39 Party-Ready Appetizers for Graduation Celebrations

posted by Gina Dickson on May 8, 2025

This post may contain affiliate links. Thanks for supporting small business.

Graduation day is a time to celebrate big achievements—and what better way to do it than with food that’s guaranteed to please a crowd? This recipe round-up is a one-stop guide to serving up appetizers that are effortlessly delicious. With options like tangy BBQ wings, savory sliders, and indulgent dips, these bites bring bold flavors with minimal effort—because you should be celebrating, not stressing in the kitchen! Scroll through to discover all the must-have recipes that will make your party unforgettable.

3-Ingredient BBQ Chicken Wings

Crock pot chicken wings with Dr Pepper and barbecue sauce beans brushed on — 3-Ingredient BBQ Chicken Wings. Photo Credit: Intentional Hospitality

This Easy 3 Ingredient Crockpot BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe will become your favorite go-to recipe. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time, you can have juicy and flavorful chicken wings that will surely be a hit at your next party or gathering.
Get the Recipe: 3-Ingredient BBQ Chicken Wings

Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip

spinach artichoke dip with tortilla chips — Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Spinach Artichoke Dip is always a party crowd favorite. This creamy, cheesy spinach artichoke dip only takes 10 minutes to prep and will be hot and bubbly when your guests arrive.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Barbecue Pulled Pork Sliders

This sweet and saucy BBQ pulled pork sliders recipe is an absolute winner for any gathering or casual meal. With tender and juicy pulled pork, sweet and tangy barbecue sandwich sauce, melted cheese, and sweet Hawaiian slider buns, these sliders are a crowd pleaser.
Get The Recipe: Barbecue Pulled Pork Sliders

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This easy buffalo chicken dip recipe features juicy rotisserie chicken, three types of cheeses, hot sauce, and seasonings, all combined to create a creamy party dip appetizer perfect for game day.
Get The Full Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip

Deviled Egg

These creamy, tangy little bites of goodness combine hard-boiled eggs with a few basic ingredients like mayonnaise and yellow mustard. Depending on your mood, you can dress them up for holiday celebrations or keep them simple for everyday occasions.
Get the Recipe: Deviled Egg

Delicious Homemade Chicken Taquitos

chicken tortillas — Delicious Homemade Chicken Taquitos. Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

Homemade chicken taquitos cook up crispy and delicious for a warm snack, finger food for parties, and more! Easy to make ahead to store in the freezer so you can make a few at a time or a whole batch for friends!
Get The Full Recipe: Delicious Homemade Chicken Taquitos

Knorr’s Classic Vegetable Mix Dip

knorr vegetable dip — Knorr’s Classic Vegetable Mix Dip. Photo Credit: Intentional Hospitality

This classic dip made with Knorr’s vegetable mix is perfect for pairing with fresh veggies or bread. Make it the day before to allow the flavors to develop.
Get the Recipe: Knorr’s Classic Vegetable Mix Dip

Meatballs With Grape Jelly and Chili Sauce

grape meatballs with jelly — Meatballs With Grape Jelly and Chili Sauce. Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

Crock Pot meatballs with grape jelly and chili sauce are and easy appetizer. Beyond easy to make and cooked in the slow cooker, these cocktail meatballs are tender, juicy, and full of flavor – and you barely have to lift a finger.
Get The Full Recipe: Meatballs With Grape Jelly and Chili Sauce

Creamy Crab Pinwheels (Freeze & Bake)

Crab pinwheels with hot cheese and crab meat wrapped in flour tortilla. — Creamy Crab Pinwheels (Freeze & Bake). Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

These crab pinwheels are a great finger food for parties and freezer friendly, too! Rolled in a flour tortilla, the crab filling combines canned crab meat, softened cream cheese, grated cheddar cheese, diced red bell pepper, and Creole seasoning. Bake the bite-size pinwheels until golden brown and bubbling. Serve hot and fresh out of the oven.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Crab Pinwheels (Freeze & Bake)

Chicken Wings Dry Rub Recipe

dry rub chicken wings that were baked in the oven — Chicken Wings Dry Rub Recipe. Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

Looking for a quick, tasty way to make crispy oven-baked chicken wings? The secret is this easy, dry rub chicken wings recipe, along with a few tips and tricks I will share with you.
Get The Full Recipe: Chicken Wings Dry Rub Recipe

