Slow Cook Appetizers for Christmas
Christmas is my favorite time of the year, the Christmas movies, decorating, baking, the smells, I just love this time of the year. However it can also be a stressful time of the year, with people dropping by (unannounced) and planning holiday parties.
Appetizers are a great way to get the party started, and they’re also an easy go–to choice when you’re short on time. This holiday season, try making appetizers in your crockpot. From traditional dips like spinach artichoke dip or cheese fondue to more adventurous choices like bacon sausages, or peppermint hot chocolate, there’s something for everyone.
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In this post we’ll go over some of my favorite recipes that are perfect for holiday parties or for potluck at the campground. Many of these recipes can be made ahead of time so you don’t have any added stress over the holidays. If somebody pops in unexpectedly – you’re already prepared.
Sound good?
What Size Slow Cooker Do I Need?
If you’re planning to only cook slow cooker dip recipes, I highly recommend this size crockpot.
But if you are looking to cook for 1 or 2 people, this size works great.
This is the ideal size for a family of 4, and this size crockpot works for a larger family.
Even though we are a family of 4, I have the larger crockpot because I always double up on my recipes.
Always remember to purchase the slow cooker liners, doing so will save you a ton of clean up.
I like to use this set of 3 crock pot food warmers, it keeps the food nice and warm and allows me to serve several different appetizers without taking up too much space.
Easy Crock Pot Appetizers for Christmas
The holiday season is one of the best times for food and family. One great way to make your party extra special this year is by making appetizers that you can cook in a slow cooker, or crockpot. This will free up your oven space for other dishes, and allow you to spend more time mingling with guests at your Christmas party. Plus, these easy recipes will save you so much time, it’s almost a sin not to make them!
When it comes to coming up with crockpot appetizers for Christmas for a crowd, think about appetizers that are fun, delicious and are easy to serve to a crowd!
Think meatballs, lil smokies, shrimp, delicious dips, anything wrapped in bacon. You want yummy flavors, that your guests will rave about, if kids will be at the party, make sure that you have finger foods they will enjoy.
So check out these delicious recipes below so you too can spend time enjoying yourself rather than slaving away in the kitchen.
Easy Prep Tips For Holiday Parties
Have I mentioned how much I love Christmas and everything that comes with it, I have right?
It’s just such a great time of the year to hang out with friends and family and catch up. That’s why I love hosting a Christmas party, it’s the perfect time to get everyone together. I think one of the most important things to host a successful party is to have everything planned out ahead of time, so you can hang out with guests and not spend all your time cooking!
I’m not sure about you, but I always seem to be scrambling at the last minute before a holiday party. There are so many things to do – shopping for food, cooking for hours on end, making decorations, wrapping gifts – that it can feel overwhelming. Let’s take some of the stress out of your day by giving you some quick tips on how to prep ahead of time.
#1 Always make sure that you know of any allergies, and make sure you know how many guests are coming so you can be sure to have enough food. There’s nothing worse than running out of food mid party!
#2 I like to spread the food out so everyone isn’t stuck in a line trying to get to the food – that’s not fun. I love using These cute Christmas bowls, they can be used for ice cream of nuts and chips. This is another space saver dish that is super cute. I would spread 3 or 4 of these around for snacks and just keep refilling them. If you can, store the leftover nuts and chips under the table (hidden of course) so you access them easy for refilling purposes.
#3 Cut your veggies up ahead of time and store them in bags or containers in your refrigerator so they are ready when you need them (make extra). This way all you have to do is pull out a bag of carrots or celery out of the fridge, instead of having to chop it up on the spot.
#4 Always use fancy paper plates so there is less washing up to do
#5 Set up a drink station with water, soda, juice and garnishes like lime/lemon, or mint leaves (fancy schmancy). Set out small dishes for serving crackers and cheese near the drinks area.
#6 Cook any food prior to the party and heat it up just before guests arrive.
Always remember that your guests are excited to see you and catch up, so as long as you have lots of crowd pleasing appetizers, and a warm welcome, everyone will have fun at your party.
Don’t forget to enjoy yourself.
Below you will find some of our favorite appetizer recipes that you can easily cook in the crockpot. You can either use these delicious appetizer recipes for your party, or you can use these as a fill in before dinner!
