A Spooky Halloween Charcuterie Board

Candy? Nah. This year, we’re trick or treating with cheese and crackers and wine. This Halloween charcuterie board is a simple, cute, and crowd-pleasing way to celebrate spooky season. Happy Halloween, friends!

For those of us who have said goodbye to the days of bar-hopping in tiny Halloween costumes, but also do not have little trick-or-treaters to stroll about, there is no Halloween event more sacred than the humble house party.

Cold beer, chill vibes, costumes whose entire purpose is keeping you warm and comfy. Done and done. Count me in. I’m there.

And of course, it’s no Halloween party without some kind of cute on-brand food to munch on in-between passing out candy and tracking down who moved the bottle opener and where. Spicy deviled eggs and spicy ranch snack mix are obvious choices, but really, is it even a party without a charcuterie board?

I seriously can’t get over this board

I’ve thrown dozens of parties. I’ve attended hundreds of get-togethers. I even worked in a cheese shop for two years in college where I made hundreds of cheese boards. And I can promise you that nothing gets people more excited than charcuterie.

• This board is simple to put together and doesn’t require any cooking.
• Cheese boards are totally customizable. Have fun with it!
• It’s full of fun Halloween-themed foods from cheese and jam to cookies and candy.
• This board is a huge crowd-pleaser. The perfect party guest.

What to put on this platter

If ever you were looking for an excuse to stroll through the aisles of Trader Joe’s or your local cheese shop, this is your chance. Rather than looking for anything specific, I definitely recommend going to your favorite local grocery store and seeing what speaks to you. Try to find Halloween-themed candies, snacks, or other ingredients that match the spooky theme.

Cheese ideas

Look for 3-4 cheeses that match the general vibe. For example, I chose gouda with a black rind, Port Salut (my favorite!), blueberry vanilla chèvre, and Scotch bonnet chili cheddar. Use more or less cheeses depending on how many guests you have. You can use as little as 3 or as many as 7!

Generally, I like to pick something hard or semi-hard, something soft and spreadable or semi-soft, and something aged/a bit funky. Choose cheeses made with different flavors and milks (sheep, cow, goat, etc.) for variety and flavor.

Cured meats

If you want to leave your platter as a Halloween cheese board, that’s totally fine. But, if you want a charcuterie board, you’re going to need some cured meats! I would go for 2-3 cured meats. Try salami, prosciutto, sopressata, chorizo, or jamón Ibérico.

Crackers + breads

Choose 2-3 crackers or bread to serve with the meats and cheeses. Water crackers, fruit & nut crisps, cheese sticks/twists, and pretzels are good choices.

Fruit & nuts

Add some fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds for sweetness and crunch.

• Fruit – grapes, berries, pears, figs, citrus, or whatever is in season
• Nuts – walnuts, pecans, Marcona almonds, pistachios, or candied/seasoned nuts
• Seeds – pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds are a great nut-free option

Spreads, dips, & jams

Add 1-2 jams, dips, or spreads so guests can mix and match flavors.

• Spreads – sage apple butter, pumpkin butter, mango chutney, whole wheat mustard
• Dip – hummus, artichoke dip, tapenade, lemon pesto, guacamole
• Jam – fig, hot pepper jelly, apricot, pear, peach, strawberry

Pickled things

Just 1-2 pickled items will add tang and brininess to your Halloween grazing board! Try ini gherkins or dill pickles, Castelvetrano, garlic, or kalamata olives, cherry drops, cherry peppers, or pepperoncinis.

More add-ons

This is your chance to add sweet treats and extra snacks for balance and variety! Try Halloween candy, popcorn, chips, cheese balls, cookies, or any other cute, festive item you like.

How to assemble

1. First, you’ll want to arrange the cheeses since they take up the most space.
2. Then, add any bowls with spreads, pickled items, or small items. Spread them out so there is plenty of places to squeeze in smaller ingredients.
3. Place crackers, bread, fruit, cookies, and other larger items around the board. I like arranging these items in different areas of the board to fill it in!

To make this snack board easier to eat, slice any hard cheeses before serving. Then, have toothpicks ready for guests to grab and go.

4. Now that the large items are on the board, it’s time to add smaller ingredients! Start with the cured meats. I like to fold them in quarters or roll the meats and stick them in narrow spots to save space.
5. Next, add any fun items like chips, popcorn, nuts, and seeds.
6. Finish the board with the little details. Fill in any gaps with Halloween candies, extra fruit, and fun decorations.

Make in advance

You can make this board up to 2 hours in advance! Just place any refrigerator-friendly items (cheese, meats, bowls of spreads, etc.) on the board, cover, and refrigerate. About 30 minutes before serving, remove the board from the fridge, add any additional items (crackers, chips, popcorn, anything that doesn’t refrigerate well) and enjoy!

Decoration ideas

To add to the Halloween theme even more, now is a great time to bust out some edible Halloween decorations! I used a mix of wrapped pumpkin candies, eyeball sprinkles, and Halloween sour gummies. I also added a cute cast iron mouse my mom got me!

You can also use Halloween toothpicks, paper bats, mini ceramic pumpkins, or even edible fondant decorations from the cake aisle. Just have fun with it!

Meat free

If you’re looking for a meat-free snack, you can make a Halloween cheese board instead. Just replace the meats with more cheeses, veggies, fruit, or Halloween snacks.

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

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