Christmas entertaining doesn’t always require an elaborate menu. Sometimes the foods everyone remembers most are the little things scattered around the table—the cheese and crackers people nibble while talking, a warm pastry fresh from the oven, or a bite-size appetizer that disappears before dinner even begins.
These five easy and festive Christmas snacks offer a mixture of savory and sweet options, ranging from an eye-catching Christmas tree cheese board to warm cranberry and Brie phyllo cups. Some can be assembled without cooking, while others require only a short trip to the oven.
They’re ideal for Christmas parties, family movie nights, holiday open houses, Christmas Eve gatherings, or simply making an ordinary December afternoon feel a little more festive.
For even more ideas for your holiday table, explore our complete collection of Christmas Recipes.
🎄 1. Christmas Tree Cheese and Cracker Board
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: About 20 minutes
Cooking required: No
Serves: Approximately 6–8
A Christmas tree cheese board is one of those appetizers that looks impressive without actually being difficult to make. Instead of arranging everything randomly on a traditional charcuterie board, you simply build the ingredients in horizontal layers that gradually narrow toward the top.
The combination of orange and white cheeses, green grapes, cucumber, red cherry tomatoes, golden crackers, and fresh rosemary naturally provides the colors of Christmas.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
- 6–8 ounces white cheddar, Monterey Jack, feta, or another firm white cheese
- 2 cups green grapes
- 1 small cucumber, sliced
- 1½–2 cups assorted crackers
- 8–10 cherry tomatoes
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- ½ cup cranberry sauce or Christmas jam
- 1 thick slice cheddar cheese for the star
How to Assemble the Christmas Tree
Choose a large rectangular board, platter, or marble serving tray. Begin at the bottom with a broad row of crackers to create the base of the tree.
Above the crackers, arrange a generous layer of green grapes. Follow with a slightly narrower row of cubed cheddar, then cucumber slices, white cheese, and another smaller cluster of grapes toward the top. The rows should gradually narrow as you work upward until the entire arrangement resembles a Christmas tree.
Scatter cherry tomatoes throughout the layers to resemble bright red ornaments. Tuck small rosemary sprigs between the ingredients for a pine-like effect.
Use a small star-shaped cookie cutter to cut a star from a thick slice of cheddar and position it at the very top.
Finish the platter with a small bowl of cranberry sauce alongside the tree. Our Delicious and Festive Christmas Jam would work beautifully here, too.
Make It Your Own
The basic tree shape matters more than the exact ingredients, so feel free to substitute whatever your family enjoys. Other delicious additions include:
- Brie wedges
- Gouda cubes
- Mozzarella
- Salami
- Pretzels
- Green or black olives
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Dried cranberries
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Apple slices
- Pear slices
For a vegetarian platter, simply stick with cheeses, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and crackers.
🌀 2. Cinnamon Sugar Christmas Wreaths
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 12–15 minutes
Makes: Approximately 10–12 small wreaths
For something sweet, buttery, and wonderfully simple, puff pastry Christmas wreaths are hard to beat.
The combination of flaky pastry, butter, cinnamon sugar, and toasted pecans creates a snack that feels somewhere between a cinnamon roll and a pastry cookie. Shaping each strip into a miniature wreath makes an everyday puff pastry recipe instantly suitable for Christmas.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans
- Red and green candied cherries, optional
- Powdered sugar, optional
How to Make Them
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unfold the thawed puff pastry and gently roll it out just enough to smooth the folds. Brush the surface with melted butter.
Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pastry. Scatter the chopped pecans over the cinnamon sugar and gently press them into the surface.
Cut the pastry lengthwise into strips approximately ¾ to 1 inch wide.
Twist each strip several times, then bring the ends together to form a small circle. Pinch the ends firmly so the wreath doesn’t separate as the pastry expands.
Arrange the wreaths on the prepared baking sheet with a little room between them.
Bake for approximately 12–15 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Individual brands of puff pastry can differ, so use the package directions as an additional guide.
While the wreaths are still slightly warm, decorate them with tiny pieces of red and green candied cherries to resemble Christmas ornaments.
Once cool, you can also give them a light dusting of powdered sugar for a snowy finish.
🍅 3. Festive Caprese Christmas Tree Skewers
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking required: No
Makes: Approximately 12 skewers
Not every Christmas snack needs to be rich or sweet. These colorful Caprese skewers bring fresh tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fragrant basil to the holiday appetizer table.
Their natural red, white, and green colors are already perfect for Christmas.
