25 Thanksgiving Dips and Appetizers Your Guests Will Love
Cranberry pecan baked brie as a full scaling recipe, then twenty-four more starters with the amounts you need: six warm dips, six cold spreads, seven bites and six boards, most of them made the day before and all of them baked around the turkey, not instead of it.
- Quantity planner for 8 to 64 guests
- Thanksgiving-week timeline
- Oven-free and make-ahead tags
- Printable brie recipe
The board from the pin: molten cranberry pecan brie in the center, stuffed mushrooms, deviled eggs, pumpkin hummus and the seven-layer dip around it.
The right Thanksgiving dips and appetizers keep a house full of hungry people happy for two hours without touching the oven the turkey is in. Two warm things, three cold things, one showpiece, most of it made the day before: that is the formula, and the twenty-five below are written so you can pick from it with the quantities in hand. The baked brie is the showpiece, and it is the full recipe on the card.
In this post:
- Why this list works around the turkey
- How much to make, by guest count
- Featured recipe: cranberry pecan baked brie, one wheel to four
- Six warm dips, six cold dips and spreads
- Seven bites and six boards and make-aheads
- The Thanksgiving-week timeline and storage
- Troubleshooting, nutrition and 14 FAQs
Why This Appetizer List Works Around the Turkey
Twenty-five with the amounts, not twenty-five names
Each idea below has the quantities and the time it takes. Pick five and you have a Thanksgiving appetizer table; the planner says how many that feeds.
Warm, cold, dippable and handheld
Six warm dips, six cold dips and spreads, seven bites and six boards or make-aheads, so the spread has temperature and texture contrast without three ovens.
Most of it happens the day before
Dips, cheese balls, deviled egg filling, cranberry toppings and crostini bases all keep overnight. The timeline below puts the whole spread on one page.
Fits around the turkey
Everything is written for a 350 to 400°F oven shared with the bird, a slow cooker, or no heat at all. Nothing here needs the oven at the same time as the roast.
How Much to Make
| Occasion | How much | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OccasionCocktail-hour nibbles before a big dinner | How much4 to 5 bites per guest | Notes3 items for 8 guests; 5 items for 16 |
| OccasionLong afternoon before a late dinner | How much8 to 10 bites per guest | Notes5 items for 8 guests; 7 for 16 |
| OccasionDips | How much¼ cup per guest per dip | NotesA 9-inch pie plate of dip serves 10 to 12 |
| OccasionBaked brie | How much1 oz per guest | NotesAn 8 oz wheel for 8; the card scales it |
| OccasionBoards | How much2 oz cheese + 1 oz meat per guest | NotesPlus crackers, fruit and one dip |
| OccasionDippers | How much6 to 8 pieces per guest per dip | NotesMix crackers, bread, vegetables and apple |
Featured Recipe: Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie
The card is set for a 16 ounce wheel that serves 16. Tap a size for a small gathering or a crowd.
Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie
The centerpiece of the pin: a whole brie wheel topped with cranberry, pecans, honey and rosemary and baked until molten inside its rind. Tap a wheel size and the topping, bake time and servings update with the printable card.
Which wheel?
Ingredients
- one 8 oz wheelone 16 oz wheeltwo 16 oz wheelsfour 16 oz wheels brie wheel, rind on
- ⅓ cup⅔ cup1⅓ cups2⅔ cups whole-berry cranberry sauce (or the cranberry topping below)
- 3 tbsp⅓ cup⅔ cup1⅓ cups pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp2 tbsp¼ cup½ cup honey or maple syrup
- ½ tsp1 tsp2 tsp4 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ½ tsp1 tsp2 tsp4 tsp orange zest
- a pincha pinch¼ tsp½ tsp flaky salt and black pepper
- ½ cup1 cup2 cups4 cups 5-minute cranberry topping (optional, instead of the sauce): fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 tbsp¼ cup½ cup1 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp¼ cup½ cup1 cup orange juice
- for 8for 16for 32for 64 To serve: crackers, sliced baguette, apple and pear slices
Rind on: it holds the cheese. Puff pastry version: wrap the topped wheel in a thawed sheet, seal, brush with egg and bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes; it is in idea 23. No alcohol: many baked brie recipes add a splash of wine or bourbon to the cranberries; orange juice does the job here.
Instructions
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 350°F. Take the brie out of the fridge 20 minutes ahead; a cold wheel bakes unevenly. Leave the rind on: it is the bowl that holds the melted cheese.
