This Christmas cheese board brings together 5 different cheeses, along with a mix of seasonal fruit, nuts, and spreads to create a fun snack for your guests to nibble on.
It comes together in about 20 minutes, making it a quick option for holiday gatherings when you want something that looks impressive but doesn't require any cooking.
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Recipe Highlights
- Servings: 6 to 9 people
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Effort Required: Very easy
- Special Equipment: Large board or platter, mini cookie cutters in festive shapes (optional)
- Ingredient Complexity: This board uses simple cheeses available at most grocery stores.
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Cook's Notes
If variety is the spice of life, then a good cheese board is the spice of a party spread.
I've used 5 different cheeses with varying textures and flavours to create a board that gives your guests a lot of options.
I've kept the cheeses simple and classic, and added festive touches like star and snowflake-shaped cheese cutouts and fresh rosemary sprigs to make it feel appropriate for the holiday season.
I'll share which cheeses I used below, plus alternatives if you're not really fond of any one in particular (I know blue cheese isn't everyone's favourite, for example).
Ingredients and Alternatives
Although this cheese platter has many components, it's still very easy to put together.
Below, I'll give you several options to help you customize your cheese board to suit your preferences.
Cheese Options & Pairings
The best cheese boards have cheeses with varying textures (soft, semi-soft, firm, etc.) and flavours, often with multiple milk types. Keep this in mind when selecting cheeses for your board.
It's also nice to include pairings that add sweetness, saltiness, brininess, and crunch to keep the board balanced and interesting to eat.
By the way, you don't have to serve 5 different kinds of cheese! 3 would also work (odd numbers look nicer on the board).
Brie
A creamy, mellow soft cheese that pairs beautifully with sweet flavours. I chose to serve room-temperature Brie on this particular cheese platter, but a baked wheel of Brie would also be a nice addition.
Substitute: Camembert is funkier but has a similar texture.
Pair with:
- fig jam
- cranberry chutney
- apple slices
- pear slices
- water crackers
- toasted baguette slices (crostini)
- candied pecans or walnuts
- honey
Cranberry Goat Cheese
Soft, tangy goat cheese rolled in dried cranberries adds colour and brightness to the board.
Substitute: Boursin soft cheese is a good substitute.
Pair with:
- toasted baguette slices (crostini)
- almonds
- dried apricots
- dried figs
- honey
Havarti
Mild, buttery, and easy to slice, this cheese appeals to everyone.
Substitutes: Oka cheese or Jarlsberg work well as a substitute.
Pair with:
- whole wheat crackers
- apple slices
- pear slices
- dill pickles
- olives
- grainy mustard
Aged Cheddar
Bold and savoury, cheddar anchors the board and pairs well with both sweet and savoury items.
Substitutes: You can also use aged Gouda or Comté.
Pair with:
- whole wheat crackers
- grainy mustard
- red pepper jelly
- pickles
- salami
- apple slices
- chutney
- spiced nuts
Blue Cheese
Creamy and sharp with a salty finish that balances beautifully with honey and fruit. I used a mild French blue cheese, but here are some popular types of blue cheese that you may want to use.
- Gorgonzola (milder, creamier)
- Roquefort (stronger, saltier)
- Stilton (classic, balanced blue)
Substitute options:
Swap the soft blue cheese for a firm cheese like Parmesan, if you prefer.
Pair with:
- honey or honeycomb
- grapes
- pistachios or almonds
- pear slices
- dried figs
- walnuts
More Cheese Board Pairing Tips
Seasonal Fruit
Grapes, pears, and apple slices add freshness and refresh your taste buds in between the different kinds of cheese.
Fresh figs also work, but berries don't have the same effect.
Crackers & Bread
Crackers are obvious, but toasted baguette slices (crostini) are another nice option. To make them, brush thin slices of baguette with oil and toast them in the oven.
If you're short on time, you could use Melba Canapé crackers instead, as I did with my smoked salmon crostinis.
Decorative Touches
Mini cookie-cutter cheese shapes look really cute, and work best with semi-firm cheeses like Cheddar or Havarti. Aged cheeses may crumble when you try to cut shapes out of them.
- To get clean, intact shapes, cut the cheese horizontally so it's not too thick, then, using the cookie cutter, press straight down into the cheese.
- Use the back of a small spoon to gently press the cheese out of the cutter to avoid breaking the shape.
I added fresh rosemary sprigs around the edges of my board for a festive touch; however, they are not meant to be eaten
Sweet & Savoury Extras
Always ask your guests about nut allergies before choosing to add nuts to your cheese board.
Also, the sulphites in some dried fruit can trigger allergy symptoms in some people as well, so it's worth asking your guests if they are sulphite-sensitive.
This recipe has not been tested with all possible pairings and variations.
See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and recipe instructions.
How much cheese should you serve per person?
While there is no single "correct" number, here are some guidelines.
- If your cheese board is an appetizer, aim for about 2 ounces (57 grams) of cheese per person.
- Drop that to 1 ounce (28 grams) per person if you're serving your cheese board alongside many other appetizers.
- If you're serving the board as a meal (think wine and cheese night), aim for 3-5 ounces (85-142 grams) per person.
This Christmas cheese board is meant to be the main focus at a party. With the amounts I used, it comfortably serves about 6-9 people.
I aimed to buy about 150 grams (5 oz) per type of cheese, knowing that I wanted five cheeses on the board.
Now, of course, not all cheese comes in that exact measurement, and that's ok! They don't all have to be in exact equal quantities.
