Create a stunning Christmas charcuterie board that wows your guests with this step-by-step tutorial! This board is packed with cheese, meats, crackers, fruit, olives, and holiday favorites.
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Easy Christmas Charcuterie Board
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by building a board, wondering what ingredients to use, how much you need, or how to arrange it all, you’re not alone. That’s exactly why this tutorial breaks everything down step by step, from choosing the right cheeses to layering and shaping your board with confidence.
One of the best things about a charcuterie board is how effortlessly it feeds a crowd. By mixing soft cheeses, different meats, fresh fruits, and crackers, there’s truly something for everyone. Even picky eaters!
Follow along, and you’ll have a beautiful Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board that looks impressive, tastes fantastic, and is easier to make than you think. For another easy tutorial for this holiday season, check out my Homemade Gingerbread Houses.
Charcuterie Board Tips
Be flexible. Use what you love most and be creative. For example, if you do not care for raspberries, substitute them with red grapes or even green grapes. You really cannot go wrong with substitutions in this recipe.
Use odd numbers for visual balance. Odd numbers of cheeses, meats, or clusters are more appealing to people, naturally.
Vary textures, not just flavors. Use different types of cheeses, crispy veggies, soft fruits, crunchy crackers, and creamy dips so every bite feels different.
Fill every gap, but don’t overcrowd. After the large items are placed, fill in the small gaps with nuts, olives, grapes, or berries to add the “wow” factor without making the board messy.
Add fresh herbs to finish it off. Rosemary sprigs or other fresh herbs fill in the gaps and give the board a styled, festive feel without much effort.
Build with confidence. Imperfection is okay! A full board with variety will look better than one that is too precise. There is room for error with charcuterie boards.
Charcuterie Board Ideas for Christmas
- Cheese: Brie, Medium Cheddar, Colby Jack, Jalapeno, and Goat Cheese
- Meat: Prosciutto, pepperoni, ham, and salami.
- Crackers: Ruffles, water crackers, crostini, and Ritz.
- Fruit: Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, pomegranate arils, sugared cranberries, figs or fig jam, pear slices, and persimmons
- Olives: Green and kalamata
- Candy: Peppermint discs, candy canes, and almond roca
- Pretzels: Yogurt, chocolate, or plain.
NOTE: This is the first recipe on the website that I didn’t price. This is because charcuterie boards are highly customizable and all up to your personal taste. Because of this, the ingredients above, and in this post, are more of a guide than a recipe.
How To Make a Charcuterie Christmas Tree Board
- Begin with a tree shape or a large board as the base for placing the items on.
- Set a star-shaped bowl at the top, and fill it with raspberries. Add olives to the other bowls. Then, use the largest items first, like the brie cheese and persimmon.
- Move to the medium-sized items next. This could include the cheese and prosciutto.
- Add more medium-sized items such as the goat cheese, crackers, and salami.
- Look for any holes in the board. Fill these holes with the smallest items, including fruit and candy.
- Add small pieces of green for the tree before serving.
Must-Have Tools for making this Christmas Board
Charcuterie Board Recipe FAQs
A cheese board typically includes cheeses and other foods that pair well with them. In comparison, a charcuterie board focuses on meats and foods that pair well with it. A charcuterie board typically offers more things than a cheeseboard.
A general rule of thumb is to start with larger items like cheese and bowls of dips, then fill in with meats, crackers, fruits, and vegetables. Finish by filling the gaps with small pieces of candy, pretzels, or greenery for a complete look.
Plan for about 2–3 ounces of meat and 2–3 ounces of cheese per person when serving this board as an appetizer.
Jam is an excellent addition to any charcuterie board. Seasonal jams are a great option. Raspberry, Apricot, Orange, Cranberry, Plum, Apple, and Blackberry are some of our favorites.
Typically, a wooden cutting board is what you use when putting together a charcuterie board. However, this is not a requirement. You can still put a beautiful board together using a serving platter or a food-grade slate if you do not have one.
Christmas Charcuterie Board
Equipment
- Tree Board
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- Cheese Knife Set
Ingredients
CHEESE:
- Brie
- Medium Cheddar
- Colby Jack
- Pepper Jack
- Goat Cheese
MEAT:
- Prosciutto
- Salami
CARBS:
- Crackers
- Yogurt Pretzels
FRUIT:
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Persimmon
OLIVES:
- Green
- Kalamata
CANDY:
- Peppermint discs
- Candy canes
- Almond roca
OPTIONAL:
- Greens for decorating
Instructions
- Start with a tree shape or large board.
- Place a star shaped bowl for the raspberries first, and add olives to other bowls.
- Then add the largest items like the brie cheese and persimmon.
- Now add the medium size items like the cheese and prosciutto.
- Next add more medium size items like the goat cheese, crackers and salami.
- Fill the holes with the smallest items like fruit and candy.
- Then add small pieces of green for the tree.
- Serve immediately.
Amanda says
Such a satisfying and delicious Christmas Charcuterie Board. We all loved it!
Gina says
What a gorgeous spread, really appreciate the tips on how to assemble the board, I struggle so much with making these a pretty as I see them!
Brandy says
This is a showstopper. I’m so happy I found this before Christmas. I wanted a beautiful way of displaying my charcuterie board and this is it!
Heather Perine says
So helpful! I love a charcuterie board..and they are always a huge hit at parties! Going to need to get on of those tree boards..so cute 🙂
Emily says
What a beautiful spread. Love all the colors!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
What a great idea, it would be so good for Boxing Day.
Sharon says
This is the perfect Christmas snacking board. I love all the delicious items on it and it will also impress guests.
Jessie says
This is a great idea for a Christmas get together! Love charcuterie boards