Make the cranberry topping (or open the jar)
For the fresh topping, simmer the cranberries, sugar and orange juice in a small pan 5 to 6 minutes, until the berries pop and the sauce thickens. Cool 5 minutes. Or use whole-berry cranberry sauce from a jar or can, stirred to loosen.
Score and top the wheel
Set the brie in a small oven-safe dish or on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Score the top rind in a shallow crosshatch so the heat gets in and the cheese flows when cut. Spoon the cranberry over the top, scatter the pecans, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with rosemary, orange zest, salt and pepper.
Bake until soft
Bake 12 to 15 minutes for an 8 ounce wheel, 18 to 22 for 16 ounces, until the sides feel soft when pressed and the center jiggles. Do not bake until it leaks; it should be molten inside and still holding its shape.
Rest 5 minutes and serve warm
Let it stand 5 minutes so the first cut does not flood the board. Serve with crackers, toasted baguette and apple or pear slices, with a knife for cutting into the rind. It stays spoonable for about 30 minutes; a 5-minute return to the oven revives it.
Warm Thanksgiving Dips
The brie going in: scored rind, cranberry topping, pecans, honey and rosemary.
Oven or slow cooker, all of them bake while the turkey rests or hold on WARM:
Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie Centerpiece
The featured recipe above: a whole wheel, cranberry, pecans, honey, rosemary, 15 to 20 minutes at 350°F. Serve with crackers and apple slices; the first thing to disappear.
Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip Make ahead
8 oz cream cheese, ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup mayo, 1 cup parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, a 14 oz can of chopped artichokes and 10 oz of thawed, squeezed spinach, with 2 grated garlic cloves. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Assemble the day before.
Roasted Butternut Squash Dip with Pepitas Make ahead
Roast 3 cups cubed squash at 425°F for 25 minutes, blend with 4 oz cream cheese, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon each smoked paprika and cinnamon and salt. Serve warm with toasted pepitas and olive oil. Deepens overnight.
Caramelized Onion Dip from Scratch Make ahead
Cook 3 sliced onions in 2 tablespoons butter over low heat for 40 minutes until deep gold, cool, and fold into 1 cup sour cream and 4 oz softened cream cheese with 1 teaspoon Worcestershire or soy and chives. Better after a night in the fridge; serve at room temperature or warmed.
Warm Turkey and Cheese Dip Uses leftovers
2 cups shredded cooked turkey, 8 oz cream cheese, 1 cup shredded Swiss, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce swirled through, baked 20 minutes at 375°F. The step-by-step is in the warm turkey cheese dip.
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip Slow cooker
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, 8 oz cream cheese, ½ cup hot sauce, ½ cup ranch and 1½ cups cheddar on LOW for 2 hours, stirred once. Keeps warm on the counter all afternoon with celery and tortilla chips. The one for the football crowd.
Cold Dips and Spreads
The first cut: molten brie flowing under the cranberry and pecans.
No oven at all, and most are better made the day before:
Whipped Feta with Roasted Grapes and Honey 15 minutes
Blend 8 oz feta with 4 oz cream cheese and 2 tablespoons olive oil until smooth. Roast 2 cups of red grapes with a thyme sprig at 425°F for 15 minutes and spoon them over with honey and black pepper. Flatbread or crackers alongside.
Creamy Pumpkin Hummus No cook
A 15 oz can of chickpeas, ⅔ cup pumpkin purée, ¼ cup tahini, 1 garlic clove, the juice of a lemon, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and 3 tablespoons olive oil, blended smooth. Swirl on a plate with pepitas and oil; pita chips and vegetables.
Seven-Layer Harvest Dip Make ahead
In a clear dish: refried beans spiked with cumin, guacamole, sour cream mixed with taco seasoning, salsa, cheddar, black olives, green onions, with roasted corn kernels and diced roasted sweet potato as the harvest layers. Assemble the morning of; tortilla chips.
Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip Make ahead
Pulse 12 oz fresh cranberries with 2 seeded jalapeños, ¾ cup sugar, ¼ cup cilantro, 2 green onions and the juice of a lime, chill 2 hours, and spoon over a block of cream cheese on a plate. Sweet, hot and the easiest showpiece here; buttery crackers.
