Santa Claus Cheese Board Recipe

This Santa Claus Cheese Board is a perfect appetizer or snack board for the holiday season, festive, delicious, and very easy to make. Whether you are throwing a Christmas party or just feeding the family, everyone will love this fun Santa charcuterie board. The Santa snack board is such a cute idea it adds Christmas cheer to any holiday party or get-together. Check out more Christmas recipes to add to the celebration!

overhead shot of santa claus cheese board with christmas tree shaped cheese

Charcuterie boards originated in France back in the 1400s. The French devised a way to cure meats in a more modern way than the original way from the Roman Empire. Then, they decorated cheese boards with cured meat and cheese to make a simple snack or appetizer. The idea became more popular in the United States in the 1900s when they started being served at cocktail parties and holidays. You can create this Christmas charcuterie board for a Christmas Eve tradition and let the whole family help decorate it.

overhead shot of cheese meat and crackers to make a santa claus cheese board

Ingredients needed:

Brie cheese wheel: Any kind of white cheese will work.
Prosciutto crudo slices: Best for rolling them up to make Santa’s hat.
Pepperoni and salami slices: Use large pepperoni slices to decorate and wrap the cheese sticks.
Cream cheese: To make the mustache, beard, and hat rim.
Swiss cheese: To shape with cookie cutters into a star and Christmas tree.
String cheese: This kind of cheese is perfect for the pepperoni rolls. Just wrap each stick in a pepperoni slice.
White chocolate-covered pretzels: Make your own from scratch or use store-bought for shorter prep time.
Crackers: You can use any crackers you like such as Ritz or club crackers.
Red pepper dip: We have a delicious recipe for red pepper dip you can try.
Large black olives: To slice and use for face and arrange around the board.

Santa Claus chopped brie cheese with a hat made of cold cuts

How to make a Santa cheese board from scratch?

Make the face: First, place the round of baked brie cheese on a cutting board and cut the top into a mustache, beard, and hat rim.
Arrange the meat: Then, arrange the rolled-up prosciutto on top of the hat rim to make a hat, and add a slice of Swiss cheese cut into a star for the tip of the hat.
Finish decorating and serving: Finally, arrange the rest of the cheeses, pepperoni, and pretzels as shown in the video and serve with dip and mini candy canes.

a board with cheese and crackers a bowl with nuts dipping sauce a cheese christmas tree

Recipe variations:

Sweet treats: Feel free to add some Christmas candy like chocolate Santas, more candy canes, and marshmallows to create Santa’s beard. The kids will love this!
Fresh fruits: You could also use fresh fruits. Try strawberries for Santa’s hat and add some grapes, cherries, blueberries, and raspberries for decoration.
Fresh veggies: Instead of salami, you could also use chopped red bell peppers or cherry tomatoes. Also, you can use a grape tomato for Santa’s nose with a pepperoni slice for each cheek.
Other decorating ingredients: Be creative. You can try pomegranate seeds for Santa’s eyes and sausage slices for the Santa hat.
Christmas decorations: Use cookie cutters to make things like a Christmas tree, ornaments, and candy canes.
Spice it up: Add some of your favorite herbs and spices like dried rosemary sprigs, parsley, and basil.

overhead shot of santa claus cheese board with christmas tree shaped cheese Santa Claus shaped cheese fruits and dips

Frequently asked questions

What is on a traditional charcuterie board?

Many people use the 3-3-3-3 rule for making beautiful boards of meat and cheese. This includes three cheeses, three meats, three starches like crackers, and three accompaniments like veggies, fruits, and nuts. First, place the cheeses. Then, add small bowls of dip and sauce. Pile up the meats. Arrange the crackers. Fill in the gaps with fruit, veggies, and nuts.

How do I make baked brie?

Baking brie is simple. You can put it in the oven and bake it at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes. It is best to serve it warm though because it will harden as it cools. When guests arrive for holiday parties, reheat the brie before placing it on the board.

What other kinds of white cheeses can I use?

There are numerous types of white cheeses. But for this recipe, I suggest you use a soft white cheese like Feta, gouda, havarti, or camembert. Cream cheese would also work great. You can put it in a small shallow dish and decorate it as you like.

collage of four photos showing a christmas charcuterie board with Santa Claus chopped brie cheese

How to store leftovers:

Store: You can store your leftovers in an airtight container or cover the board with plastic wrap. It will stay fresh in the fridge for three days.
Freeze: Freezing is not recommended.

More Christmas-inspired recipes:

Recipe tips:

Santa’s face can be made out of any kind of white cheese or a bowl of cream cheese dip.
Make this charcuterie board for Christmas ahead of time so you can just pull it out of the fridge for unexpected guests.
Let the kids make their own Santa board on paper plates. It will keep them busy while you are preparing your holiday spread.
This cute Santa snack board can be made for other things aside from just holiday entertainment. You can lose the beard and hat and just make a smiley face for a summer charcuterie board.
You can use your favorite cheeses for this board instead of the ones in the recipe. It is super easy to switch around and will always be a big hit during the holidays.