Ingredients
- 12 wooden appetizer skewers
- 24 cherry or grape tomatoes
- 24 small fresh mozzarella balls
- 24–36 small fresh basil leaves
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- Balsamic glaze
- Extra-virgin olive oil, optional
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to Assemble Them
Thread a cherry tomato onto a skewer, followed by a folded basil leaf and a mozzarella ball.
Repeat the pattern once or twice depending on the size of your skewers.
Continue until all the skewers are assembled.
Use a very small star-shaped cutter—or carefully use a knife—to cut little stars from the yellow bell pepper. Place one star at the top of each skewer.
Arrange the finished skewers on a platter. You can lay them individually or group them into a triangular Christmas-tree arrangement.
Just before serving, drizzle lightly with balsamic glaze. Add a little olive oil, salt, and black pepper if desired.
A Pretty Serving Idea
Place the Caprese skewers around the perimeter of a large white serving platter with sprigs of rosemary between them.
The combination of red tomatoes, white mozzarella, green basil, golden stars, and evergreen-like rosemary creates an appetizer platter that needs very little additional decoration.
☕ 4. Hot Chocolate Bomb Cookies
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 10–12 minutes
Makes: Approximately 18 cookies
Hot chocolate and Christmas cookies belong together, so why not combine them?
These chocolate cookies have a soft chocolate center filled with miniature marshmallows and chocolate chips, then finished with crushed peppermint candy. Think of them as a cookie version of a mug of peppermint hot chocolate.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cookies
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Centers
- ½ cup mini marshmallows
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
How to Make Them
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until creamy. Mix in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until a soft chocolate dough forms.
Roll the dough into balls approximately 1 to 1½ inches across. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets and gently press your thumb or the back of a teaspoon into the center of each cookie to form a shallow indentation.
Bake for approximately 8 minutes.
Remove the pan briefly and place a few chocolate chips and mini marshmallows into each indentation. Return the cookies to the oven for another 2–4 minutes, just until the cookies are set and the marshmallows have softened.
Sprinkle crushed candy cane over the cookies as soon as they come from the oven.
Let them cool on the pan for several minutes before transferring them to a rack.
Make Them Extra Festive
Once the cookies have cooled, drizzle them with melted chocolate and add another tiny sprinkle of crushed peppermint.
They look especially pretty on a Christmas cookie tray alongside Traditional Vegan Gingerbread Cookies.
❤️ 5. Cranberry Brie Phyllo Cups
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 8–10 minutes
Makes: About 15 appetizers
If you need a Christmas appetizer that feels elegant but requires very little effort, keep a package of miniature phyllo shells in the freezer.
Fill them with creamy Brie and tart cranberry sauce, put them in the oven for a few minutes, and suddenly you have a party appetizer that looks far more complicated than it really is.
Ingredients
- 1 package frozen mini phyllo shells, about 15
- 6 ounces Brie cheese
- ⅓ cup cranberry sauce or Christmas jam
- ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1–2 tablespoons honey
- Fresh thyme leaves, optional
How to Make Them
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Arrange the phyllo cups on a baking sheet.
Cut the Brie into small cubes and place one cube in each shell. Add approximately ½ teaspoon cranberry sauce on top.
Sprinkle each cup with chopped walnuts or pecans.
Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the phyllo is crisp and the Brie is warm and melted.
Remove from the oven and drizzle very lightly with honey. Add a few fresh thyme leaves for a pretty finishing touch.
Serve the cups warm.
Try Them With Homemade Christmas Jam
These little appetizers are an excellent way to use a batch of our Christmas Cranberry Jam.
The bright cranberry-orange flavor works wonderfully with rich Brie, crisp pastry, and toasted nuts.
🎅 How to Turn the Five Snacks Into a Christmas Party Spread
You don’t necessarily have to choose just one.
Together, these five recipes can form the foundation of a casual Christmas party buffet because they provide a nice mixture of flavors and textures. The cheese tree and Caprese skewers bring savory freshness, the cranberry Brie cups provide something warm and rich, and the cinnamon wreaths and hot chocolate cookies add sweetness.
Place the Christmas tree cheese board in the center of the table as your visual focal point. Arrange the Caprese skewers and Brie cups on smaller platters to either side, then keep the sweet treats together on a cake stand or holiday tray.
Add a bowl of nuts, some clementines, a few chocolates, and one of our 12 Festive Christmas Punch Recipes, and you have a complete snack table without preparing a formal sit-down meal.
⏰ What Can You Make Ahead?
A little planning makes holiday entertaining much easier.
The hot chocolate cookies can be made a day or two ahead and stored in an airtight container after they are completely cool.
