Crowd-Pleasing Holiday Appetizers

The following recipes are my family’s favorite finger foods to eat during the Holidays. Ina Garten’s Mustard and Gruyère Batons are my favorite. Cranberry Brie Tarts is my husband’s favorite. My Baked Brie is my son-in-law, Josh’s, personal favorite, and my Crab Cake Balls are my grandson, Aiden’s, preferred appetizer. Aiden loves crab.

Ina Garten’s Mustard and Gruyère Batons

In glancing through several Gruyère cheese stick recipes, I came upon Ina Garten’s recipe for Mustard and Gruyère Batons (aka cheese sticks). I made her recipe for my for my family but added a sprinkling of sesame seeds for a bit of crunch. If you haven’t tried Ina’s recipe, you must give it a try.

Ina Garten’s Mustard and Gruyère Batons

Makes 10 to 12 batons

Please note that the ingredients listed below are the same as Ina’s although I added a sprinkling of sesame seeds. I did slightly edit the directions in her recipe as I geek out editing recipes.

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Flour for dusting

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard (I used 2 tablespoons.)

1 egg, lightly beaten, with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt for sprinkling

Sesame seeds for sprinkling

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove the pastry sheet from the freezer to thaw. Pastry sheets will thaw in about 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, unfold puff pastry sheet on a well-floured board. Using a floured rolling pin, roll it into an 11- by 13-inch rectangle. (Diagonal strokes keep the pastry rectangular.)

With the shorter end closest to you, using a pastry brush, brush the lower half of pastry evenly with mustard, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. (I used about 2 tablespoons of the mustard.)

Using a pastry brush, brush the border of the pastry with egg wash. Fold the top half over the bottom half, lining up the edges. Place the pastry on the parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.

Place the pastry on a board. Using a sharp knife, trim the irregular edges. With the folded edge away from you, cut the pastry in 1- X 6-inch strips. You will have 10 to 12 batons.

Spread the batons on the baking sheet so that they do not touch. Brush the tops lightly with the egg wash, being careful to not let the egg wash drip down the sides. Sprinkle evenly with the Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses, salt, and sesame seeds to taste. Chill for at least 15 minutes or for several hours. (I kept these chilled for 6 hours before baking.)

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake batons for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes. Serve warm.

Tips on storing semi-soft to semi-hard cheeses: Semi-soft to semi-hard cheeses like Gruyère, Havarti, Muenster, Gouda, Edam, and Jarlsberg contain more moisture than hard cheeses, so they won’t keep as long. If they are stored properly, you may be able to extend the shelf life 2 to 4 weeks past the “Sell-By” date. Wrap semi-soft and semi-hard cheese in parchment paper and then place in a reusable food storage bag or in a Ziploc® bag. If you think the cheese has gone bad, use your sense of smell and taste. It should not smell putrid and should taste like it did when you brought it home. You can cut mold off semi-soft and semi-hard cheeses, but if the mold looks unusual, it is best to toss the cheese out.

Tips on freezing semi-soft to semi-hard cheeses: The best cheeses to freeze are blocks of semi-hard cheeses like Gruyère, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, mozzarella, or provolone. Freeze cheese in its original packaging if unopened and place it in a reusable or a Ziploc® freezer bag. Press as much air out of the bag as possible before freezing. If opened, wrap the cheese tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and then place it in a reusable or a Ziploc® freezer bag. Press as much air out as possible.

Cranberry Brie Tarts

This is an extremely easy appetizer to prepare and is absolutely to die for. I use homemade cranberry sauce when I make this. You can substitute raspberry or strawberry preserves or use fig jam. If you don’t want to use rosemary leaves as a garnish, a sprinkling of chopped nuts also works nicely. One package of frozen phyllo tart cups contains 15 pieces. These tarts are so delicious you may want to make two batches.

Cranberry Brie Tarts

Makes 15 pieces

1 package frozen phyllo tart cups, 15 pieces

1 (8-ounces) wheel Brie cheese

½ cup cranberry sauce

Rosemary for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a cheese slicer or a serrated knife, remove rind from Brie. Tiny bits of rind left on the Brie will melt so don’t be afraid to leave a bit on. Brie is so delicious we don’t want to waste it. Cut Brie into 1-inch pieces.

Take phyllo cups directly from the freezer and place on the baking sheet. Place 1 piece of Brie into each phyllo cup. Top with ½ teaspoon cranberry sauce.

Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until Brie is melted.

Garnish with rosemary leaves

Tips on selecting Brie: Brie has its best flavor when perfectly ripe. Select one that is plump and resilient to the touch. Its rind may show some pale brown edges. Ripened Brie has a short shelf life and should be eaten within a few days.

