You will have so much fun making this reindeer charcuterie board which boasts a festive variety of cheeses, meats, and crackers arranged in the iconic shape of a reindeer face. Kids and adults alike will enjoy muching on this one all during your Christmas parties! We have served this Rudolph appetizer platter on Christmas Eve and as a potluck item at our neighborhood parties! It’s always a hit!
Why We Love Reindeer Charcuterie Board
Take a creative approach to the assembly process. Start by choosing a tray or board. Cover it with a Christmas-themed fabric, if desired.. Putting together this Santa’s reindeer snack board will give you both a delicious Christmas snack board but also a fun table decoration at the same time! It’s so pretty that people will be hesitant to start pulling food from it!
Ingredients
- 10-12 ounces salami
- 3 ounces of blue cheese (or another semi-soft cheese)
- ½ cup mini mozzarella balls
- 1 8 ounce wheel of brie cheese
- 1 8 ounce block of Havarti cheese
- ⅔ cup walnuts
- 2 cups assorted crackers and mini pretzels
- ⅓ cup apricots
- 2 tangerines
- Large rounded pretzels (or large sticks if you cannot find the rounded large ones)
- A slice of red bell pepper, one walnut, one black olive (for the mouth, nose, and eyes)
- Red berries and herbs for decoration
- Coconut for garnish
Note, we made our starring reindeer as a generic reindeer with a brown walnut nose. However, you could easily use a red bell pepper (shaped into a circle) or a grape tomato for a Rudolph nose if you want a Rudolph charcuterie board!
Recipe Tips for Reindeer Charcuterie Board
We like to include a variety of cheeses in our boards, ranging from soft brie to sharp cheddar, and a mix of cured meats like salami, prosciutto, and pepperoni for a well-balanced flavor profile.
For a Christmas charcuterie board like this one, we include tasty fruits in Christmas colors – like red cranberries and green grapes, pomegranate seeds, or slices of figs to add pops of color and freshness to the board.
You don’t have to use cookie cutters for decorative cheese pieces, but I will say a few stars or snowflakes add to the whimsical presentation! Small to medium cookie cutters – likes stars or snowflakes – work best.
Process for Layering the Reindeer Charcuterie Board
- First, start with the wheel of brie. Slice off the rind and use the rind pieces to shape the ears and the trim as pictured below. Add two halves of a sliced olive for the eyes and a sliver of red bell pepper for the mouth. The lone walnut becomes the nose (unless you wish to use a red cherry or grape tomato instead for a Rudolph).
- Next, slice the block of Havarti into half, lenghthwise. With a star or snowflake cookie cutter, cut the cheese into shapes 5-6 shapes. Save any remaining cheese to use as cheese cubes on the board.
- Then, fold the salami in half and then in half again. Add two pieces of folded salami together to make thicker pieces that stand together to form a sort of cap over the reindeer’s face – the folded meat should stand on its own with the pieces leaning on each other. (See photos.) Decorate the cap with the cheese stars. Add the rounded large pretzels broken in half pieces to form the antlers.
- Starting with the four corners of the board, layer in crackers, pretzels, and pieces of fruit. Continue filling in around the board, leaving as little white space as possible, adding in small containers of green olives and red grape tomatoes, and tucking in fresh herbs and fruit last.
Substitutions and Variations for Reindeer Face Charcuterie Board
- Experiment with different cheeses, such as cheddar, Gouda, or goat cheese, to provide diverse flavor profiles.
- Not a fan of salami? Consider using any deli meat of your choice that carries a darker red color.
- Select one or two unconventional spreads like holiday jams or spicy pepper jelly to elevate the flavor profile. One of our favorite spicy pepper jelly versions is candied jalapeño jelly. It is the absolute best! My friend sells it in her shop, and I always stock up ahead of the holidays. You can also use the jalapeño pepper jelly or a cranberry pepper jelly to bring a little red to your Santa charcuterie board.
- Of course, you are free to switch out any of the fruit. In place of the orange tangerines, you could use green grapes which would fit with traditional holiday colors.
Storage and Advance Prep
- To store your reindeer charcuterie board, carefully cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, ensuring that the wrapping does not disturb the arrangement of the cheeses, meats, and garnishes. I like to tent the foil so it doesn’t touch the cheese. Refrigerate the board promptly to preserve the freshness of the ingredients, and when ready to serve again, allow it to come to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes to enhance the flavors before presenting this festive and delicious centerpiece at your holiday gathering.
- Personally, I do not like to store the crackers and such on the platter. I just add those crunchy items on just before serving. For advanced preparation of a Santa-themed charcuterie board, you can pre-cut some of the cheeses and cured meats to save time on the day of the event. Arrange non-perishable garnishes and snacks, such as crackers, nuts, or dried fruits, in separate containers for easy placement later. Additionally, you can prepare any specialty spreads or dips a day ahead and keep them stored in the fridge.
Adorable Reindeer Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 12 oz Salami
- 3 oz Blue cheese
- ½ cup Mozzarella balls
- 8 oz Brie cheese
- 8 oz Havarti cheese
- ⅔ cup Walnuts with one reserved for nose
- 1 cup Mini pretzels Assorted
- 1 cup Crackers
- ⅓ cup Apricots or other fruit of choice
- 2 Tangerines
- 1 Red bell pepper one small sliver
- 1 Black olive only one
- 4 Large pretzels split into halves
- ½ cup Cranberries
- Fresh herbs
Instructions
- Using a medium cookie cutter, snowflake, cut out a few snowflakes with the Havarti cheese and then cut the rest of the brick into cubes.
- Unwrap the brie cheese. Cut off a section of the white part as in the photo. Cut out a strip – this is the trim. Cut the remaining sector in half. These are the ears of the reindeer. The eyes are halves of olives, the nose is a pecan nut, and the mouth is a piece of pepper. Secure the ears with toothpicks. Lay out the rest of the pieces on the brie cheese.
- Fold the salami slice in half and again in half. Assemble the folded salami in pairs.
- Cover the tray with a napkin. Lay out the reindeer and form a cap of salami. Decorate with a few snowflakes. Break the large pretzels in half and form the reindeer's antlers.
- Lay out the crackers and mini pretzels. Cut the Blue cheese into large cubes. Arrange the cheeses on the board.
- Peel the mandarins. Layer the walnuts, dried apricots, and tangerines. Decorate the board with coconut shavings (to look like snow). berries, and herbs.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
More Holiday Recipes and Fun
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Christmas Desserts for the Classroom
Decorating with Plants on the Christmas Table
Christmas Dress Up Days – Themes and Ideas
Black and White Christmas Tour
Free McDonald’s Christmas Printable
Dirty Santa Ideas for the Classroom
Tips for Seeing Garvan Gardens Christmas Display
A Trip to Guess and Company Christmas Warehouse in Des Arc
Inspirational Christmas Displays from Guess and Company
Blue Christmas Decorations Ideas
Modern Blue and Red Christmas Decorations
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