A Christmas charcuterie board is the ultimate lazy party food. There is no cooking, it looks stunning, and people stand around it all evening. The secret is not expensive cheese. It is how you arrange everything.
Here is how to build a board that looks like it came from a caterer, plus four festive shapes that are all over Pinterest every December.
What to Put on a Christmas Charcuterie Board
Think in groups and pick two or three items from each. That keeps the board full without buying half the store.
- Cheese: one soft (brie, goat cheese rolled in dried cranberries), one firm (aged cheddar, gouda), one crumbly or blue. Plan about 2 oz of cheese per person if it is an appetizer.
- Meat: salami, prosciutto and pepperoni. Fold salami into quarters or make a salami rose (more on that below).
- Crunch: crackers, breadsticks, pretzel crisps and candied pecans.
- Fruit: red grapes, pomegranate seeds, strawberries, dried apricots and fresh figs. Red and green fruit do half the decorating for you.
- Sweet and salty extras: fig jam, honey, olives, cornichons and a few chocolate truffles.
- Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs. They look exactly like tiny pine branches and make the whole board smell like Christmas.
How to Build It in 5 Steps
1. Place the bowls first
Put small bowls of jam, honey and olives on the board before anything else. They act as anchors, and everything else gets arranged around them.
2. Add the cheeses
Space the cheeses out across the board. Cut some of the firm cheese into cubes or slices and leave part of it whole so it looks generous. Cut a small wedge out of the brie so guests know it is okay to dig in.
3. Fold the meats
Fan out prosciutto in loose ribbons and fold salami into quarters. For a salami rose, layer slices around the rim of a small glass, overlapping each one by half, then flip the glass over. It takes two minutes and gets more compliments than anything else on the board.
4. Fill the gaps
Tuck crackers in rows alongside the cheeses, then pile grapes, berries and nuts into every empty space. A full board looks abundant. A board with gaps looks like you ran out of food.
5. Garnish
Finish with rosemary sprigs, a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds and a few sugared cranberries. This is the step that makes it look festive.
4 Festive Shapes That Wow
The Christmas Tree
Use a long rectangular board. Lay rows of cheese cubes, salami and grapes in a triangle, getting wider toward the bottom. Use rosemary between the rows like garland and a star cut from a cheese slice on top. Add a pretzel rod or cheese stick for the trunk.
The Wreath
Place a small bowl of dip in the center of a round board, then build a ring of rosemary, cheese, meat and fruit around it. Add a bow made from a strip of red pepper. This one works great on a round pizza pan if you do not have a big board.
The Candy Cane
Alternate white cheese (mozzarella pearls, white cheddar) with red items (salami, strawberries, cherry tomatoes) in a curved J-shape. Simple, bold and instantly recognizable.
The Snowman
Three circles of white cheese (brie rounds work perfectly), with peppercorn eyes, a carrot sliver nose and a salami scarf. Kids love it, and it takes ten minutes. Use the leftover space on the board for crackers and grapes so it still works as a full snack.
A Budget Board for Under $30
You do not need a cheese shop to make this look good. Most grocery stores have everything you need. Pick one block of cheddar, one small brie and a log of goat cheese. Add one pack of salami, a box of crackers, a bunch of red grapes and a jar of jam. Fill the gaps with pretzels and a handful of nuts. Cut everything into different shapes (cubes, slices, triangles) so it looks like more variety than it is.
Turn It Into a Dessert Board
The same method works for sweets, and a dessert board is a great way to use up holiday treats. Start with a bowl of chocolate hummus or Nutella in the middle. Around it, arrange Christmas cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels, mini candy canes, marshmallows, strawberries and pieces of peppermint bark. Add a few clementines and some rosemary sprigs for color. Kids will head straight for it, and it takes ten minutes to put together.
Smart Shortcuts
- Buy pre-sliced and pre-cubed. Pre-cut cheese trays are often cheaper than buying several whole blocks.
- Assemble up to 4 hours ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Add the crackers right before serving so they stay crisp.
- Let the cheese warm up. Take the board out 30 minutes before guests arrive. Cheese tastes much better at room temperature.
- Label anything unusual. Small toothpick flags help guests with allergies or picky eaters.
Leftover cheese and meat? Turn them into a quick breakfast bake or omelet the next morning. And if you are hosting this season, our holiday kitchen survival kit lists everything worth stocking before guests arrive.
Tools That Make It Easier
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A good board with a set of cheese knives makes the whole thing look polished. The SMIRLY bamboo charcuterie set comes with knives, small bowls and a slide-out drawer, and it doubles as a great hostess gift.
- Party Like a Pro – Impress guests with SMIRLY’s wood cheese board and charcuterie tray. Designed for easy entertaining, …
- Become A Great Host – Our versatile charcuterie board features cheese accessories and grooves for bread and cookies, mak…
- Stylish Housewarming Gift – SMIRLY’s unique cheese board set is the perfect gift for couples, new homeowners, apartment …
Festive cocktail picks make everything easier to grab and look pretty stuck into cheese cubes and olives.
- 4.7” elegant handmade bamboo Toothpicks with Red Beads & Rope
- Cocktail Picks are easy and attractive to decor and pierce through garnish
- Cocktail Picks for appetizer display for finger food such as fruit, sandwiches and mini burgers
A wire cheese slicer gives you thin, even slices of firm cheese in seconds, which is a big help when you are building a big board.
- CHEESE SLICER FOR SEMI-HARD & HARD CHEESE: Designed to glide effortlessly through aged and extra-mature cheese. Cuts smo…
- LIGHTWEIGHT & COMFORTABLE TO USE: The hollow handle design makes this cheese slicer exceptionally light, giving you full…
- DURABLE STAINLESS STEEL BLADE: Made from high-quality stainless steel for long-lasting sharpness and reliable performanc…
More Holiday Party Ideas
Planning the rest of the menu? Try our lazy Christmas dinner in the multicooker, add a no-fuss dessert from our Christmas cookie shortcuts, and grab the free Lazy Kitchen Rescue Kit for quick fixes when something goes wrong in the kitchen.
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3 cheat sheets for your fridge: quick fixes for kitchen fails, air fryer times and temps, and emergency ingredient swaps. Free, straight to your inbox.
[…] your punch with an easy Christmas charcuterie board and a few easy Christmas cookies. And grab the free Lazy Kitchen Rescue Kit, with emergency […]