfect solution for any last-minute obligations. They're cute, finger-friendly foods that run the gamut from sweet to savory. The below recipes for canapés are going to make serving and hosting extremely easy this year. Let's dive in!

Salmon Rolls

This canapé recipe makes a play on tea sandwiches, except makes a twist by presenting each bite as sushi. These are perfect for parties, since they only require one bite for total enjoyment. (via Brit + Co.)

Vegan Mini Chocolate Pies with Pecan Caramel

Canapés can be sweet, too! Opt for these devilishly sweet (and vegan) mini pies to satisfy everyone in attendance. (via Brit + Co.)

Pancetta Canapés with Goat Cheese and Figs

Though they look super elegant, these canapés are actually pretty low-maintenance, but still have tons of flavor to enjoy. The hardest part of this canapé recipe is simply assembling each one. (via Taming of the Spoon)

Cranberry and Brie Bites

It's incredible that you can make something so pretty so quickly. This recipe literally takes 20 minutes total, and it only requires five ingredients: puff pastry, eggs, brie cheese, cranberry sauce, and thyme. (via Kitchen Sanctuary)

Mini Mushroom and Gorgonzola Bites

Bite-sized yumminess is coming your way with these cute little canapés. They earn brownie points for ease, because they only take a whole two minutes in the oven! You'll also use two kinds of 'shrooms in this canapé recipe, to maximize flavor: shiitake and crimini. (via Cookin' Canuck)

Mini Meringue Sandwiches

If you thought canapés were only savory, think again. Canapés can double as dessert, and these sprinkle-spotted ones prove it. They're ridiculously easy to make – just pick up some pre-made mini meringues, melt some baker's chocolate, sandwich them together, and roll them in rainbow sprinkles. (via Tesco)

Bite-Sized Burgers

Use these tiny and adorable hamburgers as inspiration for your very own appetizer tray! Tiny servings of ground beef will be super quick to cook up, then mini buns, melted cheese, and a tomato pull the whole thing together. (via Kitchen Sanctuary)

Cucumber-Dill Canapés

These fresh treats are essentially cucumbers atop a layer of bread, filled with a cream cheese-dill cream. They'll give a little bit of British style to your holiday gathering! They also happen to be delicious with a cup of Christmas tea. (via Cooking on the Weekends)

Goats’ Cheesecake

If you thought this cheesecake recipe was going to satisfy your sweet tooth, you'd be mistaken – it's actually a savory cheesecake! It showcases onion, garlic, juniper, thyme, and goat cheese, making for an incredibly salacious canapé. (via Great British Chefs)

Prosciutto-Wrapped Pears with Blue Cheese

This classic Christmas canapé features the flavors of seasonal pears, as well as meaty prosciutto and tangy blue cheese. You'll get bonus points for serving these with an elegant decorative silver spike in lieu of a toothpick. (via Recipe Runner)

Beet Chip and Goat Cheese Appetizer

The earthiness of beets and creaminess of goat cheese form the fundamental flavors of this canapé. Plus, each one plays on the other for a fun mix of textures! One bite, and these babies are gone. (via The Endless Meal)

Kugel Arancini

These canapés are delightfully carb-y, which is the exact culinary comfort everyone's craving during the holidays. Serve these bite-sized balls alongside some red sauce or aioli for added flavor. (via Amanda Wilens)

Sausage and Pumpkin Pinwheels

Any time you can combine the sweet with the savory, it'll make for an elevated canapé that maybe not many people have tried before! Take these sausage + pumpkin bites for example: the salty sausage contrasts nicely against some sweeter pumpkin puree for an interesting impression. (via The Bossy Kitchen)

Roasted Blueberry Ricotta Crostini

Embrace even more sweetness by making this fruity finger food. Berries work exceptionally well alongside the very-light ricotta cheese, so you could actually use any type to complete the recipe. (via Two Peas & Their Pod)

Mushroom Crostini with Whipped Goat Cheese

Get a hint of lemon when you start snacking on this cheesy canapé. The goat cheese is also infused with a bit of umami flavoring, from the mushroom bits placed on top. (via Vanilla and Bean)

Open-Faced Samosa Bites

The secret to making this app easy is using store-bought naan bread to pile the toppings on. And the cilantro chutney, of course! (via The Girl on Bloor)

Cheese-Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto

Focus on making these sweet-savory canapés as presentable as you can, and watch your dinner party guests become obsessed with them. (via Vikalinka)

Cracker Bites

For super easy canapés, play with different flavor combos highlighted in this recipe: avocado toast, peach + ricotta, red pepper pesto, and caprese. (via Crowded Kitchen)

Dried Apricot and Blue Cheese Canapés with Walnuts

Move over cranberry – apricot is the front-and-center fruit of this super delish canapé recipe. If you can't find spreadable blue cheese, sub in a mixture of half-blue cheese, half-cream cheese instead to cover these bites. (via Tidy Mom)

Caramelized Onion and Feta Canapés

These cute little tartlets are simple to make, and they only involve ingredients you already have on hand – onions, eggs, and honey. You'll also need some puff pastry, which can be easily bought ready-made at your closest grocery store. (via The Wimpy Vegetarian)

Sweet Potato + Avocado Bites

These healthy, Paleo-friendly bites will be perfect for all the health nuts at your holiday party. As a bonus, they're also 100% vegan — but we promise the carnivores will love them, too. (via Blissful Basil)

Cucumber and Feta Rolls

These pretty (and healthy) canapé rolls are perfect for popping in before dinner begins. They're made with sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese, all rolled up into one delicious little appetizer. (via Tesco)

Cajun Shrimp Guacamole Bites

Speaking of healthy canapés, these flavorful shrimp bites are about as healthy as it gets. They're full on flavor — paprika, cumin, chipotle powder, avocado, and cilantro form this salty snack. (via Joyful Healthy Eats)

Beet Bruschetta with Goat Cheese and Basil

Looking for a fresh take on bruschetta? Look no further than these bite-sized, beet-topped toasts. Beets are similarly sweet and colorful to tomatoes, and they also happen to go *perfectly* with goat cheese. (via Feasting at Home)

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This post has been updated.

Lead image via The Wimpy Vegetarian.