Christmas Charcuterie Board Ideas to Serve at Holiday Parties

Tired of the same old holiday appetizers? You’re probably wondering how to wow your family and friends with an eye-catching, delicious charcuterie board this season. Luckily, we prepared five Christmas charcuterie board ideas that embrace the holiday season’s different vibes.

Uniquely Delicious: Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board

If you’re looking for something innovative and impressive, this Christmas tree charcuterie board is your best bet. It fully encapsulates the festive holiday spirit and makes a great Instagram-worthy post. Bring it to any party, watch others take a photo, and upload it online. Ready to impress your loved ones? Here’s everything you’ll need:

Ingredients: 

• Manchego
• Provolone slices
• Gouda, cubed
• French Camembert brie
• Classic Camembert
• 10 mini salami sticks
• 5 thin slices of ham
• 7 slices of Prosciutto
• Parmesan salami 
• 20 slices Italian salami
• Star fruit
• Red currants
• Pomegranate seeds
• 1 cup Kalamata olives
• 2 pounds of seedless grapes
• 1 cup honey-roasted cashews
• Fresh rosemary
• Fig chutney
• Biscotti 
• Honey

Instructions:

1. Cut Provolone cheese into stars and Camembert cheese wheels using a cookie cutter. Fill the hole with pomegranate seeds and slice the star fruit.
2. Place salami sticks to make the tree trunk. Use some strings to pull the sticks together, solidifying the trunk.
3. Begin adding the ingredients on a vertically oriented board. Start decorating from the bottom — add red currant, lines of grapes, cubed gouda, Classix Camembert and various types of meats and cheese.
4. Remember to have fun and be creative. Remember, the sky’s the limit. To keep the triangular shape, ensure that each layer of the Christmas tree charcuterie board is slightly narrower than the last.
5. Decorate with star fruit and cheese stars. At the top, add a star-shaped biscuit or a star fruit slice.
6. Place dips and spreads on the side. Add other treats like crackers and bread. 

Naughty or Nice: Sweet and Savory Cheeseboard

Sweet and savory — two opposites that make a great combination — is the perfect centerpiece for your Christmas parties. This easy Christmas charcuterie board only requires the basics to nail the flavors that will leave your loved ones craving more. Here are the basics, but as with any other board, don’t forget to experiment in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

• Mixed berries, like strawberries and raspberries
• Clementines
• Chocolate buttons
• Figs
• Mini popcorn
• Cheddar and smoked cheese
• Mozzarella ball
• Cranberry cheese
• Mini pork pies
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Cucumber
• Meats, such as salami, parma ham, sliced cured pancetta and smoked salmon
• Butter
• Crackers
• Breadsticks
• Pickle

Instructions:

1. Start by assembling the sweet treats and blending them into the savory selections. Think about what will appeal to everyone, and then don’t let them overlap. 
2. Simply layer and slot in sections of savory snacks in between the sweet treats. Scrunch meats into mini rosettes to give your board more dimension.

Winter Wonderland: Snowman Charcuterie Board

This un-brr-ievably adorable charcuterie board will delight kids and adults alike. It’s the perfect Christmas-themed snack board loaded with satisfying appetizers, from sweet to savory to crunchy. 

Ingredients:

• 3 white cheese wheels in various sizes
• Fresh fruits of your choice
• Dried fruits, such as raisins or blueberries for snowman’s face and buttons
• Sliced carrot for snowman’s nose
• 1 sliced fig for the hat
• Rosemary sprigs for arms and garnish
• Sliced or cubed cheese
• Hard salami and other meats
• Crackers and pretzels
• Olives
• Mini donuts
• Nuts and seeds like cashews and almonds
• Jams for spreading on crackers
• Fresh herbs for garnishing
• Star cookie cutter

Instructions:

1. Place the cheese wheels on your board’s center to create the snowman’s body.
2. Create the face, buttons and arms using the dried fruits and rosemary sprigs.
3. Slice salami into strips to make a scarf for the snowman.
4. Add a fig with pretzels for the top hat.
5. Place all of your additions around the snowman. Place darker-colored snacks at the top to create an illusion of the sky.
6. Slice more cheese with star cutters for garnish. Add nuts and garnish to fill in any gaps.

Sweet Surprise: Dessert Charcuterie Board

Got assigned to bring desserts for a potluck party? Here’s a dessert charcuterie board to wow your guests. It’s filled with cookies, pastries, fruits and other sweet treats to cap off a night of feasting. Make the colors of the fruits stand out in color to add a dimension to your board. If certain people you know like certain desserts, add them in. Bring a bottle of Riesling — the perfect pair for the desserts on your board. 

Ingredients:

• Pomegranate
• Strawberries
• Orange cranberry scones
• Biscotti cookies
• Molasses cookies
• Large dark chocolate candy cane pretzels
• Waffle cookies
• Chocolate-covered peppermint cookies
• Gingerbread men
• Mini brownies
• Chocolate orange
• Chocolate nut clusters
• Dark and white chocolate sauces
• Red velvet crinkles

Instructions:

1. Lay down the largest items first — cookies, scones and bowls of chocolate sauces. 
2. Add in the rest of the goodies. Space out the clusters of treats across the board.
3. Use the rest of the items to fill in gaps until the board is covered.

Festive Feast: Charcute-Wreath

A holiday wreath-inspired charcuterie board is a creative way to showcase your treats in a board. You’ll need a good mix of textures, colors and flavors. Overall, you can’t go wrong here, so it’s best to let your creativity rule. 

Ingredients:

• Various cured meats, such as salami, prosciutto and Christmas-glazed ham
• Selection of cheese like brie, mature cheddar, parmesan, Havarti and apricot studded cheese
• Fresh and dried fruits like mixed berries, dried mango and apricots
• Nuts and seeds
• Relish and jam like hot honey sauce and sweet chili jam
• Crackers, crostini and bread
• Chips
• Rosemary sprigs

Instructions:

1. Place the rosemary sprigs in a large circle on your board to line the outer border of your wreath.
2. Make the salami roses in a small glass. To add more dimension, create at least two to three layers of overlapping salami. 
3. Use cookie cutters to cut firm and buttery cheeses like Gruyere, Havarti or Parmesan into different shapes.
4. Place the salami roses around the wreath. Layer your sliced and diced cheeses around the board, followed by the remaining ingredients. Create a good contrast of ingredients and colors.
5. Fill in the gaps with berries, nuts and seeds.

Elevate Your Holiday Spread

A carefully crafted Christmas charcuterie board is the ideal way to add a touch of holiday cheer to any party. When assembling a board, remember the sky’s the limit — mix in a little creativity and you’re sure to create an unforgettable spread.