Santa Claus Cheese Board
This Santa Claus cheese board is a fun appetizer or snack idea for the holiday season and is simple to make with cheeses, meats, crackers, and dips. Whether you are hosting a Christmas party or feeding your family at home, everyone will enjoy this cute Santa charcuterie board because it adds Christmas cheer to any holiday gathering.
I personally love making this charcuterie board as a Christmas Eve tradition and let my family help decorate it. It is such a nice way to slow down, snack together, and share some laughs before the holiday rush while we sip a comforting red velvet hot chocolate or a warm pumpkin spice latte that my kids can’t get enough of.
Table of contents
Putting this board together is so easy, and it ends up looking adorable on the table. I always try to shop early before it gets busy, and I like to make my menu, check what I already have, and shop for the rest so everything is ready without any last minute Christmas shopping. For this board I use meats and cheeses from my local Italian market, and I pick up the crackers and nuts at the regular grocery store. When I make the board by myself, it takes about 10 minutes, but once the kids and the rest of the family jump in, we take our time since everyone wants to snack and help decorate. It turns into a fun holiday activity that I always recommend for the season.
Why you will love this recipe
- Easy Christmas board for any crowd: I usually make this Santa Claus cheese board for holiday appetizer that takes only a few minutes to put together. It works for Christmas Eve, parties, and family nights because everyone loves snacking on cheeses, meats, crackers, and dips.
- Fun to decorate with kids: My kids help shape the Santa face with brie, salami, and crackers. It is a simple way to get everyone busy in the kitchen and create a cheerful holiday moment.
- Adorable centerpiece for your table: This board adds Christmas cheer to any party table with bright colors, soft cheeses, savory meats, and the cute Santa hat shape.
- Flexible and easy to customize: I use all kind of cheeses, nuts, dips, and crackers I have on hand, so the board fits any budget or taste. You can make it sweet, savory, or a mix of both, which makes it perfect for picky eaters and larger groups.
What you will need
- Cheeses: I use a mix of cheeses such as a brie wheel, cream cheese, Swiss cheese, and string cheese because each one helps shape different parts of the Santa face.
- Meats: Prosciutto, pepperoni, and salami slices are great for color and shape, and they work well for Santa hats, rolls, and little details around the platter.
- Crackers and pretzels: Any crackers you like will work, and white chocolate covered pretzels add a sweet touch and fill gaps on the board.
- Dips: I enjoy serving this board with homemade dips and jams that I list in my serving suggestions section.
- Olives: Large black or green olives help make the Santa face.
How to make
1. Make the face: I place the round of baked brie on a cutting board and cut the top into shapes for the mustache, beard, and hat rim.
2. Arrange the meat: I place the rolled prosciutto on top of the hat rim to shape the hat, and then I add a small Swiss cheese star at the tip for a cute touch.
3. Add the rest: I place the remaining cheeses, olives, pepperoni, and pretzels around the board the same way I show in the video so everything fits neatly and looks festive.
4. Serve: I set out the board with dip, jam, nuts, and crackers so everyone can enjoy a mix of sweet and savory bites.
Expert tip
Build Santa face first
Making this charcuterie board is very easy, but something I always recommend is to build the Santa face on the board before adding any crackers or extras because it helps me get the shape right without crowding. Once the face looks the way I want, I fill in the empty spaces with meats, crackers, nuts, and pretzels so the whole board stays neat and balanced.
More tips to consider:
- I like to make this charcuterie board ahead of time for Christmas so I can pull it out of the fridge when guests arrive.
- Kids have so much fun making their own little Santa boards on paper plates, and this keeps them busy while I finish getting the holiday table ready.
- This Santa snack board is not just for Christmas. You can skip the beard and hat and make a simple smiley face for a summer board or any casual get together.
- You can also use any cheeses you enjoy instead of the ones I list in the recipe. It is very easy to switch things around, and it always ends up being a favorite during the holidays.
- I also set out a small bowl of toothpicks so everyone can grab bites easily without crowding the board.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Sweet treats: Sweet treats are always welcome on my cheese board. I like to add Christmas candy such as chocolate Santas, candy canes, or marshmallows that can shape a soft beard the kids enjoy nibbling on while we build Santa.