When in doubt, buy a bit more than you think you'll need. Leftover cheese is still delicious, just keep unused portions refrigerated.
How to Assemble a Christmas Cheese Board
Lay out everything you want to add to your board on your counter before you start assembling. This cheese board will come together quickly once you have all your ingredients ready.
If you want to cut shapes out of some of your cheeses, do that before you start building the board.
Step 1: Arrange the cheeses on the board, spacing them apart from each other.
Step 2: Add small bowls of chutney, jam, and/or grainy mustard around the cheese.
Step 3: Tuck in clusters of fresh and dried fruit (if using). Add honey or honeycomb near the blue cheese.
Step 4: Add crackers, toast, nuts, pickles and olives. Rosemary sprigs and holiday-shaped crackers add a festive touch.
Don't Forget To Provide
- Small plates
- Toothpicks
- Cheese knives or small knives
- Spoons and spreaders for the condiments
- Napkins
These items make it easy for your guests to serve themselves.
Tips for Success
- Bring cheese to room temperature: Cheese is most flavourful when it's not fridge-cold. Take it out about 20 minutes before serving.
- Don't let wet ingredients touch the dry ingredients: no one wants to eat a soggy cracker.
- Use a warm knife for neat slices: Run the blade under hot water and dry it before cutting. This works especially well for firm cheeses.
- Choose the right crackers: Holiday-shaped crackers, rosemary crackers, seeded crackers, baguette slices, and thin multigrain crackers all pair nicely with various cheeses.
- Add festive touches: Dried orange slices and rosemary sprigs can make a board look more festivite, but they are not meant to be eaten.
- Don't put every piece of cheese out at once: Soft cheeses can get runny if left out too long. Refill the board in small amounts as needed.
Make Ahead Tip
You can arrange most of the board a couple of hours ahead and keep it wrapped in the fridge. Add the crackers and fruit just before serving so they stay fresh and crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
As a general food-safety guideline, don't leave cheese out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Put out a portion of each cheese when your guests arrive, and replenish the board from the fridge as needed.
Any cheese (or meat, if you're including it) that has been at room temperature for longer than 2 hours should be discarded for safety.
I used Honeycrisp apples and Bartlett pears, which are very slow to oxidize.
If you can't find those, try adding the slices to a bowl with 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 cup of water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the fruit before serving.
I hope you enjoy making this cheese board for your next Christmas party. These boards are a nice way to let your guests mix and match their favourite ingredients, and it's easy to eat standing up.
If you're looking for more holiday appetizer ideas, try my smoked salmon canapes for something savoury or my coconut shortbread for a sweet treat. Both pair well with my cranberry punch recipe, too!
❋ Recipe ❋
Christmas Cheese Board
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Ingredients
- 150 grams Brie, or Camembert
- 150 grams Cranberry goat's milk cheese, or Boursin
- 150 grams Havarti, or Oka
- 150 grams Aged Cheddar, or Aged Gouda
- 150 grams Blue cheese, or Parmesean
- Fresh fruit, grapes, pears, or apples
- Assorted crackers, (water crackers, whole wheat crackers, holiday-shaped crackers etc.)
- Toasted baguette slices, or Melba Canapé crackers (optional)
- Fig jam, or cranberry chutney (optional)
- Candied nuts , or spiced nuts (optional)
- Pickles, or olives (optional)
- Fresh rosemary sprigs, optional
- Honeycomb, or honey (optional)
Required Tools
- Large board or platter, for serving
- Small cookie cutters, optional
Instructions
- Use the mini cookie cutters to cut shapes out of firm cheeses like Cheddar or Havarti, if desired.
- Arrange the cheeses on a large board or platter, spacing them apart.
- Place small bowls of chutney, jam, and grainy mustard around the cheeses.
- Tuck in clusters of fresh fruit and dried fruit (if using). Add honey or honeycomb (if using).
- Add crackers, toast, nuts, pickles, and olives. Finish with rosemary sprigs and any decorative elements you are using.
- Serve with small plates, napkins, cheese knives, toothpicks, spoons, and spreaders.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on specific ingredients and brands used. Accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
Notes
- Bring cheese to room temperature for the best flavour. Take it out about 20 minutes before serving.
- Don't put out all of the cheese you have at once. Replenish the board as needed. Keep unused portions of cheese refrigerated.
- Do not leave cheese or meat at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Keep wet ingredients away from crackers and bread to avoid sogginess.
- Use a warm knife for neat slices. Run the blade under hot water and dry it before cutting.
- Not all cheeses need to be in equal quantities. Aim for about 150 grams per cheese, but slight variations are fine.
- You can swap cheeses based on your preferences. See the blog post for detailed substitutions.
- Decorative touches like rosemary sprigs or dried orange slices add colour but are not meant to be eaten.
- Use Honeyscrip apples and/or Bartlett pears as they are slow to oxidize. Otherwise, if your apple or pear slices brown quickly, soak them in 1 tablespoon of honey mixed with 1 cup of water for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse.
- You can assemble most of the board a few hours ahead and refrigerate it. Add fruit and crackers just before serving.
- If using nuts or dried fruit, check with guests about nut allergies and sulphite sensitivity.
Please read the full blog post for all of my tips, variations, and recommendations for this recipe.
Private Notes
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Let us know how it turned out!
Shareba is a recipe developer and food photographer with a Culinary Arts certificate from George Brown College and more than 15 years of experience in food media.
On In Search of Yummy-ness, she shares easy seasonal comfort food recipes inspired by global flavours. Learn more →
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