Sweet and Salty Christmas Snack Board
This sweet and salty Christmas Charcuterie Board is the ultimate way to entertain during the holidays! It requires absolutely zero cooking and is devoured by both kids and adults alike. We’ve included tons of snack ideas, as well as easy tips to make your board beautiful and festive for any holiday gathering.
Servings: 6 + (Can serve as many as desired)
Calories: 300kcal
Ingredients
- Crackers: Ritz, Wheat Thins, Tricuits, multigrain, sweet potato crackers, nut and fruit crisps, Cheez-Its, Goldfish, etc.
- Popcorn: Black and White Popcorn, kettle corn, caramel corn, cheddar popcorn, salted popcorn, etc.
- Cookies: Oreos, white chocolate cranberry dunkers, chocolate mint cookies, generic Girl Scout cookies, etc.
- Dried fruit: Dried cranberries, raisins, golden raisins, dried apricots, etc.
- Fresh fruit: Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, tangerines slices. (Avoid fruit that browns when sliced).
- Nuts: raw almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, candied nuts, honey roasted peanuts, flavored nuts, chocolate covered nuts, etc.
- Meat: Sliced cured meats including salami, pepperoni, prosciutto; or sliced deli meat including ham or turkey.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar, provolone, Colby Jack, spicy cheese, mozzarella pearls, cinnamon toscano cheese, smoked cheese, etc.
- Jams or Spreads: Cheese ball, pepper jelly, hummus, etc.
- Pretzels: Regular, chocolate covered, peanut butter filled, soft, etc.
- Candy: M&M's, licorice, fun size candy bars, etc.
- Other snacks: Dill or sweet pickles, green or black olives, etc.
Instructions
- Select a board: Start by choosing a large cutting board, platter, or cookie sheet to assemble on.
- Choose bowls: Next, choose 3-5 small bowls of varying sizes.
- Place the bowls first: To assemble, start by placing 3 bowls on your surface. You can either group 3 bowls together like in the photos, or you can space them in a rough zigzag pattern.
- Arrange items in clusters: Start filling in the space around the bowls with little clusters of items (i.e. a pile of grapes, a pile of meat, etc). This is a fluid process - be flexible and feel free to move things around as you go until it looks good.Popcorn: Black and White Popcorn, kettle corn, caramel corn, cheddar popcorn, salted popcorn, etc., Cookies: Oreos, white chocolate cranberry dunkers, chocolate mint cookies, generic Girl Scout cookies, etc. , Dried fruit: Dried cranberries, raisins, golden raisins, dried apricots, etc. , Fresh fruit: Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, tangerines slices. , Nuts: raw almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, candied nuts, honey roasted peanuts, flavored nuts, chocolate covered nuts, etc. , Jams or Spreads: Cheese ball, pepper jelly, hummus, etc. , Pretzels: Regular, chocolate covered, peanut butter filled, soft, etc. , Candy: M&M's, licorice, fun size candy bars, etc. , Other snacks: Dill or sweet pickles, green or black olives, etc.
- Balance colors: As you fill the board, try to situate similar colored items across from each other to visually balance the platter. For example, we have white chocolate pretzels across from the white mozzarella. We have dried cranberries across from the red strawberries.
- Fan items: Be sure to use a fan pattern for some items to take up space. The best items to fan are slices of cheese, crackers, and meat.Crackers: Ritz, Wheat Thins, Tricuits, multigrain, sweet potato crackers, nut and fruit crisps, Cheez-Its, Goldfish, etc. , Meat: Sliced cured meats including salami, pepperoni, prosciutto; or sliced deli meat including ham or turkey. , Cheese: Sharp cheddar, provolone, Colby Jack, spicy cheese, mozzarella pearls, cinnamon toscano cheese, smoked cheese, etc.
- Pause and look: As the board begins to fill, step back and look. If anything is looking funky, just take it off and place it somewhere new. With a bit of practice, you'll develop an eye for what looks good.
- Go back for final touches: Last, once the board is mostly full, go back and add a few of the same items across from each other. For example, in our board we sprinkled chocolate mint star cookies in two places, and we added strawberries in two places. This helps pull the whole board together.
Notes
Tips & Tricks
- Choose items that appeal to kids and adults so that everyone is happy!
- Include a mix of sweet and salty items, not just one or the other. That's what makes this board so delicious!
- Arrange the board about 20-30 minutes before serving. This will ensure the cold items stay cold or room temperature for longer.
Nutrition
Calories: 300kcal
