The Big Game is almost here. Are you ready to host? If this is your first year, you may be struggling to come up with a menu that’s fun, delicious and game day-ready. Luckily, we’ve compiled our favorite football recipes so you can impress your guests. Sweet or savory, air fried or slow-cooked, these themed dishes are perfect for the Big Game.
1. Pregame Bites
Hosting can be a lot of work, especially if you’re making a lot of food. This is probably one of the easiest football recipes you’ll find and it comes together in minutes—and all you need is a hand mixer. Let the cream cheese spread chill while you prepare other dishes or finish cleaning up before your company arrives. Once the spread is chilled, assembly is simple. We love these football-shaped snacks because they’re both easy to make and easy to eat so your guests won’t leave crumbs on the couch. It can easily be made meatless, too.
Don’t let your guests wait for the game on an empty stomach. Prepare these pregame snacks to keep them happy! This recipe is super easy to make with the simplest ingredients, and there’s no doubt that your guest will enjoy these bites!
In a large mixing bowl, add in the softened cream cheese, minced garlic, parsley, basil, chives, and milk. With an electric hand mixer, mix ingredients on MEDIUM. Mix until everything is combined and smooth. Let the spread chill in the fridge for an hour or until you serve.
While the spread is chilling the in fridge, you can cut out your cheese slices into football shapes with a football cookie cutter or use a knife to cut out a football-like shape.
Take a cracker, spread the garlic and herb mixture onto a cracker. Top with a pepperoni slice then a football cheese slice. Omit pepperoni slices for a meatless option. Top the crackers with chive stems to make laces on a football.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, add in the softened cream cheese, minced garlic, parsley, basil, chives, and milk. With an electric hand mixer, mix ingredients on MEDIUM. Mix until everything is combined and smooth. Let the spread chill in the fridge for an hour or until you serve.
While the spread is chilling the in fridge, you can cut out your cheese slices into football shapes with a football cookie cutter or use a knife to cut out a football-like shape.
Take a cracker, spread the garlic and herb mixture onto a cracker. Top with a pepperoni slice then a football cheese slice. Omit pepperoni slices for a meatless option. Top the crackers with chive stems to make laces on a football.
2. Game-Winning Smokies
Another delicious and easy snack for the big game is our Game-Winning Smokies. They come together in the slow cooker, making them another appetizer you can set and forget while you set up. The blend of sweet and spicy appeals to just about anyone, and you probably have most of the ingredients already. Set your slow cooker to Warm once they’re done cooking—your guests to enjoy them hot and ready at any point in the game.
These little smokies are packed with a sweet and spicy flavor and are incredibly easy to make. Just throw everything in a slow cooker before your guests arrive. This recipe will sure be a winner at your football party!
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, sriracha, and garlic and mix together.
Place little smokies in a slow cooker and pour the sauce over the sausages.
Stir so every sausage is evenly coated. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for 4, stirring occasionally.
Ingredients
Directions
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, sriracha, and garlic and mix together.
Place little smokies in a slow cooker and pour the sauce over the sausages.
Stir so every sausage is evenly coated. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for 4, stirring occasionally.
3. Big Game Air Fryer Chicken Wings
If you read our post about hosting for game day, you already know how much we love air fryers. This recipe is perfect for your countertop cooker, and what food says football party more than wings? They’re easy to make and the air fryer makes them super crispy. Once they’re done frying up, toss them in the easy 2-ingredient buffalo sauce. We love that you can easily control the spoce level depending on which hot sauce you use.
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1. Prep the chicken wings. If full wings, separate them into drums and flats. Make sure they are defrosted. Pat them until they are completely dry.
2. Place the wings into a bowl and drizzle olive oil over them. Toss to coat. Add garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss to completely coat the wings.
3. Preheat the Air Fryer at 400°F for 2 minutes. Add wings in a single layer to the air fryer (they should NOT be touching), and cook for 10 minutes at 400°F.
4. To make the sauce: Add melted butter with hot sauce to a bowl and whisk until completely combined.
5. Add the chicken wings to the buffalo sauce, toss to coat.
6. Add coated wings back to the air fryer. Cook 8 more minutes at 400°F.
7. Remove from air fryer and brush on more sauce if desired. Serve immediately
Ingredients
Directions
1. Prep the chicken wings. If full wings, separate them into drums and flats. Make sure they are defrosted. Pat them until they are completely dry.
2. Place the wings into a bowl and drizzle olive oil over them. Toss to coat. Add garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss to completely coat the wings.
3. Preheat the Air Fryer at 400°F for 2 minutes. Add wings in a single layer to the air fryer (they should NOT be touching), and cook for 10 minutes at 400°F.
4. To make the sauce: Add melted butter with hot sauce to a bowl and whisk until completely combined.
5. Add the chicken wings to the buffalo sauce, toss to coat.
6. Add coated wings back to the air fryer. Cook 8 more minutes at 400°F.
7. Remove from air fryer and brush on more sauce if desired. Serve immediately
4. Football Brownies
And of course, you can’t forget dessert! What’s more perfect for the biggest game of the season than football-shaped brownies? This recipe uses the same football-shaped cookie cutter as the pregame bites so you can get more use out of it. If your kids are watching with you, having them help ice the brownies is a fun way to get them involved. This is another recipe that you can set and forget; make something else while the brownies bake.
Enjoy these football shaped treats during the game. These fudgy brownies will keep your guests wanting more!
First, preheat your oven to 375F. Lightly grease your baking pan and then set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add in the ingredients in the following order- flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking powder, eggs, butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
Once you have combined the ingredients, using an electric hand mixer– beat the mixture until it’s smooth. Then once the mixture is smooth, pour the batter into baking pan.
Bake the brownies for about 25-30 minutes. Poke the brownies with a toothpick, if the toothpick comes out clean then the brownies are ready.
Take out the brownies when they are done, then let them cool down before you start cutting. After the brownies have cooled down, start making cutting your brownies into football shapes using a football shaped cookie cutter.
Then, take each football and spread chocolate fudge frosting on top and use vanilla icing as the lacing on the football.
Ingredients
Directions
First, preheat your oven to 375F. Lightly grease your baking pan and then set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add in the ingredients in the following order- flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking powder, eggs, butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
Once you have combined the ingredients, using an electric hand mixer– beat the mixture until it’s smooth. Then once the mixture is smooth, pour the batter into baking pan.
Bake the brownies for about 25-30 minutes. Poke the brownies with a toothpick, if the toothpick comes out clean then the brownies are ready.
Take out the brownies when they are done, then let them cool down before you start cutting. After the brownies have cooled down, start making cutting your brownies into football shapes using a football shaped cookie cutter.
Then, take each football and spread chocolate fudge frosting on top and use vanilla icing as the lacing on the football.
Find More Football Recipes from Abt
These are definitely our favorite football recipes, but the culinary creativity doesn’t stop there. Be sure to browse our other recipes if you’re looking for something specific. If this is your first year hosting the Big Game at your place, be sure to check out our hosting tips and must-haves so you and your friends enjoy every minute of the action.
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