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Snack & Appetizers

Savory Snowmen

Savory Snowmen: a quick no-cook appetizer with bread, cream cheese and tuna that wins over grown-ups and kids alike.
Recipe Savory Snowmen
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Preparation 5 minutes
  • Servings for 8 savory snowmen

If you want to bring a touch of cheer to the table during the holidays, this savory snowmen recipe is for you: an appetizer with cream cheese that wins over grown-ups and kids alike with its eye-catching presentation and great taste. While the traditional courses take center stage, surprising your guests with white bread snowmen is the perfect way to kick off family celebrations.

These savory party snacks are also a winning solution if you’re looking for savory Christmas ideas that are creative and quick to make, without giving up that pinch of magic only holiday dishes can bring. Imagine the curiosity and wonder of the children when they see this creative appetizer for kids on the plate, ready to be enjoyed. The soft center of tuna and cream cheese is wrapped in soft layers of white bread, while ham creates lovely details and an even richer touch of flavor, making these snowmen with ham a must among simple Christmas finger foods.

Putting together these snowmen served cold is great fun: all you need is carrots for the noses, black pepper for the eyes and fresh rosemary to complete the look of your creations. You can make them ahead and keep them in the fridge, leaving you free to work on other dishes or relax with your family. For a quick appetizer with olives, just add a few black olives for the hats or buttons, to make each snowman unique.

If you like experimenting with showstopping Christmas recipes, don’t miss the Savory Christmas Log, the Christmas Canapés, the Parmesan Puff Pastry Snowflakes, the Savory Bread Wreath or the Panettone Baskets with Gorgonzola and Prosciutto to complete your holiday buffet. Let them inspire you and create an appetizer menu that will make your Christmas unforgettable.

Ingredients for 8 savory snowmen

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Method

  1. To make the savory snowmen, start by taking the slices of sandwich bread (the long, rectangular crustless ones) and tearing them roughly into a food processor or mini chopper; pulse until the bread turns into fine, even crumbs, then take out about 100 g and set it aside on a flat plate, because you’ll need it later for the outer coating.
    Blending sandwich bread into fine crumbs
  2. In the food processor bowl with the rest of the crumbs, now add the cream cheese, the well-drained tuna in oil, a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of ground black pepper, then blend everything again until you have a firm, smooth, moldable mixture.
    Blending the crumbs with cream cheese and tuna
  3. Take the mixture and start shaping your balls between your palms: you’ll need 16 balls in all, 8 slightly larger ones (for the bodies) and 8 a little smaller (for the heads), each roughly a bit bigger than a walnut.
    Shaping the tuna and cheese mixture into balls
  4. Gently roll all the balls in the bread crumbs you set aside at the start, coating the surface completely, to look like fresh white snow.
    Rolling the balls in bread crumbs
  5. Now work on the decorations: peel a carrot and cut it into rounds for the hats and into small pointed triangles for the classic carrot noses; for the hats, thread onto a toothpick first a larger carrot round and then a smaller one (or the tip of the carrot), to look like a top hat or a winter cap.
    Carrot rounds and triangles for the hats and noses
  6. Assemble your snowmen by placing a small ball on top of a large one and securing them together with the toothpick you just prepared with the carrot hat, pushing it all the way down to make the snowman stable.
  7. Finish by pressing in the black peppercorns for the eyes and the buttons on the body, place the carrot triangle in the center of the face for the nose and, finally, use small sprigs of rosemary with the lower needles removed to make arms on either side of the body. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

As well as varying the flavor of the mixture, you can customize the decorations, using black olives for the hats or red bell peppers for scarves and colorful details.

Tips

If you don’t like tuna, you can replace it with blended smoked salmon, chopped black olives or herbs for a more delicate flavor. For a vegetarian version, you can use a mix of cheeses and chopped vegetables.

Storage

You can keep the savory snowmen in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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