Make Meaty Hors D'oeurves More Fun With A Cake-Pop Inspired Twist

Whether you're having a chill night with friends or experimenting with unconventional hors d'oeuvres recipes to surprise your dinner guests, there are many ways to entertain that range from basic tried-and-true snacks to those of a more creative variety. While a viral recipe launched cake pops into everlasting popularity, these treats are typically served for dessert. If you want to give your savory appetizers a flourish, give them a makeover inspired by cake pops. You can do this by swapping out the typical toothpicks for your meatball appetizers with lollipop sticks, dipping those meatballs on sticks in BBQ sauce, and then rolling them in breadcrumbs. You certainly don't have to stop at meatballs, though. 

The key to a cake pop-style meat appetizer comes down to presentation. It doesn't necessarily have to look like a sweet treat, but it does have to be portable on a stick without the risk of a drippy mess. As such, breadcrumbs make an excellent coating to "lock" everything in. Knowing there are also plenty of easy substitutes for panko breadcrumbs, you can tailor your choice of crispy coating to match whatever meat you've got on your stick and complementary sauce. Between sausages, steak, chicken, shrimp, and more, there's nearly no limit to how you can elevate your savory apps to new heights of style and satisfying taste.

Considering the composition of a cake pop, you can easily translate this to savory meat-based appetizers. In fact, think of your "meat pops" in a similar vein to kebabs, but in an individual format. Knowing there are lots of great ways to use skewers other than kebabs, you can build your meaty snacks from there. Grab a package of Eco-friendly Wooden Ball Food Picks if the you feel design is better suited to your meat than a typical cake pop stick. Make sure you properly cook your meat before skewering individual pieces for serving, and choose sauces and crumb coatings in coordinating flavors.

For example, take a cue from a savory Texas sausage kolaches recipe and grill up your favorite smoked sausages before popping them on a stick, dipping them in a cheese sauce, and finishing them off with a zesty breadcrumb coating. If you want to try a Mediterranean twist, try a riff on grilled za'atar chicken that you've pre-cooked, cut up, and individually skewered. Dip this in a harissa sauce and coat with crushed pita chips. You can also try this with a Thanksgiving-style turkey meatballs recipe using a coating of herbed breadcrumbs. However you want to cake pop-style your meats, these hors d'oeuvres are sure to be a hit.