Christmas Tree Cheese Board Ideas for Holiday Parties

A Christmas Tree-shaped holiday cheese board is a festive and simple way to serve charcuterie, cheeses and crackers this season. This eye-catching appetizer comes together in about 10 minutes, so it’s perfect for last-minute entertaining or as a beautiful centerpiece for your holiday spread.

Pair this Christmas cheese board with a seasonal cocktail or punch, or serve it alongside other easy appetizers for a crowd-pleasing holiday table.

Inspired by the idea of creating beautiful, shareable boards, I set out to build a Christmas tree-shaped cheese and charcuterie board that’s both festive and approachable. It’s an easy design that highlights contrasting colors and textures—red and green grapes, two types of cubed cheese, slices of summer sausage, aromatic rosemary and a few pecans for the trunk.

This board is highly adaptable. Make it larger for a crowd or smaller for an intimate gathering. The ingredient amounts below will serve about 4–6 people as an appetizer. Adjust quantities to accommodate more guests, or add extra cheese varieties and accompaniments for a fuller spread.

How to make it

1. Place a layer of red grapes along the bottom of a serving tray or wooden cutting board to form the widest row of the tree.
2. Add a layer of cubed cheese directly above the grapes.
   • For this board, a white stilton with cranberries works nicely—its color and texture make a lovely contrast.
3. Place a layer of diced summer sausage above the cheese.
   • If you prefer, swap the summer sausage for salami or use an extra row of grapes for a vegetarian option.
4. Add another layer of cubed cheese above the summer sausage, arranging it slightly shorter than the row below to create the triangular tree shape.
   • A seriously sharp cheddar adds bold flavor and bright color.
5. Place a few green grapes above the cubed cheddar to continue the tapering tree shape.
6. For a festive topper, use a small star cookie cutter to cut a star out of a block of cheese and place it at the very top. You can also add one or two additional star accents on the board.
7. Slide 4–5 sprigs of fresh rosemary under the edges of the meat, cheeses and grapes on each side to resemble tree branches and add a fragrant, evergreen look.
8. Finish the base of the tree with 4 pecans arranged vertically to mimic a trunk.
9. OPTIONAL: Arrange crackers, sliced baguette or breadsticks around the board or serve them in small bowls on the side. Thin, crispy breadsticks in a mason jar make a charming presentation.

More cheeses to try

Choose hard or semi-hard cheeses that cut cleanly into cubes and hold their shape on the board. Here are several tasty options you can swap in or add alongside the cheddar and stilton used above:

• Gouda
• Blue cheese
• Gorgonzola
• Gruyère
• Swiss
• Parmesan
• Provolone
• Asiago
• Manchego

Other fruit and vegetable options

Swap grapes or add extra fruits and vegetables to introduce more color and texture. For diced apples or pears, prevent browning by briefly dipping the pieces in a 50/50 water and lemon juice mixture before arranging them on the board.

• Instead of green grapes:
  • Diced green apples (toss with lemon water to prevent browning)
  • Diced pears (see tip above)
  • Peeled and sliced kiwi
  • Sliced cucumbers
  • Green olives
• Instead of red grapes:
  • Dried cranberries
  • Dried figs
  • Pitted dates, halved
  • Cherry tomatoes

More appetizer recipes

For additional ideas to complement this holiday cheese board, consider other simple, crowd-pleasing appetizers such as bacon-wrapped dates, a flavored cheese ball, baked brie bites, or savory stuffing balls. These small plates pair well with the board and make entertaining easier.

Recipe: Christmas Tree Shaped Holiday Cheese Board