33 Sweet And Savory Finger Food Recipes For Parties

Throwing a party can require a lot of work, but it is often worth every moment when things start coming together.

Food is an essential part of every party or get-together, and having something for your guests to nibble on is sure to keep them happy. If you’re looking to add a touch of Popeyes’ flavor to your gathering, consider whipping up some Popeyes-inspired dirty rice recipes.

33 Sweet And Savory Finger Food Recipes For Parties

Not as old or as big as some of the restaurants on this list, but still Popeyes is a beloved family favorite.

Whether you are throwing a party yourself or have been invited to one and have been asked to bring snacks, there are lots of great dishes to choose from.

Making finger food, and other tasty treats isn’t hard, and the end results make it immensely satisfying. 

With that in mind, here are 33 quick and easy finger food recipes that you can whip up next time you need to please a crowd.

Making finger food, and other tasty treats isn’t hard, and the end results make it immensely satisfying. 

With that in mind, here are 33 quick and easy finger food recipes that you can whip up next time you need to please a crowd. 

1. Homemade Sweet Potato Fries And Sriracha Sauce

Sweet potato fries are succulent, crunchy and bursting with delicious flavor.

This recipe only requires two large sweet potatoes to make 4 servings of fries, and it can be easily scaled up for when you need to feed lots of people. 

The fries are tossed in cornstarch and seasoned with cumin, chili powder and a touch of brown sugar.

Meanwhile, the sriracha dipping sauce incorporates mayonnaise, sour cream ketchup and sriracha for a wonderful spicy dipping sauce. 

2. Baked Mac’n Cheese Bites

These delicious baked macaroni and cheese bites can be made with just 4 cups of leftover mac and cheese.

This is enough to produce 24 sumptuous cheesy little bites that your guest will love to snack on. 

The only other ingredients you need are some Panco bread crumbs, eggs and a sprinkling of chopped parsley for seasoning.

There are also instructions for making a simple dipping sauce from buttermilk ranch dressing and mayonnaise.

3. Fluffy Garlic Butter Breadsticks

Breadsticks make excellent party food as they are great for dipping and very tasty.

The best part is that they aren’t difficult to make by yourself. 

If you have a food processor with a dough hook, then you can really speed up the process of making these breadsticks.

Once you have your dough, you will need to let it rise for roughly an hour, so make sure you start them the day before your party.

Once they are baked, you just need to brush them with garlic butter and table salt before serving them up hot. 

4. Delicata Squash Rings With Garlic-Lemon Sauce

If you are looking for something a little more fancy for your next get together, then look no further.

These squash rings are coated in a layer of delicious Panco bread crumbs to give them a crispy outer layer. 

This pairs beautifully with the succulent squash that has been seasoned with smoked paprika and cayenne pepper for a powerful spicy kick.

The recipe also includes instructions for making a garlic and lemon dipping sauce that is wonderfully refreshing, especially on hot days. 

5. Blooming Onion With Dipping Sauce

This unique entrée is not only tasty, but it also looks great and is sure to impress all your family and friends.

The most complex part of this recipe is cutting the onion in the right way so that it falls open like a flower. 

Once you have the hang of the cutting, however, all you need to do is cover the onions in batter and deep-fry them for roughly 3 minutes.

Once they are done, these onions are beautifully spicy and go great with a variety of dipping sauces. 

6. Pull-Apart Bread With Caramelized Onions And Goat Cheese

Pull apart bread makes a great finger food since it is bursting with flavor and looks great when prepared properly.

The dough for this bread is filled with lots of delicious ingredients, including sour cream and honey. 

It also has a delicious filling that includes goats cheese (see also ‘8 Substitutes For Goat Cheese‘), diced onions, chives and parsley.

All of these ingredients combine beautifully to create a delicious dish that will keep your guests coming back for more.

7. Homemade Potato Chips

Potato chips are an awesome snack food for any party, since they are neutral and go well with almost any kind of dipping sauce.

You don’t need to buy them from the shops, either, as making your own homemade potato chips is much easier than you think. 

This recipe only takes one hour to prep and cook, and you can easily scale it up to make as many chips as you need.

You can season them with a sprinkling of table salt, or get experimental and try out other herbs and spices as well. 