The cinnamon wreaths are at their best freshly baked, although the cinnamon-sugar mixture and chopped nuts can be prepared in advance.
The ingredients for the cheese tree can be washed, cut, and portioned earlier in the day, then assembled shortly before guests arrive.
The Caprese skewers can also be assembled ahead and refrigerated, but wait to add the balsamic glaze until shortly before serving.
The cranberry Brie cups can be assembled shortly before baking, then popped into the oven when guests arrive so they’re served warm.
👧 Easy Christmas Snacks for Kids
Several of these recipes also work beautifully for a family Christmas activity.
Children can help build the layers of the cheese tree, thread tomatoes and mozzarella onto skewers with appropriate supervision, sprinkle cinnamon sugar over puff pastry, or decorate cooled chocolate cookies.
For younger children, you can simplify the Christmas tree platter even further by using familiar foods such as cheddar cubes, grapes, cucumber, pretzels, crackers, strawberries, and small cheese stars.
It becomes part snack and part edible Christmas craft.
🌱 Easy Dietary Adaptations
A holiday snack table is easier for everyone to enjoy when there are a few flexible choices.
For a vegetarian spread, all five recipes already work as long as the cheeses and other ingredients you select meet your dietary preferences.
For a nut-free version, omit the pecans from the cinnamon wreaths and walnuts from the Brie cups.
For a gluten-free snack table, use gluten-free crackers on the cheese platter and offer the Caprese skewers as a naturally flourless choice. Other recipes would need appropriate gluten-free pastry or flour substitutions.
You can also make the cheese board substantially more fruit- and vegetable-focused by adding grapes, apples, pears, cucumbers, peppers, berries, and olives.
❄️ A Note About Serving Party Foods
Cheese, fresh mozzarella, and other refrigerated foods should remain chilled until reasonably close to serving time. For long Christmas parties, consider putting out smaller portions and replenishing them from the refrigerator rather than leaving the entire supply on the table for hours.
This is especially helpful with a grazing table where guests may continue snacking throughout an afternoon or evening.
❓ Christmas Snack FAQ
What are the easiest Christmas snacks to make?
A Christmas tree cheese board and Caprese skewers are among the easiest because neither requires cooking. Most of the work is simply arranging the ingredients.
What is a good Christmas snack to bring to a party?
Cranberry Brie phyllo cups, cinnamon wreaths, and chocolate cookies are all easy to transport. If you’re bringing Brie cups, they are best warmed shortly before serving when possible.
What can I make for a Christmas party the night before?
The chocolate cookies can easily be made the night before. You can also prep ingredients for the cheese board and Caprese skewers, then assemble them closer to serving time.
What should I put on a Christmas tree cheese board?
Try combining two or three cheeses with green grapes, crackers, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, rosemary, cranberry sauce, nuts, and other seasonal fruits. A cheddar star at the top gives the arrangement an unmistakable Christmas-tree appearance.
How many different snacks should I serve at a Christmas party?
It depends on whether snacks are the main food or simply something to nibble before dinner. For a casual gathering, a combination of sweet, savory, warm, and fresh choices gives guests variety without requiring dozens of different dishes.
🎄 Five Little Recipes, Plenty of Christmas Cheer
Christmas food doesn’t have to involve an all-day cooking marathon.
A platter of cheese and crackers can become a Christmas tree. Puff pastry can become miniature cinnamon wreaths. Tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil transform naturally into red, white, and green appetizers, while chocolate cookies can capture the cozy flavors of peppermint hot chocolate.
And when you need something that looks elegant at the last minute, warm Brie, cranberry sauce, and crisp phyllo shells are difficult to beat.
Make one of these snacks for a quiet Christmas movie night or prepare all five for a festive holiday spread. Either way, they’re proof that sometimes the simplest Christmas foods can be among the most fun.
🔗 Related Articles
- Christmas Recipes: Holiday Baking, Dinner, Desserts & Drinks
- 12 Festive Christmas Punch Recipes
- 5 Festive Christmas Salad Recipes to Brighten Your Holiday Table
- Delicious and Festive Christmas Jam Recipe
- The Perfect Holiday Honey-Glazed Ham Recipe
- Traditional Vegan Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
📚 Sources
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service – Danger Zone (40°F–140°F) — USDA guidance for keeping perishable foods at safe temperatures during serving and entertaining.
- FoodSafety.gov – Food Safety Tips for the Holidays — federal guidance on preparing, serving, refrigerating, and storing perishable foods during holiday gatherings.