Easy Mexican Caviar Party Dip

Texas caviar with beans, cilantro, onions and seasonings — Easy Mexican Caviar Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This quick and easy Mexican Caviar Recipe, also called Texas Caviar or Cowboy Salsa, doubles as a delicious salad or dip and is perfect for a party dip or your weeknight Mexican dinner menu. It is a snap to make, with a variety of beans, tomatoes, chilies, fresh onions, cilantro, and garlic, all tossed in a light cumin and lime dressing.
Get the Recipe: Easy Mexican Caviar Recipe

Creamy Cottage Cheese Queso

A black bowl filled with creamy cheese dip topped with sliced jalapeños. A tortilla chip is partially dipped in the cheese, and another chip rests on the side. A rust-colored napkin is partially visible in the background. — Creamy Cottage Cheese Queso. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This protein-packed cottage cheese queso is the perfect guilt-free solution! By swapping traditional cheese for cottage cheese, you get a dip that’s just as creamy and flavorful but loaded with protein.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Cottage Cheese Queso

Delicious Vegetable Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Spring rolls with translucent rice paper wrap, revealing colorful vegetables like radish and mango, are arranged on a black plate. A small bowl of peanut sauce is beside them. Fresh basil and cilantro leaves garnish the arrangement. — Delicious Vegetable Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Vegetable spring rolls with peanut sauce are a delicious and easy way to get a rainbow of veggies all wrapped up into one eye-popping meal.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Vegetable Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Unique Fried Pickle Dip

A round white dish contains a creamy dip topped with sliced pickles, chopped herbs, and breadcrumbs. It's placed on a wooden board next to a stack of pita bread. A green and white checkered cloth is partially visible in the background. — Unique Fried Pickle Dip. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Easy Fried Pickle Dip is creamy, tangy, and packed with pickle flavor, topped with crispy breadcrumbs for the perfect crunch.
Get the Recipe: Unique Fried Pickle Dip

Quick & Easy Gardetto Mustard Pretzels

Honey mustard pretzels — Quick & Easy Gardetto Mustard Pretzels. Photo Credit: Intentional Hospitality

This Copycat Gardetto Mustard Pretzels Recipe is a quick and easy snack with a slight honey-sweet tangy coating in just 30 min.
Get the Recipe: Quick & Easy Gardetto Mustard Pretzels

Sweet Strawberry Pretzel Dip

Indulge in the perfect blend of sweet and salty with this irresistibly creamy Sweet Pretzel Dip. Made with creamy ingredients and a touch of sweetness; this dip is perfect for parties, snacks, or whenever you need a little pick-me-up. Try it with your favorite pretzels for a sweet-and-salty flavor combo that’s simply out of this world.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Strawberry Pretzel Dip

Quick & Easy Parmesan Rosemary Shortbread

Six buttery, golden-brown shortbread cookies arranged on a piece of brown parchment paper. The cookies have a round shape with slightly crumbly edges. — Quick & Easy Parmesan Rosemary Shortbread. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This delectable Parmesan Rosemary Shortbread is a quick and easy appetizer perfect for nibbling on before dinner. With their savory, buttery flavor and aromatic herbs, they’re sure to impress your guests.
Get the Recipe: Quick & Easy Parmesan Rosemary Shortbread

Delicious Hawaiian Meatballs

These sweet and sour meatballs are a mouth-watering combination of tender meatballs, juicy pineapple chunks, and colorful bell peppers, all simmered in a delicious blend of sweet BBQ and teriyaki sauce. You can serve these delicious Hawaiian meatballs as a simple appetizer at your next party.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Hawaiian Meatballs

Crowd-Pleasing Party Pickle Roll Ups

Party pickle Roll-Ups on a plate with fresh dill ready to be served — Crowd-Pleasing Party Pickle Roll Ups. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Pickle roll ups, are a crowd-pleasing appetizer with minimal prep time requiring only 4 ingredients perfect for any party occasion.
Get the Recipe: Crowd-Pleasing Party Pickle Roll Ups

Creamy Salsa Party Dip

Need a quick cool creamy dip for your next party? Cream cheese salsa dip is sure to be a winner with everyone. The cool, creamy dip is made with cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar mixed in with salsa and Mexican spices.
Get The Recipe: Creamy Salsa Party Dip

