This Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board is easy to make with a tasteful fusion of assorted cheeses, meats, nuts, fruits, and veggies, adorned with fresh rosemary and optional festive touches. It’s the perfect fun and festive appetizer for the holidays and sure to be a showstopper at your Christmas party!
Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board: Crafting a Festive Masterpiece:
The holiday season is all about sharing joy, laughter, and, of course, delicious food. Elevate your festive gatherings with a Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board that not only tastes incredible but also doubles as a stunning centerpiece.
Bring a touch of magic to your holiday gatherings with the Christmas Tree Charcuterie. It’s not just a feast for the taste buds but a visual spectacle that will have everyone talking. This edible work of art is easy to assemble, endlessly customizable, and guaranteed to impress your guests. Embrace the joy of the season and let your creativity shine.
What you will need
1. THE CHEESE BOARD:
There are lots of items you can use as your cheese board:
2. CHEESE
Cheese is and should be the star of any amazing holiday cheese board so be sure to pick up some good quality cheeses.
Pick a variety of about 3-5 cheeses depending on how large your board is.
- Soft
- crumbly
- semi-soft
- semi-hard cheese
- hard cheese
It’s a good idea to arrange the cheeses first on your cheese board and then start assembling the rest of the ingredients around then.
For these cheeseboards, we used:
- Aged Cheddar
- Brie – rich and creamy
- Blue Cheese
- Smoked Gouda – cut into cubes
- Goat Cheese
Be sure to set the cheese out to come to room temp prior to serving.
3. What type of Charcuterie / Meats should I use for the best Cheeseboard?
Use a variety of your favorite cured or deli meats with different textures.
Seafood (such as smoked salmon) makes a great option to add to give your guests more choices.
For the perfect Christmas Tree cheeseboard, here are some great options you can easily find:
- Proscuitto
- Ham
- Bacon
- Pate
- Pâté
- Salami / Sausage
- Smoked Salmon
- Beef Jerky
- Pepperoni Sticks
- Grilled Shrimp
Since this is a Holiday Cheese Board, it would be a great idea to choose meats that are smoked with maple, sage and other flavors of the season.
4. CRUNCHY SNACKS / CRACKERS FOR THE BEST CHEESE BOARD:
I love using 2-3 different types of crackers. Some conventional square crackers to crunchy or long bread-sticks are some great breads to start off with.
Just lay them on the cheese board around the meet and wherever there are opening.
- square crackers
- crunchy breadsticks
- cheese sticks
- mini baguettes
- cheese crisps
- salty crackers
FOR LOW CARB / KETO -FRIENDLY – Leave out the crackers and use crispy cheese bites (Whisps) and pork rinds instead.
5. WHAT FRUITS & VEGGIES ARE BEST IN AN CHRISTMAS TREE CHARCUTERIE BOARD?
Adding seasonal fresh fruit and veggies not only adds a bright pop of color but they also add flavor and texture.
Use a variety of dried and fresh fruit you like or have on hand.
For a festive Christmas Cheese Board, you can try adding:
- Clementines
- Cranberries
- Grapes
- Kiwi
- Orange – or other citrus
- Pears – Bosc, Bartlett
- Plums
- Pomegranate
More options:
- Dried Apricots
- Fresh Berries (Strawberry, Blackberry, Blueberry, Raspberry)
- Broccoli – low carb
- Cauliflower – low carb
- Cucumbers – low carb
- Cherries
- Freeze-Dried Raspberries – low carb
- Olives – low carb
- Radishes – low carb
- Red Bell Peppers – low carb
- Pineapple
- Plaintain Chips
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
- Zucchini – low carb
7. Nuts and other extras / condiments
Use your favorite nuts, sauces and spreads.
- almonds – low carb
- pecans – low carb
- pumpkin seeds
- macadamia nuts – low carb
- Pili nuts – low carb
- honey
- jam
- chutney
- apple butter
- fig spread
How to assemble your Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
- String (if needed as a guide): Place a long piece of string/yarn/thread onto a medium / large wooden board. Shape into a large triangle and use it as a guide to build the tree (if needed).
