Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board

This Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board is an easy holiday appetizer that will impress. Treat your party guests to this festive platter of meat, cheese, fruit, nuts and more.

Christmas Cheese Board

If you are looking for an easy but impressive snack platter or appetizer for the holidays, you have got to make this Christmas Charcuterie Board!

It is not only easy, but it will satisfy the pickiest kids and adults. How can you go wrong with a meat and cheese board filled with fruit, nuts and more. Customize it to your crowd and make it ahead for an easy dish to serve at your holiday party.

What is Charcuterie?

If you aren’t familiar with the term Charcuterie, it is essentially a fancy way to describe a meat and cheese board. I’m not talking about the sliced marble jack and salami your Mom picked up from the grocery store when you were a kid.

Charcuterie describes a full spread of meat, cheese, fruits, crackers, bread, nuts and so much more. It is essentially a small meal for an appetizer where your guests can graze on a variety of delicious foods.

This Christmas Charcuterie Board is a fun and festive twist on the classic appetizer.

Why is Charcuterie perfect for Christmas?

If your family is anything like mine, they like to graze quite a bit throughout the entire holiday weekend. This leads to overeating our favorite Sour Cream Cut Out Cookies and Snack Mix.

The great part about putting out a Christmas Charcuterie Board is that it offers something a bit more wholesome. Sure meats and cheese aren’t exactly the epitome of healthy, but it will fill you up instead of leaving you unsatisfied like cookies and candies will.

How to make a Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board

The first step in making a Christmas Tree charcuterie board is having a tree shaped platter. You can arrange everything in the shape of a tree on a large rectangular platter, but the shape will quickly fall apart as guests graze on the meet and cheese.

Christmas Tree Platter

I used this affordable Wooden Tree Serving Board from Michaels, but it appears to be out of stock at most stores now. Here are a few other great options I found online.

• Tree shaped stoneware platter from Pottery Barn – Hurry and grab this one quick because it’s already on clearance!
• Christmas Tree Shaped Acacia Wood Serving Board from Amazon – It also includes a nice cheese knife.
• Sweater Tree Shaped Platter from Lehman’s
• Ceramic Nostalgic Tree Platter from Target – I can’t be the only person who grew up with one of these ceramic trees in my house at Christmas time. This is a fun and whimsical alternative to a cutting board or white stoneware.

What do I need for my cheese board

Once you have procured the perfect tree shaped cutting board or serving tray, it’s time to gather the ingredients. Here’s what you will need.

• 8 oz. Havarti cheese, in ¾-inch cubes
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, in ¾-inch cubes
• 4 oz. Prosciutto
• 4 oz. salami
• 1 cup olives
• 1/2 pound grapes – green, red or a variety of both
• ¼ cup roasted almonds
• Crackers for serving – I like to include a variety of wheat, white, etc.
• Cherry tomatoes or cranberries
• 5 sprigs of rosemary for garnish – optional

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How to assemble Christmas Tree Charcuterie

Now it’s time to start assembling the Christmas Tree Charcuterie!

Start with the base of the tree and add slices of salami in the shape of a large, flat trapezoid (or for those not as good at their shapes like myself, the bottom third of a triangle).

Next, add the olives in a slightly smaller trapezoid right above the salami, followed by the prosciutto above.

How to make my charcuterie board look good

The key to making any cheese board look great is to fill the board with generous amounts of the meat, cheese, fruits, etc. Don’t just lay your meats flat. If you are using thin slices of salami or prosciutto, fold, crunch and stack them to add more volume.

Next, add the sharp cheddar cubes in another large (but slightly smaller than the last) trapezoid, followed by the Havarti above.

Then finish the top of the tree with a small triangle of grapes.

How to garnish my Christmas Tree cheese board

Cut a slice of cheddar cheese (white or yellow) into a star shape with a pairing knife or cookie cutter, and place it at the top of the tree.

Place the tomatoes or cranberries throughout the tree to resemble ornaments. If you really want to make this Christmas tree cheese board look impressive, you could make some sugared cranberries to accent the board and add a little sparkle.

Next, place a small rectangle of almonds at the bottom of the tree to resemble the tree trunk.

Lastly, garnish the tree with short pieces of rosemary to really embody the look of a tree.

What to serve with Christmas Charcuterie

If you really want to up your charcuterie board, you can add a couple jars of jams and spreads along side the cheese board. A nice jar of fig or cranberry jam, orange marmalade and whole grain mustard are easy additions that really elevate the spread.

It’s always nice to put out a small cup of toothpicks with any charcuterie board, so guests can take a piece of cheese or meat themselves. Small plates are also a nice addition for those who want to take a little spread and enjoy their own plate.

Last but not least, we can’t forget the carbs to go with the meat and cheese board. Crackers are the obvious choice. Get a variety pack so you have something for everyone.

Toasted crostini and fresh bread area always great additions as well.

Can I make my cheese board ahead of time

Serve your cheese board immediately or wrap tightly with saran wrap and store refrigerated up to 24 hours.

It’s important that you wrap it in a couple layers or the edges of the cheese may start to dry out and look unappealing. You also don’t want any other strong flavors or smells from your refrigerator to seep into the cheese.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

More easy appetizer ideas for Christmas!

If you love entertaining during the holidays with a full spread like I do, here are some more great appetizers your guests will enjoy.

• Blueberry Balsamic Goat Cheese Dip – This easy 15 minute recipe has gotten countless rave reviews!
• Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Ball – Make this recipe ahead of time and have an easy and beautiful snack waiting in the refrigerator.
• Healthy Fruit & Chocolate Tray – If you want to add another platter of goodness to your spread, lighten things up with this chocolate hummus platter.
• Pomegranate Goat Cheese Crostini – I love a good crostini at any party and these little beauties are about as impressive as they get!