Christmas Charcuterie Board

Name: Christmas Charcuterie Board
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 teaspoon thyme, fresh or dried; 1 teaspoon rosemary, fresh or dried; 1 teaspoon oregano, fresh or dried; 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt; 8 slices whole wheat bread; Greenery and herbs, for making the wreath; Skewers; 8 oz cheddar cheese, cubed; 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls; 8 oz Monterey jack, cubed; 6 oz Prosciutto; 8 oz salami, cubed; 1 cup cherry tomatoes; 1/2 cup black olives; 1/2 cup green olives; 1 cup pepperoncinis

by: Jessica

published: Dec 6, 2022

4.7 (3 Reviews)

A Festive Charcuterie Christmas Wreath

Charcuterie has taken the world by storm, and no wonder. After all, who doesn’t love a slice of pepperoni or salami, a cube of cheese, some good crackers, some olives… put together a whole board of yummy goodies like those, and you’ve basically made an absolutely irresistible appetizer, with tons of flavor and texture, and little to no cooking!

So if you want to serve something special to start off your Christmas dinner, without too much prep or cooking, try this easy, wreath-shaped charcuterie board. It uses skewers for an even simpler prep, and looks fantastic, too.

If you love this Christmas Charcuterie Wreath, I think you will also love this Chicken Pinwheel Crescent Wreath and this festive Holiday Cheese Ball Wreath!

From top: Sliced whole wheat bread, proscuitto, pepperoncini, olive oil, fresh and dried herbs, cubed salami, cherry tomatoes, green olives, cubed cheddar, mozzarella pearls, black olives, monterey jack cheese.

What Do You Put on a Christmas Charcuterie Board?

You can use almost anything for this board – it’s totally flexible. I recommend staying within the general guideline of cheeses, meats, and olives/pickles, but it’s really about your tastes and dietary needs. Don’t be afraid to customize.

Olive Oil: Use a good olive oil for making the seasoned garlic toasts.
Herbs: Fresh or dried thyme, rosemary, and oregano give the garlic toasts an unforgettable flavor.
Garlic Salt: Or garlic powder, plus salt to taste.
Bread: I prefer whole wheat bread, but any sliced bread will do. If you need to be gluten free, you could also cut these Low Carb Crackers into star shapes.
Greenery and Herbs: For making the wreath.
Cheeses: I used cheddar cheese cubes, Monterey Jack cubes, and fresh mozzarella pearls.
Meats: Prosciutto and cubed salami are a great combination.
Other: Cherry tomatoes, black olives, green olives, and pepperoncini add color and tanginess to the meat and cheese.

Equipment and Supplies

Long Picks or Skewers: For making the wreath, I like to use skewers to keep this easy to eat, each person can grab a skewer. It also helps you to easily arrange your wreath and it not fall apart!
Cookie Cutter: A small star cookie cutter, Christmas tree, or another shape for cutting the bread.
Serving Board: Or a platter, tray, etc.

A Christmas charcuterie board made of skewers of ingredients. Two skewers are served on a small white plate.

How to Make a Christmas Charcuterie Board

The steps for putting together this Christmas charcuterie board are crazy-easy. You practically don’t even need a recipe!

Cutting out star shapes from slices of whole wheat bread.

Dipping a star-shaped piece of bread into seasoned oil.

Make the Mini Garlic Toasts. To make these crunchy little bites, start off by preheating the oven to 350°F. Whisk the olive oil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and garlic salt together in a small bowl. Use small Christmas cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the sliced bread, dip the shapes into the seasoned oil, and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until crusty.

Baked pieces of seasoned whole wheat braed.

Crunchy star-shaped pieces of seasoned bread.

Make the Skewers. Thread your ingredients onto the picks, using a variety of cheese, meat, tomatoes, olives, peppers, and herbs. You can make each skewer the same, or make them all different.

A skewer with pepperoncini, cheddar cheese, cherry tomato, prosciutto, monterey jack, and black olives. Dishes of those ingredients are arranged around the skewer in a circle.

Create the Wreath. Use the greenery to make a large wreath. You can use clear tape to attach pieces together if needed. Then place the skewers around the wreath. Add more herb sprigs to the wreath for extra fullness, and top with the mini garlic toasts.

Small skewers of antipasto arranged on a circle of greenery on a cutting board.

Skewers of appetizers arranged into a circle on a cutting board.

Helpful Tips

So there you have it, a pretty (and pretty delicious) Christmas charcuterie board that is as easy as can be. These easy pointers make it even simpler:

Greenery: For the base greenery, you can use fresh herbs: basil, rosemary, mint, etc. You can also ask at a local flower shop, or cut some beautiful sprigs from a bush or tree. (Make sure you check that it is a non-poisonous bush! Also, make sure to rinse the sprigs well and allow them to dry before using.)
Serving: Choose a nice platter or cutting board to make your wreath. I recommend a round platter to showcase your wreath.
Clockwise: It can be helpful to envision a clock face as you shape the wreath, especially if you’re making it on a serving dish that’s not round, such as a wooden cutting board. Set skewers at 12, 3, 6, and 9 first, and then fill in the gaps. Repeat for an even, round wreath.
Food Safety: If you do use a cutting board, make sure it is thoroughly cleaned and air-dried before laying your ingredients on it – and don’t use a cutting board that you use for raw meat and poultry! They can harbor bacteria that you don’t want on your appetizers.

Close-up shot of a charcuterie wreath decorated with garlic bread stars.

Easy Variations

Looking for more ingredient ideas? You’re in the right place. This list of ideas is loaded with tasty, easy suggestions.

Cheeses: Havarti, brie, Colby, Swiss, the sky is the limit! You could even grill halloumi cheese, cool it down, and add it to the skewers. Avoid very soft cheeses, which will fall apart on the skewer.
Meats: Pepperoni, sliced turkey, sliced or cubed ham, cubed grilled chicken, etc.
Olives and Such: Quartered artichoke hearts, giardiniera, marinated mushrooms, sliced pickled okra, sweet or sour gherkins.
Fresh Veggies and Fruits: Bell pepper pieces, cold grilled summer squash, cold grilled onion wedges, raw washed cauliflower, grapes, strawberries, apple chunks (rinsed in lemon water, so they don’t turn brown), melon.
More: Consider placing dips and crackers, small dishes of nuts, and samplings of dried fruits like cranberries and dates in and around the wreath.

A round wooden cutting board with a wreath of meats, cheeses, and other appetizer ingredients on it. Several skewers from the wreath are served onto a small dish.

Storage Guidelines

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Some ingredients may spoil faster than others, so be careful and discard anything that seems “off” as needed.

How Far in Advance Can You Put Together a Charcuterie Board?

You can make this board up to 24 hours in advance, and store it wrapped with foil or saran wrap in the fridge. I don’t recommend storing it longer, or the ingredients just won’t taste and look as fresh. Also, if you substitute ingredients, keep in mind that some substitutions may not store as well as the ingredients listed here.

Yield: 8 - 10 Servings