Whipped Ricotta with Honey and Thyme 10 minutes
Whip 15 oz whole-milk ricotta with 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and salt until fluffy, swirl on a plate, drizzle with honey and scatter thyme and toasted walnuts. The light, bright dip among rich ones; the full version is in the whipped ricotta dip.
Pumpkin Pie Fluff Dip No cook
The sweet one for the kids’ end of the table: pumpkin purée, instant vanilla pudding mix, pumpkin pie spice and whipped topping, 10 minutes, with graham crackers and apple slices. Amounts in the pumpkin pie fluff dip.
Bites and Finger Foods
Herb and Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms Make ahead
Stem 24 cremini mushrooms, fill with 8 oz cream cheese mixed with ½ cup parmesan, ¼ cup breadcrumbs, 2 grated garlic cloves, parsley and thyme, top with more parmesan and bake 20 minutes at 375°F. Stuff them the day before; bake while the turkey rests.
Classic Deviled Eggs with a Thanksgiving Twist Make ahead
12 eggs, yolks mashed with ⅓ cup mayo, 2 teaspoons Dijon, 1 teaspoon cider vinegar and salt, piped back in and topped three ways: smoked paprika, crisp crumbled beef bacon, or a dot of cranberry sauce and a sage leaf. Fill the morning of.
Turkey and Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers No cook
Halve a pound of mini sweet peppers, fill with 8 oz cream cheese mixed with 1 cup finely chopped cooked turkey, 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce and chives. Cold, crunchy and a use for the first slices off the bird.
Goat Cheese and Fig Jam Crostini 15 minutes
Toast 24 baguette slices brushed with oil at 400°F for 8 minutes, spread with goat cheese, a dot of fig jam, a walnut piece and a thyme leaf. Toast the bread a day ahead; assemble in 10 minutes.
Sweet Potato Rounds with Whipped Feta Gluten-free
Roast 2 sweet potatoes sliced ½ inch thick at 425°F for 20 minutes, top with whipped feta (idea 7), a pecan half and a drizzle of maple. The gluten-free crostini.
Crispy Air-Fryer Chickpeas with Tahini Dip Snack bowl
Two 15 oz cans of chickpeas, dried well, tossed with 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon each cumin and smoked paprika and salt, air fried at 390°F for 15 minutes. Dip: ¼ cup tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon, 3 tablespoons water, salt. Crunchy, vegan and good for grazing.
Cranberry Turkey Meatballs Slow cooker
1½ pounds ground turkey with ½ cup breadcrumbs, an egg, 2 tablespoons grated onion, sage and salt, rolled into 30 and baked 15 minutes at 400°F, then held in a slow cooker with 1 cup cranberry sauce and ½ cup barbecue sauce stirred together. Toothpicks.
Boards, Showpieces and Make-Aheads
Turkey-Shaped Cheese Ball Make ahead
16 oz cream cheese, 2 cups sharp cheddar, ¼ cup green onions, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire or soy, rolled in chopped pecans and dressed with pretzel-stick feathers and a bell pepper wattle. The shaping is photographed step by step in the turkey cheeseball. Make it 2 days ahead.
Harvest Charcuterie Board No cook
2 oz cheese and 1 oz beef salami or turkey per guest: aged cheddar, brie, a blue, beef salami roses, fig jam, honeycomb, grapes, pear slices, dried apricots, pecans, crackers and a small bowl of the cranberry jalapeño dip in the middle. Assemble 2 hours ahead and cover.
Baked Brie in Puff Pastry Showpiece
The featured brie, wrapped in a thawed sheet of puff pastry over the cranberry and pecans, sealed underneath, brushed with egg and baked at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes until deep gold. Rest 10 minutes before cutting. Wrap it in the morning and bake when guests arrive.
Cranberry Brie Bites in Phyllo Cups 15 minutes
30 frozen phyllo cups, a cube of brie in each, a ½ teaspoon of cranberry sauce and a pecan piece, baked 8 to 10 minutes at 375°F. The baked brie as a one-bite; a sprig of rosemary on top.
Turkey Charcuterie Cups Kid friendly
Individual cups with a pretzel rod, cheese cubes, grapes, a rolled slice of turkey, crackers and a cheese-ball head that look like little turkeys; no sharing, no double dipping. Assembly in the turkey charcuterie cups.
