How To Make Your Own Charcuterie Christmas Tree

M&S’s famed charcuterie tree has proved particularly popular this year – but you can easily create your own version at home, which often ends up cheaper (and tastier). This way, you can pick all your favourite cheese, cured meat and fruit, and arrange it into an impressive edible centrepiece sure to wow your guests over the festive season. The trend has taken off on TikTok, with the term #charcuterietree gaining traction on the platform. There are a couple of ways to do it: we’ve shared two ideas below.

Charcuterie Christmas Tree Recipe

You will need:

• Wooden chopping board
• A foam styrofoam cone
• Cling film
• Cocktail sticks
• A variety of cheese, cured meat, fruit, pickles and olives
• Rosemary sprigs

Method:

1. Place your cone on a sturdy wooden chopping board.
2. Wrap the cone in cling film to prevent the food from touching the cone. 
3. Chop up your chosen meats, cheeses and fruits into uniform, bite-sized pieces.
4. Thread the ingredients onto cocktail sticks.
5. Arrange the ingredients on the cone, beginning from the base and working upwards, placing larger items at the bottom and smaller at the top, and working in rows around the cone.
6. For an extra treat, add some ‘presents’ surrounding the base of the tree – think crackers, breadsticks or sausage rolls. You could also create something to go at the top of the tree, perhaps a cheese-shaped star?
7. Dot rosemary sprigs into the foam to create branches.

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Charcuterie Tree Board

Can’t get your hands on a foam cone? No problem: you can also create a horizontal festive charcuterie board. Simply arrange all the same ingredients in a tree shape on a cheeseboard or wooden chopping board. Use rosemary sprigs to create a rough triangle shape, then use this as your base, arranging the ingredients in rows to create a tree-like effect. For a fun topper, use a cookie cutter to create a star-shaped hole in the middle of a wheel of brie, then fill it with marmalade and place it at the top of your tree.

Inspiration

@theblondesisters Charcuterie Christmas tree 🎄 brought this one to Thanksgiving lolz and it was a hit! What you’ll need: styrofoam cone aluminum foil toothpicks charcuterie of choice #charcuterie #charcuterieboard #christmasideas #christmas #christmasrecipe #appetizer #holidayrecipe #holidayparty #christmasparty ♬ Christmas Tree Farm – Taylor Swift

@gladysandgeoff Take your Christmas party to the next level with a show-stopping charcutertree. This was a huge hit with our friends and we loved how it turned out! 🎄 #charcuterieboard #charcuteriechristmastree #christmascharcuterie #christmasappetizers #charcutertree #christmasfoodideas ♬ Merry Christmas and Happy New Year – neozilla

@champagneangofficial Pov: you find the perfect appetizer to bring to the Christmas Holiday party 🌲🫒🧀✨ This Charcuterie Tree is always such a hit for holiday hosting! #christmas2024 #christmasrecipe #christmasrecipes #christmascharcuterie #charcuterietree #christmasappetizer ♬ Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee