These 17 Thanksgiving Appetizers Made Me Wonder Why We Waited for Dinner

By the time Thanksgiving dinner is ready, I’m usually wondering why we bothered waiting when the appetizer table was already this good.

I like putting out a few things people can pick at while the turkey is still in the oven, especially when someone takes one bite, looks at me, and immediately goes back for another.

A good appetizer buys you time, keeps hungry guests out of the fridge, and sometimes becomes the thing everyone remembers more than the main meal. These 17 Thanksgiving appetizers can make dinner feel a little less far away.

Roasted Hubbard Squash Mash with Caramelized Onions

A winter squash sat on my counter for three weeks until I finally roasted it whole and mashed the sweet flesh with cooked onions. The rich flavor turned out so good that everyone filled up on this side before the turkey even hit the table.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Hubbard Squash Mash with Caramelized Onions

Creamy Whipped Feta Dip with Garlic and Toasted Walnuts

My friends always head straight for the kitchen counter when I whip feta cheese with olive oil, garlic, and crunchy walnuts. Serving this smooth spread with warm pita bread makes waiting for the main course feel completely unnecessary.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Whipped Feta Dip with Garlic and Toasted Walnuts

Pineapple Cranberry Brie Crescent Ring

This golden pastry ring brought everyone running into the kitchen to grab a piece before I could even set down the serving platter. Wrapping pineapple, cranberry sauce, and brie inside crescent dough bakes up a simple dish that outshines the main meal.
Get the Recipe: Pineapple Cranberry Brie Crescent Ring

No-Cook Hot Pepper Jelly Dip with Cream Cheese

My sister dumped a jar of hot pepper jelly over a block of cream cheese right as guests walked through the door, and the entire plate vanished in minutes. This two-ingredient snack pairs so well with crackers that formal holiday sit-down meals end up feeling overrated.
Get the Recipe: No-Cook Hot Pepper Jelly Dip with Cream Cheese

Bacon-Wrapped Pickle Bites

Bacon wrapped around dill pickle spears turned out to be the main topic of conversation at our last family gathering. Baking the bite-sized wraps until crisp gives you a salty, tangy snack that makes waiting for the turkey impossible.
Get the Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Pickle Bites

Baked Brie with Figs

I set this fig-topped brie on the counter around three o’clock, and guests completely ruined their appetites before the timer went off. Encasing soft cheese and fig jam inside pastry dough bakes into a melty spread that makes waiting for dinner feel pointless.
Get the Recipe: Baked Brie with Figs

Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball

People stood around the coffee table eating this bacon-wrapped cheese ball until the main feast was completely forgotten. Blending cream cheese, cheddar, bacon, and ranch seasoning creates a quick bite that keeps everyone crowded around the board.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball

Caramelized Pear and Radicchio Salad

Testing this winter salad showed me that warm fruit over crisp leaves can easily steal the show from a heavy roast bird. Tossing radicchio with cooked pear wedges and a simple dressing makes a fresh starter guests clear in minutes.
Get the Recipe: Caramelized Pear and Radicchio Salad

Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board

Setting out a board with cured meats, cheeses, and fruit made everyone gather in the living room and ignore the clock. Pairing salty meats with dried berries and crackers gives guests a simple snack spread that makes the main meal an afterthought.
Get the Recipe: Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board

Potato Skins

My relatives immediately stopped asking when dinner would be ready the second these cheesy, bacon-loaded potato skins hit the table. Scoop out potato halves and bake them until crisp for a hearty starter that leaves zero room for turkey.
Get the Recipe: Potato Skins

Buffalo Deviled Eggs

My family cleared this plate of deviled eggs in ten minutes flat while the turkey was still roasting in the oven. Mixing hot sauce into smooth egg yolks and topping them with blue cheese creates a punchy snack that puts basic holiday starters to shame.
Get the Recipe: Buffalo Deviled Eggs

Stuffed Dates

I stuffed sweet dates with goat cheese on a whim, and my guests cleared the tray before I even made the gravy. Packing dates with goat cheese and walnuts offers a quick, sweet-and-salty bite that makes waiting for dinner feel unnecessary.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Dates

Cherry Chicken Salad Recipe (with Leftover Rotisserie Chicken)

Snacking on this chicken salad while setting the table proved that a quick scoop on a cracker can taste better than roast turkey. Shredded chicken tossed with fresh cherries, nuts, and a light dressing builds a cold starter so filling you will want to skip the main event.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Chicken Salad Recipe (with Leftover Rotisserie Chicken)

Herb and Cheese Puff Pastry Appetizers

Warm pastry spirals filled with garlic herbs smelled so good coming out of the oven that we almost skipped the main meal entirely. Rolling pastry dough around herb cheese and cheddar bakes into golden swirls that vanish long before the turkey is carved.
Get the Recipe: Herb and Cheese Puff Pastry Appetizers

Traeger Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

Ham and cheese rolls coming off the grill created a stampede in my kitchen that pushed dinner completely out of everyone’s minds. Rolling ham, cheddar, and mustard inside puff pastry creates bite-sized pinwheels that guests devour straight off the tray.
Get the Recipe: Traeger Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

Baked Feta Dip Recipe With Honey, Dates And Hazelnuts

Holiday guests grabbed chips and crowded around this warm pan so fast that nobody cared when dinner got delayed by an hour. Bake a block of feta until soft, then top it with honey, dates, and hazelnuts for a starter that easily beats the main course.
Get the Recipe: Baked Feta Dip Recipe With Honey, Dates And Hazelnuts

Brie Cranberry Bites Appetizer

Warm cranberry sauce oozing over brie inside small pastry cups made my family ask if we could just eat appetizers all night. Tucking brie and cranberry sauce into mini puff pastry squares gives you a simple bite that disappears long before dinner.
Get the Recipe: Brie Cranberry Bites Appetizer

Which Thanksgiving appetizer would make you forget you were supposed to save room for dinner?