Fruit and Cheese Pumpkin Platter No cook
Clementine segments, orange bell pepper strips and cheddar cubes arranged in a pumpkin shape with a cucumber stem and a few grape vines, around a bowl of pumpkin hummus. Ten minutes, and the first thing the kids reach for. More fruit ideas in fruit for Thanksgiving dinner.
The Thanksgiving-Week Appetizer Timeline
| When | Do this | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WhenSunday | Do thisShop; make the cheese ball and the caramelized onions | NotesBoth improve over 2 to 3 days |
| WhenTuesday | Do thisCranberry toppings and cranberry jalapeño dip; roast the squash | NotesAll keep 4 days |
| WhenWednesday | Do thisStuff the mushrooms, assemble the spinach dip, boil the eggs, toast the crostini, make the meatballs | NotesRefrigerate unbaked; bread in a tin |
| WhenThursday morning | Do thisSeven-layer dip, pumpkin hummus, deviled egg filling, top the brie | NotesCover and chill |
| When1 hour before guests | Do thisBoard assembled, cold dips out, slow cooker on | NotesCold dips taste better 20 minutes out of the fridge |
| WhenWhen the turkey comes out to rest | Do thisBrie, mushrooms, spinach dip and crostini into the 350 to 375°F oven | NotesThe oven is free for 30 minutes; use it |
Storage and Leftovers
| What | How long | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WhatCream cheese dips, unbaked | How long2 days | NotesBake from the fridge; add 5 minutes |
| WhatBaked dips, leftovers | How long3 days | NotesReheat covered at 350°F or in short microwave bursts |
| WhatCheese ball | How long5 days | NotesRoll in the nuts the day you serve |
| WhatDeviled eggs | How longFilling 2 days, filled 1 day | NotesPipe the morning of; keep covered |
| WhatBaked brie | How longTop 1 day ahead; eat the day it is baked | NotesLeftover brie: slice cold onto sandwiches |
| WhatCrostini bases | How long3 days in a tin | NotesRe-crisp 3 minutes at 350°F |
| WhatHummus and whipped feta | How long4 days | NotesDrizzle fresh oil before serving |
The Rest of the Thanksgiving Table
The appetizer hour: the brie, two dips, mushrooms, eggs, crostini and a board, out before the bird.
The rest of the Thanksgiving table, before and after the appetizers:
- More starters: 35 make-ahead Thanksgiving appetizers, 35 apps for Thanksgiving dinner and 30 turkey appetizers
- Finger foods only: Thanksgiving finger foods
- Lighter options: healthy low-carb Thanksgiving appetizers
- The bird: smoked turkey with a maple BBQ rub or the crockpot turkey breast
- Sides that share the oven: corn casserole without the boxed mix
- Dessert: Libby’s pumpkin pie, made silky
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ProblemBrie leaked across the pan | Likely causeBaked too long, or rind cut too deep | FixPress-test the sides; shallow scores only; a small dish catches it |
| ProblemDip split or greasy | Likely causeOverbaked, or low-fat cream cheese | FixFull-fat; pull at bubbling edges |
| ProblemStuffed mushrooms watery | Likely causeNot pre-roasted | FixRoast the empty caps 10 minutes and tip out the liquid before filling |
| ProblemDeviled eggs gray-ringed | Likely causeOverboiled | Fix11 minutes, then ice water |
| ProblemCrostini soggy | Likely causeTopped too early | FixAssemble within 30 minutes of serving |
| ProblemEverything needed the oven at once | Likely causeNo plan | FixTwo warm, three cold; the timeline above |
| ProblemRan out in 20 minutes | Likely causeUnderestimated | FixUse the planner: 4 to 5 bites per guest before dinner, 8 to 10 for an afternoon |
Nutrition (approximate, per serving of baked brie)
Estimates for 1 ounce of brie with its share of cranberry, pecans and honey, before crackers. No pork, no alcohol anywhere in the 25.
Thanksgiving Dips and Appetizers: FAQs
How many appetizers do I need for Thanksgiving?
For a cocktail hour before a big dinner, 4 to 5 bites per guest across 3 items for 8 people or 5 items for 16. For a long afternoon before a late dinner, 8 to 10 bites per guest. Plan ¼ cup of each dip per guest. The planner table above has the numbers for dips, brie and boards.
What appetizers can I make ahead for Thanksgiving?
