Simple Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board

This Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board will be a showstopper at your Christmas gathering! This easy charcuterie board is a great way to kick off the holiday season and impress your friends and family. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions and you’ll be surprised how easy it is!

Your guests will be so impressed when they lay eyes on this festive Christmas tree charcuterie board! It’s such a fun, festive way to kick off a holiday gathering or cocktail party!

I LOVE themed charcuterie boards! Remember my Patriotic Charcuterie Board for the 4th of July and my super Simple Family Friendly Charcuterie Board…heck, I even did a Chili Charcuterie Board! It’s so much fun!

This board is just as beautiful and delicious as those, but with a fun, Christmas/holiday theme!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS HOLIDAY CHARCUTERIE BOARD

• Simple, yet festive way to kick off the Christmas season!
• Lots of delicious options to choose from to include on your board.
• Can easily be refilled as guests graze.
• Can be made ahead of time for stress-free entertaining.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Easy Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board:

INGREDIENT OPTIONS: PICK 2 METHOD

To make assembling this board simple and stress-free, use the “Pick 2” method. There are five categories, and you just “Pick 2” from each! No need to overcomplicate things!

*The starred items are exactly what I used on my Christmas tree charcuterie board.

Meats (PICK 2)

Here are some options for your charcuterie meats:

• Prosciutto
• *Salami
• Sopressata
• *Pepperoni
• Capocollo
• Mortadella
• Deli meats (ham, turkey, etc.)

Cheeses (PICK 2)

Use a variety of cheeses on your board. Some people say to choose some hard cheese and some soft cheese. I say, choose what you think your guests will love (or use YOUR favorite cheeses)! I used smoked gouda and fontina on my board. Both are rich, creamy, and definitely crowd-pleasers!

Cut your harder cheeses into small bite-sized cubes.

Here are some other crowd faves:

• Brie
• Medium/Sharp or white cheddar cheese cubes
• Parmigiano Reggiano
• Manchego
• Mozzarella Balls (plain or marinated)
• *Gouda
• *Fontina

Dips & Spreads (PICK 2)

These dips/spreads deliver delicious, yet convenient options for your charcuterie board. Open the container and they’re ready to serve! And who doesn’t love to dip?! Some options include:

• Hummus
• Jams & Jellies
• *Honey Mustard
• French Onion Dip
• Ranch Dip
• Tzatziki Yogurt Dip
• Red or green pesto
• Honey
• Spinach Dip

See more cracker options here: 10 Best Crackers for a Charcuterie Board.

Extras/Garnishes (optional, PICK 2)

If you are looking to elevate your festive board, here are some other (optional) mouth-watering accompaniments. Some great options include:

• *Fresh rosemary sprigs: To make your Christmas tree look authentic 🙂
• Pickles
• *Green olives
• Black olives
• *Nuts
• *Dried cranberries or fresh cranberries
• *Fresh pomegranate seeds
• Cherry tomatoes/grape tomatoes
• Fresh herbs (for garnish): thyme, rosemary, dill
• Fresh fruit: green or red grapes, strawberries
• Cucumber
• Cherries
• Chocolate

HOW TO MAKE A CHARCUTERIE BOARD CHRISTMAS TREE: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!

Once you have chosen your items from the “Pick 2” method above, start assembling your festive Christmas charcuterie board:

Step 1: Start at the bottom of the tree. Start with the bigger “main” items first–your meats and cheeses. Just make each “layer” slightly shorter than the next. The cute little pepperoni layer was done by just folding the pepperoni slices into quarters and threading them onto a toothpick. So easy!

Step 2: Once you get to the top half of the tree, start layering your smaller items or “extras” such as nuts, olives, dried fruit, grapes, etc.

Step 3: Place rosemary stems between your layers for the Christmas tree look. Then, use a star-shaped cookie cutter (or freehand it with a sharp knife) to cut a star shape from a slice of cheese for the top of the tree.

Step 4: Last, place any dips or spreads you are using around your board. I used honey mustard in a small white ramekin for the “trunk” of my tree! Also, add bread and/or crackers around the board. “Decorate” the tree with red pomegranate seeds for another splash of color!

• For the best flavor, let the charcuterie board with all of the goodies come to room temperature about 15-30 minutes before serving.

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS

• Keep it Simple: To keep from getting overwhelmed with all the choices for your charcuterie board, use the “Pick 2 method” and keep it simple!
• Charcuterie Boards: A 18 x 14 wooden cutting board works great for assembling this board! There are also super fun Christmas Tree shaped charcuterie boards! Another great option I have used is a big 16 x 16 slab of marble tile you can pick up for about $5 at a home improvement store – it makes a beautiful backdrop for your Christmas charcuterie!
• Proper Portions: A good rule of thumb is to plan for 3-6 oz. of meat/cheese per person. For this charcuterie board, I used about 30 oz. of meat and cheese, which will serve about 6-10 people.
• Refills: I always like to have precut meat and cheese, along with extra condiments ready to go to easily refill the platter as your guest graze.
• Pepperoni Layer: Fold pepperoni slices in quarters, then stick them onto toothpicks to make that layer neat and pretty 🙂 You can do this with thinly sliced salami, too.

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