Christmas Wreath Appetizer with Charcuterie and Cheese

A charcuterie platter is a fun, stylish, and creative way to supply nibbles for those hungry guests. The holidays especially are the perfect time to create some festive food art. A Christmas charcuterie board, especially one shaped like a wreath, may seem hard to put together, but don't be intimidated! I’m going to give you a step-by-step guide to how to create this fun Christmas appetizer wreath.

What you'll need

I used Harry & David's ultimate charcuterie and cheese collection for the heart of this board, with plenty of crackers to stack them with. Dried fruit and mixed nuts pair well with the meats and cheeses and add some different texture to the board. Dips like cranberry chutney and sweet clover honey add a burst of flavor when spread with the cheese and crackers. Finally, Royal Riviera Pears complete the wreath and provide a sweet complement to the assortment of savory snacks. Building the charcuterie wreath on rosemary sprigs adds a pop of color and makes the finished product truly look like a wreath!

Assembling the charcuterie wreath appetizer

Since this charcuterie assortment is meant to look like a holiday wreath, a large round plate works best as the charcuterie tray.

You'll start the assembly at the base of the wreath with the greenery. I used rosemary because it bends a bit to make the round wreath shape. Sage or a mix of herbs is also a good alternative.

You can create a full circle, or do an asymmetrical look as I did for a more modern presentation. Make sure to save some of the herbs--you can use them for a finishing touch at the end.

Next, the meat!

I started in the middle and worked my way out on each side, organizing them in groups of three. Leave plenty of space for the rest of the items between them. After placing the meats, I wanted to stick to the same color group, so I added pieces of dried fruit next.

I used dried peaches to act as a "floral" detail by bunching them in the middle, and then I added other pieces of dried fruit around the meats. Don't go all the way up the wreath with the meats and dried fruits, though. Leaving some space keeps the greenery visible and allows room for the cheeses.

Cheese and nut time!

I broke cheese wedges into small bite-sized pieces so they'd be easy to grab and eat, then clumped each type of cheese together.

Next I sprinkled some nuts around the wreath, clumping some of them together too.

Finally, the finishing touches.

I fanned out slices of Royal Riviera Pear at the bottom of the wreath near the peaches, for a sweet complement to the nuts, meats, and cheeses. Then, to give the wreath a full, "green" look, I placed the remaining rosemary sprigs and added pink peppercorns. And with a velvet ribbon to top it off, this holiday charcuterie board achieved its official wreath look!

Serve with some honey and cranberry chutney as flavorful complements to the cheese and crackers. And don't forget the crackers and wine! This antipasto wreath will keep your guests full and merry at your next holiday party.