Introduction

Create a festive centerpiece with this Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board. Layered with a mix of cheeses, meats, and vibrant garnishes, it’s perfect for holiday gatherings and sure to impress your guests.

The image shows a festive charcuterie board shaped like a Christmas tree on a white marbled surface. The base layer has green rosemary sprigs outlining the tree shape. On top are cream-colored cheese slices fanned out at the edges, clusters of green grapes placed in three spots, and cube-shaped pale yellow cheese scattered around the center. There are folded pink prosciutto slices and rolled salami forming rose shapes spread evenly across the board. Light brown crackers with a ridged edge fill much of the background, while small chunks of cashews and green olives are tucked in between. Round, white goat cheese rounds each have a red star-shaped jam decoration on top clustered near the center and edges. The tree trunk is made from twisted golden breadsticks. A woman's hand picks up a grape from the lower left. Nearby is a small white bowl of dark red dried cranberries and two wine glasses, all on the white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

5 to 6 cheddar cheese sticks, halved
1 (6-oz.) block of Gruyère
7 to 8 oz. cold salami rounds (about 2″ in diameter)
6 mini rounds brie
1 1/2 tsp. (or more) sour cherry jam
1 (4-oz.) pkg. prosciutto slices
1 (4-oz.) box sourdough flatbread bites
8 oz. white cheddar, cut into 1″ cubes
Green grapes, rosemary sprigs, honey-roasted cashews, Castelvetralo olives, and dried cranberries, for decorating
A 1 1/4″ to 1 1/2″ star cookie cutter
Toothpicks

Instructions

Step 1: Arrange cheddar cheese sticks on the bottom of a large cutting board, stacking them to create the “trunk” of the tree.
Step 2: Cut the Gruyère into right triangles about 2 1/2″ to 3″ in length, then slice them 1/4″ thick to get 24 slices total.
Step 3: Fan out groups of four Gruyère slices with pointed ends facing the edges of the board, repeating on all sides to form a tree outline.
Step 4: Overlap salami rounds slightly—3 for small roses, 5 for medium, and 7 for large—to make 9 rose shapes by rolling folded half-moon shapes into tight rolls. Use toothpicks to hold them if needed.
Step 5: Press the star cookie cutter onto cold mini brie rounds to create shallow star indentations by peeling off the rind carefully.
Step 6: Dollop about 1/4 tsp. of sour cherry jam into the star center and spread evenly with a toothpick, avoiding jam chunks.
Step 7: Cut prosciutto slices into thirds, pinch and scrunch the pieces to form small bunches, then combine three bunches into one larger set. Make three sets total.
Step 8: Place three mini brie stars on the top right corner of the Gruyère slices and three on the bottom left corner.
Step 9: Arrange green grape bunches in a zigzag pattern around the Gruyère slices as described to add color and texture.
Step 10: Fan out sourdough flatbread bites along the cheese groups, using the entire package.
Step 11: Position salami roses in sets of small, medium, and large near the corresponding cheese groups and remove toothpicks once arranged.
Step 12: Place prosciutto bunches strategically near crackers and grapes to balance the board.
Step 13: Fill empty spaces in the tree center with white cheddar cubes, olives, and nuts.
Step 14: Use rosemary sprigs to mimic branches, placing two longer ones at the top to frame the tree shape.
Step 15: Garnish the board with dried cranberries scattered over cheddar and Gruyère slices for a festive touch.

Tips & Variations

Keep mini brie rounds cold before cutting to avoid smushing and make peeling the rind easier.
Substitute sour cherry jam with fig or apricot preserves for a different flavor profile.
Use other cured meats like pepperoni or soppressata if prosciutto isn’t available.
Add fresh herbs like thyme or sage alongside rosemary for additional aroma and decoration.
For a vegetarian board, omit the meats and include extra cheeses, nuts, and fresh or dried fruits.

Storage

Cover the charcuterie board with plastic wrap or place components in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To serve, let cheeses come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Remove any perishable garnishes like grapes beforehand if storing separately.

How to Serve

A food arrangement shaped like a Christmas tree sits on a white marbled surface. The tree has nine layers: at the top is a yellow cheese star, under it a small pile of green olives forms the tree’s peak. Below the olives is a layer of round red salami slices, followed by a narrow row of mixed nuts and green pumpkin seeds. The middle layers alternate with light yellow triangular cheese slices, bright red raspberries, and green kiwi slices. Below that, more round slices of spicy red salami cover a layer of white cheese cubes, then a spiky layer of pale yellow triangular cheese slices creates a pointed look. The tree trunk is made of a pile of brown pecans. At the tree’s base, bunches of green and red grapes hang down with green rosemary sprigs, and a row of round white crackers forms the ground beneath the tree. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I prepare the board ahead of time?

