Okay, Let’s Be Honest—These Are Ridiculously Easy and Festive

Hey there! Okay, confession time—these Easy Spinach Artichoke Wonton Cups have gotten me out of more last-minute Christmas appetizer jams than I care to admit. I remember the first time I made them, it was one of those years where I’d promised (cheerfully, for some reason) to bring something “homemade and cute” to our family holiday party. Well, 3 hours before the thing, I was raiding the fridge and there—hidden like a very un-festive elf—was a pack of wonton wrappers I’d forgotten about, half a tub of spinach artichoke dip, and a mild sense of panic. But you know what? Magic happened. They came out of the oven all crisp and bubbling and bright, and now my cousins text me in October to make sure I’m bringing them again. Family—go figure.

Why You’re Going to Love These (Even If You Kinda Hate Fuss)

I make these when I want to look put-together but haven’t really planned ahead (which I’d like to say is rare, but, um… hi). My family goes nuts for them because they’re easy to grab, not fussy, and frankly—it’s spinach artichoke dip in a crispy little cup. What is not to love? Plus—and this is big for me—no weirdly soggy toast rounds or messes on the cheese tray. Everything just kinda stays where it belongs. Side note: once I tried using fresh spinach instead of frozen and forgot to squeeze it out well. Don’t do that. You don’t want soupy cups! Honestly, just use what’s in the freezer. Your future self will thank you.

What You’ll Need (And What You Can Improvise With)

24 wonton wrappers (store brand, fancy brand—no one cares)
1¼ cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I’ve used fresh in a pinch, but like I said, you really have to squeeze it; otherwise, it’s a swamp in there)
1 cup canned or jarred artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (my grandmother always insisted on the artichokes from Trader Joe’s, but let’s be real—any jar will do)
½ cup cream cheese, room temp (one time I swapped in ricotta; it was… interesting, but a bit too sweet for me, honestly)
⅓ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (either works, though the yogurt gives a bit more tang)
⅓ cup mayo (again, I’ve cut it with more Greek yogurt when we were out; no one noticed!)
1 cup shredded mozzarella (I’ve even used a pre-shredded pizza blend if that’s all I’ve had handy)
¼ cup grated parmesan (if I’m low, I add a sprinkling of cheddar instead for color)
2 garlic cloves, minced (powder works in a pinch, about 1 tsp)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes (optional, but the little kick is festive, right?)

Making the Cups—Step by Casual Step

Preheat your oven to 350°F (or about 180°C, depending on your mood, honestly—one time I did 375 and they browned a bit too quick). Grab a 12-cup muffin tin. Spray it lightly or dab a little oil in the cups. (Don’t skip this unless you love doing extra dish scrubbing.)
Press a wonton wrapper gently into each muffin cup. Try to keep the corners up so they get all toasty. If they crack or fold weird, eh, just pat them back. No one turns down extra crispy bits come party time.
Mix up the filling: In a big bowl, chuck in (yes, chuck) the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, spinach, artichoke hearts, half the mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes if you’re into that sort of thing. Mix until it’s pretty smooth. This is the bit where I always taste a little (for science, obviously).
Spoon a generous tablespoon of the mixture into each wonton cup. Don’t worry about being too perfect—they puff up a bit but won’t spill over unless you really, like, try to overfill them.
Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella on top, plus a bit more parm if you’re feeling wild.
Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the edges are nice and brown (watch them on the second half—they go from “almost there” to “oops, burnt” before you can sneeze). Get them out and, after a minute, run a knife around the edge if they seem a bit stuck. Usually they pop right out!

Notes (aka, What I Learned the Hard Way)

If you’re making loads, rotate your muffin trays halfway—my oven’s hotter in the back, so I’ve crisped a few too many corners when I forgot.
One time, I left them to cool in the tin too long, and the bottoms got a touch soggy. Better to get them out onto a rack after about 3–5 minutes.
Actually, I find they taste even better after they cool a bit. Hot, they’re good, but a tad dangerous for impatient folks (speaking as one!).

Variations I’ve Tried (and My Honest Thoughts)

Add crumbled cooked bacon to the mix—honestly, this got devoured fastest.
Swapped mozzarella for pepper jack for a little heat. Tasted great, but be careful, it melts everywhere if you overfill.
Once I threw in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes thinking I was clever. It looked pretty but made the filling a bit oily for my taste.
Whole wheat wonton wrappers? Yeah, I tried it. They got a little tough, not my favorite, but if you like more chew, go for it.

Don’t Have a Muffin Tin? Here’s What I’d Do

No worries. I think you could use a mini tart tin (lined with parchment, maybe) or even bake the wrappers flat on a baking tray, then mound the filling on top after the first bake. Not fancy, but works if you’re in a pinch. (Once, I just shaped them in little ceramic ramekins. It was wonky, but still tasty!)

Easy Spinach Artichoke Wonton Cups Christmas appetizers

How to Store These (If, Miraculously, You Have Leftovers)

So, these store pretty well in the fridge for maybe 48 hours—tucked in an airtight container. The edges soften a bit, but a quick zap in the oven (or even the toaster oven) perks them up. Microwaving? Sure, but they lose their crunch, so I only do that when I’m desperate. Anyway, in my house, they barely last the afternoon, let alone another day!

How I Like to Serve Them (or, Christmas Party Chaos 101)

I pile them up on a big platter, usually with some fresh parsley or a few sprigs of rosemary tucked around for holiday vibes. Sometimes I drizzle a little extra parmesan on right before serving. My cousin likes dipping them in marinara (okay, weird, but actually pretty tasty). And if you want to get real extra, a stripe of sriracha or a little balsamic glaze looks fancy without actually being work.

Stuff I’ve Learned the Clumsy Way (Pro-ish Tips)

I once tried rushing the spinach squeeze step—don’t do it; soggy bottoms aren’t cute.
Let the wonton wrappers come to room temp for a few minutes before molding—less chance of splitting.
Don’t overbake thinking extra crunchy is better. They go from golden to looking like autumn leaves in a flash.

Questions People Have Actually Asked Me (FAQ-ish)

Can you use store-bought spinach artichoke dip?—Totally! I’ve used the one from Costco in a pinch. Maybe skip some of the extra mayo so it’s not too loose.
Can I freeze them?—You can, technically, but they come out a bit chewier. Still edible, but I’d rather just make fresh.
Is there a vegan version?—Haven’t tried it myself, but someone at our book club did once with vegan cheese and mayo. She said it was pretty good (you could check out Minimalist Baker for vegan swaps).
Do you really need the parmesan?—Well, I think so, but my neighbor leaves it out because her kids are cheese snobs. Not sure what that’s about!

And, hey, a heads-up: If you’re looking for more easy holiday recipes (or just want to drool over ideas), I’ve found some real gems at Simply Recipes. Just promise me you’ll invite me if you find a new favorite? Or at least send me a pic. Happy cooking, and may your appetizers be the first thing to disappear at the party!

Easy Spinach Artichoke Wonton Cups Christmas appetizers