Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
This easy Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board takes 10 minutes to assemble. It is festive and fun, with bites of cheese, crackers, and meats!
‘Tis the season for holiday parties and charcuterie boards! Whether you’re hosting a large party or a small gathering, your guests will love this festive charcuterie Christmas tree! Pull out your big board and get started!
Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
We love this savory spread, because it’s a festive showpiece, shaped like a tree. Feel free to copy this recipe or add your favorite ingredients to create your own appetizer. We used our 12×24″ big board (info below), and also steak crostini, with en Asian chicken salad (with cranberries). It was a fun, intimate, festive party with cherry hand pies for dessert.
What is a charcuterie?
A charcuterie is usually a delicious appetizer where you have a lot of freedom to set out cured meats, pates, cheese, crackers, and even preserved foods (like the peppers we used). It’s served on a plate, board, or stone slab, and eaten right off the board (in our case, The Big Board).
For our “stem” of the tree, we added bread sticks. Cute!
Why I love this recipe
- It’s easy to assemble.
- Perfect for holiday parties.
- It’s the perfect finger food!
- Get your guests to help you create the appetizer together – it’s fun!
Gather these ingredients:
- Breadsticks (trunk of the tree)
- Peppadews stuffed with Boursin cheese
- Salami slices folded in quarters
- Wisconsin red wine cheese: use your favorite cheese
- Cucumber slices + cherry tomatoes
- Crostini crackers: use your favorite crackers
- Brie cheese, cut in bites: you can also use mozzarella balls
- Salami rounds
- More crackers
- More stuffed peppitos
- A shortbread cookie STAR (buy them here, mini festive star shortbread cookies)
If you’re trying to limit your consumption this holiday season, this “tree appetizer” has just the right amount of “nosh” to enjoy before the main dish. It’s not to “epic” and it’s the perfect size for 8-10 guests to have a little bite.
How to make a Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
- On a rectangular board, start at the bottom with short bread sticks to make the trunk of the tree.
- Stuff peppadews with boursin cheese. Arrange the first bottom layer of the tree with the stuffed peppers.
- Next, lay down a row of sliced cucumber. In between the cucumbers and the peppadews, fold salami pieces in quarters and squeeze in between to make its own row.
- Fan out a layer of crackers above the cucumber slices.
- Form another row of cherry tomatoes above the crackers.
- Cut brie cheese into large chunks and stack above the cherry tomatoes to make a row.
- Slice salami and fan out above the brie cheese.
- Arrnage another cracker row above the salami slices.
- The top row add 3 more stuffed peppadews.
- At the very top, place a Walker shortbread “star” cookie for the tree topper!
Tips and substitutions:
- In place of the brie cubes you can use baby mozzarella balls.
- Use pretzels instead of bread sticks for the base of the tree.
- Rosemary sprigs add for more garnish!
- Use a star shaped cookie cutter to create a cheese star at the top of the tree.
- As always, make it your own.
- Add in fruit, like apple slices or pears, or grapes (red or green).
- Replace the cucumber with edamame for some fresh green color.
Have fun here and don’t take it too seriously.
One thing I love this time of year is grafting new people into our lives. When you think about it, feasting together is a spiritual thing. Introducing people to other individuals (neighbors to neighbors), is a way to share the holiday spirit and love.
We need not hoard our friendships, but embrace them and share with others!
More holiday party appetizers:
Easy Meatball Crostini Appetizer
Mini Crescent Dogs Christmas Tree
The Big Board®
Friends, The Big Board® is here! Yes, I’ve partnered with JK Adams, the premier woodmaking company in Vermont, with my own line of RE boards!
- 26-inch round, maple
- 12 x 36-inch maple
- 12 x 24-inch maple
- 12 x 36-inch ebonized BLACK, cherry
- 26-inch cherry
- 12 x 36-inch cherry
- 12 x 24 folding travel board
- A board with a lip (or raised edged) so the food doesn’t fall off
- FOOD SAFE
- Made in the USA
- Undercut handles (a unique design)
Thank you for your support, as we’ve sold out so many times already!
Order The Big Board® today!
Get the Recipe:
Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- Breadsticks, trunk of the tree
- Sweet Peppadews with Boursin cheese, I buy these at Newport Avenue Market
- Salami pieces folded in quarters
- Wisconsin red wine cheese
- Cucumber slices
- Crostini crackers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Brie cheese, cut in bites
- Salami rounds
- Additional crackers
- Additional stuffed peppitos
- A STAR shortbread cookie, for the top, we bought Walker brand
Instructions
- On a rectangular board with a raised edge, start at the bottom with short bread sticks to make the trunk of the tree. [You want a board with a lip so the food stays on and doesn't fall off.]
- Stuff peppadews with boursin cheese. Arrange the first bottom layer of the tree with the stuffed peppers.
- Next, lay down a row of sliced cucumber. In between the cucumbers and the peppadews, fold salami pieces in quarters and squeeze in between to make its own row.
- Fan out a layer of crackers above the cucumber slices.
- Form another row of cherry tomatoes above the crackers.
- Cut brie cheese into large chunks and stack above the cherry tomatoes to make a row.
- Slice salami and fan out above the brie cheese.
- Arrnage another cracker row above the salami slices.
- The top row add 3 more stuffed peppadews.
- At the very top, place a Walker shortbread "star" cookie for the tree topper!
- ENJOY!
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
