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Christmas Eve Charcuterie Board | Easy Holiday Appetizer

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A festive and forgiving charcuterie board featuring creamy brie, salty prosciutto, sweet figs, and a rosemary garnish that ties everything together. Perfect for holiday gatherings, it comes together in under 20 minutes and looks way more impressive than the effort it takes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz Brie wheel
  • 6 oz Aged Gouda, sliced into thin wedges
  • 4 oz Blue cheese (such as Roquefort or Gorgonzola)
  • 4 oz Fresh mozzarella pearls
  • 4 oz Prosciutto, thinly sliced
  • 4 oz Salami Genoa, sliced into thin rounds
  • 3 oz Soppressata, sliced (optional)
  • 1/2 cup Fig jam or preserves
  • 1/3 cup Honey
  • 1/2 cup Mixed olives (Castelvetrano and Kalamata)
  • 1/4 cup Cornichons or small pickles
  • 1/2 cup Dried apricots
  • 1/2 cup Fresh grapes (red or green)
  • 1/2 cup Fresh figs, halved (or sliced apple if unavailable)
  • 1/4 cup Candied pecans or walnuts
  • 4–5 sprigs Fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
  • 1 baguette, sliced into thin rounds and lightly toasted
  • 1 box Crisp crackers (water crackers or rosemary-infused crackers)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Rosemary Garnish (5 minutes): Wash and dry 4-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each sprig with olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Set aside on a paper towel.
  2. Set Out the Cheese (3 minutes): Remove the brie from its packaging and place it whole on the board. Let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving. Slice the aged gouda into thin wedges and arrange them in a fan shape. Crumble the blue cheese into small pieces. Place the mozzarella pearls in a small bowl or cluster them near the brie.
  3. Arrange the Cured Meats (4 minutes): Fold each slice of prosciutto into loose ribbons or rosettes. Arrange the prosciutto in one section of the board. Fan out the salami and soppressata slices in another section, slightly overlapping them.
  4. Add the Accompaniments (5 minutes): Spoon the fig jam into a small ramekin and place it near the brie. Pour the honey into another ramekin, drizzling a little honey directly over the brie. Fill another bowl with the mixed olives. Arrange the cornichons, dried apricots, fresh grapes, and fig halves in small clusters around the board. Sprinkle the candied pecans in gaps to fill empty spaces.
  5. Place the Rosemary Garnish (2 minutes): Gently tuck the oiled rosemary sprigs between the cheese and meat clusters, letting them peek out like little Christmas trees. Position one sprig near the brie and another near the prosciutto.
  6. Add the Bread and Crackers (1 minute): Arrange the toasted baguette slices and crackers around the edges of the board, creating a border that frames the ingredients. Leave some crackers near the cheese for easy grabbing.
  7. Final Touch (1 minute): Drizzle a little more honey over the brie and sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the entire board. Step back and admire your work.

Notes

Take cheese out of fridge at least 30 minutes before serving. Assemble board no more than an hour before serving. Don’t overcrowd the board; leave breathing room between ingredients. For a vegetarian version, skip the cured meats and double up on cheese and accompaniments. For a dairy-free version, use cashew-based brie and coconut milk gouda. Leftovers can be stored separately; cheese wrapped in wax paper, meats in a zip-top bag with paper towel, and crackers in a sealed container. The flavors improve overnight.

Nutrition

Keywords: Christmas Eve charcuterie board, holiday appetizer, rosemary garnish, easy charcuterie board, Christmas appetizer, cheese board, prosciutto, brie, fig jam

Find it online: https://lolaspoon.com/christmas-eve-charcuterie-board-easy-holiday-appetizer/