One of the easiest – and prettiest – ways to serve dessert is with a Dessert Charcuterie Board. They’re so versatile – you can make everything from scratch, pick it up from a bakery, or just head to the store. However you choose to make yours, it will be stunning and delicious!
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What is Dessert Charcuterie?
Over the last few years, a new charcuterie style has emerged here in the US. Remove the cured meats and cheeses (usually but not always) but keep tasty items artfully arranged on a board, and you can create any number of themed charcuterie boards. A dessert charcuterie board is arguably the easiest themed board you can make, they’re so pretty and a way to serve many dessert flavors at once.
Dessert charcuterie is precisely what it sounds like. Mini desserts, candies, sweet dips, and fresh fruit are arranged on a wooden board, plate, or platter, which mimics a traditional charcuterie board. It can have a theme or just a collection of your favorite sweet treats. It can be anything you want it to be!
Occasions
- Birthdays – If you’re throwing a birthday party, a dessert charcuterie board can be a great way to display a cake or cupcakes. A small cake in the center with mini-cupcakes and other sweet treats surrounding it is great for a kid’s party. For an adult birthday, an assortment of mini-desserts, like rich chocolate mousse and mini-cheesecakes in assorted flavors is gorgeous.
- Anniversaries – It’s your parents’ 20th wedding anniversary, and you want to surprise them with a dessert charcuterie board. Make homemade mini-cupcakes, enough to form a “2” and an “0” on a board, and fill the rest in with sweet treats in contrasting colors so the numbers stand out.
- Thanksgiving – Mini pumpkin or pecan pies, pumpkin or cranberry mousse, pumpkin candies, and fall fruits like sliced apples and pears. Add a small bowl of caramel dip and some edible flowers like mums.
- Christmas – The Christmas dessert charcuterie board is the easiest to make since it’s a season where sweet treats are everywhere! Christmas cookies, mini cupcakes, chocolate-covered strawberries, candy canes, chocolate truffles, chocolate-covered pretzels, and any cute Christmas sweets you come across at the grocery store. Trader Joe’s is a great place to find unique treats anytime, especially during the holidays. Any holiday parties you’re hosting are much easier if dessert is as simple as picking up the ingredients and assembling.
- New Year’s Eve – Blue and silver are my go-to colors for New Year’s Eve dessert boards. I watch for chocolates in silver wrapping, then add blueberries and blackberries for contrast. A sophisticated dessert like crème brûlée in mini cups, with a few of the berries on top to tie it all together, completes the board.
- Halloween – A Halloween charcuterie board is runner-up in the easiest-to-make awards. Essentially a candy charcuterie board, go for spooky things like gummy skulls and eyeballs and chocolate bats. Candies should be in different sizes alongside chocolate bars, rice krispie treats, peanut butter cups, and graham crackers with marshmallow dip. Add some orange slices and fresh berries for color contrast and healthier options. This is one holiday with endless possibilities!
- Easter – I like to mix savory and sweet on my Easter boards, so I start with prosciutto cotto and a brie wheel cut into wedges. Pickled carrots also appear, with pineberries and strawberries for fresh fruit. You can also add some pastel-colored candies to fill in any gaps: malted milk eggs, jelly beans, white chocolate bunnies, and, of course, a few peeps for pops of color.
- Cinco de Mayo – After the margaritas, chips, and salsa, set out a dessert charcuterie board with Mexican-flavored desserts. Mini Mexican brownies, flavored with a little cayenne cinnamon, make a great anchor for the board. Add apple slices with dessert dips like caramel and chocolate dip in small bowls for a chocolate fondue board theme. Caramel corn can fill in any empty spaces.
- Valentine’s Day – This gorgeous dessert charcuterie board is all about chocolate-covered strawberries with your favorite store-bought items. Conversation hearts, chocolate chips, and homemade treats like chocolate ganache for dipping are perfect for a Valentine’s Day theme.
- Summer Barbecue – This one’s a little trickier, especially if you’re serving it outside in the heat of summer. Your favorite fruits should be prominent on this board for something more refreshing and can be cut into different shapes for visual interest. A caramel sauce for dipping and some chocolate chip cookies make for an easy dessert board that won’t melt too quickly. Bringing out some ice cream at the last minute is a great addition!
- Mother’s Day – If your mom has a sweet tooth, putting together her favorite treats is an easy way to make her day special. Any favorite sweets, different candies, and savory snacks are so much fun to put together. Don’t forget to bring some flowers – either on the board or as a separate bouquet!
- Anytime – A beautiful dessert charcuterie board can be thrown together for just about any occasion – even a small one for two on movie night. Dinner parties, game nights, or book clubs are a fun way to serve some tasty treats! Create your theme with different colors, make a cookie platter, or place smaller store-bought treats on a dessert platter and call it a day – or night!
