APPETIZER RECIPES

Three No-Bake Thanksgiving Appetizers

Updated

Three make-ahead, no-bake Thanksgiving appetizers: a bite-size pumpkin cheese ball dusted with paprika, smoked salmon pinwheels with honey-Dijon spread, and a creamy pumpkin pie dip.

Prep
40 min
Cook
0 min
Total
2 hr 40 min
Yield
24 mini cheese balls, 18 pinwheels and about 2 cups dip
Illustration of Three No-Bake Thanksgiving Appetizers

When the oven is booked solid with turkey and pies, these three starters from the KitchenSimplicity archive need no baking at all. Mini cheddar and roasted red pepper cheese balls are rolled in paprika and scored to look like tiny pumpkins, smoked salmon is rolled up in tortillas with a honey-Dijon spread and sliced into pinwheels, and a spiced pumpkin pie dip waits in the fridge for apples and ginger snaps.

All three are built to be made ahead: each one needs about two hours in the refrigerator, so you can assemble them the morning of the holiday, or the cheese balls and dip a day early, and simply set them out when guests arrive.

Tips

  • Using plain pumpkin puree instead of pie filling? Add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon each cloves and nutmeg) and 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar to the dip.
  • Block cream cheese gives the firmest, easiest-to-shape cheese balls; spreadable tub cream cheese works but the balls will be softer.
  • The cheese balls and the dip both keep, covered, in the fridge for up to 2 days. Make the pinwheels no more than 1 day ahead so the tortillas stay pleasantly soft, not soggy.
  • Use any favorite cheese ball recipe with the same paprika coating and green onion stems for a different flavor.

Three No-Bake Thanksgiving Appetizers

Prep
40 min
Cook
0 min
Total
2 hr 40 min
Yield
24 mini cheese balls, 18 pinwheels and about 2 cups dip

Ingredients

  • For the mini pumpkin cheese balls:
  • 1 (8-ounce / 226 g) block cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers, patted dry
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup (4 ounces / 115 g) finely shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 green onions (green parts only)
  • Paprika, for coating
  • Crackers, for serving
  • For the smoked salmon pinwheels:
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • Pinch of dried dill
  • 3 1/2 ounces (100 g) thinly sliced smoked salmon
  • 3 (6-inch) flour tortillas
  • For the creamy pumpkin pie dip:
  • 1 (8-ounce / 226 g) block cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin pie filling (see tips for plain pumpkin puree)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • Graham crackers, ginger snaps, cinnamon cookies or sliced apples and pears, for serving

Steps

  1. Cheese balls: Beat the cream cheese with the roasted red peppers, garlic powder and cayenne until evenly mixed, then stir in the cheddar. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until firm enough to roll.
  2. Cheese balls: Scoop and roll the mixture into 1-inch balls, then roll each one in paprika to coat. Using the back of a small knife, press shallow vertical grooves around the sides so each ball looks like a little pumpkin. If the mixture softens while you work, chill it for 15 minutes before continuing.
  3. Cheese balls: Cut the green onion tops into 1-inch lengths and split each piece lengthwise. Curl each strip into a small loop and press it into the top of a cheese ball as a stem. Refrigerate until serving and set out with crackers.
  4. Pinwheels: Stir together the Dijon, mayonnaise, sour cream, honey and dill. Spread about 1 tablespoon over each tortilla.
  5. Pinwheels: Lay the smoked salmon over the spread in a single thin layer, leaving a 1-inch strip bare along one edge. Roll each tortilla up tightly toward the bare edge, wrap firmly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  6. Pinwheels: Just before serving, unwrap, trim off the ragged ends and cut each roll into 6 slices.
  7. Pumpkin dip: Beat the cream cheese and pumpkin pie filling together until completely smooth. Mix in the cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and sour cream. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, then serve with cookies or sliced fruit.

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