1French Onion Soup Bitesfrench onion soup bites in crescent doughPHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM

French onion soup is already a bowl of perfection: fortifying broth, sweetly soft onions, a few chunks of bread, and a molten layer of cheese. These little bites prove that perfection can come in many forms.

Get the French Onion Soup Bites recipe.

2Best Guacamoleguacamole with diced red onion, cilantro, and with chipsPHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI

We can all agree: it’s not a party without Mexico’s most famous dip. We’re obviously huge fans of a mix-in moment, but for this recipe, we prefer to keep it simple to really let the star of the show—avocados—shine.

Get the Best Guacamole recipe.

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3Bacon-Wrapped Scallopsbacon wrapped scallopsPhotographer: Lucy Schaeffer. Food Styling: Brooke Caison.

Bacon-wrapped scallops are one of those dishes that wow guests but secretly are so easy to make (only 5 ingredients!). For best results, use big sea scallops and thin-cut, conventional bacon, but feel free to swap out the herbs for whatever you like.

Get the Bacon-Wrapped Scallops recipe.

4Antipasto Squaresstacked sandwiches with layers of ham, pepperoni, cheese, and pepperoncinis between crescent doughPHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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5Pigs In A Blanketpigs in a blanket with a mustard dippings saucePHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON6Baked Salmon Sushi Cupsbaked salmon sushi cups sprinkled with sesame seedsPHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

Making sushi at home can be intimidating, what with making sushi rice, rolling it up just right, and dealing with raw fish. With these baked salmon sushi cups, you can skip all that but still get all the flavors of your favorite roll.

Get the Baked Salmon Sushi Cups recipe.

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7Reuben Pickle Bitesreuben pickle bitesAndrew bui8Buffalo Chicken Dipbuffalo chicken dip in a skillet beside carrots, celery, and tortilla chipsPHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

This instant classic remains a favorite of dip lovers everywhere. It’s so quick and easy to make. (This recipe only takes 10 minutes to throw together, though if you want to make it even EASIER, you can choose to make it in your slow cooker.)

Get the Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe.

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9Antipasto Bitesantipasto skewers10Black-Eyed Pea Bruschettablackeyed pea bruschetta

We love this take on bruschetta not only because it’s delicious, but that it also includes a classic New Year’s Eve good luck food: black-eyed peas. Simply toss canned black-eyed peas with raw chopped collard greens, bell pepper, scallions, and garlic, and toss with an apple cider vinaigrette. Pile the mix onto toasted baguette slices and top with crispy, smoky pork to complete this shareable appetizer.

Get the Black-Eyed Pea Bruschetta recipe.

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11Sausage Rollssausage rolls12Tempeh Buffalo “Wings”tempeh buffalo wingsJoel goldberg

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13Caramelized Onion Dipcaramelized onion dipPHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: Taylor Ann SPENCER

This dip is creamy, savory, and perfectly scoop-able, so it’s no wonder it’s always the first to disappear. With this recipe, we take the classic onion dip one step further by incorporating deeply caramelized onions into the mix. It takes a little longer than you might think for onions to truly caramelize (we’re talking at least one hour), but we promise it’s worth it (and can be made ahead of time!).

Get the Caramelized Onion Dip recipe.

14Harissa Deviled Eggsharissa deviled eggs

The bite-sized party classic gets a smoky kick from harissa (Tunisian chili pepper paste) in this simple but flavorful deviled eggs recipe. Topped with crispy fried shallots and fresh cilantro, it may stray pretty far from the original, but it’s just as delicious.

Get the Harissa Deviled Eggs recipe.

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15Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Bitescaramelized onion goat cheese bitesPHOTO: RACHEL VANNI ; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON16Roasted Shrimp Cocktail With Lemon-Horseradish Aioliroasted shrimp cocktail with lemon horseradish aioliPHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM

For this clever app, we opt for roasting instead of the traditional poaching method to give this old-school appetizer even more flavor. The shrimp are paired with a horseradish-forward sauce to create a perfect winter-season appetizer. Serve the shrimp cocktail warm or chilled to suit your snacking occasion.

Get the Roasted Shrimp Cocktail With Lemon-Horseradish Aioli recipe.

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17Tomato Feta Pinwheelstomato feta pinwheelsPHOTO; ANDREW BUI FOOD STYLIST; TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

These little puff pastry pinwheels are the perfect last minute appetizer—they bake in just 20 minutes and you might already have the ingredients at home. Feel free to get creative with the fillings too. We went with briny feta and tomatoes, but we bet crumbly goat cheese or ricotta and roasted red peppers would be great too.

Get the Tomato Feta Pinwheels recipe.

18Mushroom “Calamari” with Spicy Marinaramushroom “calamari” with spicy marinarasuzanne clements

Umami-rich oyster mushrooms are lightly battered and fried for this squid-free take on a seafood favorite. You can use other mushroom varieties, but the delicate “petals” of the oyster mushrooms get perfectly crispy.

Get the Mushroom “Calamari” with Spicy Marinara recipe.

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19Fondue Bitesfondue bitesPHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON20Bacon-Wrapped Datesbacon wrapped datesEmily Hlavac Green

If you’re unfamiliar with dates, it’s time to familiarize yourself! The date’s sweetness is the PERFECT counterpoint to crisp, salty bacon and creamy goat cheese. We guarantee these will fly off the platter when your guests have barely begun to arrive, so make extra.

Get the Bacon-Wrapped Dates recipe.

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