50 Best Appetizers Guaranteed to Be the Life of Every Party

Homemade pigs in a blanket are the perfect last-minute appetizer. If you want to make them extra special, sprinkle everything bagel seasoning before baking, or make them “Chicago-style” with sport peppers and a sprinkle of poppy seeds on top.

Cheesy, spicy jalapeño poppers are a game-day champion.

This stunningly easy appetizer calls for just three ingredients and a slow cooker.

The key to the best deviled eggs? Buttery garlic panko breadcrumbs.

Everyone who has tried it can’t get enough of this extra-crispy, cheesy appetizer. The crispy little fried wontons are filled with cream cheese, scallions, and flecks of “krab” (aka surimi or kani, a budget-friendly imitation crab made of pollock or other whitefish).

These cheesy spuds are the perfect party appetizer! Learn how to make the very best version, complete with a gooey cheese filling, bacon, and sour cream.

These flaky, golden-brown savory bites are balanced with a touch of tangy spice and sweetness from pickled pepperoncini peppers, coarse mustard, and apricot preserves.

These tender mushrooms are stuffed to the brim with a simple, flavorful filling made from shallots, garlic, two types of cheese, herbs, and panko breadcrumbs.

An irresistible combination of salty, crispy bacon with sugar-sweet dates and creamy cheese!

Nothing wows a crowd more than a tower of popcorn chicken — except perhaps drizzling it with a hot honey butter glaze once you set it down.

These two-ingredient puff pastry cheese straws will be a guaranteed hit at your next party.

These cocktail meatballs are perfect for game day. The secret ingredient? Just a bit of oyster sauce, which balances the sweetness of the sweet chili sauce.

Chex mix is the ultimate DIY snack. It’s crunchy, just the right amount of salty, and stays good for several weeks, making it the perfect thing to keep on the counter for midday or pre-dinner nibbling. Plus, our version can be made with whatever cereal, toasted nuts, and crunchy snacks you’ve stocked up on.

Let the slow cooker do the heavy lifting in this easy and crowd-pleasing cocktail appetizer classic.

These irresistible, bite-size globes of tender mac and cheese (it's a great way to use leftovers!) are blanketed in ultra-crunchy panko coating and fried to golden-brown perfection.

Not sure what to bring to a party? The answer is always this dip.

7 Layer Dip is everything you love about a taco — from the refried beans and guac, to the sour cream and pico de gallo — served dip-style.

Baked jalapeño popper dip is ultra creamy and cheesy, with just the right amount of heat, and a buttery, crunchy Ritz cracker topping.

Make this iconic dip with jammy, slow-caramelized onions, tangy sour cream, and a few umami-boosting pantry ingredients.

This five-ingredient dip is the ultimate party appetizer.

This easy sour cream dip tastes just like the iconic potato chip you love — but better.

The secret to the best Buffalo chicken dip? Ranch dressing!

We can’t resist a good cheese dip. Whether it’s queso dip, beer cheese, or pimento cheese, cheese dip always brings the party. Unlike most cheesy dips, however, pimento cheese requires no cooking!

Ooey-gooey goodness like this queso fundido is fit for any occasion. Use warm corn tortillas for serving.

Esquites + creamed corn = heaven on a tortilla chip.

This cheesy party dip is made with only the best parts of lasagna.

We'll walk you through how to make a classic guacamole with ripe avocados, onion, lime, jalapeño peppers, tomato, and fresh cilantro. It’s so good that the recipe tester exclaimed that this will be their “house” guacamole recipe from now on!

Drizzle this endlessly versatile sauce over eggs, slather it on your favorite burrito, or enjoy it as a dip with tortilla chips.

Warm, creamy, cheesy, and 100% ready to be dipped, this irresistible baked corn dip won’t last long out of the oven. It uses the trio of cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream to make it impossibly creamy. The other flavors — green chile, garlic, scallion, lime, and cheddar cheese — build upon and complement the creamy base.

Combine sour cream, salsa, and cheese for an easy dip everyone will love.

While we love the classic version, this cowboy crab dip amps up the fun with bacon, pickled jalapeños, and smoky chili powder. A little yeehaw in every bite.

Serve nachos as a skillet dinner dip using pantry staples.

Layered with marinara sauce and three kinds of cheese, this hot dip tastes just like pizza.

This easy one-pan white chicken chili dip is going to be your new go-to party appetizer.

These sliders have it all: sweet slices of ham, irresistibly gooey Swiss cheese, squishy Hawaiian rolls, and a savory butter drizzled over top.

Sautéed beef and onions, gooey cheese, and the perfect dipping sauce make these the most delicious appetizer. Serve them with store-bought or homemade french fries, waffle fries, or tater tots for the ultimate party feast.

The iconic Philly cheesesteak sandwich is given the pull-apart slider treatment, complete with a double layer of cheese, tender sautéed onions and peppers, and thinly sliced beef.

For the best-ever chicken sliders, mix shredded chicken with mayo, sour cream, and scallions. Melty cheese and buttery rolls take things to the next level.

Turkey and cheese sliders are the easiest and cheesiest party bites.

These Hawaiian roll party sliders are like French onion soup meets slider.

The best-kept secret for super-crispy Buffalo wings? Baking powder.

These crispy wings are blanketed with a double dose of punchy garlic, plenty of salty Parm, and some melted butter for good measure. Don't forget the ranch dressing or blue cheese dip!

Cowboy butter is the popular zippy condiment made by mixing melted butter with a medley of herbs and seasonings. Toss it with crispy oven-baked wings for an easy game-day snack that’s rich and smoky with a little kick of heat and some tang.

Onion soup mix is the secret to making crispy, crunchy chicken wings packed with rich flavor.

Move over, Buffalo sauce: There’s a new wing sauce in town. These gochujang wings are spicy and sweet with a fresh kick of ginger. No grill? No problem! You can bake these wings in the oven.

Pair crispy wings with this deliciously vibrant chimichurri sauce — it's a keeper.

As much as we love baked chicken wings, crunchy fried wings are on another level. When the light breading hits the hot oil, it locks in moisture and adds crunch. Plus, frying really doesn’t take all that long — this recipe is done in 30 minutes.

The sauce is thick, sweet, a deep crimson color, and flecked with spices that add a kick of heat.

The key to the crispiest baked chicken wings is baking powder. The baking powder helps raise the pH level of the chicken skin, creating tiny air bubbles on the surface which become crispy when cooked at a higher oven temp.

Brining is a foolproof way to give chicken wings an internal basting and moisture shield that there’s really no substitute for.