How to Make a Cute Charcuterie Board for Christmas
Impress your guests this holiday season with a festive, cute charcuterie board in the shape of a Christmas tree made with simple sweet & savory ingredients found right in your grocery store. It’s easy to make and guests will love grazing on this board at their leisure.
If you saw my wine & cheese party idea for the holidays blog post from earlier in the week, you may have noticed these super cute, individual charcuterie Christmas tree boards!
Today, I am going to share how to create these fun & festive charcuterie boards for your holiday party and Christmas gatherings.
Charcuterie boards have become extremely popular over the past couple of years, and although they make look complicated and hard to make, the opposite is true.
Charcuterie boards are actually quite easy to put together and are perfect for dinner parties and get-togethers. The board can be prepared ahead of time (leaving you more time for other things) and guests will love that they can just grab goodies from the board to munch on.
There are no fancy or expensive ingredients in this perfect charcuterie board and everything can be found at your local grocery store.
This charcuterie board is practical and one even the kiddos will enjoy!
Wine & Cheese Party Recipes
I’m joining the ladies of Supper Club to bring you an entire menu of delicious foods that are perfect for sharing at a wine and cheese dinner party. We’ve taken the work out of creating a menu for your party so be sure to continue reading to the end of this blog post for the menu and links to each recipe.
If you’re coming here from Simply 2 Moms, welcome! Anne & AnnMarie made a delicious roasted pear winter salad with champagne vinaigrette that I cannot wait to make for our New Year’s Eve dinner.
Let’s build our charcuterie Christmas tree!
What is charcuterie?
Before we dive into creating a Christmas tree shaped charcuterie board, you may be wondering, “What is charcuterie?”
A charcuterie is basically an artfully arranged platter that brings together an array of different types of meats, different cheeses, seasonal fruits, nuts, and other accompaniments.
Originating from France, the term “charcuterie” traditionally referred to the art of preparing and assembling cured meats and various cheeses. However, modern charcuterie boards have evolved to include a diverse selection of flavors and textures, making them a perfect appetizer for dinner parties, a large crowd, and even a casual date night in.
Crafting a charcuterie board allows individuals to showcase their creativity by arranging an assortment of flavors that complement and contrast one another.
The beauty of a traditional charcuterie board lies in its versatility; you can tailor it to suit various dietary and personal preferences, making it a perfect option for both meat lovers and vegetarians.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Ingredients to Build a Small Charcuterie Board
Jump to RecipeYou can use any variety of ingredients based on your personal preference to create your own charcuterie board.
These are the ingredients I used for ours.
- Chocolate Covered Star Cookie
- Fresh Raspberries
- Aged Cheddar Cheese, cubed
- Sandwich Pepperonis
- Manzanilla Olives
- White Vermont Cheddar Cheese, cubed
- Fresh Blackberries
- Pretzel Sticks
- Toothpicks
- Mini Wooden Cheese Board
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How to Build the Ultimate Charcuterie Board for Christmas
This charcuterie Christmas tree could be built on a larger scale for a lot of people using a larger wooden board or serving boards.
To create individual charcuterie Christmas tree boards, I used mini wooden cheese boards about 10″ long and 5″ wide.
Preparation
Prepare all of your ingredients before assembling the trees.
Wash & dry fresh fruit, cut hard cheese into small bite size pieces, and drain & dry olives.
Cut pretzel sticks into thirds, discarding (or eating) the middle section (only the pretzel ends will be used).
Assembly
Once your ingredients are prepared you can begin to assemble the tree.
Begin at the top of the tree by placing the star cookie onto the board. Then add the next layer, raspberries and then the cheddar cheese. Make sure each layer is slightly longer than the last to create the look of a Christmas tree.
The pepperonis are large and floppy so the easiest way to add those to the board is by securing them together with a toothpick. To do this, fold the pepperoni in half and in half again. Then slide the toothpick through. Each toothpick will hold about 3 pepperonis.
Continue adding layers to the tree with the olives, white cheddar cheese, and blackberries making sure each layer is slightly longer than the last.
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The last step to finish the charcuterie Christmas tree, add 4 pretzel sticks (that had been cut into 1/3’s) to the base of the tree.
Slide the pretzel sticks slightly under the blackberries for a finished look.
Place the individual charcuterie boards at each place setting at your Christmas dinner parties.
