How to Make the Ultimate Fall Charcuterie Board

Crisp Autumn air signals the time for a Fall Charcuterie Board! This festive fall charcuterie board is the perfect way to celebrate the season with delicious meats, cheeses, seasonal produce and more. Great for a fall party, a fun dinner or just to say ‘happy fall’ with rich flavor, a variety of textures and minimal effort!

If you’re looking to celebrate the season, there’s no better way than putting together a fantastic fall charcuterie board. Don’t worry if you don’t know where to start. We’ll help you through creating a delicious and beautiful charcuterie board that’ll have your friends and family begging for more.

This easy fall appetizer is simply a wooden platter loaded with a variety of meats, creamy cheeses, seasonal fruits, and a combination of crunchy and savory accompaniments. A fall-themed charcuterie board is an easy way to celebrate the time of year with favorite things. It’s part food preparation and part art project with no wrong way to do it!

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the simple steps to create a fall charcuterie board that’ll leave your guests raving about your hosting skills. From selecting the perfect ingredients to arranging them in an enticing way, we’ve got you covered.

Whether you’re planning a cozy evening with friends, a family get-together, or just treating yourself to a fancy snack, this perfect fall charcuterie board is sure to hit the spot.

This idea for a fall themed charcuterie board makes a great Thanksgiving charcuterie board too for guests to nosh on during the day while cooking it happening too! For more ideas our Skinny Charcuterie Board on our sister site is delicious too!

Jump to:

• What is a charcuterie board?
• How to pronounce ‘charcuterie’?
• Ingredients Ideas
• What we used
• How much do I need of each ingredient?
• How to Assemble it
• Charcuterie Board inspiration
• Supplies Suggestions
• More recipes you’ll love!
• Recipe

What is a charcuterie board?

‘Charcuterie’ is a French term related to prepared and cured meats: bacon, ham, sausages, salami, etc. The ‘board’ portion of the name can be a description of the dish as a whole or meaning the actual board the charcuterie is designed and served on. 

Though the actual term ‘charcuterie’ is all about meat, charcuterie boards or platters have become extremely popular over the past few years thanks to social media. They also have expanded to add more ingredients served for everything from breakfast to Happy Hour or perfect for a nibbling dinner or dessert (depending on what’s included on them). 

How to pronounce ‘charcuterie’?

Shar-kew-tree.

Ingredients Ideas

Part of the fun of building a charcuterie board is combining favorite ingredients and they never have to be the same! We want to capture fall flavors for this platter so we’ll share some general guideline ideas then what we used for the board in the photos.

Cheeses

• Choose a variety of cheeses with different textures and flavors.
• Opt for a mix of soft cheese, creamy cheese, semi-soft, and hard cheeses. Good choices for fall include brie, camembert, cheddar, gouda, and blue cheese.
• Sliced cheeses can be purchased in an assortment pack which saves time too!
• Include special choices like Wensleydale with cranberries, Port Wine cheese spread or other cheese with fall ingredients added in like our Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Roll.

Charcuterie

• Select an assortment of cured meats like prosciutto, salami, and Spanish chorizo. These add a savory touch to your board.
• Choose thinly sliced meats for easier eating.
• Prosciutto Panino (mozzarella cheese sticks wrapped in prosciutto) are a great addition too.
• For a special treat add some homemade candied bacon

Seasonal Fruits

• Include fresh fruit that is in season during the fall, such as apples, pears, red grapes, and figs. These add a natural sweetness and color to your board.
• Dried fruit is delicious too and tend to have more depth of flavor.
• Pro Tip: Prevent your apple slices from browning by sprinkling a squeeze of lemon juice over the slices.

Nuts

Use a variety of nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pecans. Toast them for extra flavor if you’d like. Or even served candied nuts and roasted pumpkin seeds.

Dips and Spreads

• Choose complementary spreads like honey, fig jam, grainy mustard, or cranberry sauce. These pair wonderfully with both cheese and charcuterie.
• Favorites include our jalapeno cranberry sauce (for a spicy kick), cranberry relish and chutney. Apple Butter, Pumpkin Butter and Pumpkin Hummus are also great options.
• Our Easy Caramel Apple Dip makes a great addition. Or combine store-bought caramel dipping sauce with softened cream cheese and a pinch of cinnamon for an easy and creamy fall dip!

Crackers and Bread

Provide an assortment of crackers, bagel chips, baguette slices, and breadsticks. Choose whole-grain varieties and some with seeds for texture. Warm biscuits, freshly baked croissants or fall flavored mini muffins would make a great addition to the board!

Vegetables

Add some roasted or pickled vegetables for a bit of variety and a hint of acidity. Examples include pickles, cornichons, pickled green beans, olives, roasted red peppers, pickled onions or marinated artichoke hearts.

Garnishes

Fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme, as well as edible flowers or microgreens, can add a touch of elegance to your board.

What we used

The board in the photos is just an example of what you can create for a seasonal charcuterie board. Here’s what we used:

How much do I need of each ingredient?

Creating a fall charcuterie board is all about balance and variety. The quantities of each ingredient you need will depend on the size of your board or platter and the number of guests you plan to serve.