- Fruit pops: Fresh fruit adds bright color and a little sweetness. Strawberries work nicely for the hat, and grapes, cherries, blueberries, or raspberries make the whole board look cheerful.
- Veggie bits: If you want something lighter, chopped red bell peppers or cherry tomatoes work in place of salami. A grape tomato makes a cute nose with small pepperoni slices for the cheeks.
- Creative touch: You can try simple swaps like pomegranate seeds for the eyes or sausage slices for a hat shape. It is an easy way for everyone to add their own little touch.
- Holiday shapes: I like adding cookie cutters help you make sweet shapes such as trees, ornaments, or candy canes from cheese or veggies.
Serving suggestions:
I love setting this Santa board out with a few extra treats so everyone can nibble on something sweet and savory at the same time. Sugar Cookie Truffles or my snowman truffles look so cute on this board, and they always make the table look cheerful. I also like to spoon some beer cheese dip or pumpkin pie dip into small bowls so everyone can pick their favorite.
If you want a little fruit or something bright on the side, I put out a jar of strawberry jam or a bowl of my easy Instant Pot cranberry sauce. Feel free to explore more snacks and appetizer ideas on my blog. I have plenty to choose from, and these are simply some of my favorites that work so well for a spread at any Christmas gathering.
How to store leftovers:
- Store: I store leftovers in an airtight container or cover the board with plastic wrap. It will stay fresh in the fridge for 3 days.
- Freeze: Freezing is not recommended.
Frequently asked questions
A soft brie wheel works so well because it is easy to cut and holds the shape of the mustache and beard without crumbling. I also keep a little Swiss cheese nearby since it is great for shaping stars and trees, and string cheese is handy for small rolls that look cute on the board. My kids love grabbing little pieces as we build.
When I roll the prosciutto or pepperoni, I press each piece gently into the board or place them beside something sturdy like crackers. This small step keeps everything from shifting while we carry the board to the table. It also keeps Santa looking the way we want even after a few curious hands reach in for snacks.
When I want to change the flavors, I roll small slices of turkey or ham and tuck them around the edges. They are mild, tasty, and great for guests who prefer something simple.
More Christmas-inspired recipes:
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Santa Claus Cheese Board
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brie cheese wheel
- 1 lb Prosciutto crudo slices enough for rolling them up to make Santa's hat.
- 8 oz Pepperoni slices and Salami slices, to decorate and wrap the cheese sticks.
- 8 oz Swiss cheese to shape with cookie cutters into a star and Christmas tree.
- String cheese for the pepperoni rolls. Just wrap each stick in a pepperoni slice.
- 8 oz Cheddar cheese
- Crackers and pretzels
- Dips or Jam
- Large black olives
- Fruits and berries
Instructions
- First, gently cut the mustache, beard, and hat rim into a round of baked brie cheese.
- Then, arrange the rolled-up prosciutto on top of the hat rim to make a hat.
- Add a small Swiss cheese star at the tip.
- Arrange the rest of the cheeses, meats, crackers, olives and pretzels, as shown in the photos or as you please.
- Serve with dips, jams and nuts.
Notes
Build Santa face first
Making this charcuterie board is very easy, but something I always recommend is to build the Santa face on the board before adding any crackers or extras because it helps me get the shape right without crowding. Once the face looks the way I want, I fill in the empty spaces with meats, crackers, nuts, and pretzels so the whole board stays neat and balanced.More tips to consider:
- I like to make this charcuterie board ahead of time for Christmas so I can pull it out of the fridge when guests arrive.
- Kids have so much fun making their own little Santa boards on paper plates, and this keeps them busy while I finish getting the holiday table ready.
- This Santa snack board is not just for Christmas. You can skip the beard and hat and make a simple smiley face for a summer board or any casual get together.
- You can also use any cheeses you enjoy instead of the ones I list in the recipe. It is very easy to switch things around, and it always ends up being a favorite during the holidays.
- I also set out a small bowl of toothpicks so everyone can grab bites easily without crowding the board.