Snowman Mini Bagel Sandwiches

Featured in: Warm Family Dinners

These whimsical mini bagel sandwiches are crafted to resemble snowmen, combining soft bagels with creamy cheese and colorful vegetable decorations. Perfect for holiday lunches or playful snacks, they offer a fun, customizable treat for all ages. The combination of olives, carrots, cucumbers, and peppers creates a festive look and a fresh, satisfying bite. Quick to assemble and visually delightful, these sandwiches add charm to any gathering or casual meal.

Updated on Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:20:00 GMT
Snowman mini bagel sandwiches with smiling faces and carrot noses are perfect for lunch. Save
Snowman mini bagel sandwiches with smiling faces and carrot noses are perfect for lunch. | cloverhearth.com

Adorable mini bagel sandwiches decorated as snowmen—perfect for a festive holiday lunch. These fun, customizable sandwiches are ideal for kids and adults alike.

I love making these mini bagel snowmen every winter because they bring joy to family gatherings and are simple enough to get kids involved in assembling them.

Ingredients

  • Mini bagels: 8 mini bagels, sliced in half
  • Cream cheese: 180 g (6 oz) softened (plain or flavored)
  • Black olives: 16 small, sliced for eyes and buttons
  • Baby carrots: 8, cut into thin strips for noses
  • Cucumber rounds: 16 thin slices for scarves
  • Red bell pepper strips: 8 for scarves or hats
  • Capers or black peppercorns: 16 for mouth
  • Chives: 2 tablespoons, finely chopped optional for decoration
  • Optional fillings: 8 slices cheddar or Swiss cheese, 8 slices turkey ham or vegetarian deli slices, lettuce leaves

Instructions

Step 1:
Spread a generous layer of cream cheese on the bottom half of each mini bagel.
Step 2:
If desired, layer with cheese deli slices and lettuce. Top with the other half of the bagel.
Step 3:
Place each assembled bagel sandwich cut-side up (flat side up).
Step 4:
Decorate the top surface to look like a snowman face: place two olive slices for eyes add a carrot strip for the nose arrange capers or peppercorns in a smile shape for the mouth use cucumber rounds and red pepper strips to create a scarf just below the face sprinkle with chives for a festive touch if desired.
Step 5:
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Festive snowman mini bagel sandwiches, decorated with olives and bell peppers, ready to eat. Save
Festive snowman mini bagel sandwiches, decorated with olives and bell peppers, ready to eat. | cloverhearth.com

My kids love gathering around the table to build their own snowmen bagels and show off their creative decoration skills.

Notes

For a sweet version swap cream cheese for whipped cream cheese with honey and use fruit for decoration. Get creative with toppings try sliced radishes cherry tomatoes or colored peppers for more vibrant snowmen. Secure decorations with toothpicks if needed but remove before serving to children. Serve with vegetable sticks or fruit on the side for a complete lunch.

Required Tools

Serrated knife Spreading knife Small paring knife for cutting vegetables Cutting board

Allergen Information

Contains Wheat (bagels) Milk (cream cheese cheese). May contain Eggs soy or sesame depending on bagel brand and fillings. Check all labels for potential allergens especially for processed meats and spreads.

Creamy cream cheese fills these snowman mini bagel sandwiches, a fun lunch idea for kids. Save
Creamy cream cheese fills these snowman mini bagel sandwiches, a fun lunch idea for kids. | cloverhearth.com

These snowman mini bagel sandwiches make any meal merrier and are simple to customize with your favorite fillings or decorations.

Recipe Questions & Answers

What kind of bagels work best?

Mini bagels sliced in half provide the perfect base, offering the right size for easy handling and decoration.

Can I use flavored cream cheese?

Yes, flavored cream cheese adds an extra layer of taste, complementing the fresh vegetable toppings nicely.

How do I create the snowman faces?

Use sliced olives for eyes and buttons, baby carrot strips for noses, and capers or peppercorns for mouths. Arrange cucumber and red pepper strips as scarves.

Are there vegetarian options available?

Absolutely! Using vegetarian cream cheese and skipping meat slices keeps the sandwiches vegetarian-friendly.

Can these be prepared ahead of time?

Yes, assemble and refrigerate the sandwiches before serving, but decorate just prior to serving to keep fresh appearance.

Snowman Mini Bagel Sandwiches

Adorable snowman-themed mini bagels with cream cheese and fresh veggies, ideal for festive meals.

Prep duration
20 minutes
0
Overall time
20 minutes
Recipe by Clover Hearth Emily Dawson

Recipe type Warm Family Dinners

Skill level Easy

Culinary roots American

Servings made 8 Portion size

Diet preferences Meatless

What you'll need

Bagels & Spreads

01 8 mini bagels, halved
02 6 oz cream cheese, softened (plain or flavored)

Vegetables & Decoration

01 16 small black olive slices (for eyes and buttons)
02 8 baby carrots, cut into thin strips (for noses)
03 16 thin cucumber rounds (for scarves)
04 8 red bell pepper strips (for scarves or hats)
05 16 capers or black peppercorns (for mouths)
06 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives (optional for decoration)

Optional Fillings

01 8 slices cheddar or Swiss cheese
02 8 slices turkey, ham, or vegetarian deli slices
03 Lettuce leaves

How to make it

Step 01

Spread cream cheese: Apply a generous layer of softened cream cheese to the bottom half of each mini bagel.

Step 02

Add optional fillings: If desired, layer cheese, deli slices, and lettuce on top of the cream cheese, then cover with the top half of the bagel.

Step 03

Position sandwiches: Place each assembled sandwich cut-side up on a serving surface.

Step 04

Decorate as snowmen: Create snowman faces by placing two olive slices for eyes, a carrot strip for the nose, and arrange capers or peppercorns into a smile for the mouth. Below the face, arrange cucumber rounds and red pepper strips as scarves. Sprinkle with chopped chives if desired.

Step 05

Serve or store: Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until needed.

Equipment needed

  • Serrated knife
  • Spreading knife
  • Small paring knife
  • Cutting board

Allergy details

Be sure to review every ingredient for potential allergies, and talk to a medical expert if you’re unsure.
  • Contains wheat (bagels) and milk (cream cheese, cheese).
  • May contain eggs, soy, or sesame depending on bagel brand and deli fillings.

Nutrition information (each portion)

Only use this data as a helpful reference—it’s not intended to replace professional health guidance.
  • Calorie count: 140
  • Fat content: 5 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 20 grams
  • Proteins: 4 grams