Christmas Wreath Charcuterie Board

What is a Charcuterie Board?

Charcuterie boards have been around for quite a while, and these days they include a fun mix of fruits, vegan cheese, nuts, crackers, and spreads. Spread out on a board or platter, they make an appealing display where guests can help themselves to whatever looks the most satisfying. Colorful fruits, antipasto, spreads, and crackers can make even the pickiest guests happy and coming back again and again!

Why Are They So Popular?

Aside from how pretty they look, charcuterie boards need very little prep and no cooking. All it takes is placing your favorite goodies on a board. Plus, it’s a fun way to make a festive appetizer in a special color or shape (like this wreath!), so you can customize it for any occasion.

Christmas Wreath Charcuterie Board Ingredients

This board is packed with sweet, salty, and crunchy bites that bring a cheerful feeling to the table. You’ll find the amounts in the recipe card below.

• Olives: I love using green and black olives from California Ripe Olives. They are traditionally part of an antipasto, and their salty, tangy taste is the perfect contrast to the sweet grapes and other fruits.
• Jam: Give your guests some choices. Blueberry and strawberry jams are great options, and homemade grape jam without pectin works well too.
• Crackers or crostini: Pick one or a few of your favorite salty or plain crackers. You can even make homemade vegan rosemary crackers.
• Fruit: Purple grapes fill the gaps, and any fall or winter fruit works, like figs, strawberries, and fresh cranberries (extras are perfect for my cranberry sauce with orange juice). Cut bigger fruits like apples, oranges, and plums into bite-size pieces.
• Cookies: I added some vegan cookies for the kiddos! Stick with classic dairy-free chocolate chip cookies or gingerbread oatmeal cookies, or pick a few favorites from my vegan Christmas cookies roundup.
• Nuts: I used walnuts and pecans, but macadamias, cashews, almonds, peanuts, or my cinnamon almonds are great too. If you are allergic to nuts, swap them for roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
• Dried fruit: Prunes, dates, or sliced figs add a chewy, sweet bite. They are optional, so use whatever you have.
• Fresh rosemary: Small bunches of rosemary make the board look like a Christmas wreath. They are mostly there for decoration and aroma.

How to Make a Christmas Wreath Charcuterie Board

Before you start, rinse the fruit, cut any bigger fruit into bite-size pieces, and grab a large round board or platter and a few small bowls. I used a round wooden chopping board for a rustic look, but a big round plate, a cake stand, or parchment paper spread right on the table works too. The trick for a wreath is to shape everything in a ring with the center left open.

1. Fill the bowls. Spoon the olives and jams into small bowls or shallow dishes and set them around the board. Rustic or wooden bowls look so cute here if you have them.
2. Add the crackers and fruit. Fan the crackers and fruit out around the ring between the bowls.
3. Fill the gaps. Tuck handfuls of nuts, grapes, cookies, and dried fruit into any small spaces.
4. Make the wreath. Tuck sprigs of fresh rosemary around the board to create the wreath.
5. Serve. Serve the charcuterie board right away, or chill it in the fridge until it’s ready to serve.

PRO TIP: Keep any extra crackers, fruit, and nuts sealed nearby (in the fridge if needed) so you can refill the board when it starts to run low.

Make This Recipe Your Own

• Vegan cheese: If you are a cheese lover, add your favorite dairy-free cheese, or spoon my tofu feta cheese or vegan tofu ricotta into a small bowl as a spread.
• Vegan ‘meats’: Add vegan deli slices or other faux meats to make it a classic antipasto board.
• Spreads: Set out a spread or two in small bowls with a spreading knife. My lentil kalamata spread, green olive tapenade, and pistachio hummus all make delicious additions.
• A few veggies: Add cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and carrot sticks with a bowl of vegan French onion dip.
• Treats: Make your board more decadent with vegan chocolate covered strawberries, rosemary candied walnuts, pumpkin stuffed dates, peanut butter bonbons, vegan chocolates, and Christmas candies.

Storage Tips

• Make ahead: For best results, serve the board right away. If you make it in advance, cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
• Fridge: Pack leftovers separately in an airtight container or resealable bags and store them in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Leftover fruit and nuts are great tossed into a salad.
• Freezer: Freeze any extra fruit and turn it into smoothies the morning after.
• Herbs: Save the rosemary for cooking! Wrap it loosely in a damp paper towel and keep it in an airtight container or resealable bag in your fridge’s crisper drawer.

Christmas Wreath Charcuterie Board FAQs