Appetizer Recipes

Cheese onion morsels with sharp cheddar, butter, and parsley baked into savory bite-sized drop biscuits. A make-ahead appetizer that freezes well and reheats in minutes.

Sauerkraut balls with corned beef, ham, and tangy kraut bound in a thick roux, breaded and fried golden. The Ohio bar-snack classic with crackly crust and a savory, slightly sour center.

Oysters Lafitte: oysters on the half shell topped with crabmeat in dill cream and a tarragon béarnaise, broiled until golden. A French Quarter classic for the brave home cook.

Classic ginger snap cookies with molasses, cinnamon, and cloves. Crispy edges with signature crinkled tops. Big batch recipe makes about 10 dozen small cookies.

Cheese puffs made from choux pastry, light and airy bites packed with sharp cheddar, baked golden and crisp outside, tender within. A French gougere-style appetizer for any party.

Homemade whole wheat crackers: a nutty, crisp copycat-style cracker with wheat germ, brown sugar, and butter. Rolled thin on the sheet pan, scored into squares, and baked in 8 minutes flat.

Oysters in champagne sauce: plump shucked oysters cloaked in a silky butter-champagne sauce, broiled just until golden on a bed of rock salt. An elegant appetizer for New Year's Eve or any holiday table.

Chiles rellenos con queso stuffs roasted green chiles with Monterey Jack, dips them in fluffy egg batter, and fries to golden puffs. Topped with a spiced cinnamon-clove tomato sauce.

Chocolate pecan cookie slices shaped into logs, baked, then cut on the diagonal and drizzled with white chocolate. A slice-and-bake method that yields 40 elegant cookies.

Homemade cheese crackers made with sharp cheddar, flour, and butter, rolled thin and baked until crispy. Customize with curry powder, garlic salt, celery salt, or black pepper toppings.

Cheese straws are a Southern cocktail-party classic: sharp aged cheddar and cayenne rolled into a buttery dough, fork-ridged, and baked crisp. Savory, spicy, and impossibly snackable.

Cheddar cheese pretzels made with aged cheddar, butter, Dijon mustard, and cayenne, topped with poppy seeds. A savory make-ahead appetizer that keeps for days.

Crispy bread-cup croustades filled with baby shrimp in a Swiss cheese sauce with lemon zest and Worcestershire. Makes 3 to 4 dozen freezer-friendly party bites.

Savory egg roulade filled with sauteed spinach, red pepper, and ricotta, rolled in a Parmesan-rich souffle base. An elegant brunch or appetizer baked in a jelly roll pan.

South American empanadas with a lard pastry and two filling options: spiced fruit dessert or savory beef carne in tomato sauce. Bake, fry, or grill.

French-fried beef liver strips with a curried sour cream dipping sauce. Crispy, golden liver bites served as an appetizer with a creamy, spicy fiesta dip.