15 Party Snacks That Look Like You Made an Effort—But Come Together With Just 3 Ingredients

Everyone will love these easy party snacks.

closeup of bacon-wrapped Brown Sugar Smokies in a wooden bowl
Photo:

sloninja

It happened again: You let time slip by, and now you're scrambling for a snack to bring to the party or potluck. You could run to the store and pick up something ready-made, or you could pull together a perfectly sharable dish with ingredients you may already have at home. These easy snacks come together quickly and only require three ingredients, max. Whether you make them ahead of time or at the last minute, these simple bites will minimize your time in the kitchen but still impress every guest. Scroll through and get easy recipes for stuffed mushrooms, spinach pinwheels, cookie balls, mozzarella sticks, and more, that take only three ingredients or less.

01 of 16

Easy 3-Ingredient Cheese Pinwheels

close up view of Cheese Pinwheels on a white platter, on a red and white tablecloth
Happyschmoopies

This is my go-to finger food for any party—it's super quick and easy to make and all you need is puff pastry, cheese, and herbed cream cheese." —superchef

02 of 16

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

265781-sausage-stuffed-mushrooms-ii-photo-by-rocksoutforcheese
rocksoutforcheese

These crowd-pleasing three-ingredient stuffed mushrooms come together in a little over 20 minutes, and we guarantee your guests will wipe the plate clean. Of course, if you do have a little extra ingredients or time on hand, you can dress these up with spices, fresh herbs, and shredded cheese.

03 of 16

3-Ingredient Giant Grilled Cheese

A focaccia grilled cheese sandwich on a baking sheet cut into slices with a hand reaching in to pull one out causing beautiful cheese pulls.

Sara Haas

"The combination of tangy cheddar with creamy, melty gruyere is perfect for those epic cheese pulls." —Sara Haas

04 of 16

Cookie Balls

four white chocolate-covered Oreo cookie balls with drizzled dark chocolate garnish. One is cut open to show the chocolate cookie center
footballgrl16

These oh-so-easy cookie balls hardly require any cooking at all aside from melting the candy coating, so they're a great last-minute snack to put together with kids. For a finer consistency, grind the cookies in the blender or food processor before mixing them with cream cheese.

05 of 16

3-Ingredient Baked BBQ Chicken Wings

overhead looking down at a shallow bowl full of bbq chicken wings

DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 

Adding a bit of maple-flavored syrup to barbecue sauce brings a touch of richness and sweetness to the standard chicken wing. Be sure to bake these on an oven rack so the chicken's juices won't pool around and make the wings soggy.

06 of 16

Spinach Pinwheels

Spinach Pinwheels
smartt

In you're in a pinch before a party, these super easy pinwheels make a perfect last-minute appetizer. They're entirely made from store-bought shortcuts (crescent roll dough, frozen chopped spinach, and herbed cheese spread), but still have an elegant vibe.

07 of 16

Kale Krisps

Kale Krisps
Photo by shalaine_1.

What's easier than three-ingredient snacks? How about two-ingredient snacks! These cheesy kale bites come together in just 15 minutes, and they're an especially great option for vegetarians or low-carb dieters.

08 of 16

Easy Baked Mozzarella Sticks

3289727-easy-baked-mozzarella-sticks-photo-by-christina
Christina

This easy, cheesy snack is closer to cheesy bread than the traditional fried mozzarella stick, but that doesn't make the result any less delicious. If you prefer, you can mold the crescent dough into little balls like Allrecipes All-star Christina did in the photo.

09 of 16

Basic Keto Cheese Crisps

Basic Keto Cheese Crisps
Photo by Cris Waters.

Making an irresistible snack doesn't get much easier than these cheese crisps, which you can make using only one ingredient. You can dress them up with dried herbs or spices. If you have a nonstick pan, there's no need to use parchment paper. You can also prepare these in a muffin tin using cupcake liners.

10 of 16

Bacon Wrapped Smokies

Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Meredith

With these bacon-wrapped smokies, you double down on smoky pork flavor and the bacon gets a nice crunch from the brown sugar. Serve these in a slow cooker set on low so they won't get cold.

11 of 16

Olive Puffs

olives rolled in puff pastry on a plate
Allrecipes

These two-ingredient olive puffs can be made with any type of olive as long as it's pitted. They're an easy, ultra-savory snack, but they're also a great way to use up leftover olives. If you like, you can assemble these ahead of time and freeze; just allow the dough to thaw for 30 minutes before baking.

12 of 16

Chili Dip

chili dip with fritos on white plate
Tiffany J.

People can't get enough of chili or cream cheese-based dip, and this simple snack combines both. It's super simple, too—all you need to do is combine the ingredients and heat them up in the microwave.

13 of 16

Peanut Butter Fudge with Condensed Milk

Peanut Butter Fudge with Condensed Milk
Yoly

Fudge is already an easy dessert, but it gets even easier when you use just condensed milk, peanut butter chips, and butter. Let them cool in the fridge if you want them to set completely before slicing.

14 of 16

Keto Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers

7309771-keto-air-fryer-jalapeno-poppers-photo-by-france-c
France C.

"I went out and bought a new air fryer just to make this. Absotively posolutely scrumptious," says community member James Foley. Switch things up by using different flavors of cream cheese, such as herb, onion, or even jalapeño.

15 of 16

Sausage Balls

closeup of a row of crispy-looking golden brown meatballs made with sausage, biscuit mix, and cheese with a fork on the side
C.P.

Whether they're served as a snack or with breakfast, these sausage balls are a cinch to make and will disappear quickly. Don't cook the sausage ahead of time—cooking the baking mix and cheese with the sausage helps the ingredients bind together and provides the bulk of the flavor.

Was this page helpful?