Pretty Prosciutto Rose Appetizers (2024)

I used these for a pretty Christmas party appetizer assortment recently, and they were such a hit! They looked like precious little Christmas roses. The dill gave them a “wintery” feel among the other more holiday-inspired canapés.

I love prosciutto roses for appetizers, but I also love them for co*cktails too! They make lovely garnishes for dry co*cktails that are traditionally served with olives.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

They’re simply gorgeous – They’re so pretty and dainty. They’re such impressive little appetizers that are so simple to put together.

They take 20 minutes or less to make – Depending on how quickly you can roll your little prosciutto roses, you might have these prepped and served in less than 20 minutes!

They can be made and refrigerated an hour ahead of time– I find the rice crackers start to get a little stale after an hour, but until then, they’re perfectly delicious. And you can even prep the little roses the day before, so all you have to do is pop them on the crackers with a little cream cheese and dill, and be ready to serve in no time at all.

Ingredient Notes

Prosciutto – Be sure to use a brand that separates the slices with wax paper or plastic, otherwise it will be very difficult to separate the pieces and make perfect roses.

Whipped Cream Cheese – Make sure to get whipped cheese, instead of traditional cream cheese or it will be a bit tricky to pipe onto the crackers. You can also use other creamy cheeses like Boursin or rindless brie.

How to Make These Appetizers – Step by Step

1. Using kitchen scissors, cut a slice of prosciutto off of a piece that’s about a half-inch wide. I find it’s easier to cut with the plastic still attached.

2. Carefully peel the plastic away and gently roll the piece into a rose. I’ll make 2 different sizes. One, using a whole cut piece and others, using just half. Make 36 little roses.

3. Pipe a circle of whipped cream cheese onto a rice cracker and place 3 prosciutto roses on the left side.

4. Add 2 small dill fronds on the top and bottom. Serve cold.

1. How long will they last?

They can be made an hour ahead of time before going a bit stale in the fridge, but if you were to use a more stable cracker, like a Ritz or even cucumber slices, they would last even longer.

2. Can I use another meat like salami?

I find prosciutto is the best sliced meat for small roses like these. They don’t unravel and don’t dry out quickly. But you could potentially use a thinly sliced ham or other very thinly sliced meats.

3. What can I serve with these appetizers?

That depends on the theme of your party, but elegant deviled eggs, a beautiful seasonal crudités or colorful crostini would make a delightful pairing. They went so beautifully with an assortment of easy, cute and classy holiday appetizers I made this season, too!

A Few Tips

1. As mentioned above, be sure your prosciutto is separated by plastic or wax paper. You’ll have a heck of a time separating the prosciutto slices if they aren’t nicely separated in the packaging.

2. The fresher the dill, the more beautiful. I find dill can go limp just a day after purchasing (in NY, anyway), so I make sure to get it day-of to ensure it’s as fresh as it can be.

3. A pastry piping bag really is essential. I would highly suggest piping the cheese instead of just spooning it on. It looks so much more elegant and professional when piped. If you don’t have a pastry piping bag, you can cut a little hole in the bottom of a sandwich bag and have a similar effect.