- Cheese: Cut cheese (while cold) into cubes and use a star or snowflake cookie cutter to cut some cheese slices for the tree topper or to decorate the top and side of the board.
- Meats: Fold the prosciutto into roses and fold the salami / pepperoni into folds, piling 3-4 pieces on a decorative toothpick.
- Assemble: Build the tree starting from the bottom up (using the string as a guide, if needed) to fill in the tree with rows of cheese, meats, fruits, veggies, nuts, as desired.
- Trunk: Use crackers or pretzels to build a tree trunk at the bottom of the tree.
- Topper: Top with some star-shaped cheese or cookies of choice.
- Empty spaces: Fill in any empty spaces with pomegranates, crumbled soft cheese or olives, then add some rosemary sprigs around the edges for “branches”.
- Serve the cheese board at room temperature with additional crackers on the side.
Tips for Success
- String Guide for Precision: Lay a long piece of string on the board to shape the tree, ensuring a symmetrical masterpiece.
- Prep Ahead: Cut cheeses and fold meats in advance for efficient assembly.
- Creativity in Assembly: Mix up shapes, sizes, and textures to make the tree visually appealing.
- Fill Every Space: Avoid empty spots by strategically placing pomegranates, crumbled soft cheese, or olives.
Storage and Freezer Instructions
While this masterpiece is best enjoyed fresh, you can refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container. Freezing is not recommended.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your Christmas Tree Charcuterie at room temperature with additional crackers on the side for a delightful and interactive experience.
Variations and Substitutions
Feel free to experiment with different cheeses, meats, fruits, and nuts based on your preferences. For a gluten-free option, choose your favorite gluten-free crackers and pretzels.
More cheese board recipes you will love:
How to Build the Perfect Fall Cheese Board
This Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board is easy to make with a tasteful fusion of assorted cheeses, meats, nuts, fruits, and veggies, adorned with fresh rosemary and optional festive touches. It's the perfect fun and festive appetizer for the holidays and sure to be a showstopper at your Christmas party!
- Assorted cheese of choice : a variety of 2-4 wedges/blocks/pearls: Brie, parmesan, provolone, cheddar, Muenster, goat cheese, blue cheese etc. (dairy-free or regular), cut into cubes, stars , snowflakes or slices
- Assorted meats of choice: salami prosciutto, large pepperoni etc.
- Assorted nuts of choice: almonds Marcona almonds, pistachios etc
- Assorted fruit of choice: pomegranate apples, kiwi, pears, grapes, blueberries, citrus, persimmons etc.
- Assorted veggies of choice: marinated artichokes mix of olives, and pickles
- A variety of your favorite crackers
- Fresh rosemary: for garnish
- A variety of your favorite crackers and pretzels (gf or regular)
- String of lights or candy canes for a festive touch
- String (if needed as a guide): Place a long piece of string/yarn/thread onto a medium / large wooden board. Shape into a large triangle and use it as a guide to build the tree (if needed).
- Cheese: Cut cheese (while cold) into cubes and use a star or snowflake cookie cutter to cut some cheese slices for the tree topper or to decorate the top and side of the board.
- Meats: Fold the prosciutto into roses and fold the salami / pepperoni into folds, piling 3-4 pieces on a decorative toothpick.
- Assemble: Build the tree starting from the bottom up (using the string as a guide, if needed) to fill in the tree with rows of cheese, meats, fruits, veggies, nuts, as desired.
- Trunk: Use crackers or pretzels to build a tree trunk at the bottom of the tree.
- Topper: Top with some star-shaped cheese or cookies of choice.
- Empty spaces: Fill in any empty spaces with pomegranates, crumbled soft cheese or olives, then add some rosemary sprigs around the edges for "branches".
- Serve the cheese board at room temperature with additional crackers on the side.
Nellie -
Love this! made it last year and it was So festive and fun! a hit with our guests! Thanks
Timothy -
Such a gorgeous board! we made one last week and this was a huge help with all the photos.