This Charcuterie Christmas Tree is a festive holiday centerpiece, artfully arranged with a mix of meats, cheeses, fruits, olives, and crunchy snacks. Fresh rosemary sprigs add a touch of greenery, while a mozzarella star crowns the tree for a festive finish. Serve it with crackers for a stunning and delicious appetizer that’s sure to impress your guests!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it to your inbox. Plus get great new recipes from us every week!
This creative Christmas appetizer is more than just a snack—it’s a festive addition to your holiday spread, complete with ‘ornaments’ of your favorite ingredients. With just a little planning, you can effortlessly create and serve this delicious charcuterie board at your next holiday gathering or Christmas party.
The colorful collection of ingredients doubles as a festive centerpiece that’s easily customizable to you and your guests’ preferences. It’s the perfect opportunity to get creative and decorate your charcuterie tree however you’d like, with endless options for ingredients and designs! Get ready to enjoy this cheerful arrangement of delicious, snacking goodness!
If you're looking to add a sweet touch to your holiday spread, don’t miss some of my favorite Christmas treats! Try my decadent Cordial Cherries, light and airy Homemade Seafoam Candy, or the always festive Easy Reindeer Chow—perfect for snacking or gifting. These sweet recipes pair wonderfully with the savory charcuterie tree, creating a balanced and irresistible holiday table!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Charcuterie boards are the perfect appetizer because they are so customizable and can be made to fit the preferences of any crowd! There’s something for everyone to enjoy with the endless ingredient options.
- This meat and cheese Christmas tree is super quick and easy to assemble. You can simply take your ingredients with you when you travel and arrange when you arrive!
- Everyone will be impressed with this show-stopping charcuterie board! It’s fun to decorate, easy to serve, and makes a stunning centerpiece for your holiday spread. Pair it with my festive Christmas Trifle for a sweet treat or my adorable Snowman Cheese Ball for an extra savory option to round out your holiday table.
- You can make it as simple or elaborate as you’d like. Add seasonal touches like fresh herbs or festive garnishes to make it extra special.
- It’s perfect for any skill level—even beginners can create something that looks stunning and tastes amazing!
- This charcuterie board is a great conversation starter, bringing family and friends together to snack and enjoy during your holiday festivities.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients below to make this charcuterie board centerpiece!
- Prosciutto is great for charcuterie boards because its thin slices are easy to fold or make into fancy ribbons for visual appeal.
- Salami comes in many varieties and pairs well with the other ingredients.
- Cheddar cheese brings a sharp flavor to your board and can be cut into cubes, wedges or slices depending on your preference.
- White cheddar cheese is more mild and creamy compared to regular cheddar, and you can cut it differently to add more variety to your tree.
- Green olives are a great salty addition and some color to this holiday spread.
- Black Olives: Black olives contrast beautifully with green olives, adding both visual appeal and rich flavor. Any leftovers can be used in our Crescent Roll Taco Ring for a tasty and festive twist!
- Red Grapes: Red grapes add a touch of sweetness, a burst of color, and refreshing flavor to your charcuterie Christmas tree. Any extras are perfect for making my creamy and delicious Grape Salad!
- Pretzels and mini pretzel sticks are the perfect trunk for your Christmas tree and offer a salty crunch to balance out the other ingredients.
- Dried cranberries add more sweetness and bring a pop of color to your board.
- Mozzarella cheese is the perfect tree topper! Just cut it into a star shape with a cookie cutter and place it at the top of your tree.
- Rosemary is placed throughout the charcuterie spread to mimic the branches of a pine tree.
- Crackers are a great source of crunch that are great when paired with some cheddar cheese and salami.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Cheese Variations: Swap cheddars for Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Provolone, or any of your favorite cheeses.
- Herb Swap: Use basil, thyme, mint, or any fresh herb instead of rosemary.
- More Fruits: Add raspberries, blackberries, cherry tomatoes, or other seasonal fruits for extra color and flavor.
- Make it Nutty: Incorporate almonds, pistachios, candied pecans, cashews, or walnuts for added crunch.
- Board Variations: Create a cheese, fruit, or vegetable board instead—just shape the ingredients into a Christmas tree for festive flair.
- Meat Options: Replace prosciutto and salami with pepperoni, smoked ham, or turkey for variety.
- Vegetarian Option: Skip the meats and focus on cheeses, nuts, fruits, and veggies for a meat-free version.
- Dried Fruits: Add dried apricots, figs, or dates for a chewy, sweet contrast.
- Sweet and Savory Mix: Include chocolate-covered pretzels, caramel popcorn, or toffee bits for a sweet twist.
- Cracker Swap: Experiment with breadsticks, pita chips, or crostini as alternatives to traditional crackers.
- Dips and Spreads: Serve with hummus, guacamole, or a seasonal cranberry sauce for dipping.