8. Herb Cream Cheese Dip

If you are looking for the perfect dip to enjoy alongside your homemade potato chips, then this recipe is worth considering.

The cream cheese and heavy cream are combined together with chopped scallions, fresh dill and chives for a herby extravaganza. 

Finished off with a touch of salt, pepper and freshly squeezed lemon juice, this is a refreshing dip that is great for summer barbecues.

You can enjoy it with store bought crackers or chips, or put with any of the recipes above for an excellent snack platter. 

9. Garlic Rosemary Crackers

This is another great recipe for accompanying the cream cheese dip we mentioned above.

These miniature garlic and rosemary crackers are simple to make and are a great snacky side for a Mediterranean themed party. 

Once you have tried these crackers for yourself, you are unlikely to go back to the store bought ones any time soon.

They can even keep for up to five days in an airtight container, so you can prepare them in advance and have them ready for the day of your party. 

10. Spinach Artichoke Squares

Spinach and artichoke may not sound like party food, but trust us when they are combined, and wrapped in puff pastry they make great finger food.

You will need two sheets of store-bought puff pastry (see also ‘23 Puff Pastry Appetizers You Need To Try‘) for this recipe, although you can make your own if you prefer. 

The spinach and artichoke are mixed together with chopped scallions, cream cheese and Parmesan for a very strong flavor.

As such, if you like cheesy entrées, then you owe it to yourself to try these delicious squares. 

11. Detroit Style Pizza

When it comes to food that you can eat with just your hands, pizza is one of the best.

Detroit style pizza is great for parties because of its large rectangular shape that allows you to cut it into more pieces for sharing around more people. 

This recipe teaches you how to make the dough yourself, as well as a delicious topping that incorporates multiple layers of cheese and sauce laid over each other.

You can choose any toppings that you like for garnishing your pizza, although the recipe recommends pepperoni for the true Detroit experience. 

12. Tomato Bruschetta With Balsamic Glaze

This is another excellent, fancy entrée that is perfect for barbecues and casual summer get-togethers.

It is composed of a luxurious bruschetta that is made up of chopped tomatoes, red onion, garlic, basil; spread over toasted slices of french bread. 

The crunchy toast makes a great neutral platform for appreciating all of the flavors in the topping.

It is finished off with a light balsamic glaze that brings an acidic quality to this delicious appetizer. 

13. Cranberry Brie Pie Crust Bites

These cranberry-brie pie crust bites make perfect little entrées for all kinds of occasions.

Most of the ingredients are bought from the store, which makes them very easy to make and great for a last minute finger food. 

You can use spare pie crust that you have made yourself, or simply buy a roll of it from the shops.

With large dollops of cranberry sauce and brie on each piece of crust, this recipe is basically a whole cheese board wrapped into one. 

14. Homemade Bagels

Bagels make great party food because they are filling and great for dipping in sauces.

Instead of buying bagels from your local bakery, why not give this recipe a try and make some of your own. 

Making these bagels will require some patience while you wait for the dough to rise, but once they have risen, most of the hard work is over.

The best part about bagels is that you can cover them in a variety of toppings, from dried fruit to crushed nuts or seeds. 

15. Mezze Party Platter

This Mediterranean party platter is packed with delicious items that will make it just the thing for passing around at your next party.

There are links throughout this recipe for making your own homemade hummus,and Greek Tzatziki. 

While you are free to use the store-bought versions if you wish, this is a great recipe for aspiring chefs looking to try their hand at something new.

One of the best things about this platter is that it is quite easy to make, you can have lots of fun arranging all the different parts to make it look presentable. 

16. Italian Deli Pinwheel Sandwiches

Sandwiches make great finger foods since they are versatile, easy to make and can be filled with practically anything you want.

These unique Italian Deli sandwiches look great, which makes them good party food in terms of presentation as well as taste. 

They use tortillas as the bread, which makes them very light and great for hot weather.

The insides are composed of kale leaves, salami, pepperoni and sliced prosciutto to make a delicious party sandwich (see also ‘28 Amazing Tea Sandwiches That We Think You’ll Love‘). 

17. Homemade Tomato Salsa

If you are looking for a fresh and tasty dip to go along with a plate of potato chips or tortillas, then this salsa is a great choice.