Here are some general guidelines to help you estimate how much of each ingredient you’ll need:

Cheeses:

• Plan for about 3-5 different cheeses.
• For each type of cheese, calculate approximately 2-4 ounces per person.
• So, if you have 4 types of cheese for 10 guests, you’ll need about 8-16 ounces (1/2 to 1 pound) of each cheese.

Charcuterie:

• Aim for 2-4 different types of cured meats.
• Plan for 2-3 ounces of charcuterie per person.
• If you have 3 types of charcuterie for 10 guests, you’ll need about 6-9 ounces of each type.

Seasonal Fruits:

• Estimate about 1-2 pieces or 1/4 to 1/2 cup of fruit per person.

Nuts:

• Plan for 1-2 tablespoons of nuts per person.

Dips and Spreads:

• Serve small bowls or ramekins with dips and spreads.
• Calculate about 1-2 tablespoons of each dip or spread per person.

Crackers and Bread:

• Estimate 3-5 pieces of crackers or 2-3 slices of bread per person.

Vegetables (fresh or pickled):

• Plan for about 2-3 pieces or 1-2 tablespoons of vegetables per person.

Garnishes:

• Use fresh herbs, edible flowers, or microgreens sparingly for the finishing touches. A small handful or a few sprigs should be sufficient.

Remember that these are rough estimates, and you can adjust them based on your preferences and the appetite of your guests. It’s better to have a bit more than you think you need to ensure everyone has enough to enjoy. 

Additionally, the size of your board or platter will also influence the quantities you can comfortably fit. Lastly, consider any dietary restrictions or preferences of your guests when choosing ingredients for your fall charcuterie board.

How to Assemble it

STEP 1. Choose your platter or board

Start with a wooden board, slate, or a large platter. The choice of platter will determine the size and shape of your charcuterie board. For reference the board we used in the photos is 20-inches by 13-inches by 1-inch.

STEP 2. Arrange the cheese and meat

Begin by placing your cheeses on the board. Space them out evenly, and consider different placements like wedges, slices, or whole pieces for visual variety. Group cheese types together.

Arrange the cured meats around the cheeses. You can fold the slices or roll them up for an appealing look, or leave them as is.

STEP 3. Add fruits, nuts and vegetables

Scatter your seasonal fruits around the board. Ensure they are evenly distributed to create balance.

Fill small bowls or ramekins with your chosen dips and nestle them among the other ingredients. Add the nuts around the board to fill in the empty spaces (see Supplies for nut cup idea).

Place your pickled or roasted vegetables in the remaining gaps on the board. They add a pop of color and flavor. They will have moisture so using ramekins works well.

STEP 4. Crackers and Bread

Finish off by adding crackers and bread throughout the board. You can layer them at different angles.

STEP 5. Garnish and Serve

Add some fresh herbs or edible flowers for a finishing touch if desired.

Serve at Room Temperature. Allow the board to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. This helps the flavors of the cheese and charcuterie shine.

Charcuterie Board inspiration

There are some easy ways to customize your fall snack board to make it unique. Here are a few ideas:

• Leaf cookie cutters. Use fall themed cookie cutters to cut out the cheese slices. Acorns and leaves fit right in (this set has both)! 
• Add Fall items. Add mini pumpkins or gourds to your fall charcuterie board to add nod to the fall season. They add a nice pop of color too!
• Candied Nuts. Make your own candied nuts. They add a sweet, crunchy contrast to the savory elements.
• Pumpkin Spice is always nice! Incorporate pumpkin spice elements, like pumpkin spice almonds or pumpkin butter, to infuse a cozy fall flavor.
• Maple-Infused additions. Include items like maple-glazed candied bacon or maple-candied pecans.
• Mulled Wine or Cider. Pair your charcuterie board with a warm beverage like mulled wine or spiced apple cider to complement the fall theme.
• Customized Labels. Create small labels or cards with the names of cheeses, meats, and dips to educate your guests about what they’re enjoying.
• Roasted Chestnuts. If you can find fresh chestnuts (usually at Farmer’s Markets or stores like Whole Foods or Trader Joes) roast chestnuts and include them on your board for a cozy, chestnut-roasting feel.
• Flavored Honey. Add some infused honey (homemade or store bought) with flavors like rosemary, thyme, or lavender served in small jars alongside your charcuterie items.
• Decorative Fall Leaves. Place food-safe fall leaves made of parchment under your ingredients to add a decorative touch.

Supplies Suggestions

• You’ll need a good grazing board. It can be an official charcuterie board or a large cutting board. Consider how many you’ll be serving to choose a large board or smaller board. For this fall charcuterie board you could even use a pumpkin shaped board. 
• Both to protect a wood board and to give a fall board a fun detail these parchment leaves (in fall-inspired colors) are perfect to line the board before adding sliced meats and cheeses.
• Cheese knives are great if you are serving cheese that needs to be sliced. They make knives for soft cheeses and hard cheese.
• Use paper nut cups that are disposable so guests can take a cup rather than dig through individual nuts.
• Disposable appetizer forks and small spoons. Also called tasting forks these are a great way for guests to serve themselves from their plate especially if you won’t include lots of crackers or bread sliced.
• Toothpicks. Both to stick into ingredients like cheese cubes or pickles vegetables. Decorative toothpicks or seasonal toothpicks are fun for a party.

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