30 Best Crockpot Appetizers

These bites feature sliced kielbasa simmered in a rich, glossy sauce that’s equal parts sweet, tangy, and savory. The sauce blends chili sauce, barbecue sauce, grape jelly, Worcestershire, garlic powder, and onion powder for big flavor with just a few pantry staples. Everything cooks low and slow in the crockpot, so the kielbasa soaks up the sauce with almost no hands-on effort. Served on toothpicks or straight from the slow cooker, they’re ideal for game days, parties, or even as a fun appetizer-turned-dinner over rice.

These are classic Buffalo-style wings made easier by letting the slow cooker handle the cooking instead of deep frying. The wings are coated in Buffalo sauce and cooked until they’re fall-off-the-bone tender and full of spicy flavor. A quick blast under the broiler finishes them with a caramelized, sticky coating that clings to every piece. Served with creamy ranch and veggies, they’re a guaranteed hit for game days, tailgates, and any appetizer platter.

This dip is a ultra-cheesy, saucy appetizer that turns classic pepperoni pizza flavors into a scoopable crowd-pleaser. Cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, and pepperoni melt together in the slow cooker into a thick, bubbly dip. It’s a true dump-and-go recipe, with the crockpot doing all the work while you get that gooey, stretchy cheese pull on top. Perfect for potlucks, parties, and game day spreads, this dip keeps warm in the crock so guests can keep snacking all night.

This is a beloved party classic made with meatballs simmered in a two-ingredient sauce of grape jelly and chili sauce. You can use homemade or frozen meatballs, but the magic is in the sweet-and-savory glaze that thickens and coats every bite. The slow cooker keeps everything warm and saucy for hours, making it perfect for grazing guests. With thousands of rave reviews, this is a tried-and-true appetizer for holidays, potlucks, and family gatherings.

This recipe turns cocktail sausages into a simple but addictive appetizer using just three ingredients: little smokies, chili sauce, and grape jelly. The sausages cook in the slow cooker until they’re plump and coated in a sweet, tangy sauce. It’s a true minimal-effort recipe with big payoff, relying entirely on the crockpot to handle the work. Ideal for the big game, New Year’s Eve, or any party, these bite-sized sausages are easy to serve with toothpicks and disappear fast from the buffet.

This dip is loaded with shredded chicken, cream cheese, ranch dressing, hot sauce, cheddar, mozzarella, and green onions for that classic buffalo wing flavor in a creamy, scoopable form. Everything melts together in the slow cooker into a rich, cheesy dip with just the right amount of heat. The texture is thick and hearty, so it clings beautifully to chips and veggies. It’s an easy, transportable choice for potlucks and tailgating.

These mushrooms are made with whole mushrooms slowly simmered in melted butter, dry ranch dressing mix, and Italian salad dressing mix for big flavor with just four ingredients. As they cook, the mushrooms turn tender and juicy, soaking up a rich, buttery herb-and-ranch coating. Everything goes straight into the slow cooker, making it a true hands-off appetizer you can forget about until serving time.

This recipe start with frozen or homemade meatballs simmered in a glossy sauce made from hoisin, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic powder, and brown sugar. As they cook, the meatballs soak up the sweet-and-savory Asian-style glaze, becoming tender and flavorful. A sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions on top adds a fresh, restaurant-style finish.

This recipe combines boneless chicken thighs with ranch seasoning, cream cheese, shredded cheddar, crispy bacon, and green onions for an ultra-creamy, savory mixture. The chicken cooks until tender, then gets shredded and folded into the melted cream cheese and cheese, so every bite is rich and flavorful. Bacon pieces and cheddar on top add salty crunch and extra cheesiness. Served with crackers, slider buns, or as a scoopable dip, it’s a hearty appetizer that feels indulgent.

This dip starts with taco-seasoned ground beef cooked with onion and jalapeño, then simmers in the slow cooker with Velveeta and Rotel. The result is a smooth, ultra-cheesy dip dotted with savory beef and just enough heat to keep things interesting. It stays melty and dippable in the crockpot, making it easy for guests to gather around and snack. Tailor-made for football season and potlucks, it’s the kind of appetizer that can easily become the star on the snack table.

This snack mix combines Chex cereal, mini pretzels, cheese crackers, and mixed nuts tossed in a buttery blend of Worcestershire, seasoned salt, garlic, and onion powder. Everything slowly toasts in the slow cooker, so the snack mix gets extra crunchy and deeply seasoned. It makes a big batch, so there’s plenty to scoop into bowls for snacking. This is an easy, hands-off option for holiday gatherings and movie nights.

