How to Make a Dessert Charcuterie Board

August 26, 2024

Hand reaching for a snowflake-shaped gingerbread cookie on a wooden tray filled with assorted holiday cookies and treats, including powdered sugar cookies, coconut macaroons, waffle cookies, and white chocolate-covered pretzels, set on a dining table with blue and white décor.

Charcuterie boards are everywhere, andfor good reason— after all, who doesn’t like a little variety in their app game? But if you’re looking to change up your usual meat, cheese, and crackers plate for something a little sweeter, may I suggest adding a dessert charcuterie tray to your next party menu? Not only do dessert charcuterie plates provide your guests with a wide variety of sweet treats, but they’re easy to customize to the holiday or season!

How to build a holiday charcuterie board

Your holiday hosting must-have? An amazing dessert tray!

Keep everyone at your Christmas dinner table jolly by serving up a warm, wintry variety-pack of treats — including the kind of cookies that are so good, you look forward to them every year!

For an optimal mix of flavors and textures, try incorporating a few of the below (and your own, time-honored family recipes, of course!) and display them proudly on a seasonally decorated dining set!

Sample holiday dessert charcuterie board menu

Gingerbread Cookies

White Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Holiday Sugar Cookies

Pizzelle Cookies

Coconut Macaroons

Millionaire’s Shortbread

Chocolate-Dipped Almond Biscotti

The holiday dessert charcuterie board shortcut

Stressed out by your to-do list this holiday season? Fear not! Here’s your dessert charcuterie shortcut:

Step one: Tell everyone you’re hosting a holiday cookie swap

Step two: Buy a few trays that you won’t mind giving away

Step three: Swap cookies (and recipes!)

Step four: Send your happy holiday guests home with full hearts, bellies, and their very own dessert tray.

How to build a fall dessert charcuterie board

A wooden serving board with assorted fall-themed baked goods including pumpkin cupcakes with frosting, cinnamon rolls, pumpkin-shaped cookies, and various spiced treats, set on a dining table with stacked plates and a bowl of dip.

The key to a great fall dessert charcuterie board is to make sure you have a wide mix of flavors (pumpkin, apple, chocolate and the like!) and a good visual mix of different kinds of desserts — cookies, cupcakes, donuts, bars, cinnamon buns, muffins, scones…mmm, I’m getting hungry already!

Anyway, once you’ve decided on your desired mix of desserts, make a full batch of each (you’ll need refills!) and arrange a few of each treat on a large serving board set up on my party-friendly Mango dining set! And don’t forget, you’ll need to wash down your treats with a few seasonal sippers for good measure!

Sample fall dessert charcuterie board menu

Here are some starter recipes for a dessert charcuterie board full of warm and comforting fall flavors:

Have a favorite family recipe? Prefer pumpkin over apple? Out of chocolate chips? Feel free to improv a bit and create the mix that feels right for you!

A family seated at a wooden dining table with a beige runner, enjoying a variety of cookies and pastries on a round wooden serving board, accompanied by glasses of water and small gold vases with autumn-colored leaves.

The fall dessert charcuterie board shortcut

Um, this sounds like A LOT of baking — and I only have one oven!! Ok, I hear you, and I have a solution: outsource your dessert charcuterie board.

Step one: make one dessert (just one!).

Step two: when your guests ask, “What can I bring?!”, ask them to bring their favorite fall dessert.

Step three: collect and arrange your friends’ culinary masterpieces upon arrival, and enjoy the fruits of their labor together. Dessert is a team sport!

Happy snacking!