When you think of typical Christmas party finger food, what comes to mind? Dry, tasteless sausage rolls? Pineapple and cheese on a stick?
Or, maybe slightly upmarket smoked salmon vol-au-vents? Boring, boring, boring!
I'll let you in on a little secret... Christmas canapés can be easy, inventive, exciting and utterly delicious. Don't believe me?
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15 Best Christmas Canapes
Here are 15 of the best Christmas canapé recipes, to inspire you to create a little magic this festive season.
An incredibly easy yet melt-in-you-mouth-fantastic recipe, this will go down a storm at your festive shindig. When it comes to sumptuous seafood snacks, it doesn't get better than king prawns.
If you want a new style of canape that will impress your guests and takes no time at all to cook, this is as good as it gets. Best of all, it's adaptable – combine with a pinch of Indian spice, chilli powder, paprika or garlic for a spicy twist.
These little Xmas crackers are dangerously addictive! If you want them to last more than 5 minutes, you'll need to cook up a large batch.
Don't worry though – they're really easy to prepare. So, if you're looking for a new gourmet style Christmas canapé, these little magical morsels are for you.
Fresh, healthy and very tasty, these simple little kebabs look elegant and are incredibly easy to make. The ingredients are minimal, but the flavour combinations are excellent.
They take less than 10 minutes, yet there's a genius in their simplicity. Your guests will love them, especially when paired with one of the richer dishes on this list.
The very definition of elegant finger food, this recipe will take the style and sophistication to your party to new heights. With a heavenly combination of flavours, this regal canapé is a work of art.
Yet, for all its fine dining factor, this recipe is relatively easy to master. You'll be able to create these mini masterpieces in just 45 minutes, leaving plenty of time to get into the festive spirit.
If you're looking for a new way to make meatballs, bring a Thai twist to your party and serve up these sensational turkey meatballs. They're easy to prepare, quick to make and taste delicious.
The typical Thai flavours – including spring onion, coriander, diced ginger, garlic and fish sauce – beautifully infuse with the Turkey mince for one of the most satisfying Christmas canapes. Ideas for dips include a chilli and lime yoghurt dip or a coriander chutney.
Simple and straightforward, this canapé is guaranteed to wow your guests. The rich, creamy meatiness of the crab, the zing of the tomatoes, the slight bite of the chilli and the freshness of the coriander are a great combination.
Add extra chilli for a festive punch and experiment with spices such as paprika and cumin to add an extra dimension to this delicious dish.
A slight variation on the devils down below, these canapès use dates instead of prunes, with the extra indulgence of cream cheese.
An easy to make, intensely tasty finger food, the combination of the salty bacon, the sweet dates and the creamy cheese is enough to tickle the tastebuds and melt the heart of even the iciest food snob.
After these little devils ride into town to gatecrash your party, there'll be no doubt about who's the new king of canapés. A mischievous morsel that'll bring the house down, if you've never tried devils on horseback you're in for a diabolical treat.
A wicked mix of flavours, devils on horseback are prunes wrapped in bacon, served hot or at room temperature. A little advanced warning – make more than enough to go round. They'll be snapped up in a flash.
A creative spin on a bite-sized Italian classic, this recipe makes good use of two of Italy's finest ingredients. The combination of a unique tasting prosciutto and an incredibly nuanced cheese is out of this world.
So easy to make and utterly divine, this could end up being your new favourite party food. Pair with a full bodied red wine to guarantee a merry old time.
There's something about Italian canapés. Taking delicious ingredients and creating something simple and easy is what the Italians do best.
These crispy, deep-fried baubles will send kids and the young at heart into a festive frenzy. A traditional Sicilian delicacy, arancini is usually made from leftover risotto mixed with cheese.
As canapé ideas go, these are as good as it gets and are guaranteed to be a hit at your festa di Natale.
Crisps at Christmas are a given. If you want to take things to a new level, however, make your own parmesan crisps and wow your guests.
You could even pair this recipe with other ingredients. Parmesan crisps with cream cheese and pomegranate make stunning canapés, while a good white wine would be the icing on the Christmas cake.
As quick and easy canapé recipes go, this one is up there with the best. The crunch of the toasted bread, the saltiness of the parma ham and the deep zesty flavour of the tomato make for a winning combination.
It's also one of the most versatile recipes on this list – there are so many different toppings to choose from, including mushrooms or cheese. Make plenty to go round – your guests will love them!
This makes the idea of the standard 80s canapé, cheese and pineapple on a stick, seem ridiculous. Well... out with the old and in with the new!
An intriguing blend of flavours – sweet ripe mango, salty parma ham and fresh mozzarella come together to create a divine finger food fit for any festive occasion.
This is one of those easy recipes that will make your festive party stand out. The hoisin honey glaze takes sausages to new heights.
These magic little chipolatas make an amazing addition to any festive party and will look great in the middle of your Xmas party spread.
This crispy, elegant food uses simple ingredients and with a bit of work, you'll add a new string to your culinary bow.
The mixture of the crispy potato and the heavenly caviar creme fraiche is absolutely amazing!
What's your favourite festive finger food?
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