If you’re looking for a Christmas Charcuterie Board, it doesn’t get much easier than this one! This Candy Cane Christmas Charcuterie Board is made with white(ish) and red(ish) finger foods shaped into a candy cane arch and decorated with sprigs of rosemary. So fast and easy. And just so dang cute!
The concept is easy. Gather up some red and white finger foods, arrange them in candy cane “stripes,” dress it up with a few sprigs of fresh or sugared rosemary and some mini candy canes, and your Christmas appetizer situation is set!
For this board, we have a meat-and-dairy situation, but here are a ton of Christmas charcuterie board ingredient ideas. Mix and match to make your Candy Cane Christmas Charcuterie Board vegetarian, vegan, meaty, or just uniquely yours!
Here are a whole bunch of red and white vegan, vegetarian, and meaty charcuterie ingredient ideas.
Red Vegan Ingredients for a Christmas Charcuterie Board
- Cherry tomatoes
- Tomato slices
- Radishes
- Pickled red onions
- Cooked or pickled beets
- Strawberries
- Red grapes
- Pomegranate arils
- Watermelon
- Maraschino cherries
- Dried cherries
- Dried cranberries
- Sugared cranberries
- Tiny “sweety” pepper drops
- Red bell pepper strips
- Roasted red bell peppers
- Red mini bell peppers
- Red bella olives or other red-hued olives
- Field roast – the chipotle version has a nice reddish hue!
- Tofurky smoked ham deli slices
White Vegan Ingredients for a Christmas Charcuterie Board
- Tofurky plant-based chicken, cubed
- Marinated tofu cubes
- Mini vegan marshmallows
- Cauliflower
- Jicama sticks
- Cocktail onions
- Fresh baguette or other bread sliced at an angle
- Saltine crackers
- Oyster crackers
- Water crackers
- Club crackers
- Any other light colored cracker!
- Popcorn
- Blanched almonds
- Salted marconi almonds
And here are some ideas include eggs and/or dairy – so that in addition to all of the vegan ideas above, you could add some of these to your board.
Red Vegetarian (But Not Vegan) Ingredients for a Christmas Charcuterie Board
- Babybel cheese
- Red M&Ms
- Red Hershey’s kisses
- Red jelly beans
- Red licorice wheels
- Red macarons
White Vegetarian (But Not Vegan) Ingredients for a Christmas Charcuterie Board
- Mini marshmallows
- Yogurt covered raisins
- Yogurt covered peanuts
- Yogurt/white-chocolate covered pretzels
- White jelly beans
- White macarons
- Parmesan cheese crisps (such as Whisps brand)
- Mini mozzarella balls
- Brie cheese cut into wedges
- Manchego cheese
- Goat cheese medallions
- Goat cheese with dried cranberries
- Provolone slices
- Havarti slices
- Chunks of Parmesan
- Asiago
- Feta chunks
- Whipped feta
- Straccino
- Basically any white or light cheese you love, served up however you like!
- Butter – served up butter board style, if you’re into that
Red Meaty Ingredients (or … Reddish) for a Christmas Charcuterie Board
- Dry (Soppressata) Salami
- Calabrese salami
- Pepperoni
- Mini pepperoni
- Prosciutto
- Beef jerky
- Chorizo
- Salami-wrapped panino (salami-wrapped cheese)
White Meaty Ingredients for a Christmas Charcuterie Board
- Cubed cooked chicken
- Cubed smoked turkey
Or … Consider a Dessert Option!
Another idea is to make this board dessert-only! I’d swap in sprigs of peppermint for the rosemary and load on the sweets. Here are some some dessert-only ideas for the “stripes.” I’m thinking I might have to make one of these for next year!
Red Ingredients for Candy Cane Christmas Dessert Charcuterie Board
- Strawberries
- Red grapes
- Pomegranate arils
- Watermelon
- Maraschino cherries
- Dried cherries
- Dried strawberries
- Dried cranberries
- Sugared cranberries
- Red M&Ms
- Red Hershey’s kisses
- Red jelly beans
- Red licorice wheels
- Red macarons
White Ingredients for Candy Cane Christmas Dessert Charcuterie Board
- Mini marshmallows
- Mini marshmallows
- White M&Ms
- White chocolate chunks
- White fudge covered Oreos
- Yogurt covered raisins
- Yogurt covered peanuts
- Yogurt/white-chocolate covered pretzels
- White jelly beans
- White macarons
- Sugar cookies or shortbread cookies (with white frosting would be even prettier!)
- Powdered donut holes
- Mini meringue cookies
However you make your Candy Cane Christmas Charcuterie Board your own, I hope you have the most cozy, relaxing, holiday full of love. ♥️
Candy Cane Christmas Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 2 ounces white cheddar (1/2 cup; sliced)
- 1 pepperoni link (sliced; or meatless pepperoni)
- 4 ounces goat cheese (crumbled)
- 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 cup white chocolate covered pretzels
- 1/2 cup sugared or dried cranberries
- 2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese (1/2 cup; cubed)
- 1 ounce dry salami (about 8 slices; or meatless substitute)
- 4 ounces cherry 'ciliegine' size mozzarella balls (about 1/2 cup)
- Fresh rosemary sprigs (for decorating)
- Mini candy canes (for decorating)
Equipment
- 1 Wooden board or platter Recommend a minimum of 14" tall by 10" wide
Instructions
- Beginning in the lower right corner of your board or platter, arrange a two-inch-tall row with the white cheddar. Add a row of the sliced pepperoni and repeat with the goat cheese and then the raspberries. Continue with the pretzels, creating a slight curve to the left to start the top of the "candy cane." Add the cranberries next to create the top of the candy cane. Add the cubed Monterey Jack cheese curving the opposite way of the pretzels, fold the salami and continue the shorter candy cane curve, and lastly add the mozzarella balls to finish the arrangement. Decorate with sprigs of rosemary and mini candy canes.
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, with a name like mine, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
