53 Mini Super Bowl Snacks Everyone Will Crave

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, <500 calories
• Serves: 8 to 10 people

Baking soda is the secret to an easy-yet-impressive pretzel effect. Plus, “they’re just as easy to make as the original, but with a special ‘pretzel’ treatment that gives a gorgeously golden brown crust, and a sprinkle of everything seasoning,” writes PureWow’s former Senior Food Editor, Katherine Gillen. And you won’t regret having this cheater’s aioli recipe in your pocket to use for, well, basically everything.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Like It: <500 calories, low sugar, low carb
• Serves: 16 people

If you’re not familiar with the delightful finger food that is a hanky-panky, allow us to introduce you. They’re basically pumpernickel squares topped with a gooey mix of cheese and sausage, and they’re sure to be a hit. This particular recipe comes from Adrienne Cheatham’s cookbook Sunday Best. Apparently, “the tradition of celebrating functions with pumpernickel party breads…seems to be pretty widespread and runs generations deep,” writes Cheatham. Try them and you’ll see why.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Like It: <500 calories, kid-friendly
• Serves: 12 people

Don’t forget the sweet side of your snacking fête. These bite-size cookies will disappear by the handful.

• Time Commitment: 38 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, crowd pleaser
• Serves: 12 people

Buffalo chicken anything is a crowd-pleaser on Super Bowl Sunday, but especially when you pair it with gooey brie. “This is the ultimate game day twist on brie en croute—in one-bite form, so it’s easy to serve,” says Candace Davison, recipe tester and VP of editorial content at PureWow. “If brie’s not your thing, fresh mozzarella is a great substitute here.”

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, <500 calories, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 9 people

“This recipe comes together quickly, feels fancy without trying and you probably already have Rice Krispies in your pantry (just me?),” Rea-Tucker writes of this tasty recipe, pulled from her cookbook Baking by Feel. Pro tip: For an airier, fluffier treat, I advise against packing the mixture down too much in the pan.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, high protein, low sugar
• Serves: 6 people

Downsizing the nachos means you can finally get a perfect cheese-to-chip ratio in every bite. It’s also just a very convenient way to enjoy the time-honored snack when your eyes are glued to the game.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Like It: low carb, <500 calories, kid-friendly
• Serves: 24 people

Feel free to play around when whipping up a big batch of these decadent mac and cheese bites. “If you’ve got picky eaters who aren’t into onions, you can always sub it for a quarter teaspoon of onion powder—it adds a little savory flavor, no crunch. I’m also a fan of using chili powder instead of cayenne for more of a smoky note,” Davison says.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, <500 calories, low carb
• Serves: 20 people

If you have to have at least one veggie in your spread, make it these cuties. Store-bought pizza dough is the key to their crispy wrappers.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8 people

Shh, no need to tell anyone these start with rotisserie chicken. Oh, and did I mention that you can cheat with store bought buffalo sauce, too, and no one will know the difference?

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Like It: low sugar, low carb, <500 calories, vegetarian-friendly
• Serves: 8 to 10 people

Aren’t you classy? Dish these up with tangy dipping sauce and cute toothpicks and watch them disappear like magic.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Like It: paleo-friendly, low carb, <500 calories
• Serves: 15 people

You don’t even have to break your diet to enjoy the snack spread and get that soft pretzel carb fix. And trust me, these puppies are something that everyone at the party will be happy to sink their teeth into. 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Why I Like It: gluten-free, kid-friendly, <500 calories
• Serves: 6 to 8 people

Bring on all of the fixings—in this case, chives, bacon, cheddar cheese and sour cream. Baking the chips instead of frying them means cleanup is a breeze.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, vegetarian-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8 people

The heat will sneak up on you. (And if you can’t find shishitos, just used jalapeños.)

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Like It: <500 calories, vegetarian-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8 people

Let’s make dessert apps a thing, shall we? These fair-favorites are as easy to make as a batch of pancakes.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, <500 calories, low carb
• Serves: 12 people

Load ’em up with your favorite toppings, like ground beef, cheese, salsa and shredded lettuce. Who doesn’t love an entirely customizable party food?

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: gluten-free, high protein, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6 people

Here’s a pro tip for breading the nugs: When you set up your dredging station, designate one hand for dipping in the dry ingredients and one for the eggs. You’ll avoid the usual mess that happens when the wets and drys mix together.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Like It: gluten-free, <10 ingredients, <500 calories, low carb
• Serves: 15 people

Toasted bread is so last Super Bowl. This year, I’m all about the sweet potato. Case in point: my new favorite Fall appetizer—a crostini that boasts sweet potato as both the “bread” base and the topping.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: vegetarian-friendly, <10 ingredients, <500 calories
• Serves: 20 people

Oh, that noise? That’s just my stomach grumbling at the thought of melty Brie. Combine the buttery, umami-rich French cheese with salty pretzel dough and it’s love at first bite.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Like It: low carb, vegetarian-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 8 people

Give the people what they want (i.e., the thing that rivals the deliciousness of filet mignon at every steakhouse). And definitely don’t forget the tangy, spicy dipping sauce. It’s essential.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4 people

“These 5-ingredient mini pizzas are unbelievably easy, fool-proof, and completely addicting! Perfect for Game Day!” writes food blogger Chungah Rhee of Damn Delicious. She’s not lying, either; I have it on good authority that these will be gone way before halftime. Oh, and the crust is actually small cutouts of flour tortillas—smart, right?