Delicious Cold Shrimp Dip With Cream Cheese

Looking for an easy and delicious party dip? Try my family’s cold shrimp dip made with cream cheese, Old Bay, a touch of mayo, and seasonings all blended together to make an easy-to-scoop cold party appetizer.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Cold Shrimp Dip With Cream Cheese

Buffalo Turkey Meatballs

Buffalo Air-Fried Turkey Meatballs are the perfect quick snack or appetizer. You can make them ahead and freeze them in large batches. Then, when you need a quick party snack, just place them in your air fryer and bake. You can sauce them mild, medium, or extra hot.
Get The Full Recipe: Buffalo Turkey Meatballs

Creamy Homemade French Onion Dip

This homemade French onion dip recipe is a classic party dip that’s always a hit! It takes less than 5 minutes to whip up a bowl of this rich and creamy dip using everyday pantry staples and fresh sour cream.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Homemade French Onion Dip

Tasty Slow Cooker Hot Dogs For A Crowd

Chili on top of hot dogs in a bun with cheese sprinkled on top — Tasty Slow Cooker Hot Dogs For A Crowd. Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

Are you hosting a party and need an easy way to feed a crowd? Making slow cooker hot dogs is the perfect solution: it takes only a few minutes to set up, and all you need is 3-4 hours of slow cooking, and you’ll be able to serve up a ton of hot dogs from your crock pot!
Get The Recipe: Tasty Slow Cooker Hot Dogs For A Crowd

Easy Peanut Butter Stuffed Dates

stuffed dates filled with peanut butter sprinkled on top with coconut and bits of cranberry and cinnamon — Easy Peanut Butter Stuffed Dates. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

These Cinnamon Peanut Butter Stuffed Dates are the perfect easy-to-make snack or party appetizer. A perfect blend of sweet and salty, they’re sure to be a hit with everyone.
Get the Recipe: Easy Peanut Butter Stuffed Dates

Flavor-Packed Sour Cream Dip

A bowl of creamy dip topped with chopped herbs is placed on a table. Surrounding it, there's a grey napkin, a partially squeezed lemon, a small dish with herbs, and sliced vegetables including carrots, cucumbers, and yellow bell peppers. — Flavor-Packed Sour Cream Dip. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Looking for a quick and delicious way to upgrade your snacks or appetizers? This sour cream dip is a crowd-pleaser that’s bursting with flavor and so simple to make. With a creamy base of sour cream, a tangy kick from lemon juice, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, this dip is perfect for pairing with fresh veggies, crispy chips, or even dolloping onto baked potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Flavor-Packed Sour Cream Dip

Creamy Chili Cheese Dip

chili cheese dip with onions and jalapeno on top — Creamy Chili Cheese Dip . Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

Spice up your party with this delicious and easy make-ahead 5 ingredient chili cheese dip! Perfect for game day or topping on baked potatoes and nachos. This warm creamy cheese dip recipe is the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer for which everyone will want the recipe.
Get The Full Recipe: Creamy Chili Cheese Dip

Crispy & Delicious Lobster Corn Fritters

Lobster corn critters on a plate and spicy aioli sauce in a small bowl with lemon zest and chopped green onion. — Crispy & Delicious Lobster Corn Fritters. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

These lobster corn fritters with fresh corn are so light, crispy, and delicious. Serve up southern corn fritters as a party appetizer, first course for a meal, or even as the entree for dinner.
Get the Recipe: Crispy & Delicious Lobster Corn Fritters

15-Minute Taco Dip with Ground Beef

layered beef and bean dip in crockpot — 15-Minute Taco Dip with Ground Beef. Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

This cheesy Velveeta taco dip with ground beef is a hot and creamy Crock Pot recipe that takes just 15 minutes to prepare and bubbles away in your slow cooker to absolute perfection.
Get The Full Recipe: 15-Minute Taco Dip with Ground Beef

Favorite Meatball Appetizer Recipes For A Party

meatballs in sauces — Favorite Meatball Appetizer Recipes For A Party. Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

Get meatball tips and tricks! After learning how to make the perfect meatball, scroll through the list of all the best meatball recipes I could find! Then tap the recipe button to learn more and print the recipe card.
Get All The Recipes: Favorite Meatball Appetizer Recipes For A Party

Quick & Creamy Yogurt Dill Dip

Dill dip in a bowl with a sprig of deal on top — Quick & Creamy Yogurt Dill Dip. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Creamy Yogurt Dill Dip is an ideal quick party dip that only takes two minutes to prepare. Goes great with salty chips or veggie sticks.
Get the Recipe: Quick & Creamy Yogurt Dill Dip

