Christmas should be all about celebration and cheer, so leave any stress at the door. We’ve gathered our top Christmas party food recipes to make hosting easy, with something for everyone. All that’s left is to turn up the Christmas tunes, cue the Mariah, keep the drinks flowing and set out a spread that’s guaranteed to get the party started.
For ideas on festive cocktails to serve alongside your spread, explore our Christmas drinks and cocktail recipes and Christmas punch recipes. If you are looking to add even more to the table, our Christmas buffet recipes, finger food recipes and party food recipes offer plenty of delicious picky bits to mix and match.
Easy Christmas party food ideas
1. Next-level profiteroles
Build a tower of these next-level profiteroles to create a showstopping centrepiece for your Christmas party spread. They’re a step up from the classic version, finished with a crisp craquelin top and filled with light, airy cream. Once your tower is assembled, pour over the warm hot fudge sauce and get ready to dive in. Just be sure to have plenty of napkins to hand – this one can get wonderfully messy.
Check out more of our best-ever profiterole recipes.
2. Easy sausage rolls
Is it even a party if there isn’t a sausage roll on the table? There’s no better place to begin your sausage-roll-making journey than with our easy sausage rolls recipe, which boasts more than 60 five-star ratings. It has just three steps, so there’s little chance of anything going wrong. You can even make them ahead and freeze them unbaked, ready to pop in the oven so they’re warm and irresistible as guests arrive.
Try more of our sausage roll recipes, perfect for a picnic, buffet or simply as a tasty snack.
3. Pork belly bites
Make these sweet and sticky pork belly bites, flavoured with clementines and chilli jam, using just six ingredients. Prep takes only 15 minutes and the bites can be chilled for up to three days, ready to pop in the oven and serve as piping hot canapés. Finish with a bit of cucumber for a fresh contrast to the rich pork.
Discover more sophisticated bites to serve at your festive party with our Christmas canapé recipes.
4. Brie & cranberry filo parcels
These five-ingredient brie & cranberry filo parcels are the perfect handheld vegetarian snack. Using shop-bought filo keeps prep to under 30 minutes. Make them ahead to keep things stress-free on the day: they will keep in the fridge for up to a day or in the freezer for up to three months.
Get your fill of our fabulous filo pastry recipes.
5. Onion bhaji board
Make our onion bhaji sharing board for an easy gluten-free platter that serves up to 10. With onion bhajis, green chutney, cucumber raita, pomegranate salad and mini poppadoms, there’s plenty for everyone to mix and match so each guest can build their plate just the way they like it.
Discover more Indian-inspired recipes that are big on flavour.
6. Potato cakes with smoked salmon & cream cheese
Irish potato cakes, or farls, make a delicious base for these smoked salmon, cream cheese and caperberry canapés. The recipe is straightforward, though it does take a little time, at just over two hours. You can get ahead by baking the potatoes up to two days in advance and keeping them in the fridge. You can even prepare the potato bases the night before, then add the fresh toppings on the day for a stress-free, simple and elegant canapé.
Make the most of smoked salmon with our smoked salmon recipes, from pastas and salads to canapés and more.
7. Roasted pear, walnut & honey crostini
For a bite packed with festive flavour, try our roasted pear, walnut and honey crostini. Toast baguette slices, then top with ricotta, seasonal roasted pears, walnuts and thyme-infused honey. Cooking the pears in an air fryer is a handy way to save oven space if you’re preparing other canapés.
Check out more air fryer recipes to help you make the most of your kitchen kit.
8. Cupcake Christmas tree
Get kids involved in the Christmas fun by helping you make these mini cupcakes that come together to form an edible Christmas tree. We’ve piped the icing to create the textured effect, but if you’re working with little hands, spoon it on and fluff it up with a fork. It’s far less fiddly and just as enjoyable. Finish by decorating the cupcakes with your favourite sweets as baubles.
Find more festive sponges that kids will love to decorate with our Christmas cupcake recipes.
9. Sharing-style bloody mary prawns
If you want an eye-catching savoury centrepiece for your Christmas party spread, try our sharing style bloody mary prawns. You’ll need a large serving bowl to hang the prawns from, so take a look at our guide to the best trifle bowls for plenty of great options. Serve them with our moreish bloody mary dipping sauce, celery sticks and a squeeze of lemon to finish.
