19 Kentucky Derby Appetizers That Keep Guests Reaching Before the Race Starts

The TV stays on in the background, making a low hum of noise while we wait for the big race. I don’t know much about the horses, but I do know people need good food they can eat while standing up. Even though it’s not as hot here as it is in Kentucky, everyone still loves to gather around a table full of salty snacks. These are the recipes I put out when the clock is ticking, and nobody wants to sit down for a real meal.

Buffalo chicken sliders topped with herbs and sliced green onions on a white plate. — Easy Buffalo Chicken Sliders. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Baked Blue Cheese Dip

A round glass dish filled with a baked cheesy casserole topped with chopped green chives. Two triangular blue corn tortilla chips are inserted upright on one side of the dish. — Baked Blue Cheese Dip. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The cheese gets all bubbly and brown around the edges of the dish while it bakes. This hot dip has a sharp taste that goes great with a crunchy cracker or a slice of apple. It is a bold choice that brings a lot of flavor to the party. I always see people looking for the crusty bits at the very edge of the pan.
Get the Recipe: Baked Blue Cheese Dip

No-Cook Hot Pepper Jelly Dip with Cream Cheese

A hand dips a chip into a cheesy dip topped with red sauce and chopped green onions. — No-Cook Hot Pepper Jelly Dip with Cream Cheese. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Sweet red jelly slides over a block of cold cream cheese the second I tip the jar. This snack shows how well salt and sugar work together. It comes together in minutes with no cooking. We usually finish the whole thing while the horses are still getting ready for the Kentucky Derby.
Get the Recipe: No-Cook Hot Pepper Jelly Dip with Cream Cheese

Crockpot Crab Dip

A bowl of creamy dip garnished with lemon slices and green onions, served with slices of baguette. — Crockpot Crab Dip. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Steam rises from the slow cooker and makes the room smell like spices and cream. This rich dip stays warm all afternoon during the race coverage. It lets you focus on your friends instead of the kitchen. The bread rounds disappear faster than I can slice them.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Crab Dip

Easy BBQ Chicken Sliders

Several barbecue chicken sliders with coleslaw on golden buns are arranged on a wooden surface. — Easy BBQ Chicken Sliders. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Sweet sauce coats the shredded meat inside soft white rolls. These small sandwiches keep everyone happy while they wait for the race. They feel like a meal but won't make you feel too heavy. I have seen kids finish three of these before the first bugle call.
Get the Recipe: Easy BBQ Chicken Sliders

Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli

A hand dips a crispy, breaded zucchini chip into a bowl of marinara sauce. — Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The pasta shells turn gold and get a nice crunch in the air fryer. This is a great finger food because it is dry and won't make a mess on your furniture. It is easy to make a big batch for a Kentucky Derby party and serve them fast. I put a bowl of red sauce in the middle for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

A hand dips a slice of pizza roll with visible cheese and pepperoni into a bowl of red marinara sauce. A basil leaf is partially visible in the background, resting on a wooden surface. — Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Rolls. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The spicy oil from the pepperoni soaks into the dough while these bake. These bites are better than the kind you find in a frozen box at the store. They feel homemade, and your guests will notice. It is fun to have someone help pinch the edges of the dough shut.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

Garlic Butter Pepperoni Pizza Muffins

Three muffin-shaped pieces of pull-apart bread with melted cheese and pepperoni are stacked on a plate. A small bowl of dip and more bread pieces are visible in the background. — Garlic Butter Pepperoni Pizza Muffins. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The smell of garlic hits you the moment you open the oven door. These muffins hold their shape, so they are easy to pass around a crowded room. They stay neat to eat but still have a huge pizza flavor. I brush them with extra butter right before I put them on the table.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Pepperoni Pizza Muffins

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip

A bowl of buffalo chicken dip garnished with celery sticks, carrot sticks, chips, and sprinkled cheese. — Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

A little bit of orange butter pools on top of this spicy, shredded chicken. This dip is a classic because it is hard to stop eating once you start. It stays perfectly warm in the slow cooker for hours during the Derby. We keep the spice mild so the kids can dig in too.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Jalapeño Popper Loaded Cheese Fries

Crinkle-cut fries topped with cheese, bacon, jalapeños, green onions, and drizzled with ranch sauce. — Jalapeño Popper Loaded Cheese Fries. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Melted cheese stretches between the fries as you lift them onto your plate. These fries are a big, cheesy treat that works for a long afternoon of snacking. They bring bold flavor to your spread. The peppers add a fresh pop of heat that makes the cheese taste better.
Get the Recipe: Jalapeño Popper Loaded Cheese Fries