Delicious Stuffed Mushrooms

Close-up of a skillet containing stuffed mushrooms topped with a mixture of herbs, nuts, and vegetables. The mushrooms are garnished with fresh green parsley, adding color to the golden brown filling. — Delicious Stuffed Mushrooms. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Stuffed Mushrooms are a perfect appetizer for your next party. The stuffing is filled with mellow garlic, toasted pecans, sundried tomatoes, and spinach and then topped with a citrus basil dressing.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Stuffed Mushrooms

Spicy Pimento Cheese

This spicy homemade pimento cheese dip is a blend of creamy cheeses, mayo, pimentos, and sweet and spicy pickled jalapeños.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Pimento Cheese

Homemade Pigs in a Blanket

A plate of baked crescent roll hot dogs, some with melted cheese, arranged neatly. The golden-brown pastries are flaky and appear freshly baked, placed on a white, ribbed plate. — Homemade Pigs in a Blanket. Photo credit: Lauren’s Latest

A classic appetizer for kids and adults alike, these homemade Pigs in a Blanket will be the first thing you run out of at your next party. These mini cocktail sausages are rolled in buttery crescent roll dough and baked to golden perfection!
Get the Recipe: Homemade Pigs in a Blanket

Maryland Crab Dip

Here is the best Maryland crab dip recipe, which features a creamy, cheesy texture packed with classic crab seasonings. Whether hosting a fun gathering with friends or simply treating your loved ones to a special appetizer, this hot crab dip is guaranteed to be a showstopper.
Get The Full Recipe: Maryland Crab Dip

Ham And Cheese Sliders On Hawaiian Roll

Close-up of baked sliders with melted cheese, sliced ham, and a topping of poppy seeds and herbs on toasted buns. A slider is being pulled away, showcasing stretchy cheese and a golden crust. — Ham And Cheese Sliders On Hawaiian Roll. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage

Juicy ham, Swiss cheese, and aioli nestled in Hawaiian rolls make these sliders an instant crowd-pleaser. The buttery topping takes them to game-winning territory!
Get the Recipe: Ham And Cheese Sliders On Hawaiian Roll

Quick and Easy Cold Crab Dip

Sweet lump crab meat from a can, creamy cheeses, and a hint of Old Bay combine to whip up a tasty and crowd-pleasing dip in less than 5 minutes! When you make this creamy cold crab dip recipe, you will almost hear the ocean waves.
Get the Recipe: Quick and Easy Cold Crab Dip

Roasted Cashews (Sweet and Spicy)

A brown ceramic bowl filled with roasted cashews is garnished with sprigs of fresh rosemary, placed on a white surface. — Roasted Cashews (Sweet and Spicy). Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Sweet & Spicy Roasted Cashews are a delightful appetizer, snack or gift to give that is quick and easy to make.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Cashews (Sweet and Spicy)

Best Deviled Eggs With Cream Cheese

A white plate with seven deviled eggs, each topped with a smooth yellow filling and garnished with small green parsley leaves. The plate sits on a soft yellow cloth. — Best Deviled Eggs With Cream Cheese. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Make the creamiest and most flavorful deviled eggs with cream cheese using this easy recipe. The rich filling combines cream cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard for a tangy and smooth result that everyone will enjoy.
Get the Recipe: Best Deviled Eggs With Cream Cheese

29 Easy Summer Sides That’ll Steal the Spotlight at Any BBQ

A vibrant bowl of colorful corn salad sits on a red plate. The salad includes yellow corn kernels mixed with diced red peppers, onions, and fresh herbs. A sprig of basil and parsley garnish the dish. A yellow and white striped napkin is beside the plate. — 29 Easy Summer Sides. Image credit: Intentional Hospitality

Nothing brings the flavor to a summer BBQ like the perfect lineup of unforgettable side dishes. This mouthwatering roundup of 29 easy summer sides is packed with recipes that deliver big flavor with minimal fuss—think bacon and bourbon baked beans, grilled corn on the cob, tropical coleslaw, and slow cooker mac and cheese. These BBQ-ready favorites are bold, fresh, and downright irresistible, making them the ultimate scene-stealers at any cookout, potluck, or summer gathering. Get All The Recipes: 29 Easy Summer Sides That’ll Steal the Spotlight at Any BBQ

Follow Me