22 Winter Appetizers So Delicious, You'll Want to Eat Them for Dinner

Salty-tangy blue cheese pairs beautifully with sweet fig jam in these easy appetizers, which are perfect for a holiday party. The optional minced chives add a nice pop of color, but these are just as tasty without herbs. Keep the ingredients on hand and you can whip these up for impromptu holiday cocktail parties.

A riff on traditional spinach artichoke dip, this creamy, cheesy dip recipe is made healthier by replacing some of the cream cheese with yogurt. Serve as an easy appetizer with tortilla chips and carrot sticks.

Up your appetizer game with this fruit-topped cheese crostini recipe. Warm preserves give the pears a shiny glaze and prevent them from browning.

These baked onions are stuffed with a savory combination of mushrooms, breadcrumbs and capers.

We love the way Brie and apples taste together in these mini quiches. Mini phyllo cups make it swift and simple to create an elegant appetizer.

A cheeseboard is an ideal stationary hors d'oeuvre for holiday entertaining. Select a variety of cheeses, making sure to include an aged variety, a creamy cheese, a blue cheese and perhaps a smoked cheese. Round out the platter with cold cuts, bread, an abundance of seasonal fruits, dried fruit, crudité, nuts and olives. We even included some dark chocolate to cap it off!

Sweet squash gives French onion dip a colorful nutrition boost (namely, vitamins A and E). Serve with chips and crunchy crudités.

Top crispy sweet potato skins with guacamole for a healthy take on classic potato skins in this easy crowd-pleasing recipe.

In this sweet and savory appetizer, apple butter and Cheddar combine to create layers of flavor nestled within buttery puff pastry. This appetizer is impressive enough for any holiday table, but is easily made with just three ingredients.

A dairy-free dip sets the tone for this vegan "charcuterie" board. Rainbow carrots and crisp pear slices offer refreshing crunch and visual appeal, while an assortment of seeded crackers and mini toasts make blank canvases for spreads and jams. Blackberries and grapes lend a fresh and fruity finish.

Roasted pears with Brie and pistachios is delicious as a first course or a side with roast pork or lamb. Leave the stems on for the prettiest presentation.

Roasted sweet potato adds earthy sweetness to hummus and gives it an even creamier, smoother texture. Use pimentón, or Spanish smoked paprika, for a hint of fire-grilled flavor, or use sweet paprika for a more subtle spice.

In our homemade version of French onion dip, we simmer chopped onions in broth and use reduced-fat sour cream and yogurt for the familiar rich and creamy flavor. All told, our version has 12 grams less fat and nearly 50 percent less sodium per serving than the original.

The alpine cheeses in this healthy cheese fondue recipe by Laura Werlin are known for melting smoothly, which is key in a fondue. Adding vegetables brings texture and bonus nutrition, while complementing the buttery nuttiness of each cheese. To serve 12, plan to offer 6 cups of cut-up vegetables for dipping, such as steamed broccoli and cauliflower florets or strips of raw fennel and red bell pepper.

The entire beet plant--roots, stems and greens--can be used in this stunning appetizer. The beets are roasted then pureed with goat cheese for a creamy ruby-red spread. The greens and stems are sautéed with olive oil and garlic for the topping.

This cheesy dip recipe is lightened up by subbing mashed butternut squash for some of the melted cheese. We also loaded it with chili-spiced caramelized onions. Serve this healthy makeover with tortilla chips or sliced jicama for dipping.

Serve this decadent yet easy appetizer with apple wedges and crackers and watch it disappear in seconds! It's bound to be your new party go-to.

Caramelized onion and golden raisins add sweet balance to shrimp in this easy bruschetta. It can be assembled in just a few minutes if you make the onion spread ahead of time. For a vegetarian option, serve topped with crumbled feta.

Carrots, rich in beta carotene, combine with fiber-filled garbanzo beans to make this a great dip recipe for snacks or a spread for sandwiches.

A fun spin on the classic Niçoise salad, this impressive appetizer board features a smoked salmon spread. Snappy green beans, fresh tomatoes, a medley of olives, and soft-boiled eggs sprinkled with chives and paprika serve as the ode to the classic, while seeded crackers and mixed nuts add a crunchy upgrade.

Sweet dates and salty prosciutto combine in a tasty bite.

Caramelized leeks, fresh scallions and chives give this French-onion-inspired dip a triple hit of allium flavor. Serve with crudités and potato chips.