Yes, assemble most elements a few hours before serving and keep covered in the fridge. Add delicate garnishes and fresh herbs just before guests arrive to keep them fresh.

What if I don’t have a star cookie cutter?

You can carefully cut star shapes freehand using a small knife or use any festive-shaped cookie cutter you have on hand. Alternatively, skip the shaped cheese and dot jam directly on top.

Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 56 reviews

Create a festive and visually stunning Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board featuring a variety of cheeses, meats, fruits, nuts, and crackers artfully arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree, perfect for holiday gatherings.

Author: Ella
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: Serves 8 to 10 1x
Category: Appetizer
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Cheeses

5 to 6 cheddar cheese sticks, halved
1 (6-oz.) block Gruyère
6 mini rounds brie
8 oz. white cheddar, cut into 1” cubes

Meats

7 to 8 oz. cold salami rounds (about 2″ in diameter)
1 (4-oz.) pkg. prosciutto slices

Condiments & Spreads

1 1/2 tsp. (or more) sour cherry jam

Snacks & Garnishes

1 (4-oz.) box sourdough flatbread bites
Green grapes
Rosemary sprigs
Honey-roasted cashews
Castelvetrano olives
Dried cranberries

Tools

A 1 1/4” to 1 1/2″ star cookie cutter
Toothpicks

Instructions

Form the trunk: Arrange the halved cheddar cheese sticks stacked on top of each other at the bottom of a large cutting board to create the tree trunk shape.
Prep the Gruyère: Cut the Gruyère block into right triangles around 2 1/2″ to 3″ long, then slice each triangle 1/4″ thick to get a total of 24 slices.
Create the tree outline: Take 4 slices of Gruyère and fan them out on the board with the pointed ends facing the left edge. Repeat on the right edge and four more times facing other edges until outlining the Christmas tree shape.
Make salami roses: Overlap 3, 5, or 7 salami rounds slightly to create small, medium, and large roses respectively; prepare 3 sets of 3 for a total of 9 roses.
Fold and roll salami: Fold salami slices in half lengthwise to form a half-moon and tightly roll them into rose shapes, securing with toothpicks if needed.
Prepare brie stars: Gently press a star cookie cutter onto cold mini brie rounds, using a paring knife to cut and remove the rind carefully to create a star-shaped indent without squishing the cheese.
Add sour cherry jam: Dollop about 1/4 tsp. of sour cherry jam into each brie star and spread gently with a toothpick to fill the star shape evenly.
Create prosciutto bunches: Cut prosciutto slices into thirds crosswise; scrunch and pinch each piece to form edges that bunch up; combine to make 6 bunches, then pinch all together for one larger bunch. Repeat to create 3 total sets using all slices.
Place brie stars: Arrange 3 brie stars on the top corner of Gruyère slices (pointing right) and 3 on the bottom corner (pointing left).
Arrange grapes: Place green grape bunches strategically near the Gruyère slices forming a zigzag pattern across the board.
Add flatbread crackers: Fan out 8 to 10 sourdough flatbread bites at the indicated corners of the cheese slices to fill the package evenly.
Position salami roses: Place one set of small, medium, and large salami roses near the top right, middle left, and bottom right groups of cheese slices; remove toothpicks after placement.
Place prosciutto bunches: Arrange prosciutto bunches around the tree near crackers and grapes to complement the design.
Fill empty spaces: Use cubed white cheddar to fill the middle gaps and add Castelvetrano olives and honey-roasted cashews to fill any remaining empty spots.
Decorate with rosemary: Use rosemary sprigs as tree branches, placing two longer sprigs at the top to outline the tree shape visually.
Garnish: Sprinkle a few dried cranberries over the cheddar and Gruyère to add festive color and texture.

Notes

Keep mini brie rounds cold before cutting to prevent squishing.
Use toothpicks temporarily to help shape salami roses, removing them before serving.
Overlap salami slices slightly when forming roses for better hold.
Arrange ingredients thoughtfully to mimic the shape of a Christmas tree for festive presentation.
Feel free to substitute similar cheeses or cured meats based on preference.

Keywords: christmas tree charcuterie, holiday appetizer, festive cheese board, salami roses, prosciutto bunches, christmas appetizer, no cook charcuterie board