11 Award-Worthy Starters and Sips for Oscar Night

By Jenn Segal

Snack like you’re a star on Oscar night. From gougères to pomegranate sangria, you’ll want to roll out the red carpet for these starters and sips.

Gougères (French Cheese Puffs)

Slightly warm with a crisp shell and a cheesy, pillowy interior, gougères are the perfect little bite to pop in your mouth between sips of sparkling wine or cocktails.
Baked Brie en Croûte with Honey, Dried Cherries, Rosemary & Pecans

This warm and creamy Brie topped with honey, dried cherries and nuts encased in golden puff pastry is elegant and easy.
Cheddar & Herb Cheese Straws

Wildly addictive and fun to serve, these crisp and flaky cheese straws specked with fresh herbs make a wonderful hors d’oeuvre to go along with wine and cocktails. They’re also delicious with a bowl of soup.
Mudslide

Half dessert/half cocktail, a mudslide is the perfect adult treat to cap off the night. And you only need three ingredients to make them: Kahlua, vodka, and Baileys.
Pimento Cheese

Pimento cheese is a tangy and creamy Southern spread made from sharp Cheddar, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and jarred pimentos. Spread it on crackers, crudités, sandwiches, or even burgers.
Nigella Lawson’s Party Popcorn

Sweet, salty, and spiced with an exotic blend of cinnamon, cumin and paprika, this popcorn is downright habit-forming.
Creamy Whipped Feta Dip

This is an American riff on htipiti, the salty, tangy feta spread that’s typically served as part of a Mediterranean mezze.
Candied Bacon

Start with thick-cut applewood smoked bacon and slather it with a maple syrup, brown sugar, and chipotle glaze halfway through cooking — as the bacon cooks, the glaze sizzles and thickens into a shiny, candy-like coating. It’s addictive!
L’Auberge Chez François Herbed Cottage Cheese Spread

Simple and elegant, this creamy blend of cottage cheese, sour cream, garlic, scallions and fresh herbs comes from the acclaimed L’Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls, VA.
Union Square Cafe Rosemary Nuts

Sweet, salty, spicy, and rosemary-infused, these are the perfect nibbling food. And they’re so easy to make! Serve them with cocktails, enjoy them as a snack, or give them as a gift. But don’t say I didn’t warn you: they are crazy addictive!
Pomegranate Sangria

This beautiful, bold sangria is made from red wine, pomegranate juice, brandy, orange liqueur and lots of fruit. Go ahead and make it ahead of time — it’s best when the fruit has a chance to steep in the punch overnight. Cheers!