If you are not the greatest cook, these Christmas crockpot appetizers are so easy, you can’t mess them up!
#1 Slow Cooker Meatballs with Grape Jelly & Chili Sauce
I made this appetizer (on the husband’s recommendation) for a thanksgiving party we had years ago. I had never tried this recipe and wasn’t sure of it at all, so I made some other dishes in case these didn’t work out. We had some different appetizers like mini quiches, a creamy artichoke dip, chex mix snacks and even some shrimp wrapped in bacon.
Everybody went crazy about this dish, to where we ran out quite quickly even though I had made large crock pot of this appetizer and refilled it!!!!
OH MY GOSH, our guests could not get enough of this dish. I honestly could have made this recipe x 100 and every meatball would have been eaten! I used beef meatballs from Sams Club and they worked great!
Slow cooker meatballs with chili sauce and grape jelly, get the recipe here.
#2 Slow Cooker Glazed Bacon Sausage Bites
Even the title of this recipe has me drooling! Slow cooked bacon wrapped sausage bites are the perfect appetizer for any occasion. They’re easy to make, and taste absolutely delicious. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for them to bake so you can dig in and enjoy!
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#3 Crockpot Spinach & Bacon Queso Dip
Crockpot spinach and bacon queso dip is a delicious appetizer that you can prepare in just a few minutes before throwing it in the crockpot. Serve with tortilla chips and watch guests gobble it down.
#4 Crockpot Hot Apple Cider Recipe
I always like to include a hot drink at a holiday party, particularly if you live somewhere cold. This recipe is one of my favorites and it’s very easy to make. Throw everything in the slow cooker and let it do it’s thing and serve it up.
#5 Warm Chicken Nacho Dip
This slow cooker warm chicken nacho dip is perfect for any occasion. Whether you are hosting a party or just want to have some delicious snacks on hand, this recipe will satisfy your needs. The best part about it is that clean up is minimal because most of the ingredients are canned!
#6 Slow Cooker Reuben Dip
Looking for another type of dip that will wow your guests? Try this delicious slow cooker reuben dip! The flavors of corned beef and sauerkraut are combined with swiss cheese and thousand island dressing to create a party-favorite. It’s easy to make and it stays warm in your slow cooker. Serve it with rye bread or crackers for an appetizer that will be the star of any gathering
#7 BBQ Bacon Chicken Dip
Slow cooker bbq bacon chicken dip is the perfect way to win over your guests. The slow cooking process allows of the flavors to mix together perfectly creating one tasty dish! The best part is that you only have one pot co clean and if you use slow cooker liners, there is little to no clean up.
You’re welcome 🙂
#8 Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
This recipe for crockpot buffalo chicken dip is a great one to make in your slow cooker. It’s perfect for when you’re having people over and want something easy, flavorful, and delicious. This buffalo chicken dip is sure to be a hit with all your friends and family. Again, minimal clean up is involved.
#9 Slow Cooker Chex Mex
My only issue with this slow cooker chex mix recipe is having any leftover after packages are opened. I admit I am a chex mix fiend. I am unable to open a chex mix bag without at least munching through 1/2 the bag!
This easy appetizer can be put together in 5 minutes and then thrown into the slow cooker, perfect for guests to munch on at holiday parties.
#10 Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip
For my last recipe, I went with the uber popular spinach artichoke dip that everyone loves and expects to see at a holiday party. As with all the other recipes, everything is dumped into the slow cooker and left to cook.
Bonus Slow Cooker Peppermint Hot Chocolate
This Christmas, have a go at making this delicious and easy slow cooker peppermint hot chocolate. It is absolutely delicious and perfect for those cooler nights. Not only does it taste amazing, but it’s also quick and easy to make. Both adults and kids will love this recipe, so you might want to make a double batch!
Crockpot appetizers are a great way to make your Christmas party easy and stress-free this year. Keep the cooking simple by making these delicious crockpot appetizers this Christmas and watch your guests go crazy over these dishes! These delicious recipes are perfect for potluck at the campground too!
Please share your favorite crockpot Christmas appetizer in the comments below.