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!
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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!
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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
Bread/Crackers (PICK 2)
I like getting at least 2 cracker varieties in different shapes, sizes, or flavors. And you can’t go wrong stopping by your grocery store bakery for a freshly baked baguette, either! Other options include:
- *Water Crackers
- *Flavored Crackers (such as Rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, ranch, etc.)
- French bread/baguette
- Breadsticks
- Pita chips/pita bread
- Pretzel sticks
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!
🌟CONFIDENCE TIP 🌟
Don’t stress about using a real “charcuterie board” to create your tree–you can use any wooden board, cutting board, or even a sheet pan!
PREP & STORAGE
- A big time saver is to cut and prep all items the day before your gathering. For example, cut meat and cheese, wash grapes/fruit, portion out nuts, etc. The actual “tree” is a cinch to assemble once everything is prepped and ready to go!
- 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.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Charcuterie is the preparation of the actual goodies you assemble to graze on. Typical charcuterie includes cured meats, cheese, fruit, nuts, various dips/spreads, and condiments.
A charcuterie board, is the “tray” that displays the goodies. Typically, this is a large cutting board or a marble slab of some sort. Believe it or not, there are also Christmas tree shaped charcuterie boards! A plain, large wooden cutting board has always been my go-to.
You can make your board as big or as small as you like! A good rule of thumb is to plan for 3-6 oz. of meat/cheese per guest.
For this charcuterie board, I used about 30 oz. of meat and cheese in total, so it will serve about 6-10 people.
Yes! There are two options:
Option 1: Assemble the entire tree. Cover tightly with several layers of plastic wrap. Store in the fridge up to 12 hours.
Option 2: Cut and prep cheese, meat, fruit, and any other items you are using. Store in small airtight, containers or plastic bags for up to 2 days. Assembling the tree is a cinch once you have all of your items prepped and ready to go!
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TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
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Large Board: A 18 x 14 wooden cutting board works great for assembling this board
Small Bowls/Ramekins: For spreads, dips, etc.
Toothpicks: For the pepperoni layer, as well as for serving.
Give this recipe a star rating! I love your feedback!
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YOU’LL ALSO LOVE…
Simple Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 8 oz. fontina Cheese, cubed see other cheese options below
- 8 oz. smoked Gouda, cubed see other cheese options below
- 9 oz. genoa salami, cubed see other meat options below
- 6 oz pepperoni see other meat options below
- 1/2 cup green olives
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup almonds
- 3-4 tbsp honey mustard or Delicatessen style mustard
- 1 5 oz rosemary flatbread crackers see other cracker options below
- 1 4.25 oz water crackers see other cracker options below
- fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish see other garnish options below
- 8-10 rosemary sprigs for your "tree branches"
Instructions
- Start at the base of your tree with your meats and cheeses. Make one layer that goes almost the width of the board. Make each "layer" slightly shorter than the next. Remember to leave room at the bottom for your "tree trunk." The cute little pepperoni layer was done by just folding the pepperoni slices into quarters and sticking them onto toothpicks. So easy!
- Next, layer your smaller items or "extras" such a nuts, olives, dried fruit, grapes, etc.
- Place rosemary stems between your layers for the Christmas tree look.
- Last, place any dips and 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 crackers around the board. "Decorate" the tree with red pomegranate seeds for another splash of color!Use a star 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.
- Note: For best results, allow items to come to room temperature for 15-30 minutes before serving. OR wrap the board tightly with several layers of plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 12 hours.
Notes
- Prosciutto
- *Salami
- Sopressata
- *Pepperoni
- Capocollo
- Mortadella
- Deli meats (ham, turkey, etc.)
- Brie
- Cheddar cheese cubes
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- Manchego
- Mozzarella balls (plain or marinated)
- Gouda
- Fontina
- Hummus
- Jams & Jellies
- *Honey Mustard
- Pesto
- Honey
- Spinach Dip
- Ranch Dressing
- *Water Crackers
- Whole Wheat Crackers
- *Flavored Crackers such as rosemary
- French bread/baguette
- Pretzel sicks
- Bread sticks
- Pita chips/pita bread
- For even more cracker options, see: 10 Best Crackers for a Charcuterie Board
- *Rosemary sprigs
- Pickles
- *Olives
- *Nuts
- *Dried Cranberries
- Fresh pomegranate seeds
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Chocolate
Chelsea says
I’m so excited to make this for my family at Christmas!!! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful creation.
Renee says
Our go-to holiday party app! It’s easy to put together, looks fresh and appealing for hours, and there’s something for everyone. I love how just a handful of pomegranate arils make it look so festive, too!
Anjali says
This is such a gorgeous appetizer and so festive too! Can’t wait to make this when I have my family over for the holidays!
Seema Sriram says
This is the most beautiful board for the season. I love how effortless it felt to put together.
Sara Welch says
What a fun and festive way to enjoy the holidays! Looking forward to giving this a try this. year; looks too good to pass up, indeed!
Stephanie says
This was perfect for my first time hosting Christmas and it was a great way for my teenage daughter to contribute to the prep. We chose the almost all the same ingredients as in the visual, but, of course, our picture is not as pretty. Lol Make it and enjoy it!
Nicolle says
Casey thank you so much for joining our Weekly Wednesday Link Party! I am happy to be featuring you this week! Have a great Wednesday my new friend!
Grandma's House DIY says
I’m featuring you when the next party starts this week, thank you for sharing with us at the To Grandma’s house we go Wednesday link party!
Nicolle says
Casey I came across your blog in this week’s Friday Favorites. This is stunning! I have never met me a charcuterie board I didn’t like! I would love to invite you to come link up at my weekly link party every Wednesday-Sunday! https://www.ourtinynest.com/2022/12/07/weekly-wednesday-link-party-325/
Have a great weekend!
Fran says
I am having trouble finding the meats in a size big enough to cube?
Casey Rooney says
I used a large salami stick (pictured) for this tree. You can find them in the deli section at most large chain grocery stores. You can also just so meats on toothpicks like I did for the peppeoni 🙂 Let us know how it turns ut!
Tara says
This is such a cute idea for a Christmas get together! Who doesn’t love a charcuterie board?! Yum!
Mirlene says
I love this idea of making a charcuterie board into a tree! I’m making this for my family’s christmas party this year!
Beth says
I am definitely making a Christmas Tree charcuterie board this year! So much fun and so tasty!
Claudia Lamascolo says
What a festive idea ! Everyone enjoyed this last year and will certainly make it again with such rave reviews thanks!
Renee | The Good Hearted Woman says
I love how effortless this is to pull together! It looks so festive on display, and it’s easy to keep refilled. Your “Pick 2” system for choosing really alleviates a lot of stress, too. Thanks!
Anonymous says
This was a perfect lunch for our little family on Christmas Day! So festive!