Not only is it delicious and nutritious, but it is reasonably easy to make at short notice. 

With chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber and onions, this salsa has everything you could want in a succulent dip.

It is seasoned with cilantro, lime and garlic for a wonderful mix of flavors that taste way better than any salsa from the shops. 

18. Stuffed Dates

A lot of the recipes we have looked at so far have been savory, but there are lots of great sweet finger food recipes as well.

Dates make an awesome snack for passing round guests at a party by themselves, but they are even nicer when stuffed with soft  cheese. 

This recipe is incredibly simple, and is sure to impress your family and friends during your next get together.

It is composed of Medjool dates stuffed with goats cheese (see also ‘24 Delicious Goat Cheese Recipes‘) and sprinkled with ground pistachios for a wonderful combination of sweet and cheesy flavors.

19. Chicken Parmesan Bites

With all of the decadent dips on this list, we thought it would be a mistake not to have at least one chicken dipper recipe.

These sumptuous chicken Parmesan bites take a little bit of preparation to put together, but are worth every second for their delightful cheesy coating. 

They are seasoned with salt and cayenne pepper for a spicy kick that makes them a great snack to enjoy while you are waiting for the food to cook at a barbecue.

You can enjoy them with a large bowl of marinara sauce, or with any of the other sumptuous dips we have included on this list. 

20. Mini Skillet Pizzas With Kale Pesto And Italian Sausage

Pizza is a great party food, but sometimes you may struggle to make enough for feeding a large group of people.

Mini pizzas are a great solution to this problem, as it is easier to make lots of them for passing around your guests. 

These mini pizzas are topped with a rich kale pesto and ground Italian sausage for a wonderful herby flavor, You can garnish them with chopped mushrooms, or get adventurous and come up with your own tasty toppings for adding them.

21. Stuffed Mini Peppers

This is another great summer dish that is both healthy and very tasty. Stuffed peppers don’t require much effort to make, and offer a lot of versatility when it comes to fillings. 

These peppers are halved and then filled with softened goats cheese, Parmesan, and roasted garlic for an incredible cheesy appetizer.

There are also chopped Jalapeños thrown into the mix for a bit of spicy kick that ties all the other ingredients together. 

22. Italian Pinwheels

These tasty little puff pastry entrées only require four ingredients to make.

As such, they are a great finger food for when you need something quick and easy to throw together for an impromptu celebration. 

These rolls are made up of puff pastry with a filling of tomato paste, soppressata and pecorino cheese.

They make an excellent savory snack for accompanying any kind of Italian cuisine. 

23. Smoked Salmon Appetizer Bites

If you are looking for a fancy entrée for serving at formal occasions, then look no further.

With a thin slice of succulent smoked salmon on each one, these little appetizers are as decadent as they are delicious. 

The base is made up of cucumber slices, which make a lovely crunchy platform for the salmon and cream cheese topping (see also ‘23 Amazing Cream Cheese Appetizers‘).

With a sprinkling of lemon juice mixed into the topping, these appetizers are wonderfully fresh and very suitable for hot weather. 

24. Caramel Apple Dip

This is another sweet appetizer that will go down a treat at birthday parties and many other occasions.

It could also make a good alternative to bonfire toffee during bonfire night celebrations. 

The caramel dip is store bought and sprinkled with broken toffee pieces for a luxurious sweet dessert.

Make sure the apples you buy are fresh and crunchy, so they provide a nice contrast to the sticky, sweet caramel. 

25. Bacon, Fig And Ricotta Tartines

A good tip if you are trying to make fancy looking appetizers is to cut up some pieces of fresh toast and cover them in a luxurious topping of your choice.

A popular choice is strips of bacon, and there are lots of other toppings you can find that will go well with this meat. 

For this recipe, bacon strips are combined with chopped figs, creating a delicious contrast between sweet and savory.

We recommended using seedy brown bread for the toast, as it is healthier and pairs beautifully with the figs and bacon. 

26. Appetizer Veggie Pizza

These little pizzas use store bought crescent dough, to make things nice and easy, although you can make them with your own dough as well if you want. 

With two kinds of cheese on top, these pizzas are very tasty, and are topped with fresh veg to keep things healthy.