These sliders use boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked low and slow with buffalo sauce and ranch dressing mix. The chicken is shredded right in the spicy sauce, then piled onto soft slider buns and finished with cool ranch dressing. You get all the classic buffalo wing flavor in a less messy, handheld form. They’re great for feeding a crowd at parties, tailgates, or game days when you want something hearty but still appetizer-sized.

This dip is made with cream cheese, sharp cheddar, lager beer, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper, melted together into a smooth, rich dip. The beer adds a subtle tang and depth that keeps the cheese from tasting flat. Served straight from the slow cooker with chips, pretzels, and even bratwurst, it stays warm and melty for hours. This is a fun, pub-style appetizer that's perfect for the Super Bowl!

These wings are tossed in a sauce made from honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, onion and garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne. They cook in the crockpot until tender, soaking up a sweet, salty, and slightly spicy glaze. A sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions on top gives them a polished, party-ready look. They’re an easy set-and-forget appetizer that works well for family gatherings, potlucks, and game day wing platters.

These start with frozen meatballs simmered in a sauce of Frank’s Red Hot, honey, apricot preserves, brown sugar, soy sauce, and cornstarch. The meatballs become tender and juicy while the sauce thickens into a glossy, sweet-heat coating. This saucy meatball dish is ideal for parties, holiday buffets, and any event where you want a warm, flavorful appetizer that disappears fast.

This BBQ Chicken uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts simmered in a simple sauce of barbecue sauce, grated onion, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and a splash of olive oil until it’s fall-apart tender. The meat is shredded right in the crock and stirred back into the sweet, smoky sauce so every bite is coated. Piled onto soft rolls with crunchy slaw and pickles, it makes fantastic BBQ chicken sliders. It’s an easy way to serve a big batch of handheld sandwiches for parties, potlucks, or game day grazing.

This delicious dip is packed with shredded mozzarella, cream cheese, Parmesan, canned artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, garlic, and black pepper. Everything melts together in a small crockpot into a rich, stretchy dip that’s loaded with veggies but still tastes ultra cheesy and indulgent. It’s served with crackers, tortilla chips, or toasted bread. This is a classic party dip that works well for holidays, potlucks, and big-game spreads where everyone hangs out around the snack table.

The one layers browned ground beef with onion, poblano, and jalapeño, then simmers it in the crockpot with beef broth, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and cornstarch. Near the end, shredded Mexican cheese is stirred in and melted on top so you get a thick, cheesy, taco-style mixture. Garnished with black olives, tomatoes, and cilantro, it really does taste like your favorite beef tacos in dip form. Served with tortilla chips, it’s a hearty, crowd-sized appetizer that’s perfect for parties, tailgates, and game nights.

This dip combines fire-roasted corn, diced jalapeños, sour cream, Mexican blend cheese, and cubed cream cheese for a creamy, slightly smoky base. Once it’s hot and bubbly, it’s topped with crispy crumbled bacon and sliced green onions for extra flavor and texture. The dip stays warm and delicious right in the slow cooker so guests can scoop it throughout the party. Paired with tortilla chips or corn chips, it’s a fun jalapeño-popper twist on corn dip that’s especially good for football Sundays and casual get-togethers.

This barbacoa starts with a chuck roast cooked low and slow in a blended marinade of chipotle peppers in adobo, adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, red onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and beef broth or bouillon. After hours in the crockpot, the beef becomes incredibly tender and soaks up all those smoky, tangy, chile-forward flavors. The meat is lightly shredded and left to sit in the juices so it stays moist and intensely seasoned. You can serve it over tortilla chips with cheese and your favorite toppings. These nachos are perfect for feeding a hungry crowd on game day.

These sliders start with a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage rolled into meatballs and slow-cooked in a marinara sauce until tender and flavorful. The meatballs are tucked into soft slider buns, topped with mozzarella, and briefly broiled so the cheese melts and the bread toasts. Each bite is saucy, cheesy, and loaded with Italian-inspired flavor. Served on a platter, they make a hearty handheld appetizer that works perfectly for parties, potlucks, and game days.

These wings are simmered in a sauce made from soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, honey, garlic, Sriracha, ginger, and onion powder. The wings cook until ultra tender in the crockpot, soaking up the sweet, tangy, and lightly spicy sauce. A quick broil at the end caramelizes the glaze and gives the skin a slightly charred, sticky finish. Piled onto a tray with extra sauce, they’re a standout appetizer for game day, casual parties, and any gathering where wings are a must.

These meatballs are made from ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, eggs, onion, garlic, and parsley, shaped into meatballs and browned before being placed in the slow cooker. They simmer in a bold firecracker sauce of buffalo sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce that’s both sweet and spicy. The meatballs come out juicy and coated in a glossy, flavorful glaze.