Easy Christmas Charcuterie Board

For this Christmas charcuterie board, I made a cheese present wrapped in prosciutto, a Camembert Christmas tree filled with jam and star-shaped cheese slices. You can use one or all of these ideas to make your own platter.

If you like to entertain at home over the holidays, this is a fun way to serve a mix of cheese, salami, fruit, nuts and crackers. You don't need a specially shaped board. I used a regular serving tray. There's no cooking, and you can put it together a few hours before your guests arrive.

What goes on this board?

For the cheeses, I used cheddar, a whole Camembert and sliced cheese. I also added prosciutto, salami, almonds, green olives, blueberry jam, grapes, mandarins, cucumber and crackers.

This board will serve 6 to 8 people when it is the main appetizer, or 8 to 10 when served with other snacks as well. If you need more food for your party, have a look at my easy Christmas appetizers collection.

What is the best Camembert to use?

There are various brands on the market, but I would focus more on the taste and texture you prefer rather than the brand.

• Young: Mild in flavor with a firmer texture.
• Ripe: Rich flavor and creamy center.
• Mature: Intense flavor and very creamy. I used this one. It had a sunken top, as you can see in the pictures.

How to make the cheese present, Camembert tree and stars

Choose your serving tray: I used one measuring about 14×10½ inches (35×27 cm). Make sure it is large enough to hold everything you plan to use. If you want to make the board ahead, check that it fits in your fridge as well.

If you are using a decorative serving tray, line it with baking parchment so the food does not touch the surface.

For more general advice on choosing and arranging ingredients, have a look at my simple charcuterie board.

If you want a smaller board, choose just one of the cheese decorations and arrange the rest of the snacks around it.

Make the cheese present: Arrange the cheddar cubes close together in the top left corner of the tray to form one large present. Make 2 layers of cubes, stacking them on top of each other. Lay the 2 slices of prosciutto across the cheese like a ribbon on a wrapped gift. Add a little rosemary in the middle.

Make the Camembert Christmas tree: Carefully cut off the top rind of the Camembert in one piece. Use a Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut out the shape, then place the remaining rind back on the cheese. Fill the tree-shaped opening with blueberry jam.

The cookie cutter you use for the Camembert must be smaller than the cheese wheel. Check first. Mine was about 3×2½ inches (8×6 cm). If your tree cutter is too large, use a different Christmas-themed cookie cutter instead. A star is the easiest option.

Make the cheese stars: Cut stars from the sliced cheese using a star-shaped cookie cutter.

Put everything together: Place the bowls of olives and almonds on the tray, followed by the Camembert in the bottom right corner. Arrange the cheese stars around it, then add the salami, cucumber slices, grapes and mandarin segments.

You can leave one mandarin whole for decoration instead of peeling all three.

Tuck fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs into any remaining gaps. They are just for decoration on this board, not for eating.

The Christmas ornaments in my photos are for styling only. Keep them off the food when serving.

Finally, add the crackers if you have enough space. Otherwise, serve them separately.

Ingredient substitutions and other ideas

Green olives: If you prefer black or Kalamata olives, or stuffed olives, use those. You can also make your own blue cheese stuffed olives.

Camembert: Brie is a milder alternative. If you like the idea of individual cheese trees, have a look at my Brie Christmas trees.

Cheddar: You will need a firm cheese that cuts easily. Young Gouda or Monterey Jack are good options.

Almonds: Use pistachios or walnuts, if you prefer them.

Crackers: A fresh baguette is another option. I like to serve it with bread dipping oil on the side. Breadsticks or seeded crackers are also tasty options.

Blueberry jam: Try cranberry sauce instead. You will find more jam suggestions in the recipe notes.

Cucumber: Celery works great, but I would also include veggie dip or something else to dip the celery into. Again, this can be served on the side.

Dried figs, pomegranate seeds or cornichons are also excellent additions to a holiday cheese board.

You can also serve hot honey on the side for the Camembert.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes, you can. This Christmas appetizer board can be assembled up to 4 hours in advance. Once assembled, cover it well with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Add the crackers just before serving or serve them separately.

You can keep the board in the fridge for longer, but some ingredients will start losing their freshness. Almonds can lose their crunch and cucumber slices may not taste as fresh.

For longer parties, you can start with a smaller amount and refill the board with food kept in the fridge. Perishable food should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

More Christmas charcuterie board ideas

• Christmas Charcuterie Tree: Cheese, salami, olives and grapes arranged into a Christmas tree. It makes a fun centerpiece.
• Snowman Cheese Board: Two round cheeses form the snowman, with fruit, nuts and crackers arranged around him.
• Santa Charcuterie Board: Another festive platter that is easy to customize to your liking.
• Christmas Wreath Cheese Board: A wreath made with rosemary, with cheeses and other snacks arranged around it.
• Winter Cheese Board: A good option if you want to make two smaller boards instead of one large one.