Make your Christmas entertaining effortless with these delicious finger food recipes designed for Australian summer celebrations. Whether you’re hosting Christmas Day lunch, a Boxing Day barbecue, or New Year’s Eve drinks, the right party food sets the festive mood from the moment guests arrive.
Finger food is the unsung hero of entertaining. These easy-to-eat bites keep everyone satisfied while you finish preparing the main meal. Plus, they’re perfect for outdoor gatherings when it’s too hot for heavy courses.
From refreshing seafood platters and chilled dips to crowd-pleasing canapés and elegant tarts, these recipes work brilliantly for warm weather entertaining.
The beauty of Christmas finger food is its versatility. Create an impressive grazing spread and prepare most dishes ahead so you can enjoy your own party. Cater to different dietary preferences with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and seafood options.
Whether you’re feeding five or fifty, you’ll find make-ahead options, impressive show-stoppers, and last-minute savers in this collection. Get ready to create a Christmas spread that looks spectacular and tastes even better.
How much finger food per person for Christmas?
As a rule, you need to allow at least four pieces of savoury finger food per person. However, this depends on whether this is to be considered a meal or the guests are going onto lunch or dinner later. One or two sweet treats each are usually enough.
Make-ahead strategies
Getting well prepared for entertaining over Christmas is the secret to the meal being a success. Be organised: choose the menu, then order, shop, prepare, freeze, refrigerate and chop as many of the ingredients as you can beforehand.
What to serve with Christmas finger food
Pair your Christmas finger food spread with refreshing drinks that keep guests cool in the Australian summer heat.
From fruity punches and sparkling cocktails to elegant champagne-based sippers, you’ll find something tempting in our collection of cocktail recipes.
Don’t forget to offer non-alcoholic drinks and plenty of iced water for designated drivers and kids.
Complete your Christmas menu
Once you’ve impressed with finger food, round out your festive feast with show-stopping Christmas desserts like pavlova and trifle.
For the main event, explore our Christmas BBQ menu ideas for outdoor entertaining, then add vibrant Christmas salads and essential Christmas side dishes to complete your festive spread.
Christmas finger food ideas
Easy spanakopita pies
Little chicken and leek pies
Air fryer tortilla chips with guacamole
Air fryer prawns with green chilli sauce
Julie Goodwin’s French onion tarts
Prawn cocktail platter
Tzatziki dip
Julie Goodwin’s devilled eggs
Chicken shawarma platter with haloumi flatbread
Mini chicken & asparagus quiches
Air fryer arancini
Zucchini chips with aioli
Air fryer zucchini balls with lemon yoghurt
Easy baked brie with quince and walnuts
Spinach dip cob loaf
Ham and cheese croquettes
Salt and pepper squid
Blinis with smoked salmon
Dukkah prawn skewers with labne and minty tomato salad
Prawn cocktail with zucchini and mint salad
Prawn cocktail platter
Bruschetta
Zucchini koftas with harissa yoghurt
Christmas wreath salad
Yoghurt and cucumber dip (Tzatziki)
Pavlova wreath
Salmon gravlax platter
Prosciutto and artichoke platter
Christmas Eton mess wreath
Sweet potato, mint and goat’s cheese tartlets
Bread crisps with confit tomatoes
Oysters with chilli and ginger dressing
Five spice squid with lime mayonnaise
Fish scrolls with capsicum salsa
Prosciutto wrapped haloumi
Kingfish carpaccio with tangy dressing
Smoked chicken canapes
Sticky chicken wings
Scallops with ginger and lemongrass
Tomato and rocket tarts
Roasted parsnip hummus with warm spiced chick peas
Salmon quichettes
Smoked salmon sushi bites with pickled green onion
Warm spiced prawns with avocado salsa
Haloumi and asparagus bites
Beef carpaccio with rocket, parmesan and aioli
Marinated baby bocconcini with prosciutto
Roasted capsicum and green olive dip
Polenta, blue cheese and fig tarts
Grape and apple salad with goat’s cheese
Corn blini with avocado cream and crab
Peppered beef and blue cheese canapés
