Charcuterie Tree Ideas, Inspiration & How to Make in 2025
The big Holiday trend you are going to see decorating tables this year are charcuterie trees and Christmas tree charcuterie boards. Everyone on the internet is asking how to make a charcuterie Christmas tree? Or how to make a Christmas tree charcuterie board? We are uniquely qualified to teach you how and give you all the resources you need to impress your friends and family this holiday season.
What is a Charcuterie Tree?
A Charcuterie tree is a savory holiday tree made from items found on charcuterie and cheese boards. It can be either a 3D free-standing tree or a 2D charcuterie board that is shaped like a tree, or has ingredients on it that are laid out to look like a tree. Popular charcuterie ingredients you’ll find featured on charcuterie trees are cheese, cured meats, crackers, pretzels, olives, pickles, nuts, and sometimes even fruits and vegetables.
Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board vs. Charcuterie Tree
The big difference between a charcuterie tree and a Christmas tree charcuterie board is that a Christmas charcuterie tree is a 3-D, freestanding creation, and a charcuterie board Christmas tree is a flat board where charcuterie elements are arranged to look like a tree.
How to Make a Charcuterie Tree
The easiest way to create an elegant charcuterie tree is to work with a reliable kit. Our Edible Architecture Charcuterie Tree Kit comes with a tree cone base, toothpicks, green olives, pepper jack cheese, cheddar cheese, and sliced salami, as well as a sparkly tree topper and a step-by-step guide for how to make the charcuterie tree!
If you want to DIY it all the way you can check out this charcuterie tree guide by Little Nomads Recipes. Most people who create their trees without a kit use a styrofoam cone as the base. You can affix charcuterie ingredients to the cone with toothpicks. Then you use a variety of ingredients like cheeses, meats, olives, and pickles, to try and mimic the shape of a christmas tree. Our tip is to swirl each ingredient around the cone from top to bottom to create a satisfying, branch-like pattern.
How to Make a Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board
The key to making a beautiful tree charcuterie board is getting creative with charcuterie elements and using them to build different shapes. You can garnish with rosemary for leaves, or cut your cheese into triangles to create the points of the tree. It’s all about getting creative with the elements you have. If you’re looking to copy a tried and true formula Baker by Nature has a great Christmas tree charcuterie board recipe.
Another way to create the look of a tree is to buy a Christmas tree-shaped board. Companies like Woodlery sell great looking xmas tree boards. Using a board that’s already shaped like a tree makes laying out the ingredients even easier! You can follow the pattern of the board and fill it out with your favorite charcuterie ingredients like folded prosciutto, slivers of camembert, baguette slices, and fig jam.
Amazing Charcuterie Tree Ideas & Examples
The best way to start constructing your charcuterie tree is to get inspired! These tiktoks will get your creativity flowing.
| We appreciate that @convinoboard keeps things simple by building their tree one layer at a time. Wrapping the styrofoam cone base in saran wrap is a great way to keep this craft food-safe! | |
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Swirling the charcuterie ingredients around your tree base one at a time is a smart way to construct a charcuterie tree. @arielle_mae uses a tall cone to create as many layers as possible on her tree. The cheddar cheese star on top is a great touch! |
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@bigdaddybfoods does a great step by step video of what constructing a charcuterie tree from a kit is like. One of the many highlights of building out of a kit is that they make spacing easy by having holes laid out for you to press your toothpicks through. |
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| Bonus pickle tree charcuterie for my pickle-lovers from @thesassybarn! |
Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board Ideas
If you are looking for Christmas tree-shaped charcuterie board ideas, Christmas tree charcuterie board templates, easy Christmas tree charcuterie boards, and large christmas tree charcuterie board layouts, these are some of our favorites!
| We love the way @charcuterie_n_things uses a tree charcuterie board to help with laying out the ingredients. This is an easy way to give your design a Christmas tree-shape. |
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If you don’t have a tree shaped board, sprigs of rosemary are a great way to give the illusion of branches! You can see that @athomewithshannon stacks her tree by making each row of ingredients a little smaller than the last to create the conical tree shape. |
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@samanthabauchman cuts her cheese into points to help create the tree's branches. We love the addition of the salami roses! Using the brie chunks as garland is also a great idea. |
Charcuterie Tree Kits
If you're looking for a simple, seamless way to create a charcuterie tree this year, a charcuterie tree kit is the option for you. The kit includes everything you need, including the base, sparkly tree topper, and all of the edible "ornaments."
Kit Includes:
- Sliced Salami
- Cheddar Cheese
- Pepper Jack Cheese
- Green Olives
- Sparkly Star Tree Topper
- Toothpicks
- Tree Cone Base
- Step-By-Step Building Guide
Note: If you're based in the UK, check out the M&S Charcuterie Tree kit.
Charcuterie Tree FAQS
What is a Charcuterie Tree?
A Charcuterie Christmas Tree is when you attach charcuterie ingredients to a conical base so that it looks like a Christmas tree made out of charcuterie snacks.
How much is a M&S Charcuterie Tree?
An M&S Charcuterie Tree is £23.00 before shipping and handling. The Edible Architecture Charcuterie Tree kit is $19.99.
What is the 3-3-3-3 rule for Charcuterie?
This rule dictates that a perfect charcuterie board has three cheeses (cheddar, brie, manchego, etc.), three meats (salami, pepperoni, gabagool, etc.), three starches (crackers, breads, pretzels etc), and three accompaniments (like nuts, olives, and fruits).
What to put on a Charcuterie Tree?
You can put anything you’d use on a charcuterie board on your tree! Deck it out with your favorite cheeses, cured meats, olives, pickles, and even fruits and veggies. Herbs are a nice way to fill in any gaps so your tree looks full and beautiful!
What do you use for the Charcuterie Tree cone?
The best way to get a food-safe Charcuterie Tree Cone is to purchase a kit. However, you can also get creative by using a styrofoam cone from a local craft store. Just remember to cover the cone in plastic wrap or aluminum foil before attaching your ingredients because most craft styrofoam is not food safe
Where can I get a Christmas tree shaped Charcuterie board?
Here are some places you can get tree shaped charcuterie boards:
- WOODLERY Wooden Serving Board - $29.99
- Engraved Charcuterie Tree Board - $25
- Multi-Color Christmas Tree Cutting Board - $35
Final Thoughts on Charcuterie Trees
Charcuterie trees are an awesome way to spice up your holiday dinner table. Kits like the Edible Architecture Charcuterie Tree make creating a charcuterie tree easy and accessible for all, so we highly recommend purchasing one to help you make your masterpiece!
