There’s an art to the Thanksgiving appetizer ~ it has be be delicious and festive, but it has to be easy!
Thanksgiving starters often get forgotten in the rush to get the big meal planned and executed. But that’s a real shame because we all know people show up to thanksgiving hungry!!
Baked Feta Cheese with Olives and Lemon
Everybody is surprised by this simple appetizer…even people who say they don’t like feta fall for it. The heat of the oven brings out the best in this sharp cheese, I recommend buying imported sheep’s milk feta for the best flavor. Baked cheese is a simple concept that always gets raves. And by the way, you can do this without the cheese ~ see my easy roasted olives!
Jarcuterie!
One of the absolute cutest ideas to come out of the pandemic ~ individual charcuterie boards in little jars. It’s a brilliant concept and a favorite of mine. My antipasto skewers are another idea along the same lines.
Hot Crab Dip
Hot cheesy dips are always crowd pleasers and for Thanksgiving I upgrade with crab for the perfect holiday spin. If you’re not into seafood, I suggest my Baked Caramelized Onion Dip.
Baked Brie with Apples, Pecans, and Maple Syrup
Baked brie is an old standby, but with a few extra touches you can really take it to the next level. If you’ve never made it before, don’t be intimidated, I can make you a master Brie baker in minutes, check out my How to Bake Brie guide.
The Ultimate Cheese Board
This looks elaborate, but here’s the thing, it’s really just a matter of arranging lots of readymade ingredients. Choose good quality cheeses, fresh fruit, nuts, and olives ~ you can’t mess this one up! The only problem with fabulous cheese boards? They might outshine the turkey ๐
Sweet and Spicy Bar Mix
If you’re a minimalist, you can’t go wrong with a great homemade bar mix. The sweet salty combination is famously irresistible. If you love setting out little bowls of super crunchy nibbles, try my roasted squash seeds, too.
Mulled Cider Jelly
All you need is a nice cheddar cheese and some simple crackers or bread with this unique apple jelly ~ people go bonkers for it! Your crowd might also appreciate my Easy Mulled Cranberry Jelly.
Warm Hummus with Mushrooms
If you are really serious about keeping people out of the kitchen and out of your hair while you cook, set them up with this warm hummus and the freshest pita bread you can find. Don’t be alarmed if the conversation suddenly goes quiet.
Homemade Boursin
I love to make this stuff, it tastes just like the real thing, and everyone gets really impressed when you tell them you made it yourself. For a real show-stopper, make my crisp crackers, below, to go along with it.
Copycat Raincoast Crispsยฎ Crackers
I can’t recommend these homemade crackers enough! The process is easy, and you make make them days ahead of time, they never lose their crunch. They go with just about any cheese, too!
Muhammara
If you’ve got a foodie type crowd coming over you need to go beyond cheese and crackers, for sure. This vivid roasted red pepper dip from the Middle East will do the trick. Make homemade pita bread to really impress.
Thank you for sending me your recipes. A lot of them reminded me of when I lived in Canada.
Thanks for subscribing Dawn <3
Thank you so much for all of your delicious recipes Sue! I really enjoy seeing what you have next for me. ??
Thanks Gwendy, I love sharing them! Have a wonderful holiday.
These all look delicious. Iโm wondering what kind of cracker you used with the wine jelly. It looks like a cracker I have not seen in a long time. Iโd love to have it again! Thanks so much.
Those are Carr’s Wheatmeal Crackers, and funny you should mention them because lately I haven’t been able to find them in stores. I wonder if they’ve been discontinued, or just aren’t available in the US anymore. Maybe another reader will help us out with this. I actually might try to make a homemade version for the blog, because they’re a favorite of mine!
PS I think you can still find them in the large assortment box of crackers.
Love these appetizers Sue! You have great recipes and itโs a pleasure to stop by often!
Thanks for the “Ultimate Cheese Board” post. I have cheese board duty for Thanksgiving and I got many great ideas from your post. Let’s see if I can “Wow” the family!
Oh wow, cheeseboard duty is the best!
You make the best appetizers!! These all look so delicious! ๐
The appetizers set the tone of the meal so I can tell yours will be a great meal. Not that I had any doubts! Have a Happy Thanksgiving Sue!
Happy Thanksgiving Abbe <3
Wow these are all gorgeous! Iโm definitely trying the mushroom hummus! All great ideas for appetizers. Great post! Sue you are So artistic !! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
๐ Have a wonderful holiday too!
I’m making that wine jelly for sure! What a gorgeous roundup. We’re having our family Thanksgiving today and now I wish I had one of these amazing dishes to serve this hungry hoard ๐ Have a wonderful day! PINNING!
Happy Thanksgiving Tricia! <3