It’s almost Thanksgiving, and you’ve thought of everything for your main meal: turkey, potatoes, dressing, and your family’s favorite sides. You’ve made or ordered your desserts. But what about your appetizers? If you are doing some last-minute scrambling to figure this part out, no worries — here are three very easy appetizers that look far more elaborate than they actually are.

Each of these can be made in about 20 minutes. Two require about five minutes of prep time, followed by baking for 15 minutes. One requires no oven time at all and only about 15 minutes of prep. These are EASY.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

  • Boursin cheese
  • White mushrooms (a large pack with over 18 mushrooms)
  • Spray olive oil
  • Optional: bread crumbs and chives

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the stem of the mushrooms by gently twisting them. Then, stuff each mushroom with some Boursin cheese. Depending on the size of the mushrooms, you can usually stuff 15 to 18 mushrooms. Sprinkle some breadcrumbs on top of each mushroom. Then, place them on a cookie sheet and spray the stuffed mushrooms with olive oil. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove and add a little piece of chive to each mushroom. Let cool for five minutes, and serve!

Whole white mushrooms in the package with a package of Boursin cheese.
Start with whole white mushrooms and Boursin cheese.
hollowed out mushrooms with boursin cheese
Hollow out the mushroom by gently twisting the stem to remove it. Use a spoon if there are any extra parts to remove.
Stuffed mushrooms ready for the oven.
Once stuffed, they are ready to be (optionally) topped with breadcrumbs. Then, use an olive oil spray to keep the mushrooms from drying out before you place them in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Cooked stuffed mushrooms with bousin cheese
When removed from the oven, place a teeny piece of chive on each one to make them look extra special. Place on a platter and serve!

Wrapped + Baked Brie

Ingredients:

  • One 8 oz. round of brie cheese
  • One tube of Pillsbury Crescent Dough Sheet

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a cookie sheet, roll out the Pillsbury Crescent Dough Sheet. Scrape the white rind of the brie off the top and bottom of the round, then place the brie in the middle of the dough sheet and wrap it around it. (See photos below). Next, score the top like you are making a tic-tac-toe board. Bake it in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, then serve it with pear or apple slices. No need for crackers!

Brie wrapped with crescent dough.
Just wrap that crescent dough over the brie — don’t overthink it!
Brie covered with pastry dough and scored.
Cut into the top of the dough, making a pattern like a tic-tac-toe board. Consider this a “heavy score” in the pastry.
Baked brie in a store-bought pastry dough.
After about 15 to 18 minutes, your baked brie is so pretty! Remove it from the oven and place it on a platter with pears, apples, or both.
Baked brie oozing out onto the platter with cut pears.
If you look closely, you can see the brie oozing out once the bread has been cut. Also, note that the red pear really makes this presentation pop! If I had just used green pear, there would not be enough color contrast.

Prosciutto Wrapped Spinach + Blue Cheese

Ingredients:

  • Prosciutto
  • Baby spinach
  • Gorgonzola or blue cheese (or your favorite strong cheese)
  • Dried cranberries
  • Pine nuts

Lay out the prosciutto and top each piece with a couple of spinach leaves. Sprinkle with blue cheese or Gorgonzola, 3 to 4 dried cranberries, and 6 to 8 pine nuts. Roll it all up and place it on a platter. I like to serve this along with a variety of olives.

Prosciutto ham with spinach, blue cheese, cranberries, and pine nuts.
Just lay flat, layer, and roll! These prosciutto rollups are always a hit.
Prosciutto rollups with olives
Serve with olives for a tasty combination.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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See our collection of Thanksgiving recipes HERE.

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About the Author
Liza Graves

As CEO of StyleBlueprint, Liza also regularly writes for SB. Most of her writing is now found in the recipe archives as cooking is her stress relief!