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 6 to 8 people

As I always say, never trust a person who doesn’t like fried cheese. These irresistible bites call for less than ten ingredients, so you can count on fuss-free prep work.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, <500 calories, kid-friendly
• Serves: 12 to 24 people

Don’t forget the guac and salsa, OK? (FYI, the shells are store-bought wonton wrappers.)

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Like It: vegetarian-friendly, kid-friendly, paleo-friendly
• Serves: 4 people

Crunchy and crave-able (and kinda sorta healthy). Serve them with the accompanying lemon-pepper aioli for the full effect.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, low carb, <500 calories
• Serves: 12 people

For a pinkies-out type of game watch, serve these soup-inspired puff pastry apps. They boast all the sweet, rich flavor of caramelized onions and plenty of cheesy goodness…all in finger food form.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Like It: make ahead, <10 ingredients, vegetarian-friendly
• Serves: 24 people

“Cranberries and brie cheese are a classic combo and taste positively cheery wrapped in flaky puff pastry,” writes food blogger and cookbook author Erin Clarke of this brilliant and oh-so festive hors d'oeuvre. The homemade cranberry filling comes together with just a few simple ingredients. Let’s just say, my new favorite party game is to gobble all of these up before anyone notices. 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: <500 calories, kid-friendly, low sugar
• Serves: 24 people

With these around, it doesn’t matter who’s winning. Want to shortcut it? Use frozen waffles and don’t look back.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Like It: high protein, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6 people

The spicy, sticky and sweet combo never gets old. And who can say no to a well-seasoned and oh-so tender bite size morsel of chicken?

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Like It: low carb, low sugar, beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 6 to 12 people

“These crab cake poppers are so delicious and easy to make and a spicy aioli for dipping is the perfect pairing,” writes Heidi Larsen of Foodie Crush. My favorite part? An excuse to open some wine. (Psst: If you want to make these ahead, just warm them in the oven before serving.)

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, low sugar, <500 calories, vegetarian-friendly
• Serves: 6 people

OK, these puppies aren’t exactly a low carb swap. That said, they are a great way to get everyone praising the versatility of a certain cruciferous vegetable.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Like It: high protein, low sugar, kid-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 6 people

Add these to your Super Bowl party spread and get an A+ in the looks department. (Thanks again to those store-bought wonton wrappers.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: <500 calories, <10 ingredients, one pan
• Serves: 8 people

Simple but scrumptious is my favorite way to snack. These bites contain just three ingredients, but the savory-salty-sweet combo is *chef’s kiss.* Worried about uneven cooking and chewy bacon? “Stick a toothpick in each one and then use the toothpick to turn the Bacon Wrapped Dates every so often so that they get cooked on every side,” writes Lindsay Ostrom of Pinch of Yum. Roger that.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, <500 calories, low carb, low sugar, make ahead
• Serves: 15 to 20 people

They’re so much better than the store-bought kind, and surprisingly easy to pull off. Plus, you can make them up to a week in advance.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: vegetarian-friendly, <500 calories, kid-friendly
• Serves: 8 people

Vegetarian-friendly and ready in 30 minutes? Everybody wins. If you have the time to make a homemade marinara sauce, I highly recommend it—though the store-bought kind will do just fine for these addictive bites of cheesy goodness, too.

• Time Commitment: 12 hours
• Why I Like It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, make ahead, <500 calories
• Serves: 12 people

Just try to resist these tasty morsels. (Psst: They’re so easy to make with store-bought dough as your starting point.)

• Time Commitment: 23 minutes
• Why I Like It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, <500 calories
• Serves: 12 people

As it turns out, you can do a lot with frozen puff pastry, and these Italian pinwheels are proof. Best of all, they can easily take the place of a cheese board, since they have all the same components (i.e., cheese, cured meat and carbs) wrapped up into one tidy and oh-so pretty morsel.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: high protein, <10 ingredients, make ahead
• Serves: 8 to 10 people

They’re baked to mini perfection. Even better, you can freeze these bundles for up to a month, so if you make a double batch, you’ll be well prepared for your next shindig.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, low sugar, <500 calories
• Serves: 12 people

Basically the dip, only better, thanks to puff pastry and Parmesan. They’re ready in 35 minutes, too.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Like It: low carb, low sugar, <500 calories
• Serves: 6 to 8 people

They’re small, so gobbling up three (or five) is a no-brainer. The real question is, will you dip in blue cheese or ranch?

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Like It: low carb, low sugar, <500 calories
• Serves: 12 to 24 people

Where have you been all our life? (Waiting for us to discover you can make empanadas from store-bought pie crust, we guess.)