Tips for Creating a Beautiful Charcuterie Board
- Determine the size of your board first to know how many ingredients you will need.
- Use ingredients that are easy to find at your grocery store.
- Buy brightly colored seasonal fruits and fresh produce.
- Combine sweet and savory flavors with a variety of meats, different kinds of cheese, snack food, and sweet treats.
- Prepare all ingredients ahead of time for easy assembly.
Can I make this Christmas tree charcuterie board ahead of time?
You sure can!
Prepare all of the ingredients a day or two in advance and store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator. About 1-2 hours before event, assemble the boards, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator.
What other ingredients can I serve on a classic charcuterie board?
The food options you can serve on a charcuterie board are endless!
There are no right or wrong ingredients when it comes to the art of preparing a charcuterie board. I like to use a combination of sweet & savory ingredients with a variety of textures and flavors.
Here are some other charcuterie board food ideas.
- Salami
- Prosciutto
- Grape Tomatoes
- Sliced Cucumbers
- Grapes
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Strawberries
- Dried Apricots
- Sugared Cranberries
- Cornichons
- Bocconcini
- Roasted Nuts
- Crackers
- Cookies
Here’s a look at another charcuterie board I created recently for a little more charcuterie inspiration.
More Wine & Cheese Recipe Ideas
Next, be sure to visit Rachel of The Ponds Farmhouse to grab her delicious dessert recipe for dark chocolate raspberry fudge. For links to the entire wine & cheese party menu, continue reading to the end of this post.
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to check out all the tips & tricks for hosting a wine & cheese dinner party here!
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xoxo, heidi
Wine & Cheese Dinner Party Recipes
Stacey of Bricks ‘n Blooms | Michele of Vintage Home Designs | Jen of Midwest Life & Style
Anne & AnnMarie of Simply 2 Moms | Heidi of Eleanor Rose Home | Rachel of The Ponds Farmhouse
Individual Christmas Tree Charcuterie Boards
Ingredients
- 4 Chocolate Covered Star Cookies
- 8 Fresh Raspberries
- 3.5 oz. Aged Cheddar Cheese cubed
- 1/4 lb. Sandwich Pepperonis
- 1/4 cup Manzanilla Olives
- 4 oz. White Vermont Cheddar Cheese cubed
- 20 Fresh Blackberries
- 8 Pretzel Sticks cut into 1/3's
Instructions
- Gather 4 mini wooden cheese boards to assemble charcuterie ingredients on.
- Wash & dry fruit, cut cheeses into small bite size pieces, and drain & dry olives.
- Cut pretzel sticks into thirds, discarding the middle section.
- To begin assembling the tree, place the star cookie at the top of the board.
- Then add 2 raspberries below the star and then the cheddar cheese layer. Make sure each layer is slightly longer than the last to create the look of a Christmas tree.
- Secure 3 pepperonis to a toothpick by folding each pepperoni in half and then in half again. Add the pepperoni layer to the tree.
- Continue adding layers to the tree with the olives, cheese, and blackberries making sure each layer is slightly longer than the last.
- Finish the tree by placing 4 pretzel sticks to the bottom of the tree. Tuck the cut end of the pretzel sticks under the blackberries.
Notes
-
- Determine the size of your board first to know how many ingredients you will need.
- Use ingredients that are easy to find at your grocery store.
- Buy brightly colored seasonal fruits & fresh produce.
- Combine sweet & savory flavors with a variety of meats, different kinds of cheese, snack food, and sweet treats.
- Prepare all ingredients ahead of time for easy assembly.
Nutrition
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Thank you Jen! This was such a fun supper club!
So many great ideas on holiday food! Thank you for letting me join you ladies this month, Merry Christmas!
Thank you Michele!
Thank you for having me Rachel! Merry Christmas!
This is such a fun and festive idea, Heidi. Perfect for the holiday season!
These little charcuterie trees are adorable! I can’t wait to make some myself. So happy you joined us this month, Heidi! Thanks to this menu, I know what I’m serving for New Year’s Eve this year! Can’t wait to try all these recipes. Cheers!
Your table looks beautiful and the individual Christmas Tree charcuterie boards are so cute! Pinned!
Heidi,
This is such a cute idea for the holidays. Thanks so much for joining us this month.