Recipes and Cooking Appetizer Recipes 14 Delicious Toothpick Appetizers That Are the Perfect Party Foods By Kristy Alpert Kristy Alpert Instagram Kristy Alpert has spent nearly two decades as a freelance travel writer and food editor, gathering recipes and stories from the more than 86 countries she's visited. Her bylines have appeared in Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast, Esquire, Men's Health, Cosmopolitan, AFAR, TripSavvy, Better Homes & Gardens, American Way, The New York Daily News, and more. She is also a former editor at Cosmopolitan, D Magazine, Dallas Child, and AvidGolfer. Kristy is passionate about unearthing stories about interesting flavors and recipes from around the world. She was a food critic in Dallas, Texas, before moving on to the freelance world, where she has since lived on three continents and visited all seven. Kristy's appetite for adventure has led her to extracting the secrets of bread baking on Muhu Island, discovering Swiss beauty rituals on an alpine dairy farm, and unearthing ancient Georgian traditions for making qvevri wine. Along with her passion for journalistic storytelling, Kristy is also an E-RYT200 certified yoga instructor, earning her certification while living in Bali, Indonesia, before studying advanced techniques in Rishikesh, India. Kristy is an avid home cook and recipe tester, where she is always armed with a timer and a kitchen scale. She takes far too much joy in admiring her spice cabinet, which includes juniper berries from Norway, cardamom from Nepal, and a coveted Ras El Hanout blend from Morocco. Kristy graduated cum laude from the University of North Texas with a B.A. in English Literature and a certification in Technical Writing. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 21, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Hannah Bigot Keep one hand free for a drink and don't worry about utensils when you choose toothpick appetizers for your gathering. Toothpick appetizers may be small, but they can satisfy the cravings of an entire crowd. We're sharing our favorite toothpick appetizer recipes (and some make-ahead toothpick appetizers), including zesty fajita bites, saucy meatballs, and bacon-wrapped smokies. Just add toothpicks! 01 of 14 Sugared Bacon-Wrapped Smokies View Recipe Blaine Moats The best things in life are bite-size and bacon-wrapped. Toothpicks work to both keep the bacon in place while cooking and provide the perfect handle for popping bite after bite into the mouths of your party guests. Please your crew with these sweet and smoky bites. 02 of 14 Pickle Poppers View Recipe Hannah Bigot This toothpick appetizer idea is like a jalapeño popper without the spice. Simply stuff a halved pickle with a cheese mixture, wrap it in ham, and bake. Pop in a toothpick to hold the poppers together and to make it easy for social snacking. 03 of 14 Seared Scallop Tequila Shooters View Recipe Andy Lyons If starting the party with a shot is wrong, we don't want to be right. These little toothpick scallop shooters are the perfect Mexican-inspired starters. Perch a spicy scallop pick over tequila and mango for an instant fiesta. Buy It: Bormioli Rocco Shot Glasses ($12, Bed Bath & Beyond) Buy Now 04 of 14 Roasted Dates with Bacon View Recipe Blaine Moats This recipe had us at "bacon." There are only three ingredients for these delicious toothpick appetizers, and it only takes 35 minutes from start to finish for a batch of 16. Guests will love the hidden almonds inside each bacon-wrapped bite. 05 of 14 Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli View Recipe Blaine Moats Scallops make an elegant yet easy appetizer for your party. Wrap them in a bit of prosciutto and a fresh basil leaf before threading onto a skewer and serving. 06 of 14 Cheesy Mexican Fondue View Recipe Jason Donnelly Is there anything better than melty cheese? We don't think so, either. That's why this spicy Mexican-inspired appetizer is at the top of our list. Cornbread on toothpicks is the perfect dipper for this spicy fondue. 07 of 14 Zesty Fajita Bites View Recipe Andy Lyons For a fun and fiery start to your next fiesta, roll up sizzling fajitas for a crowd. Simply assemble, slice, and skewer. Yes, these rolled-up toothpick appetizers are that easy. 08 of 14 Molasses-Lime Meatballs View Recipe Andy Lyons Give basic barbecue meatballs the night off. These tangy turkey bites boast good-for-you oats and a sticky-sweet sauce. Just toss in a few toothpicks and these party meatballs are ready to go. 09 of 14 Marinated Cheese View Recipe James Carriere It's hard to beat the simplicity of these no cook toothpick appetizers. Simply cut up cubes of Monterey Jack cheese and let the chunks marinate in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, spices, and garlic in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. You'll be amazed how quickly these cheese appetizers on a toothpick will disappear. 10 of 14 Cranberry-Sauced Meatballs Appetizer View Recipe Marty Baldwin Dried cranberries are mixed right into a meaty combination of ground turkey and breadcrumbs for these make-ahead meatball appetizers. Once the meatballs are baked through in the oven, they go right into a slow cooker filled with cranberry sauce and barbeque sauce where they'll soak in the tangy-sweet fusion for up to three hours. Serve directly from the crock or on a plate with toothpicks. 11 of 14 Wrap and Roll Basil Pinwheels View Recipe Jason Donnelly It doesn't get easier than make-ahead toothpick appetizers. Simply spread a tortilla with semi-soft cheese, top with basil and ham, then roll. Secure the rolls with a toothpick for easy serving and mess-free eating. 12 of 14 Cheddar-Beer Weenies View Recipe Karla Conrad The only thing better than cheddar-beer weenies? Bacon-wrapped cheddar-beer weenies on a toothpick. You're welcome. 13 of 14 Curried Pork Bites View Recipe Mike Dieter Toothpick food never looked and tasted so good. These curried pork bites can be made up to 24 hours in advance so it's easy to simply take them out of the refrigerator and throw them on the grill. Top them with a tangy yogurt sauce or skewer each bite with a toothpick and arrange them around a bowl of the sauce for a fun dipping appetizer. 14 of 14 Smoked Salmon Zucchini Bites View Recipe Karla Conrad We're bringing our favorite brunch flavors to the party. Thanks to the trusty toothpick, a simple roll of zucchini, smoked salmon, and cream cheese becomes an elegant appetizer. Better yet, these no-bake toothpick appetizers keep things cool without heating up your kitchen. Was this page helpful? 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