Try our prawn starter recipes for more small plates and finger foods starring this versatile seafood.
10. Festive filled brioche centrepiece with baked camembert
If you fancy yourself a bit of a star baker, try our festive-filled brioche centrepiece created by Great British Bake Off contestant Kimberley Wilson. Make the brioche from scratch, then fill each ball with seasonal flavours such as garlic, membrillo, chestnuts, chopped cranberries and mushroom pâté. If any of the fillings aren’t quite your thing, swap them for one of our chutney recipes or pâté recipes to make it your own. Arrange the brioche around a wheel of Camembert and serve warm and oozy for a true showstopper.
11. Air fryer clementine & chilli halloumi skewers
Get ahead with your Christmas party prep by making these air fryer clementine and chilli halloumi skewers. They freeze for up to three months and can be cooked straight from frozen, making them perfect for last-minute soirées when you need something tasty in a hurry. Using the air fryer keeps things far less messy than frying, and it’s quicker than the oven too.
Celebrate this squeaky Cypriot cheese with more of our halloumi recipes.
12. Sweet chilli-glazed pigs in blankets
You don’t have to keep pigs in blankets just as a side for your roast, they can be so much more. Our chilli-glazed version proves it, turning this classic into a sweet and spicy canapé that disappears fast.
For more twists on this classic side, check out more pigs in blankets recipes.
13. Pick & dip filo straws with feta, dates & sesame seeds
Elevate the classic cheese straw with these impressive pull-apart filo bites. They’re filled with feta, dates and sesame seeds, then drizzled with honey for the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Serve with a spicy harissa yogurt dip.
Sharing is caring, so why not explore more of our tear & share recipes to add to your Christmas spread?
14. Christmas tree cheeseboard
Put together this easy sharing platter of cheese, crackers, cucumber and grapes, then decorate with rosemary and pomegranate seeds to create a festive tree. It’s an imaginative centrepiece that needs no cooking and can be on the table in just 20 minutes.
Discover more effortless dishes for hosting with our easy entertaining recipes.
15. Carrot & caraway crackers
These easy vegan canapés are a guaranteed crowdpleaser. Whizz up the carrot purée the day before to keep things fuss-free, and freeze any leftovers so you’re party-ready next time too. Finish each cracker with a sprig of dill and a vegetable crisp for an impressive final touch.
A vegan diet shouldn’t mean missing out on great party food. Keep everyone happy with our vegan canapé recipes.
16. Gyoza sharing board
Food can sometimes be on the heavy side over the festive period, so keep things light and lively with our gyoza sharing board. Mix and match veggie and meat gyozas with pickled carrot slaw, sriracha mayo and a soy dipping sauce for a fresh, flavour-packed spread.
Discover more Japanese-inspired recipes and let your tastebuds travel across the globe.
17. Smoked cheese in blankets
These moreish, gluten-free bites need just three ingredients. Wrap smoked cheese in pancetta, set it on a bed of rosemary and bake for 15 minutes to create salty, smoky, melty bites infused with fragrant rosemary. Perfect for passing around the party.
Ward off hunger pangs with more of our gluten-free snack recipes.
18. Beetroot & blackberry cured salmon
Curing your own salmon is well worth it for both flavour and wow factor. Serve this beetroot and berry version as a starter or pile it onto crackers for a vibrant canapé. It takes only 10 minutes to prepare, but you’ll need to plan ahead, as the fish needs three days to cure. A little patience delivers big rewards.
19. Hot doughnuts with spiced sugared nut coating
Enjoy fantastically fluffy doughnuts without any yeast or proving. Pulse the nuts to a fine crumb for a coating that clings to every bite. The recipe makes 24 to 26 doughnuts, which sounds like a lot, but trust us, they disappear in a flash.
Whether you are after a stocking filler, a homemade gift or a treat to enjoy with a cup of tea over the festive period, our Christmas sweets recipes are the perfect place to start.
20. Pecan-stuffed dates
If you’re worried that the festive season might undo all your hard work on your health goals, try putting together a lighter party spread. Our pecan-stuffed dates are a great place to begin, then explore our healthy party food recipes for more inspiration.
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