Before Christmas dinner comes the canapés and with so many different recipes to choose from we found some festive recipes that look great and hopefully taste good too. Don’t be caught short when making canapés, remember to set some aside for yourself, as once they are gone they really are gone!

Parma Ham Swizzle Sticks

This recipe requires a bit of skill but all the effort will be worth it when the end result is fabulous looking canapés (depending of course on how they turn out). You’re sure to impress your guests with these swizzles and the Parma ham will go down a treat. Make your own pesto for dipping or another dip of your choice, you could try pesto and crème fraiche. (Image credit: Good Housekeeping)

You’ll need:

• Strong white flour
• Sachet of fast-action dried yeast
• Milk
• Olive oil
• Pitted black olives (halved)
• Rosemary sprigs
• Parma ham
• Pesto to serve

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Ham and Cheese Muffins

These are muffins in miniature not your usual regular sized muffins. They work well on their own but you could make a chutney to go with them or cheat and buy one instead. To add some colour to them try adding some grated courgette to the recipe.  (Image credit: Delicious Magazine)

You’ll need:

• Self-raising flour
• Baking powder
• Oak smoked ham
• Sage leaves
• Mature cheddar
• Unsalted butter
• 1 medium egg
• Wholegrain mustard
• Semi-skimmed milk

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Festive Brie & Cranberry Stuffed Mushrooms

You can’t go wrong with stuffed mushrooms and with the festive staple of brie this simple recipe packs a lot of flavour. The cranberry sauce will bring a tanginess to the canapé and if preferred you could substitute the brie for goat’s cheese, which also goes well with mushrooms. You can assemble them beforehand and bake just before serving. (Image credit: Jamie Oliver)

You’ll need:

• Portobello mushrooms
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Cranberry sauce
• Brie
• Walnut pieces
• Fresh thyme

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Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches

A selection of canapés wouldn’t be complete without classic smoked salmon and cream cheese. If you do bake the bread and make crostini, it adds extra bite to the recipe. There are so many variations of this canapé and you could try this on rye bread or even just on slices of cucumber. (Image credit: Natasha’s Kitchen)

You’ll need:

• Cream cheese
• Mayonnaise
• Garlic
• Dill leaves/ sprigs
• Smoked salmon
• Baguette (or a bread of your choice)
• Butter

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Sweet Potato Rounds With Goat’s Cheese and Cranberry

These rounds are simple to make and look elegant too. The cranberry sauce adds a festive touch to the recipe and complements the goat’s cheese perfectly. The sweet potato will of course make this canapé sweeter than others so will go well with your savoury offerings. Serve warm and if you’re not a fan of goat’s cheese try the recipe with another soft cheese of your choice. (Image credit: The Veg Space)

You’ll need:

• Sweet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Goat’s cheese
• Cranberry sauce
• Flat leaf parsley to garnish

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Whether you participate in cooking your Christmas meal or you just tuck in when it is prepared, these canapé recipes should help with creating some great appetizers before the main meal. If you still need to organise your kitchen for Christmas take a look at our post on how to Get your kitchen Christmas ready.

On behalf of the Buyspares Team we would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Tags: canapés, christmas, festive recipes, recipes