24 Simple Holiday Party Dishes
24 Simple Holiday Party Dishes
By Penelope Sandlin — December 2, 2025
When you’re invited to a holiday gathering, one of the first questions that comes to mind is often, “What dish should I bring?” Whether you’re attending a holiday dinner, brunch, or party, these 24 dishes are a great place to start. This list includes everything from classic holiday staples to more unconventional crowd-pleasers, so no matter what route you choose this holiday season, this list will help you find the perfect addition to your celebration. These dishes are simple, but everyone will be sure to ask you for the recipe.
1. Holiday Charcuterie Board
An assortment of meats, cheeses, nuts, fruits, and crackers of your choosing. Additions like cranberries, cranberry sauce, and walnuts can be used to make your board more festive.
2. Baked Brie with Honey & Pecans
A soft, gooey cheese that is beautifully enhanced by the sweetness of the honey and the crunch of the pecans. This is a great dish to serve with crackers for dipping.
3. Spinach & Artichoke Dip
This dip is a crowd favorite. A delicious combination of cream cheese, sour cream, assorted grated cheeses, spinach and artichokes, and seasonings of your liking. This dip can be baked to take it to the next level and served with chips, crackers, or bread.
4. Sausage Balls
Savory bite-sized sausage, cheese, and biscuit bites are perfect for snacking. They can be store-bought or easily made from scratch.
5. Pigs in a Blanket
Mini sausages wrapped in flaky, buttery crescent dough. A crowd pleaser that can be eaten alone or dipped in various sauces.
6. Deviled Eggs with Paprika
A holiday staple for a good reason. The boiled eggs can be deviled to your liking with mayonnaise, mustard, relish, and various seasonings, then dusted with paprika for added spice and color.
7. Greek Pasta Salad
A refreshing mix of pasta, veggies, meat of your choosing, balsamic glaze, and crumbled feta. This dish can be served alone or paired with an assortment of soft pita and pita chips.
8. Fruit Salad with Mint
A bright assortment of fruits of your choosing, dressed with lemon juice and honey for added sweetness and a tart kick. Topped with mint for a fresh finishing touch.
9. Baked Mac and Cheese
A nostalgic crowd pleaser. Can either be made using boxed mac and cheese or fully from scratch with freshly grated cheeses. It is then topped with your choice of breadcrumbs or assorted cheeses for that perfect added crunch and depth.
10. Chicken Salad Croissant Sliders
Creamy chicken salad sandwiched between the two halves of a flaky croissant, then sliced into bite-sized pieces. Tomatoes, lettuce, or cheese can also be added for extra dimension.
11. Mini Quiches
A mixture of eggs, cheese, and vegetables of your choice is poured into puffed pastry cups to create the perfect bite-sized appetizer.
12. Christmas Tree Garlic Pull-Apart Bread
A fun and festive take on garlic bread. Soft, buttery dough pieces arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree, brushed with garlic butter, and baked, creating the perfect pull-apart appetizer.
13. Firecrackers
Crackers of your choice tossed and coated in butter and a plethora of spices, creating buttery, crunchy, and flaky crackers with a fiery kick. Can be eaten alone or paired with pimento cheese or other soft cheeses.
14. Whipped Goat Cheese Dip with Candied Dates and Pecans
An elevated dish that is so easy to put together, but is sure to impress everybody at the holiday gathering. Goat cheese is whipped with honey and lemon juice, and topped with a sweet and delicately crunchy topping of Candied dates and pecans.
15. Potatoes Au Gratin
Thinly sliced potatoes layered and coated in a rich and creamy cheese sauce. Topped with extra cheese and baked for that added crunchy topping.
16. Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
An elevated take on a simple, classic side. Tender carrots coated in a buttery brown sugar glaze, then baked to caramelized perfection.
17. Green Bean Casserole
A holiday classic starring green beans coated in a creamy sauce, then baked until golden brown with a crunchy onion topping.
18. Lemon Bars
A perfectly sweet and tangy dessert that all lemon-lovers will appreciate. A bright lemony custard poured over top a buttery shortbread crumble, and baked to perfection.
19. Boursin and Spinach Puff Pastry Rolls
A creamy Boursin cheese and spinach mixture, rolled up in buttery, flaky puffed pastry for the perfect handheld appetizer.
20. Peppermint Muddy Buddies
A holiday take on a nostalgic and classic treat. Crunchy and airy cereal is coated in melted chocolate, then tossed in powdered sugar and crushed peppermint pieces.
21. Corn Dip
A rich, cheesy, and perfectly creamy dip with a kick. This dip consists of a combination of corn, cream cheese, sour cream, assorted cheeses, and diced jalapeno. Can be baked and served warm, or left chilled. Pair with chips or crackers.
22. Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates
Another easy elevated dish that tastes great but is quite simple to put together. Sweet, pitted dates are stuffed with goat cheese or brie, wrapped in bacon, topped with brown sugar, then baked until the bacon is caramelized and fully cooked.
23. Crispy rice topped with Tuna and Avocado
Bite-sized squares of rice crisped up in avocado oil, then topped with finely diced tuna and sliced avocado. It can also be topped with spicy mayonnaise and sliced serrano peppers for an added kick.
24. Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake
Lastly, this sweet and creamy cheese cake is topped with warm cinnamon apples for a cozy and comforting holiday dessert.
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