Holiday party season is coming up, and whether you’re hosting or attending, homemade party food is sure to be on the menu. This year, switch up your holiday spread or host gift with something all partygoers can enjoy: nostalgia. Festive cheese balls, cocktail meatballs, and party snack mixes brought a lot of spirit to holiday parties back in the day, and there’s no reason why they wouldn’t now. These vintage Christmas appetizer recipes will bring a dose of retro flair to your holiday season.
Bacon Wrapped Smokies
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
Cocktail wieners were a big hit at dinner parties in the 1950s and 1960s, and it’s easy to see why. These sweet and savory smokies are so delicious people will eat them up like candy, and they only require three ingredients.
Christmas Tree Cheese Ball
Back in the day, people loved a good cheese ball, and this Christmas tree cheese ball is a fun way to add some holiday spirit to your spread. You get a lot of servings out of this recipe, so it’s perfect for a big office party or family reunion.
Classic Savory Deviled Eggs
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
These deviled eggs are tangy and easy, and the yolk gets an irresistible flavor from an unexpected ingredient: rice wine. Sprinkle some paprika over the finished product—along with the flecks of dill—to give the eggs a more Christmasy appearance.
Sausage Balls
Whether you prefer them on Christmas morning or as an hors d’oeuvre at a festive party, the fact remains that it’s just not the holidays without sausage balls. Simple sausage balls like these have been a mainstay holiday appetizer for years thanks to their easy cooking process and savory, cheesy taste.
Best Spinach Dip Ever
Allrecipes/Julia Hartbeck
There’s a reason people have been serving dips at parties for decades—they’re delicious, easy, and perfectly sharable. Water chestnuts give this spinach dip an unexpected bit of crunch, while real mayonnaise and dry leek soup mix add lots of savory flavor.
Sweet, Salty, Spicy Party Nuts
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Sure, it’s easy to buy a bag of spiced nuts for a party, but making your own at home only requires a little more thought. Chef John’s method for these roasted nuts ensures that everything is evenly coated, and the combination of cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and sugar will have everyone coming back for more.
Olive Puffs
Old-school happy hours usually featured savory snacks like stuffed olives, and this two-ingredient version takes it one step further by rolling them up in flaky pastry to make a more elegant presentation. Allrecipes member Syd says, “You can make these ahead, and freeze; allow 30 minutes for the pastry to thaw before baking. Another advantage: the kids like to make them and eat them.”
Cheese Fondue
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
The fondue trend swept the 60s and 70s, and frankly, we think it’s time for a revival—is there ever a bad time for hot cheese? Of course not! This fondue recipe is super simple and delivers in the flavor department. Squeeze half a lemon into the wine before adding the cheese to help break the fondue down and avoid clumps.
Sarah’s Ambrosia Fruit Salad
Love it or hate it, ambrosia, among other marshmallow salads, is an undeniable classic. Make a big batch and set it out with serving spoons for a potluck, or serve it alongside other sharable appetizers like dip and meatballs. If you like, you can make this using fresh fruit instead.
Grandma’s Stuffed Celery
Photographer: Victor Protasio / Food Styling: Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling: Abby Armstrong
Tasty and simple, stuffed celery makes an ideal finger food that will always be appreciated at holiday parties. This appetizer stands out in a world of crackers and chips and is crunchy, juicy, and creamy all at once.
Candied Pecans
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
If you’re scrambling to find a host gift for an upcoming holiday party, these homemade candied pecans are a great option. You can even make two batches and divide them at the event—one for the guests, and another for the host.
Pine Cone Cheese Ball
Decorated cheese balls are an easy way to impress your guests—they maintain an artful and intricate appearance but are so easy to put together. This cheese ball by Chef John is savory and tangy, and the array of herbs and spices makes a taste that people know is special.
Cape Cod Cocktail Meatballs
Allrecipes/Qi Ai
Cocktail meatballs debuted in the 1960s, and after all this time, they still haven’t disappeared—except, that is, from your plate. This cocktail meatball recipe mixes cranberry and chili sauces for a sweet, slightly spicy, and savory flavor that guests won’t be able to ignore. If you like, you can use frozen meatballs for a shortcut.
Cheese Straws
This is a safe space, and it’s OK to admit that your favorite part of the holidays is snacking on cheese straws. But if you’ve never made them from scratch before, definitely give it a try—they’re surprisingly simple to prepare and taste way better, and this recipe yields enough cheese straws for a crowd to snack on.
Perfect Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
“These little goodies are the perfect addition to your next holiday gathering or even the perfect appetizer to serve before a cozy dinner at home,” says Allrecipes member Lisa Felton Nash. “Everyone will be dazzled by every delicious bite (they won’t be able to keep their hands off of them!). You can smile while you think of how easy they were to toss together! And the best part—I usually end up with leftover stuffing, which freezes beautifully until the next carry-in!”
The Best Smoked Salmon Spread
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Salmon spread (or salmon mousse) was such a hit at dinner parties in days gone by, and it’s easy to understand why. Mixing smoked salmon with cream cheese, herbs, capers, cream, and other flavor boosters is a smart way to stretch a pricy ingredient into an affordable party spread to feed a crowd.
Crispy Crab Rangoon
What self-respecting mid-20th-century cocktail party failed to pass around trays of Crab Rangoon? These crispy parcels of crab meat and cream cheese sealed in wonton wrappers and fried to a golden brown were the pinnacle of chic and deserve to be included on your retro holiday party menu.
Swedish Meatballs (From a Swede!)
“This is my mom’s Swedish meatball recipe. This isn’t the kind a lot of people are used to in a creamy white sauce,” says Allrecipes member Linda T. “She served them every Christmas Eve in a chafing dish as part of the ‘Smörgåsbord.’ My mom used to have a vegetable sour cream and a lingonberry sauce on the table for those that might want to dip these in something.”
Shrimp Cocktail
Photographer: Grant Webster / Food Styling: Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling: Kristen Schooley
“This is exactly like you would expect from a high end seafood restaurant,” says reviewer LaCosta Lotta Resort. “I know, I worked in one for many years and this is EXACTLY like we would serve our customers! The cocktail sauce is spot on and SO much better than the jarred stuff. DON’T change anything. Use the biggest shrimp you can find.”
Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Grocery Addict
“This is so loved by everyone that they’d fill up on them and hardly hungry for dinner,” says reviewer FizzyToast9477. “So now I make 1 per person and tell them why lolI want them to eat the dinner.”