Most of this list. Cheese balls and caramelized onion dip 2 to 3 days ahead; cranberry toppings 4 days; spinach dip, stuffed mushrooms, meatballs and crostini bases the day before; deviled egg filling, hummus and the seven-layer dip the morning of. The timeline above lays out the week.
How do I serve warm appetizers when the oven is full of turkey?
Bake them while the turkey rests. A roast needs 30 to 45 minutes out of the oven before carving, which is exactly enough for the brie, stuffed mushrooms, spinach dip and crostini at 350 to 375°F. Keep the slow cooker dips and the cold spreads for the hours before.
How long do you bake brie?
At 350°F, 12 to 15 minutes for an 8 ounce wheel and 18 to 22 minutes for 16 ounces, until the sides feel soft when pressed and the center jiggles. Pull it before it leaks; it keeps melting as it rests. Wrapped in puff pastry, 25 to 30 minutes at 400°F.
Do you take the rind off brie before baking?
No. The rind holds the melted cheese like a bowl and is completely edible. Score the top in a shallow crosshatch so the heat gets in and the cheese flows when you cut into it.
Can I make baked brie without wine?
Yes; this one uses orange juice in the cranberry topping and honey on top, with no wine or bourbon. The flavor comes from the cranberries, pecans, rosemary and orange zest. Every recipe in this post is alcohol-free.
Which dips can sit out all afternoon?
Slow cooker dips on the WARM setting (buffalo chicken, the turkey cheese dip, the meatballs) hold safely for hours. Cold dairy dips should go back in the fridge after 2 hours; set out half and refill. Hummus, whipped feta and the cranberry jalapeño dip are the most forgiving.
What are good gluten-free Thanksgiving appetizers?
Baked brie served with apple slices and gluten-free crackers, sweet potato rounds with whipped feta, stuffed mini peppers, deviled eggs, pumpkin hummus with vegetables, the charcuterie board and the crispy chickpeas. Skip the breadcrumbs in the mushrooms or use gluten-free ones.
What appetizers do kids actually eat?
The turkey charcuterie cups, the fruit and cheese pumpkin platter, cranberry brie bites, pumpkin pie fluff dip with graham crackers, meatballs on toothpicks and the cheese ball with pretzels. Put them at kid height and away from the deviled eggs.
How do I keep stuffed mushrooms from getting watery?
Roast the empty caps, stem side down, for 10 minutes at 375°F first and tip out the liquid they release, then fill and bake. Cremini hold up better than white button mushrooms.
Can I use canned cranberry sauce on the brie?
Yes; whole-berry sauce, stirred to loosen, is exactly what the card calls for if you skip the 5-minute fresh topping. Jellied sauce slides off; mash it with a fork and a squeeze of orange first.
Are these appetizers halal?
Yes, as written: beef bacon on the deviled eggs, beef salami on the board, turkey and chicken in the dips and meatballs, no pork anywhere and no wine or bourbon in the brie or cranberry toppings. Check your Worcestershire (or use soy sauce) and your cheese rennet if you prefer.
How do I build the appetizer board in the pin?
Start with the baked brie in the center, a warm dip and a cold dip on either side, then fill in with stuffed mushrooms, deviled eggs and crostini, and tuck grapes, apple slices and crackers into the gaps. Five items, three temperatures, one board; the planner above sizes it.
What should I serve after the appetizers?
The turkey (smoked, roasted or the crockpot breast), the oven sides that bake while it rests, and the pies made the day before. The serving section above links the full Thanksgiving cluster, from the brine to the pumpkin pie.
Save the pin so the brie, the planner and the timeline are one tap away the week of Thanksgiving.
More Thanksgiving
The cheese ball, the make-ahead list, the finger foods, the bird and the pie.
Turkey Cheeseball
The cheese ball shaped like the bird. See the steps → Make Ahead35 Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Appetizers
Everything you can do the day before. See the list → Finger Foods25 Thanksgiving Finger Foods
No plates, no forks. See the list → LighterWhipped Ricotta Dip
The light, bright one among rich ones. See the recipe → The BirdSmoked Turkey with Maple BBQ Rub
For when the appetizers are done. See the recipe → DessertLibby’s Pumpkin Pie, Made Silky
The classic, with no cracks. See the recipe →Two warm, three cold, one brie in the middle, most of it made on Wednesday and the warm things baked while the turkey rests. That is the appetizer hour, handled.
Pin these Thanksgiving dips and appetizers so the planner and the brie are ready when the guest list is.