Themes
Candy – If you want a truly sweet charcuterie board, go for one made entirely with different candies. It should have plenty of bold colors from the candy, with things like gummy bears, lollipops, Dots, and red licorice. This board would be great for a kid’s birthday party or Halloween.
Chocolate – The easiest dessert board to put together is one made almost entirely of chocolate. The board we’re showcasing in this article is one such theme, with fresh berries arranged around the chocolate for color contrast and pairing. We used chocolate truffles, chocolate-covered nuts, and toffee bars with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
Mini desserts – Tiny cupcakes, rich mousse in mini dessert glasses, mini cheesecakes, or even little mini pies can all be artfully arranged on a board. Try putting each type in a wavy line across the board, with the next dessert following the contour, until you’ve filled the entire board. Fill in any empty spaces with fresh berries.
Fruit – There’s no better way to get more fruit in your diet than with a simple dessert charcuterie board made entirely of different fresh fruits. Slice apples, pears, pineapple, and pineberries (if they’re in season), then fill the remaining spaces on the board with fresh berries. Add a caramel or chocolate dip to the board and you’re done!
Cookies - Think of a Christmas cookie tray around the holidays, but made for any time of the year. Bake your favorite cookies or pick some up at the grocery store, then arrange them on a board, platter, or plate.
What to Put on a Dessert Charcuterie Board
Candy
Note: Be mindful of harder candies if small children are present as they could be a choking hazard.
- Gummy bears
- Gummy worms
- Gummy fruit slices
- Jelly beans
- Gumdrop candies
- Jolly Ranchers
- Lifesavers
- Rock candy
- Jawbreakers
- Butterscotch candies
- Starbursts
- Skittles
- Taffy
- Saltwater taffy
- Fruit chews
- Twizzlers
- Red Vines
- Licorice bites
- Sour Patch Kids
- Warheads
- Sour gummy worms
- Sour belts
- Caramel candies
- Caramel popcorn
- Caramel-filled chocolates
- Nougat bars
- Marshmallow twists
- Peanut brittle
- Almond clusters
- Cashew clusters
- M&M’s
- Sixlets
- Candy corn (for fall)
- Japanese candies (Pocky, Hi-Chew)
Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Sugar Cookies
- Snickerdoodles
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Shortbread
- Thumbprints
- Linzer Cookies
- Biscotti
- Graham Crackers
- Macarons
- Almond Butter Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Molasses Cookies
- Spritz Cookies
- Pecan Sandies
- White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
- Lemon Bars (cut into small squares)
- Pizelles
- Chocolate-covered Oreos
Salty Snacks
- Salted pretzels or pretzel rods
- Salted Nuts
- Popcorn
- Potato Chips
- Trail Mix
Fresh Fruit
You can use dried versions of any of these fruits. Candied fruits like candied orange peel or glacé cherries also make a nice addition.
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Berries
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Melon Slices
- Oranges or Clementines
- Apple Slices
- Peach or Nectarine Slices
- Mango
- Banana Slices
- Pomegranate Arils
- Figs
- Plums or Pluots
- Apricots
- Cherries
- Sugared Cranberries
Nuts
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Hazelnuts
- Cashews
- Macadamia Nuts
- Pistachios
- Brazil Nuts
- Candied Nuts Mix
- Mixed Nuts
- Roasted Peanuts
Sweet Dips
- Chocolate Fondue
- Caramel Sauce
- Peanut Butter Dip
- Nutella Dip
- Fruit Salsa
- Whipped Cream
- Cream Cheese Dip
- Yogurt Fruit Dip
- Marshmallow Fluff
- Cookie Dough Dip
- Lemon Curd
How to Make a Dessert Charcuterie Board, Step-by-Step
- Take out any plates, platters, or boards you’re using. You can also set parchment paper on a table and build your board directly on the paper.
- Begin by placing any bowls or dishes on the board; these can be filled now or just before serving.
- Add your largest items first, strategically placing them around different board areas.
- Next, add any medium-sized items, then fill in the gaps with the smallest items.
- Add garnishes like fresh mint leaves.
How much per person
The amount per person will vary depending on the type of board you’re making. For a candy board, aim for approximately 1/2 cup of candy per person. Cookies should be at least two per person, and the same is true for mini desserts.
How to Make it in Advance
Candy and cookie boards are the easiest to make in advance; assemble and cover well with plastic wrap or foil. Any fruit should ideally be sliced shortly before serving, but a few hours in advance is fine if it’s kept chilled. Any other ingredients should be kept separately in air-tight containers or plastic bags and assembled shortly before serving. Allow any dips to come to room temperature to ensure they’re spreadable.
How to Store Leftovers
The best way to store leftovers is to have goodie bags ready so your guests can take them home! Otherwise, store the leftovers separately in air-tight containers or plastic bags. Any fresh fruit, dips, or desserts that need to be refrigerated should be stored there as soon as you’re done enjoying your dessert board.
For information on traditional charcuterie boards, visit What is Charcuterie and How to Make a Charcuterie Board.
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