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Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Dip

Cheesy baked dip in a skillet topped with cilantro, served with tortilla chips and lime slices on the side. — Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Dip. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The cheese melts with the chiles and spices, picking up a light smokiness. This pan is best served with thick chips that won't break when you scoop up the chicken. It adds something different to the table without much work. The dish is always scraped clean by the time the starting gates open.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Dip

Easy Buffalo Chicken Sliders

A plate of cheesy buffalo chicken sliders topped with chopped green onions and melted butter. — Easy Buffalo Chicken Sliders. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The hot sauce soaks into the bottom of the bun as it sits. These sliders come together in big batches and get picked up between sips of cold drinks. I stick a toothpick through the middle so the pickles stay in place.
Get the Recipe: Easy Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Loaded Baked Potato Bites

Mini baked potatoes topped with sour cream, bacon bits, cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions. — Loaded Baked Potato Bites. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The potatoes roast until the edges crisp and the centers stay soft. Roasted potato bites have sour cream, chives, and bacon on top, the kind of thing that fits on the table before the race starts. They get picked up by hand and don’t stay on the plate long.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Baked Potato Bites

Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich

Pulled pork sandwich topped with coleslaw, served with potato chips on a white plate. — Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The pork cooks low and slow until it pulls apart easily. Pulled pork sandwiches pile high on soft buns, the kind of thing that fits on the table before the race starts. Slaw stays on the side and gets added as the sandwiches come together.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich

Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

Plate of bacon-wrapped peppers filled with cheese, garnished with parsley, next to a grated cheese block and grater on a wooden board. — Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The cheese melts inside the peppers while the outside turns crisp. Air fryer jalapeño poppers stay light without losing that crunch, the kind of snack that fits on the table before the race starts. I make sure to remove the seeds so the heat is manageable.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters With Feta

A hand dips a fried zucchini fritter into a small bowl of white cream sauce on a gray plate. Other fritters and lemon wedges are arranged around the bowl on a marble surface. — Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters With Feta. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The edges are crisp while the inside stays soft with melted feta. Zucchini fritters with feta bring something lighter to a table of heavier bites, a quiet part of what keeps things moving before the race. A squeeze of lemon sits on top as they’re passed around.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters With Feta

Longhorn Steakhouse Parmesan Crusted Spinach Dip

A close-up of spinach artichoke dip on a cracker held by a hand. The dip is creamy with visible green spinach and bits of artichoke. The background shows a baking dish filled with the dip. — Longhorn Steakhouse Parmesan Crusted Spinach Dip. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The top bakes into a golden layer while the spinach stays soft underneath. Parmesan spinach dip comes out thick and warm, something that holds its place on the table before the race starts. The bottom gets scraped clean with bread.
Get the Recipe: Longhorn Steakhouse Parmesan Crusted Spinach Dip

Homemade Big Mac Sliders

Four cheeseburger sliders with lettuce and pickles on a white plate, topped with sesame seed buns. — Homemade Big Mac Sliders. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Special sauce and lettuce give these tiny burgers a taste everyone knows. Making them at home means the meat is fresh and the buns are toasted for the big race. They have that fast-food flavor but taste much better. The sesame seeds might get everywhere, but nobody seems to mind.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Big Mac Sliders

Seven Layer Vegetarian Dip

A hand dips a tortilla chip into a layered dip in a glass bowl. The dip consists of chopped tomatoes, green onions, cheese, beans, guacamole, and sour cream, arranged in visible layers. The bowl is on a marble surface, with more chips in the background. — Seven Layer Vegetarian Dip. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Beans and cool guacamole make a base for the olives and tomatoes on top. This cold dish feels good if the house gets warm from having so many people over. It has a fresh touch to a table full of hot food.
Get the Recipe: Seven Layer Vegetarian Dip

Nashville Hot Chicken Dip

A plate of creamy dip topped with pickles, green onions, and croutons, served with crackers on the side. — Nashville Hot Chicken Dip. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

The red oil and peppers give this dip a heat that stays with you. This is the one to serve guests who really love a spicy kick. It makes the snack table more exciting. We serve it with plenty of plain crackers to help cool things down.
Get the Recipe: Nashville Hot Chicken Dip