Create a fun candy cane charcuterie board for your next holiday gathering. The festive cane shaped board is filled with red and white snacks.
If you want to add a little fun to your holiday charcuterie boards this season, try creating a fun shape with your food. This candy cane charcuterie board styles both sweet and savory snacks in a fun display.
Alternate red and white foods, including savory cheeses and sweet desserts, in the shape of a candy cane. This holiday board is pretty and delicious.
What’s On This Candy Cane Charcuterie Board
- White chocolate pretzels
- Raspberries
- White cheddar cheese
- Herb-crusted salami
How to Assemble a Candy Cane Charcuterie Board
Assemble an adorable candy cane charcuterie board by alternating red and white foods in the shape of a cane. Start at the bottom with white chocolate-covered pretzels. Pile the pretzels into a rectangle about 3 inches wide and 4 inches tall.
Next, arrange raspberries above the pretzels in a similar shape. Then add a rectangular pile of white cheddar cheese.
For the next layer, use salami. Arrange the salami to act as the curve of the candy cane. This is best done with salami folded into quarters.
How to Fold Salami
To create salami quarters, fold a piece of salami in half. Then fold it in half again. Arrange the salami quarters facing in opposite directions. This helps hold each quarter in place and keep it from unfolding. It is helpful to hold a stack of 5-6 salami quarters in your hand. Apply a little pressure. And then place each stack on the board.
Next, add another layer of white cheddar cheese. This layer should be similar in size to the first rectangular cheese layer. But this one will be slightly curved since it’s part of the curved cane.
Finally, add another layer of raspberries. It should also be slightly curved. Then another layer of white chocolate pretzels to finish off the candy cane.
This candy cane charcuterie board is so pretty and festive. But the shape leaves a lot of empty space on a rectangular cheese board. I filled in that space in the lower left corner with Peppermint Milano Slices. They are halves of traditional Milano cookies topped with crushed peppermints. It’s the perfect compliment for a candy cane-shaped charcuterie board!
I also tucked a few fresh sprigs of rosemary between the layers of food. And around the outside edges of the board itself. The greenery is essentially an accessory to dress up the charcuterie board a bit more.
Alternative Ingredient Ideas
Here are a few alternative red and white foods to try on a candy cane charcuterie board.
- Strawberries – Another delicious red fruit that works perfectly with this board.
- White Chocolate Kisses (unwrapped) – Unwrap a few white chocolate kisses for one of the white layers.
- Marshmallows – An alternative white dessert for this charcuterie board.
- Mozzarella cheese – Use a different cheese, like mozzarella balls for a savory white layer.
- Pepperoni – My kids will actually eat pepperoni, so I use it a lot on boards for my family.
- Tomatoes – Add a veggie by using cherry tomatoes for a red layer instead of berries.
What Size Board Did You Use?
My board is 18″ x 14.” I purchased my board from HomeGoods. It’s a great place to find cheese boards on a budget. But I’ve linked a few similarly sized options below.
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Can I Make This Candy Cane Charcuterie Board in Advance?
All of the ingredients for this candy cane charcuterie board may be prepared and stored in the refrigerator in advance. However, I don’t recommend preparing the board itself more than a few minutes before serving. First, for food safety reasons. Cheese and meats shouldn’t sit out for more than a few hours. Second, the juices from some of the ingredients could drain out if the board is left in the refrigerator for too long.
*Remember, never store meat or cheese from a charcuterie board back in the refrigerator. If the meat and cheese have been out for more than an hour or two, throw out the leftovers. And throw away any fruit or food that was touching the meat as well.
This fun candy cane charcuterie board is a great appetizer for a Christmas party. Or a family Christmas movie night!
More Fun Christmas Snack Ideas
Candy Cane Charcuterie Board
Equipment
- 1 rectangular cheese board
Ingredients
- white chocolate pretzels
- raspberries
- white cheddar cheese cubes
- salami
- peppermint cookies
Instructions
- Cut the cheese into cubes.
- Fold salami into quarters. Stack closely together to maintain the shape.
- Alternate red and white foods in the shape of a cane.
- Start with white chocolate pretzels piled into a rectangle about 3 inches wide and 4 inches tall.
- Then repeat with the raspberries and white cheddar cheese.
- Arrange the salami in a curved rectangle to form the cane shape.
- Add another layer of cheese, slightly curved to form the top of the cane.
- Then a slightly curved layer of raspberries.
- Finish the candy cane shape with a final layer of white chocolate pretzels.
- Garnish the candy cane with sprigs of fresh rosemary.
- Add peppermint cookies to the lower left corner of the board to fill in the space and further garnish the board.
