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Get It Now- Why You’ll Love This Christmas Charcuterie Board
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make A Christmas Charcuterie Board
- Storage Instructions
- What To Serve With A Holiday Charcuterie Board
- More Christmas Appetizer Recipes
- Tools To Make A Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
- Christmas Charcuterie Board Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
After I made my Halloween board and Thanksgiving charcuterie board, I had so much fun with them that I decided to make this Christmas charcuterie board in the shape of a tree. Those who know me well know that I don’t celebrate Christmas, but it doesn’t mean I don’t like a good Christmas (holiday) party. This holiday charcuterie board is a fun blend of flavors and textures. It’s the perfect holiday appetizer for your guests!
Why You’ll Love This Christmas Charcuterie Board
- Fun, festive Christmas tree shape
- Variety of meats, cheeses, nuts, fruit, and more
- Takes just 15 minutes to prepare
- Easy to customize with your favorite finger foods
- The perfect make-ahead charcuterie board for Christmas & holiday parties
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best Christmas charcuterie board ingredients, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Christmas Star – To make the tree star, I used a whole wheel of Brie filled with pomegranate seeds. Chocolate chips or jam make good alternatives if you want something more sweet.
- Cheese – I added slices of sharp cheddar cheese and white cheddar cheese to the board. You can pick others types of cheese such as pepper jack cheese, Colby jack cheese, goat cheese, mozzarella balls, or any hard and soft cheese you prefer.
- Crackers – These make the tree stump. I used these gluten free crackers, but you can use any kind you like, or make homemade cheese crackers or flax seed crackers.
- Olives – To infuse some zesty flavors and a pop of color, I included pimento-stuffed olives, but you can opt for green olives, black olives, or kalamata olives. If you’re not a fan of olives, cherry tomatoes would work well.
- Pickles – Mini dill pickles bring a salty kick.
- Meats – I used salami and prosciutto, but you could use turkey slices, ham, pepperoni, or any charcuterie meat you prefer. If you don’t like sliced meats, make chicken liver pate. You can also skip the meats and just make it a cheese board.
- Fruit – You will need apples, kiwis, and red or green grapes. Strawberries, citrus segments, or pear slices would also work.
- Nuts – I use a combination of pecans, pistachios, and cashews for this holiday charcuterie board, but almonds, walnuts, or any nuts will work.
- Fresh Herbs – Use fresh rosemary sprigs or thyme sprigs for a fragrant and decorative touch.
How To Make A Christmas Charcuterie Board
This section shows how to make a Christmas tree charcuterie board, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Make the star. Using a star shaped cookie cutter (or carefully using a sharp knife), cut a star-shaped hole in the middle of the brie. Place the brie at the very top of a large cutting board or platter, and fill with pomegranate seeds.
- Make the tree. Place the crackers on the very bottom of the board in the shape of a tree stump. Place the sliced cheeses, along with olives and pickles in bowls, throughout the board in between the star and the stump to form the base of a tree.
- Fill the gaps. Place the charcuterie meat throughout the board to fill in some of the larger gaps and continue the tree shape. Place the fruit and nuts throughout the board to fill in any remaining gaps.
- Garnish. Place rosemary sprigs throughout the board as a garnish.
Alternate Christmas Charcuterie Board Idea!
Make a Christmas charcuterie wreath by arranging the cheeses, meats, olives, and pickles in a circle with a hole in the middle. Then, add fresh rosemary sprigs, red berries, and a ribbon on top for a festive touch.
Storage Instructions
Store all items, excluding crispy ones (such as nuts and crackers), in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can prepare all the components in advance and assemble them just before enjoying your meal.
What To Serve With A Holiday Charcuterie Board
Not sure what you are making for Christmas dinner? Make your holiday feast with some of these delicious recipes:
- Christmas Mains – Make a a perfectly roasted turkey, juicy prime rib roast, tender roasted beef tenderloin, or buttery lobster thermidor for an impressive table centerpiece.
- Christmas Sides – Try creamy mashed potatoes, savory bacon wrapped asparagus, or a classic side of my green beans almondine recipe.
- Salads – A winter salad with pomegranate seeds, blue cheese, and candied pecans offers a sweet and savory contrast to the richness of the charcuterie.
More Christmas Appetizer Recipes
Looking for more appetizers for your holiday celebrations? Here are some of my most popular options:
Tools To Make A Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
- Cookie Cutter – This cookie cutter makes the perfect star in your brie.
- Charcuterie Board – This design is both functional and chic, perfect for presenting a spread in style!
- Toothpick Labels – Make your Thanksgiving board even cuter with these charming labels on the meats and cheeses.
Christmas Charcuterie Board
Create a fun Christmas charcuterie board in the shape of a tree with meats, crackers, cheese, and fruit. Easy and festive for the holidays!
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Using a star shaped cookie cutter, make a hole in the middle of the brie. Place the brie at the very top of the charcuterie board and fill it with pomegranate seeds.
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Place the crackers on the very bottom of the board in the shape of a tree stump.
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Start building the shape of the tree by placing the sliced cheese, pimento stuffed olives, and pickles throughout the board.
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Place the charcuterie meat throughout the board to fill in some of the larger gaps.
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Place the fruit and nuts throughout the board to fill in any remaining gaps.
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If desired, place rosemary sprigs throughout the board as a garnish.
Did You Like It?
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/12 of entire board
Nutrition info uses salami meat, and does not include optional (decorative) rosemary.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
8 Comments
Wanda T
0Beautiful and easy to prepare. I made this for my girlfriend holiday party and it was a hit. I plan on serving it again for Christmas Eve!
Sha
0This is so cute and adorable! I’m excited to try this again for Christmas!
Toni
0Oh, I love this healthy version for the holidays!! I’m definitely adding this to our menu! Thanks!
Sheena
0Lovely to see all the Christmas goodies together on one platter. My son helped me make our first Christmas charcuterie board and we both had fun! He’s so excited to make one again for Christmas!
Ashley
0I’m so glad I came across this recipe when I did! I made it for our family’s early Christmas gathering over Thanksgiving weekend. Instead of bringing my plain meat and cheese tray, I made this. Your pictures and tips really helped because I’m not that creative on my own!
belinda
0This was my first year hosting holiday dinner at my house and I really appreciated this easy guide. I’ve always enjoy charcuterie boards at other people’s gatherings but I was a little overwhelmed about making one myself. I followed the recipe as written, but subbed almonds for pistachios due to an allergy. It turned out great and my guests were happy!
Kala
0Made these last week (with carrot sticks). I absolutely enjoy assembling charcuterie boards! It’s always fun and it brings out my creativeness. Hoho! Will definitely make these again soonest!
Kelly Smith
0I always make a charcuterie board for my guests to snack on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. I’m excited to change up some of the fruits and other goodies (and display it a bit cuter) using your recipe this year!