The Show-Stopping Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
The holidays are all about indulging, and what better way to impress your guests than with a festive Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board? It’s not only delicious but adds a show-stopping centerpiece to your holiday spread. This original appetizer brings together an array of cheeses, meats, fruits, and snacks to give everyone something to enjoy. The best part? It can be assembled in just minutes—perfect for when you’re in a holiday time crunch! Let’s get started!
How to Make Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe
Step by Step Guide
1. Grab your brie cheese and unwrap it. To make it extra special, cut the top crust off, leaving about 1/3 of the height of the cheese intact.
2. Use a cookie cutter to carve out a little Christmas tree shape from the top of the brie. After cutting, place the crust back on. Spoon kiwi jam into the hollow area—this will be the hidden treasure inside your tree!
3. Now, slice two sections of the cheese to form a pyramid shape. Dice the rest to scatter around the board later.
4. Take your Babybel cheese and stamp a small snowflake design on top for a decorative touch.
5. From your sliced cheese, cut out small snowflakes of various sizes to sprinkle across your board. These will give your charcuterie tree a festive, wintery look.
6. Now, slice your salami rounds in half, overlap the edges, and roll them into little roses. The more layers you roll, the lusher your roses will be!
7. For an edible garland, fold each salami slice into quarters and link the edges together.
8. To assemble the tree, start by tying a bow around the handle of your charcuterie board (optional, but so cute!). Place the brie “tree top” at the top of the board, then add a salami rose on the right and scatter diced brie and cherry tomatoes on the left. For the trunk, stack pretzel sticks at the bottom center, and finish by placing the Babybel cheese with its snowflake imprint right above the pretzel trunk.
9. To decorate, fold the ham circles in half and place them on either side of the pretzel trunk to form “branches.” Lay the salami garland diagonally across the board, scattering cherry tomatoes and brie cubes beneath it, and for balance, place another salami rose to the right of the garland.
10. Now it’s time to fill in the tree! Place dark grapes on one side of the salami garland and mini mozzarella balls on the other. Add pretzels between the garland and grapes for a crunchy texture, and in the remaining spaces, scatter light grapes, chocolate drippings, and cherry tomatoes to form a festive, pyramid-shaped composition.
11. For the final touch, don’t forget to sprinkle your cheese snowflakes on top! For a wintery effect, add a pinch of salt here and there to mimic snowflakes falling on your tree.
And there you have it! Your Charcuterie Christmas Tree is now ready to steal the show at your holiday gathering. Make sure to serve it immediately so all the ingredients stay fresh and appetizing. And for extra fun, set out small bowls of honey, mustard, or your favorite dipping sauces to pair with the meats and cheeses.
Whether you’re hosting a large family party or an intimate gathering, this Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board will not only satisfy hungry guests but also bring a touch of creativity to your holiday table. Merry Christmas and bon appétit!
Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 4 circles of thinly sliced ham
- 1 cup pretzels
- 12 pretzel sticks
- 1 round of brie cheese (or caramel brie for extra flair)
- 1/3 cup white chocolate drippings
- 8 cherry tomatoes
- 2 oz salami
- 1 cup light grapes
- 1 cup dark grapes
- 2 tbsp kiwi jam
- 12 mini mozzarella balls
- 1 Babybel cheese
- 2 slices of cheese
Instructions
- Grab your brie cheese and unwrap it. To make it extra special, cut the top crust off, leaving about 1/3 of the height of the cheese intact.
- Use a cookie cutter to carve out a little Christmas tree shape from the top of the brie. After cutting, place the crust back on. Spoon kiwi jam into the hollow area—this will be the hidden treasure inside your tree!
- Now, slice two sections of the cheese to form a pyramid shape. Dice the rest to scatter around the board later.
- Take your Babybel cheese and stamp a small snowflake design on top for a decorative touch.
- From your sliced cheese, cut out small snowflakes of various sizes to sprinkle across your board. These will give your charcuterie tree a festive, wintery look.
- Now, slice your salami rounds in half, overlap the edges, and roll them into little roses. The more layers you roll, the lusher your roses will be!
- For an edible garland, fold each salami slice into quarters and link the edges together.
- To assemble the tree, start by tying a bow around the handle of your charcuterie board (optional, but so cute!). Place the brie "tree top" at the top of the board, then add a salami rose on the right and scatter diced brie and cherry tomatoes on the left. For the trunk, stack pretzel sticks at the bottom center, and finish by placing the Babybel cheese with its snowflake imprint right above the pretzel trunk.
- To decorate, fold the ham circles in half and place them on either side of the pretzel trunk to form "branches." Lay the salami garland diagonally across the board, scattering cherry tomatoes and brie cubes beneath it, and for balance, place another salami rose to the right of the garland.
- Now it’s time to fill in the tree! Place dark grapes on one side of the salami garland and mini mozzarella balls on the other. Add pretzels between the garland and grapes for a crunchy texture, and in the remaining spaces, scatter light grapes, chocolate drippings, and cherry tomatoes to form a festive, pyramid-shaped composition.
- For the final touch, don’t forget to sprinkle your cheese snowflakes on top! For a wintery effect, add a pinch of salt here and there to mimic snowflakes falling on your tree.