- Colorful Garnishes: Decorate with edible flowers or pomegranate seeds for extra festive touches.
- Themed Tree: Use only red and green ingredients for a holiday-themed color palette.
How to Make a Charcuterie Christmas Tree
Once you've gathered all your ingredients follow the steps below for a festive holiday charcuterie board!
- Step 1: Build your tree from the bottom up, starting with wider rows and narrowing to form a triangle. Arrange ingredients for a balanced mix of colors.
- Step 2: Add rosemary for branches, a pretzel trunk, and a mozzarella star at the top. Surround with crackers and extra ingredients to serve.
Helpful Tips
- Build a Sturdy Base: Start with pretzel sticks at the bottom of the tree for the trunk—they’re simple, crunchy, and festive. Alternatively, use breadsticks, celery stalks, or even thick-cut carrot sticks for a unique twist.
- Buy Extra Ingredients: Purchase more than you think you’ll need if you plan to replenish your board during the day or enjoy some of the leftovers for snacking.
- Decorative Touches: Add festive flair with decorative toothpicks or cookie cutter shapes—stars, trees, or ornaments make your board extra special.
- Size Matters: Use larger items like cheeses and meats near the base of your tree and smaller ingredients, like nuts or dried cranberries, near the top for a balanced design.
- Travel-Friendly Tips: If traveling with your board, assemble it at your destination for best results. If pre-assembled, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, keeping it level to preserve the design.
Recipe FAQs
You can use a baking sheet, a large serving platter, or even parchment paper on your countertop to assemble your tree. If you plan to make this an annual tradition, you could always put a tree-shaped charcuterie board on your wish list to make shaping of the snacks super easy!
Arrange ingredients in overlapping layers, starting with larger items like cheeses and meats. Fill gaps with smaller items like nuts, dried fruits, or herbs for a lush appearance.
Pretzel sticks work great, but you can also use breadsticks, celery, or thick-cut carrots for the trunk of your tree.
Yes! You can prepare your ingredients and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble your Christmas tree, or you can assemble your board a few hours ahead of time and cover it tightly with plastic wrap until you’re ready to serve.
Yes! Assemble it up to a few hours in advance, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until serving.
Assemble it at your destination for best results. If pre-assembled, secure it with plastic wrap and transport it on a flat surface to keep the design intact.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
Storage Instructions
To store the leftover ingredients of your charcuterie Christmas tree, you can disassemble your board and store the ingredients separately in the refrigerator. Depending on the ingredients you use, they will last for different amounts of time in the refrigerator, so you can label and date them to keep track of freshness.
Freezing Instructions
You can always freeze certain ingredients if preferred, but most of these ingredients are best served fresh.
More Holiday Appetizer Recipes You'll Love
Looking for other Christmas appetizer recipes like this? Try these:
Did you try this recipe?
If you decide to try this Charcuterie Christmas Tree recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and let me know how it went in the 💬 comments below! I’d love to hear from you!
Charcuterie Christmas Tree
Ingredients
- 4 ounces prosciutto
- 4 ounces bite-sized salami
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese (cubed)
- 4 ounces white cheddar cheese (cubed)
- 1 cup green olives (cured and pitted)
- 1 cup black olives (cured and pitted)
- 1 cup red grapes
- 1 cup pretzels
- 10 mini pretzel sticks
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 1 slice mozzarella cheese
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Serve with a variety of crackers
Instructions
- Begin building your tree from the bottom up. Create wider rows at the bottom and slowly get smaller to create the triangle of your tree. Be sure to strategically place your ingredients to create a nice mix of colors.
- Place sprigs of rosemary throughout the tree to create the look of branches.
- Once your tree is fully built, create the trunk by arranging pretzel sticks at the bottom of the triangle.
- Using a small star cookie cutter, cut a star out of the slice of mozzarella and place it at the top of the tree.
- Place crackers and any remaining ingredients around the tray and serve.
Notes
- Build a Sturdy Base: Start with pretzel sticks at the bottom of the tree for the trunk—they’re simple, crunchy, and festive. Alternatively, use breadsticks, celery stalks, or even thick-cut carrot sticks for a unique twist.
- Buy Extra Ingredients: Purchase more than you think you’ll need if you plan to replenish your board during the day or enjoy some of the leftovers for snacking.
- Decorative Touches: Add festive flair with decorative toothpicks or cookie cutter shapes—stars, trees, or ornaments make your board extra special.
- Size Matters: Use larger items like cheeses and meats near the base of your tree and smaller ingredients, like nuts or dried cranberries, near the top for a balanced design.
- Travel-Friendly Tips: If traveling with your board, assemble it at your destination for best results. If pre-assembled, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, keeping it level to preserve the design.
Leave a Reply