Broccoli, green onions, chopped bell peppers and chives are just a few of the things you can add to these pizzas for a sumptuous party snack. 

27. Cheesy Smoked Salmon Appetizer Bites

These are very similar to the other smoked salmon appetizers we looked at, although these have more cheese.

If you want these entrées to look extra fancy, then you will need to have some cocktail sticks to poke through them at the end. 

They are made up of smoked salmon and a cream cheese filling sandwiched between small squares of tortilla.

The cream cheese is garlic, lemon and chopped dill, making a smooth, piquant filling that goes great with the smoked salmon. 

28. Crispy Baked Cauliflower Wings

If you want to provide your vegan and vegetarian guests (see also ‘23 Easy And Delicious Vegetarian Appetizers‘) with some tasty finger food to snack on, then these cauliflower wings are just the thing.

They are coated in a delicious, crispy shell composed of paprika, cumin and hot sauce. 

This makes them very spicy and great for enjoying alongside a range of dips from salsa to guacamole. 

29. Greek Veggie Tartlets

For this recipe, you will need to buy some frozen phyllo pastry tart shells from your local shop.

While you could make your own, it will be time-consuming, although that should stop you from trying if you want to. 

Each tart shell is filled with delicious Greek ingredients including chopped cucumber and tomatoes, crumbled fettuccine is sprinkled over each of the finished tarts for a delightfully cheesy garnish. 

30. Gougères (Cheese Puffs)

This is a French recipe for homemade cheese puffs, and they make awesome finger food for parties.

They take only 35 minutes to prepare and cook, which is great if you need to throw together a quick appetizer for an impromptu celebration. 

As well as cheese, these little dough balls contain ground nutmeg and lots of pepper for a beautiful combination of flavors.

If you are a spice fanatic, then you can also throw in some cayenne pepper to give them that extra kick. 

31. Carrot Pigs In A Blanket

This awesome variation on classic pigs in blankets is simple to make and completely vegan.

The cocktail sausages are replaced with roasted carrots, while the blanket is composed of store bought puff pastry. 

They make a good finger food for Christmas parties (see also ‘35 Best Christmas Appetizers To Try This Year‘), but you can enjoy them at other times of the year as well. 

32. Butter Bean Dip With Sun Dried Tomatoes

Looking for a unique dip to go with your tasty entrée’s then why not try this delightful butter bean dip made with sun dried tomatoes.

This dish has a similar texture to hummus and goes great with crackers, tortillas, or a platter of chopped veggies. 

It is also completely vegan and vegetarian friendly, meaning everyone at your party can tuck in regardless of their diet. 

33. Party Pinwheels

As we saw earlier, pinwheel sandwiches are a great party food because they are easy to make and look great.

This recipe contains four different party pinwheel recipes that you can try out at your next party. 

All of them are incredibly simple and cover a variety of flavors and fillings, ensuring there will be something for everyone. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Does The Term Finger Food Come From? 

Finger food (see also ‘13 Best Luau Finger Food Recipes‘) earns its name from the fact that most examples of finger food can be eaten with your hands and don’t require utensils like a knife and fork. 

What Is Another Name For Finger Food? 

Other names for finger food include, Canapés, entrées and appetizers

What Should I Put On A Nibbles Platter?

Any good nibbles platter should contain a selection of dips along with potato chips and tortillas accompanied by mixed vegetables. Bell peppers, carrots, celery and slices of toast all make great finger foods for dipping. 

How does cold appetizers be served?

Cold appetizers are often presented with an emphasis on aesthetics. These delectable starters are typically served on generously sized platters, enhancing their overall visual appeal. The use of larger serving utensils complements the grand presentation, ensuring that the culinary experience is both delightful and elegant.

Conclusion

So there you have it, next time you are looking for tasty finger foods for your next party, why not try out one of these recipes.

If you enjoyed this list, check out some of our other recipe guides to find your next meal for when you want to mix things up in the kitchen.

33 Sweet And Savory Finger Food Recipes For Parties

33 Sweet And Savory Finger Food Recipes For Parties

Recipe by Jenna

Looking for tasty snacks to pass around at your next party? Read this list to find 33 delicious finger foods that will go down a treat with your friends and family.

Course: Appetizers
5 from 1 vote
Jenna
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