Christmas Charcuterie Board

This Christmas Charcuterie Board is the perfect holiday appetizer for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day gatherings! It's filled with a variety of meats, cheeses, fresh fruit, nuts, crackers and more to make a holiday charcuterie board you'll want to make all season long.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Diabetic, Low Calorie

Prep Time 30

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 533kcal

Author Alana Lieberman

Cost $20

Equipment

charcuterie board

Ingredients

8 oz double creme brie
raspberry or strawberry jelly
1.25 pounds cubed cheese - any of your favorites: cheddar, gouda, havarti, monterey jack
.50 pound Cheese wedges - any of your favorites: asiago, parmesan, gruyere, pecorino romano
4 oz (16 slices) salami
5 oz (19 slices) pepperoni
3 oz (7 slices) prosciutto
1 to 2 Sliced apples and/or pears
2 sliced mini cucumbers
1 to 2 large vines of grapes
2 to 3 small oranges, clementines, or mandarins
nuts - any of your favorites: pistachios, almonds, cashews
olives
2 boxes crackers - different shapes, sizes, and textures
pomegranate seeds
3 (0.5 oz) packages fresh rosemary sprigs
other ideas: dried fruits, other fresh berries, cherry tomatoes, pretzels, fresh cranberries, tapenade, fig spread, pepper jelly

Instructions

Carefully choose a large board or platter that can accommodate all of the ingredients, while leaving enough space for arranging them in the shape of a Christmas tree.
If you are serving an extra large crowd, you can even place a large piece of parchment paper down on the serving table and build your charcuterie board directly on top.
Scoop some of the top layer out of the brie cheese. Spread jam on top. Place at the top center of your board. Using a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut a star out of apple or pear and place it in the center of the jam.
At the base of the board, centered with the brie, spread enough crackers to create the trunk of the Christmas tree. Adjust the width of your tree trunk based on the size of your tree.
I used dark dried fruit and nut crackers to resemble the dark color of the tree bark. You can also use pretzel sticks for this.
If using bowls for smaller items, place them around the board, keeping in mind that you want a triangular shape in the end. Fill bowls with smaller items, like nuts and olives.
Cut cheese, fruits, and vegetables in different shapes. Using the larger cheeses, meats, and fruits, start to arrange them scattered around the board for best visual interest. Use the photos of my board as a guide.
Keep to the triangular look. A Christmas tree is wide at the bottom and pointed at the top. Add more ingredients towards the bottom of the board and make it narrower as you work your way up.
Decorate with additional fruits, nuts, veggies, and olives. Scatter the colorful fruits, veggies, nuts, and olives throughout the board, filling any remaining gaps as needed.
Create the outline of a Christmas tree using the fresh rosemary sprigs. Stick the sprigs under the meats, cheeses, and fruits that line the perimeter of the board. Point the rosemary slightly downward at an angle to create the Christmas tree look.
Serve immediately. Charcuterie boards are best served while the fruits and veggies are fresh and the meats are still chilled. You can enjoy for up to 2 hours before the meats and cheeses need refrigerating.

Notes

Customize the board to your family and guests' liking! Use kid-friendly options if serving kids. Get creative with it.
Buy meats and cheeses in limited amounts at the deli counter to help eliminate any food waste from way too much leftover meats and cheeses!

Nutrition