Tips on storing soft cheese: Soft cheeses, like Brie, have the shortest shelf life of all the cheeses. To extend the life of soft cheeses, wrap them with parchment or wax paper and then a layer of aluminum foil or place them in a jar or Tupperware® container. When handled in this manner and placed in the cheese drawer of your refrigerator, soft cheese can last for up to 10 days. Soft cheeses with any sign of mold should be thrown out. They should last 1 week after the “Sell-By” date but only 3 to 4 days after opening.

Crab Cake Balls with Carol Ann’s Asian Aioli

My Crab Cake Balls turn my classic crab cake recipe into a mouth-watering appetizer—tender, delicious crab seasoned with cayenne pepper and fried to crispy perfection.

Crab Cake Balls with an Asian Aioli

Makes about 3 dozen balls

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

¼ cup mayonnaise

½ teaspoon Worcestershire® sauce

2 tablespoons green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely diced

2 tablespoons red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely diced

2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced

2 tablespoons celery, finely diced

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, snipped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cups fresh crab meat, a 1-pound can or about 6 King crab legs

In a medium bowl, mix together bread crumbs, eggs, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, green and red bell peppers, red onion, celery, parsley, garlic, salt, dry mustard, and cayenne pepper. Stir in crab meat, mixing thoroughly.

Roll the crab cake mixture into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Crab cake balls can be refrigerated overnight.

Canola oil for frying

1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs for rolling

Place breadcrumbs on a plate. Roll balls in breadcrumbs and return to the parchment-lined baking sheet. In a large skillet, place enough canola oil to reach a ½-inch depth. Heat oil over a medium high heat, about 350 degrees F. When oil begins to sizzle, add crab cake balls and fry about 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Do not overcrowd. You may need to fry in batches. Serve hot with aioli on the side.

For Carol Ann’s Asian Aioli:

½ cup mayonnaise

½ teaspoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon minced garlic

1 green onion, thinly sliced

¼ teaspoon sesame seeds

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, soy sauce, garlic, green onion, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper and whisk to blend. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tips on selecting crab: Cooked, ready-to-eat crab is available at your supermarket either fresh, frozen, or pasteurized in cans. Crab should feel cold to the touch when you purchase it. Any exposed meat should be white. If you are buying frozen crab, check the package for ice crystals. This is a sign of freezer burn. Avoid fresh, picked crab meat that smells or has pockets of blue or gray. This discoloration means it has not been stored properly.

Tips on storing crab: If you purchase live crab, use it the day you buy it. To store live crab until you cook it, place it in an open container lined with wet newspaper and store it briefly in your refrigerator or a cooler. Keep live crab moist and cool but not wet. Fresh crab meat should be refrigerated and eaten within 2 days of purchase or frozen. Keep frozen crab frozen until you are ready to heat it. Pasteurized crab sold in cans has an 8- to 18-month shelf life. Once cans have been opened, the crab will keep for 7 days in your refrigerator. Keep frozen crab frozen until you are ready to heat it.

Tips on thawing crab legs: You can thaw frozen crab legs by placing them in the refrigerator overnight (about 8 hours) or by placing them in your sink and running cold water over them. If you thaw them in your refrigerator, place them on a rack in a water-tight container so that any water drains to the bottom during defrosting.

Baked Brie with Fig Spread

This appetizer is super simple to make and always a big hit with guests. I like topping my Brie with fig spread, but you can use any sweet or savory topping you like. You can substitute the fig spread with cherry or strawberry preserves; or if you have cranberry sauce on hand, it is also delicious.

Baked Brie with Fig Spread

Serves 6 to 8

1 (17.3-ounces) frozen puff pastry (such as Pepperidge Farm®), thawed according to package directions

1 (12-ounces) whole Brie wheel

1 jar (8.5-ounces) Dalmatia fig spread, or to taste

1 egg, beaten

Pecans, chopped, for garnish

For serving:

Thin slices of sourdough baguettes

Your favorite crackers

Sliced apples

Sliced pears

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the puffed pastry sheet on the parchment paper. Place Brie in the middle of the pastry sheet. Top cheese with fig spread to taste. (I use the entire jar but ¾ of a jar is enough.) Fold the corners of the pastry sheet over Brie. Using your hands, press the pastry sheet, sealing any open sides. Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash on puff pastry. Be sure to cover the sides as well. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

To serve: Transfer the Brie to a serving platter. I keep the Brie on parchment paper. You can cut the parchment paper off if you prefer. Garnish with chopped pecans. Allow the baked Brie to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Surround Brie with slices of baguettes, crackers, or slices of fruit.

Tips on shopping for Brie: Brie has its best flavor when perfectly ripe. Select one that is plump and resilient to the touch. Its rind may show some pale brown edges. Ripened Brie has a short life and should be eaten within a few days.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved Carol Ann Kates