25 Best Appetizers to Make if You're Obsessed With Cheese
Are you obsessed with the delicious goodness that is cheese? Come on, who isn't? If so, you need to try these cheesy appetizers for your next party, picnic, or get-together. You'll find recipes for hot cheese dips, baked Brie, stuffed jalapeños, and more. Scroll through to find your new favorite cheese-filled starter.
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Feta Cheese Foldovers
Flaky, golden puff pastry is stuffed with a feta cheese mixture. The cheese mixture is made with egg and green onions, but you can add any other veggies you like — such as sun-dried tomatoes, bell pepper, spinach, or basil. "This is one of my favorite snacks to make. They're super easy and fast. The only thing that I changed about the recipe is using butter for the egg yolk wash," says reviewer Jaded Opal.
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Tuscan Cream Cheese Spread
Artichoke hearts, black olives, green onions, and sun-dried tomatoes combine to make this flavorful cream cheese spread that's especially good served with crackers or French bread. "Exceptional. Mouthwatering good and all the flavors I love blended together SO well," says home cook naples34102.
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Crab Rangoon III
Crabmeat, cream cheese, paprika, garlic powder, and water chestnuts are sealed in a wonton wrapper and fried in this Chinese restaurant-inspired appetizer. Skip the water chestnuts if you prefer and serve with your favorite Asian-style dipping sauce. If you don't want to fry the crab rangoon, you can make them in the oven or air fryer.
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Outrageous Warm Chicken Nacho Dip
Take your queso to the next level with this hearty dip, packed with protein from chicken and black beans. Turn up the heat by adding jalapeños and serve over tortilla chips nacho-style or as a dip. This recipe is already easy, as it's made in a slow cooker, but you can make it even easier by using rotisserie chicken.
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Mouth-Watering Stuffed Mushrooms
Mushroom caps are stuffed with a cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, and cayenne pepper filling and baked until the filling browns. You can add crabmeat or chicken to the filling if you would like. This recipe is ready in less than an hour and reviewers say you can prep the filling a few days beforehand.
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Seven Layer Taco Dip
This Seven Layer Taco Dip is the perfect Taco Tuesday snack, and it doesn't even require you to turn on the oven. This dip is completely customizable as you can add or remove any ingredients from the layers. Some additions reviewers make include guacamole and ground beef.
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Fried Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Mozzarella sticks are the ultimate cheesy comfort food, and this recipe gives you the perfect cheese sticks in just 30 minutes. Make sure each stick is fully coated in batter before frying so the cheese doesn't leak out. "These are AWESOME!!! And extremely easy to make (my 7-year-old loved helping). My whole family LOVES them," says reviewer jorbrymommy.
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Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip II
"This dip is amazing — so cheesy and fragrant. If you don't like artichokes, don't worry — you'll never know they're in there! My only question is: Is it okay to just eat it with a spoon right out of the dish?" says recipe creator TIFFANY BRENNAN.
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Southern Pimento Cheese
This 5-star red pepper, cheese, and mayo spread is perfect served alongside crackers, veggie sticks, or fried green tomatoes. Recipe contributor QUEENREYNEY says you should always use extra sharp Cheddar for this recipe. Other reviewers suggest adding Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard too.
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Best Ever Jalapeno Poppers
"This is a recipe I made by taking the best of three or four popper recipes and combining them to make something that tastes wonderful. A frequent request at my house, and at others. Adjust the amount of bacon bits and type of shredded cheese to taste. Be sure to wear rubber gloves while seeding the jalapeños — they will burn," says recipe creator HLSANDS.
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Caprese Appetizer
These caprese appetizers are the perfect grab-and-go snack. Simply toss tomatoes and mozzarella in olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper and thread them onto a toothpick. Reviewers suggest marinating the tomatoes and cheese overnight to lock in the flavors.
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Cheese Fondue
Fondue has been around for centuries, and it's a delicious way to enjoy cheese with just about anything. Our Cheese Fondue uses both Swiss and Gruyère cheese to create a delicious flavor. Serve with French bread, apples, grapes, broccoli, or naan. "I've made fondue many times, but this is now my favorite recipe. I served it with baguette slices as well as raw broccoli and cauliflower florets. So delicious and really easy to make," says reviewer Pollywog.
