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With cooler weather festive gatherings beckon, create lasting memories with loved ones by offering a selection of delightful fall appetizers.
Seasonal Harvest Spreads
These fall appetizers are perfect for any festive holiday gatherings this season, whether cocktail or dinner party style. Remember to include all of the fall colors in your table spread to bring the cool weather feels!
- For more fall appetizer tips & tricks, scroll to the bottom of this post!
More Collections
best Fall Appetizers
I’ve gathered up my favorite appetizers, perfect for pairing with fall dinners. Whip them up for special events or for any weeknight!
1 Crock Pot Grape Jelly Meatballs
Recipe Video
Get the recipe2 Spinach Artichoke Dip
3 Bacon Wrapped Smokies Recipes
4 Spinach Puffs Recipe
5 How to Make a Charcuterie Board
6 Baked Brie in Puff Pastry
7 Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls
8 Buffalo Chicken Dip
9 Apple Brickle Dip Recipe
10 Halloween Snack Mix
fall Finger Foods
For some finger-licking good fall appetizers look no further! From pigs in a blanket to savory jalapeño poppers, these are scrumptious fall recipes but really can be enjoyed any time of the year – think game day!
11 Crockpot Meatballs
12 Sausage Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls Recipe
13 Beanie Weenies
14 Cheese Ball Bites Recipe
15 Veggie Cups Appetizer
16 Fried Ravioli Recipe
17 Mozzarella Sticks
18 Garlic Bread Recipe
19 Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Recipe
20 Boneless Wings
21 Boneless BBQ Wings Recipe
22 Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos
23 Jalapeno Poppers Recipe
24 Fried Mac and Cheese Recipe
25 Pizza Muffin Recipe
26 Mini Pizzas
27 Buffalo Chicken Sliders Recipe
28 Ham and Cheese Slider Recipe
Recipe Video
Get the recipe29 Hot Ham and Cheese Roll Up Recipe
30 Spinach Artichoke Cups Recipe
31 Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potato Bites Recipe
32 Parmesan Crusted Potato Skins Recipe
33 Loaded Pulled Pork Cups Recipe
34 Hot Dog Nuggets Recipe
fall Dip Recipes
Dips are always a must with any appetizer spread. And they make for really easy fall appetizer recipes! Savory or sweet, we have something perfect for chips and crackers, and every dippable fruit or veggie!
35 Caramel Apple Dip Recipe
36 Pumpkin Pie Dip Recipe
37 BLT Dip Recipe
38 Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip
39 Artichoke Dip
40 Chili Cheese Dip Recipe
41 Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball
42 Velveeta Spinach Dip Recipe
43 Hamburger Dip
44 Cream Cheese Green Chili Dip Recipe
45 7 Layer Bean Dip
46 Crock Pot Bean Dip Recipe
47 Tamale Dip Recipe
48 Cheese Fondue
49 Hot Spinach Dip Recipe
FAQs
What Seasonal produce makes delicious fall appetizers?
- One of the easiest ways to incorporate the colors, textures, and tastes of Autumn is to use produce that is in season. These ingredients tend to be the freshest and least expensive.
- Vegetables. Arugula, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, garlic, green beans, leafy greens, onions, parsnips, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, turnips, sweet potatoes, and zucchini.
- Fruits. Apple, pear, grape, persimmon, cranberries, figs, key limes, pomegranate, banana, kiwifruit, lemon, mango, pineapple, and raspberry.
- Fresh herbs. Rosemary, sage, coriander, parsley, dill, and chives.
What is the difference between appetizers, finger foods, and hors d’oeuvres?
- While this post is titled fall appetizers it includes recipes that can also be categorized as finger foods or horse d’oeuvres.
- Appetizers are the first course of a meal, meant to stimulate the appetite before the main course. Appetizers can vary in size but are typically larger than finger foods and can be eaten with utensils.
- Finger foods are small, bite-sized portions designed to be eaten without utensils. They can be served as part of an appetizer spread, alongside main courses, or even on their own for casual gatherings. The key characteristic is being easily eaten with your fingers.
- Hors d’oeuvres are very similar to finger foods, but they are specifically served before a meal, often separately from the main course. They are meant to be enjoyed with drinks while mingling. Similar to finger foods, they are small and eaten without utensils.
How many appetizers should hosts prepare for an event?
- Headcount. Adding RSVP to an invite is helpful to get a head count if a household is invited. Consider that about 10% of people who don’t RSVP will still attend.
- Number of different appetizer dishes to serve. For fewer than 10 guests offer 2-3 different types of appetizers. For more than 10 guests add another dish for every 5-8 more people.
- How much of each dish per person. When appetizers are the main food at an event plan to serve about 10-12 pieces per person for a two-hour party. Add about 5 more pieces per person for every hour after.
- If you will be serving dinner, then you will not need as many appetizers. In this case, you’ll only need a total of 3-5 appetizers per person.
What are some menu planning tips I should keep in mind?
- Plan ahead. Plan your menu a couple of weeks before and then watch ads to see what is on sale.
- Choose appetizers. Decide which fall appetizers can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Which ones need to be heated? Do you have enough space to heat the dishes properly? The crock pot is a great kitchen tool to use.
- Add variety, but make sure that the flavors are complementary.
- Offer both warm and cool, sweet and savory, veggie and meaty.
- Practice. Use tried and true recipes. If using new recipes, do a practice run a couple of weeks beforehand to work out any kinks.
- Mix in store-bought. Don’t feel like everything has to be homemade. Decide which dishes can buy premade and which easy fall appetizers you want to make yourself.
- Get help. Take friends up on their offers to bring a dish.
How do I keep my appetizers warm?
- One of the easiest ways to keep food warm is to use different-sized crock pots. Be sure that they are located in an area where people do not trip over the cord.
- You can also use chafing dishes to keep foods warm for a classic aesthetic.
- I recommend only setting out what can be eaten within 30 minutes. Keep the remaining appetizers in a warm oven or insulated food warmer and refill platters as needed.
If anyone isn’t sure where to start with all these delicious recipes I can recommend the Buffalo chicken dip, brown sugar weenies, and Mozz sticks. I’m anxious to try some others.
So many fun appetizers! We all like to start our gatherings with yummy food. These definitely hit the spot. I love the variety.
I am all about appetizers!! I could sit & eat your spinach artichoke dip all day 🙂 All the ones I’ve tried from your site are delicious!