This easy snowman cheese board is perfect for Holiday entertaining. Assembled in minutes and easily customizable, it makes an excellent appetizer for your next gathering.
If you are looking for festive Christmas cheese board ideas, this one fits the bill. You can make it gluten-free or vegetarian or add as much deli meat as you like!
Cheese boards, antipasti platters, or charcuterie boards are all the same things. They are easy to put together and with a bit of imagination, you can create fun appetizers for any occasion from Christmas, Easter, Birthdays, and weddings, to game nights or picnics.
They can be simple – with a few ingredients only, or luxurious – with a wide choice of bites of all sorts - perfect for a New Year’s Eve party.
How to make a snowman cheese board
For Snowman’s hands – salami sticks, celery ribs cut thin, salted pretzel sticks.
Hat – Any block of hard cheese cut into pieces and shaped into a hat will work but if you are creative, you might come up with a different idea. Cheddar is a great option.
Scarf – I used Spanish jamon. Italian Prosciutto will also work.
Buttons, eyes, and mouth – raisins, dried cranberries, whole peppercorns, blueberries,…
Nose – a piece of carrot.
Body – 2 rounds of cheese of your choice, preferably in different sizes.
To fill the tray, use anything you or your guests like. Fresh or dried fruits, berries, nuts, crackers, breadsticks, olives, pickles, pates, hummus, salamis, jams (fig or apricot go well with cheeses), and cranberry sauce.
Frequently asked questions
What to serve this Holiday appetizer on?
There are many options you can use for this winter cheese board – a tray, sheet pan, large chopping board, or serving plate. Anything large enough to fit the snowman. The rest can also be divided into several trays or plates if you feel you need larger quantities.
Can the charcuterie board be prepared in advance?
Yes, it can be made ahead. However, keep in mind that if you cut up fruits like apples or pears, these will turn brownish after a while. For that reason, it is good to either choose some other fruits or add these at the very end – just before serving.
I don’t like some of the ingredients. Can I substitute?
Yes, you can. In fact, it is up to you what you choose to add to your Christmas cheese board!
Snack platters can contain a selection of various fruits, nuts, cheeses, deli items, pickles, and dips.
Tips
- Why not go the extra mile and add cinnamon almonds to your platter? They are delicious!
- Take the serving size as a guide only. The number of people this platter will serve is going to depend on the time of the day you want to serve it and also whether you are planning on making some other appetizers. In general, count with about 8-10 people.
More Holiday appetizer ideas you might like:
- Santa Charcuterie Board
- Chocolate Dipped Mandarin Slices
- Goat Cheese Wrapped Grapes
- Christmas Tree Sandwiches
- Candy Cane Caprese Board
- Chocolate Covered Cranberries
- Chocolate-Covered Orange Peels
Snowman Cheese Board
Ingredients
For the snowman:
- 2 round cheeses (of your choice, see note 1)
- 4 ounces cheddar (120 grams, see note 2)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries (50 grams, see note 3)
- 2 raisins (or dried cranberries)
- 1 carrot (small, see note 4)
- 3 ounces Spanish dry-cured ham (Jamón Serrano, Jamón Ibérico or prosciutto, 90 grams, see note 5)
- mini salami sticks (for hands)
For the tray (see note 6):
- ½ cup almonds (70 grams)
- 1 cup grapes (150 grams)
- 1 cup mini breadsticks (60 grams)
- 1 cup crackers (i used Ritz crackers)
- 2 mandarins
Instructions
- Find a tray/serving board that is large enough to fit the snowman. Line it with baking parchment paper (optional).
- Assemble the snowman, leaving out the “hands”. Fill the tray with ingredients of your choice (feel free to use larger quantities as well).
- Finally, arrange the salami sticks where the hands would go.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- I used Camembert and Petit Reblochon de Savoie. Both are about 8 ounces/240 grams in weight. You can use goat cheese, Provolone, or any cheese that is round.
- For the hat, you need any hard cheese that you can easily cut. Cheddar was the easiest and cheapest option. The quantity needed will depend on the size of the hat you will make. I used about 4 ounces/120 grams.
- Use some of the dried cranberries for buttons and raisins for the eyes. Or combine these in whichever way you prefer. Or use just one of those.
- Only a tiny piece is needed for the nose.
- Italian prosciutto is a great alternative. Ham can also be used as a substitution. One slice for the scarf and the rest to fill the tray.
- Take this as a guide. All the filler ingredients can be easily substituted. Choose what you and your guests like – fruits, veggies, crackers, nuts, deli hams...
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