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Brie Cheese Appetizer
Fill light and flaky puff pastry with a wheel of Brie and your favorite fruit preserves — such as apricot, peach, or strawberry — to make this super easy appetizer. You can use crescent roll dough or phyllo dough if you prefer. Many reviewers serve the Brie topped with nuts alongside bread, crackers, or apples.
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Mexican White Cheese Dip/Sauce
"This dip is similar to white cheese sauces served in many Mexican restaurants. The amount of heat can be adjusted by adding your favorite chili pepper or crushed cayenne pepper to taste. As is, it is kid-friendly, quick, and delicious," says recipe contributor leahnwells.
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Pizza Cupcakes
"They're portable, sort of like a mini pizza, except shaped like a cupcake. They're a great savory snack and a great addition to a game day buffet. Feel free to customize to taste with additions like ham, sausage, bell peppers, salami, mushrooms, olives, jalapeños, etc. I recommend not omitting the tomato, that really adds something special," says Allrecipes Allstar lutzflcat.
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Slow Cooker Reuben Dip
This creamy Reuben dip is so easy to make with only five ingredients. Simply combine all ingredients in your slow cooker until the cheese has melted and serve with crackers or rye bread. "I am always looking for great crockpot recipes, and this tops the charts! We absolutely LOVED this dip! This was SOOOOO easy!! I served this with cocktail rye as suggested, but we actually enjoyed it more on tortilla chips," says home cook MomSavedbyGrace.
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Halloumi Cheese Fingers
Halloumi cheese is cooked until golden brown and sprinkled with lemon juice, oregano, and pepper in this cheesy appetizer. Halloumi has a high melting point so you can also make this cheese on the grill too. "Amazing and addicting! Tangy, salty, and ooey-gooey. I love to eat it with crusty bread," says Allrecipes Allstar France C.
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Guinness® Beer Cheese Dip
This savory beer cheese dip is easy to make in the slow cooker with only a few ingredients. This recipe uses Velveeta, but reviewers suggest adding Gouda as well for an extra smoky flavor. Serve alongside soft pretzels, bread, or crackers.
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Yummy Cheese Ball
No event is complete without a cheese ball, and this savory recipe only requires five ingredients. Combine cream cheese, bacon, mayonnaise, and green onions in a ball, once it has been refrigerated coat with chopped pecans. Reviewers suggest seasoning it with garlic powder.
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Buffalo Chicken Dip
Buffalo Chicken Dip is the perfect blend of cheesy and spicy and it's incredibly easy to make. This recipe uses canned chicken, but you can use rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breast if you prefer. You can also substitute the ranch dressing for blue cheese dressing. Serve with celery sticks, tortilla chips, or chicken-flavored crackers.
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Grilled Bacon Jalapeno Wraps
This 5-star, three-ingredient recipe is made by stuffing jalapeños with cream cheese and wrapping them in bacon. This recipe says to cook the jalapeños on the grill, but you can also make them in the oven.
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Warm Brie and Pear Tartlets
These five-ingredient tartlets are ready to serve in just 30 minutes, but your guests will think you spent all day making them. Phyllo tart shells are filled with Brie, diced pear, thyme, drizzled with honey, and cooked until golden brown. "I made 48 of these for a party, and they were all eaten quickly. They are so simple to make. The creamy Brie worked so well with the lightly sweet pear and the small drizzle of honey," says Allrecipes Allstar Jacolyn.
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Caribbean Nachos
Multigrain tortilla chips are piled with fruits, vegetables, Monterey Jack cheese, and jerk shrimp for these sweet and spicy Caribbean-style nachos. You can replace the shrimp with jerk chicken depending on preference. "WOW, these are beyond delicious! I also added black beans, as some other reviewers suggested, and cut the shrimp into pieces for more even distribution and easier eating. Hubby said he could picture us on a beach sippin' on margaritas and eating these nachos. A HUGE hit and a definite repeat," says Allrecipes Allstar Christina.
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Chef John's Hot Sloppy Joe Dip
Chef John's Sloppy Joe dip is relatively easy to make and very versatile. You can serve it hot, warm, room temperature, or baked. "Tasty! Warm and gooey/cheesy. We had several options for serving: on baguettes per recipe, on traditional buns, and over crispy tater tots. All options were a hit," says home cook Ekbrook.
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Elegant Fig Appetizers with Goat Cheese and Almonds
Figs are topped with goat cheese and almonds before broiled until almonds are toasted in this fancy, yet incredibly easy appetizer recipe. Top with honey and balsamic vinegar and serve warm.