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Like It: low sugar, <10 ingredients, <500 calories
• Serves: 6 to 8 people

Think of them like reverse pigs-in-blankets. Just be sure to bake until the prosciutto is nice and crispy—and don’t be shy with the parmesan cheese.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: high protein, low sugar, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8 people

The five-ingredient dipping sauce is well worth the effort—and by effort, we mean stirring everything together in a bowl. Indeed, the sauce really makes the dish, though I love the Katsu-inspired riff on chicken nuggets for more reasons than one.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Like It: gluten-free, <500 calories, low sugar
• Serves: 8 to 10 people

Here, a gluten-free appetizer the whole fam will enjoy. This combination of creamy polenta, tangy goat cheese and crispy pancetta is a flavor bomb that boasts a variety of textures, to boot. Trust me, it won’t disappoint.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Like It: low carb, low sugar, <500 calories 
• Serves: 10 to 20 people

There are so many different ways to dress up a traditional deviled egg, but this version, inspired by the Mexican street corn dish elote, is my favorite hands down. The hot sauce is optional, the chili powder less so…but I say the more kick the better. It is game day, after all.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: high protein, low sugar, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8 people

They’re fancy homemade chicken nuggets inspired by the family-favorite Italian dish. Need we say more?

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Like It: <30 minutes, <500 calories, low carb, <10 ingredients, make ahead
• Serves: 15 to 30 people

The light and crispy phyllo shells won’t weigh you down. (So go ahead and have another.) Looking for a make ahead hack? “The filling for these Christmas appetizer bites may be made up to two days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge before filling the phyllo cups. Stir the filling before piping if the ingredients have separated,” Clarke writes.

• Time Commitment: 5 minutes
• Why I Like It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 people

It’s like if a personal pizza and a cheese plate had a very delicious baby. Best of all, “the ingredients here are merely suggestions. If you prefer another meat (like soppressata or speck), cheese (mozzarella would be nice) or garnish (a balsamic drizzle?), by all means, switch it up,” writes former PureWow Senior Food Editor Katherine Gillen. So customize that baby however you see fit.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, <500 calories, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4 (or more) people

Behold the three C’s: crispy, cheesy and cute. If you’re not sure what a Hasselback potato is, allow Jenny Park of SpoonForkBacon to explain: “Hasselback Potatoes are when thin slices are made crosswise, almost completely, through a potato. Not only is it visually pleasing, but slicing the potato this way…allows for more surface area to be created for additional texture ,as well as lessen the overall cooking time.” If you’re new to the technique, I recommend using two skewers or chopsticks to guide your slices, so each spud stays intact.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Why I Like It: <500 calories, low sugar, gluten-free
• Serves: 8 people

“It's basically the end all, be all to game day snack. Imagine a crispy potato skin stuffed with refried beans, bacon, topped with cheese, salsa, guacamole, and chives,” writes Gaby Dalkin of What’s Gaby Cooking. The game day genius behind this delicious fancy appetizer recommends eating them with plenty of sour cream, and I’m inclined to agree.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Like It: kid-friendly, vegetarian-friendly, <500 calories
• Serves: 10 people

The fancy-ish toppings keep these from venturing into kiddie territory, though we promise kids will love them too. Just be sure to season your cast iron skillet because it will be key to achieving that perfectly crispy crust.

• Time Commitment: 4 hours
• Why I Like It: make ahead, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 25 people

“Basically, you can’t have bread without this soup. It’s fantastically creamy and cheesy and packed with flavor and eating it off a spoon is nothing to hate whatsoever,” writes Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats about this swoon-worthy game day appetizer. In other words, Honey, I shrunk the bread bowls and I’m not mad about it. (Psst: If the thought of making everything from scratch has you shuddering, break it up over a few days of work and thank me later.)

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Like It: <30 minutes, vegetarian-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 12 people

Another ingenious twist on the classic deviled egg—this recipe features homemade guac, conveniently delivered in an egg vessel with a tortilla chip garnish. Two bites, no dipping distraction…yep, you really can have your cake and eat it, too. 

• Time Commitment: 3 hours 10 minutes
• Why I Like It: make ahead, <500 calories, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 12 people

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Grape jelly and meat…ew! But trust me it’s a sweet and savory combination that actually works. Plus, Holly Nilsson, the food blogger behind Spend with Pennies, writes that you can “replace the Grape Jelly with apricot preserves, orange marmalade, canned cranberry sauce, raspberry preserves, or hot pepper jelly.” In other words, you can make some deliciously saucy and unexpected meatballs even if grape jelly isn’t your jam (so to speak).

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 12 people

A corn dog is nothing to shake a stick at (sorry, I had to) and they are a particularly convenient way to eat a dog when you're socializing and watching the screen at a game day party. “My favorite part is of course the halved hot dogs—making these guys the most perfect miniature size,” Ree says. “They make it just so darn easy to share and devour in seconds.”