Epic Holiday Cheese Board

Want to impress this holiday season? A perfectly crafted holiday cheese board is your answer! After years of perfecting flavor combinations and presentation, I’ve got all the tips you need to create a showstopping board – plus what ingredients to include and the best styling tricks. (And yes, I’ll also show you how to make the cutest little Santa hats!)

Looking down at Holiday Cheese Board - 1

It’s officially holiday season, which means cozy get-togethers and plenty of good food. And in my book, there’s no better way to kick off a gathering than with a glass of wine and an epic holiday cheese board — perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or honestly, just because.

I love cheese boards for so many reasons, starting with how effortless they are. There’s barely any prep involved, no stove or oven required, and somehow they still feel special. Plus… cheese. Need I say more? It’s the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer, and more than once it’s quietly turned into dinner — no complaints here.

Tips for creating the best holiday cheese board

I’ve crafted my recipe to contrast flavors and to feel complete and festive. Even though I’ve laid out a step by step process, it’s always good to have a few tips up your sleeve, so here are my five top tips for cheese board heaven:

Variety: I’ve crafted my cheese board recipe below to have the perfect balance of flavors and textures, but if you go off-script and add your own favorites, keep in mind that variety is what makes a cheese board great!
Portions: Estimate around 2-3 ounces of cheese per person if the cheese board is your main feature of the night. If it’s being served as an appetizer, you could aim for 1-2 ounce per person.
Keep it separate: If you decide to add blue cheese to your board, keep in mind that many people either LOVE it or don’t like it at all! For that reason, be careful to keep it to the side, not touching other cheeses, as some guests may not wish to eat anything it touches.
Serving tools: Sometimes I get so excited by creating a pretty board that I forget the utensils! Don’t forget to add cheese knives, spoons, napkins, toothpicks… whatever your guests will need to help themselves.
Room temperature : Let your cheeses come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving so they’re easier to cut and the flavor is better.

Looking down on a Holiday Cheese Board - 2

A Christmas themed Holiday Cheese Board - 3

What to put on your cheeseboard

The key to cheeseboard success is lots of variety. You want to cover all the bases: think salty, sweet, crisp, crunchy, creamy, tart, juicy, nutty, and spicy. Contrasting textures and flavors is the way to go! You don’t have to follow my recipe below exactly; you can substitute your favorite cheeses or ingredients. Make sure to have a variety of cheeses.

Here are the flavors and textures to cover on your cheese board:

Salty: Aged smoked gouda, castelvetrano olives, capers, caper berries, pickles, pistachios.
Sweet: Dried fruit (cranberries, apricots, apples, banana chips, currants), fresh fruit (berries, oranges, apple slices), honey, jam, marmalade.
Crisp: Veggies (peppers, carrots, celery, cucumber), pear slices, crackers.
Crunchy: Chips, crackers, and more chips
Creamy: Brie, mozzarella, or luscious dips like hummus , tzatziki, baba ganoush .
Tart: Pomegranate seeds, pickled peppers, gherkins, pickled onions.
Juicy: Oranges, kiwi, persimmon.
Nutty: Hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, or a mix of all of them.
Spicy: Pepperoncini, chili jam, sweet pickled peppers, pickled jalapeño.

Your guide to presenting cheese like a pro

Okay, so we’ve spoken about what to include on your cheese board, now let’s talk presentation. Making a pretty board is half the fun (eating it is the other half). A well-styled board takes a delicious cheese board, and makes it a delicious AND photo-worthy cheese board! How you cut your cheese will also play a role in how enjoyable it is to eat.

At the end of the day though, there is no EXACT way to arrange your cheese board – it’s up to you to get creative and do what works for you. I always place the cheese down first, and arrange everything else around it.

Here’s how to present your cheese like a pro:

Wheels : For any round-shaped cheeses, like a wheel of brie or camembert, slice it like a pie into wedges and fan the pieces out to create a fan shape. This not only makes it easier for guests to grab a piece but also adds dimension to your board
Goat’s cheese: Leave your log of goat’s cheese whole, adding a cheese knife so guests can spread it straight onto their cracker.
Hard cheeses : Cheeses like manchego or aged cheddar can be sliced into bite sized pieces. Remember to remove any wax rinds to make the experience more enjoyable for your guests. If you’ve got a mature cheese, you can break it into rustic chunks and make little piles.
Cheese blocks : For cheeses like swiss or gruyère, slice them into cubes. Little bite-sized cubes are perfect for adding to small piles on the board and make it easy for guests to pick them up with toothpicks.
Blue cheeses : Crumble these directly onto the board, letting the sharp contrast of the blue veins speak for themselves. This also works well with aged goat cheeses.

Finishing touches:

Elevate the aesthetic by adding some garnishes. A drizzle of honey or piece of honeycomb adds a natural sweetness that pairs perfectly with savory cheeses. Add sprigs of herbs, like fresh rosemary or thyme, to bring fragrance, or add edible flowers for an extra pretty touch!

Make your cheese plate extra special

If you want to go the extra mile, it’s always special to include a few things you’ve made from scratch! On this holiday cheese board, I’ve made mini tomato bocconcini skewers and pears with goat cheese and pomegranate seeds. Both are very simple to make, and they make the cheese board feel special.

A few other options that would be nice on a holiday cheese board are:

Blue Cheese and Walnut Balls with Grapes
White Cheddar and Thyme Cheese Puffs
Caramelized Shallot and Gruyere Fondue