Santa Cheese Board – How to Make the Ultimate Christmas Party Appetizer Recipe
Create a festive and visually stunning Santa Cheese Board that’s perfect for your Christmas party appetizer. This easy no-cook recipe combines a variety of cheeses, pepperoni, olives, and crackers arranged creatively to resemble Santa’s face, making it a fun and delicious centerpiece for holiday gatherings.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cheeses
- 1 cup Colby Jack cheese, cubed
- 1 cup White Cheddar cheese, cubed
- 6 slices Provolone cheese
- 6 slices Mozzarella cheese
- 6 slices Swiss cheese
Meat and Garnishes
- 20 slices Pepperoni
- 10 Black olives, sliced
Accompaniments
- Assorted crackers (grain, butter, artisan, baguette) – about 2 cups total
Instructions
- Prepare the Face: Arrange the Colby Jack cheese cubes in the shape of Santa’s face as the base layer on your serving platter.
- Create the Hat Base: Add the White Cheddar cheese cubes above the face area to form the base of Santa’s hat.
- Form the Hat: Layer the pepperoni slices over the white cheddar cheese to build Santa’s red hat.
- Add Hat Trim and Pom-Pom: Use the white cheeses to form the hat’s trim and pom-pom, placing mozzarella and provolone slices strategically for a fluffy white look.
- Build the Beard: Shape the beard using more slices of mozzarella, provolone, and Swiss cheese, arranging them around the lower part of the face.
- Shape Facial Features: Use cheese pieces and pepperoni to shape Santa’s mustache, eyebrows, cheeks, mouth, and nose to add character and detail.
- Add Eyes: Place black olive slices for Santa’s eyes to complete the facial features.
- Fill Gaps: Fill any gaps on the board with assorted crackers and garnishes to make the presentation full and festive.
- Serve or Store: Serve the Santa Cheese Board immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use different types of crackers to add variety and texture to the board.
- If you prefer a spicier twist, substitute pepperoni with sliced spicy salami.
- Prepare the cheese board up to 4 hours in advance and keep refrigerated to maintain freshness.
- Use a sharp knife for precise cutting and shaping of cheese pieces.
- Feel free to add small festive garnishes like rosemary sprigs or cherry tomatoes for color contrast.
