Save I'll never forget the year my sister arrived at our holiday party with a ridiculous idea: a charcuterie board shaped like Santa's face. I thought she'd lost her mind until she laid it out on our grandmother's wooden board—creamy white cheeses fluffy as a real beard, cured meats and roasted peppers forming a vibrant red hat, and a single olive perched at the top like a jolly pom-pom. The table went silent for exactly two seconds before everyone burst into laughter and started loading their plates. That board became the star of the party, and I've made it every holiday season since.
I remember my nephew, who's notoriously picky, standing in front of this board at our family dinner and actually trying three different cheeses without being asked. His mom looked at me in shock. Apparently, the silly Santa face made him brave enough to be adventurous. Now he requests it every year, and he's the one who reminds me when November rolls around.
Ingredients
- Brie cheese, sliced (200 g): This is your soft, luxurious anchor—the kind of cheese that melts on your tongue. Slice it just before assembling so it doesn't dry out, and it creates those beautiful creamy layers in the beard.
- Goat cheese, crumbled (200 g): The tang here balances all the richness, and those crumbles add wonderful texture variation that makes the beard look fuller and fluffier.
- White cheddar, cubed (150 g): This is your workhorse cheese—it holds its shape beautifully and gives you nice geometric pieces to fill gaps. I learned the hard way that aged white cheddar has so much more personality than mild.
- Mozzarella balls, halved (150 g): These are your secret weapon for making the beard look impossibly fluffy. They roll around, they nestle into gaps, and they catch the light in the loveliest way.
- Cream cheese, shaped into small balls (100 g, optional): I started adding these after discovering that they bridge the texture gap between soft and firm cheeses. They also look like little snowballs, which feels right.
- Assorted white crackers (200 g): Rice crackers, water crackers, seeded crackers if you can find them—variety is your friend here. They're the foundation that keeps the beard from looking too heavy.
- Genoa salami, sliced (150 g): This is the heart of your hat—it's got that sophisticated flavor that makes people realize this isn't just a silly board, it's actually delicious.
- Prosciutto, rolled (100 g): The delicate, salty quality of prosciutto adds elegance. Roll it loosely so it catches light and looks wispy.
- Pepperoni slices (100 g): These bring that bright paprika color and a little spice—they're what makes the hat look distinctly festive.
- Roasted red bell peppers, sliced into strips (2 large): These are your color insurance. Even if your cured meats aren't as vibrant as you'd hoped, these pepper strips guarantee your hat is stunning.
- Cherry tomatoes or mini red peppers (1 cup): I use these to add dimension to the hat—they catch light and look like little jewels at the tip and scattered along the edges.
- Fresh rosemary sprigs: Beyond decoration, a sprig or two nestled into the cheese creates this woodsy holiday scent that makes people smile before they even taste anything.
- Black olive (1): One single olive at the tip of the hat completes the whole joke. It's so simple, but it's what transforms this from pretty board to actual Santa face.
Instructions
- Map out your Santa:
- Use a light touch to outline your triangle hat and rounded beard shape on the board with your finger or a piece of chalk. Don't stress about precision—Santa's a bit whimsical anyway. This guide keeps you organized when you're arranging twenty different components.
- Build the fluffy beard foundation:
- Start with your softest cheeses in the rounded bottom section. Layer brie slices so they overlap slightly, creating a base that feels generous and plush. Scatter goat cheese crumbles throughout—they'll nestle into gaps and add wonderful texture.
- Fill in beard texture:
- Add your white cheddar cubes next, pressing them gently into the goat cheese so they don't roll away. Then come the mozzarella halves—toss these around almost playfully, letting them sit at different angles. They're what make the beard look impossibly fluffy.
- Add creamy pockets:
- If you're using cream cheese balls, roll them gently between your palms and nestle them throughout the beard. They look like snow and add another textural element that guests will appreciate.
- Create the cracker border:
- Arrange your white crackers at the base and sides of the beard in gentle rows. They should look casual, not military. This prevents the soft cheeses from sliding off the board and creates a natural frame.
- Construct the festive hat:
- In your triangle section, overlap salami slices starting from the bottom point and working upward. They should catch light and overlap like roof shingles. This is where you slow down and make it look intentional.
- Layer hat complexity:
- Add your pepperoni slices next, filling gaps and adding brightness. Then tuck your rolled prosciutto along the edges—let it look a bit billowy. Add roasted red pepper strips diagonally across the hat for elegance and color insurance.
- Scatter brightness:
- Place your cherry tomatoes or mini red peppers around the hat—especially concentrated at the tip and along the edges. These catch light and make the hat look alive.
- Add festive garnish:
- Use fresh rosemary sprigs to outline the hat and frame the beard. One or two tucked along the sides makes the whole thing smell like the holidays.
- Crown your creation:
- Place your single black olive at the very tip of the hat as Santa's pom-pom. Step back. You've done it.
- Serve with intention:
- Set out small cheese knives and serving tongs. Refill as needed, watching people's faces when they realize how good silly Santa tastes.
Save What moved me most was watching my grandmother, who rarely got excited about food anymore, lean in close to take a good look at the Santa board. She smiled—really smiled—and said it was the most joyful thing she'd seen all season. That's when I realized this isn't about impressive charcuterie. It's about creating a moment where silly and delicious and beautiful all live together on one board.
The Magic of Thoughtful Arrangement
There's something deeply satisfying about arranging food with intention. When you slow down and think about how colors interact, how textures complement each other, and how a single black olive can transform a board into a character—you're not just feeding people, you're creating a memory. I've found that the boards that get the most attention aren't the ones with the rarest cheeses or the fanciest cured meats. They're the ones where someone clearly cared about how things looked together. This Santa board falls into that category because it's whimsical without being silly, impressive without being pretentious, and delicious at every single bite.
Wine and Beverage Pairings
Pairing drinks with this board is almost as fun as building it. A light sparkling wine—something crisp and not too dry—plays beautifully against the creamy cheeses and salty meats. The bubbles cut through richness in a way that makes you reach for another bite. If you're going alcohol-free, cranberry spritzers echo the festive red and white color scheme while offering that same refreshing quality. I've also had success with a simple sparkling cider that feels holiday-appropriate without overwhelming the board's flavors.
Customizing for Your Crowd
One of my favorite things about this board is how adaptable it is. Make it vegetarian by swapping the cured meats for roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and red-hued cheeses like Red Leicester or even aged gouda with a rosy hue. If you need gluten-free options, there are so many excellent gluten-free crackers now that look and taste indistinguishable from traditional ones. You can theme the cheeses around what you love—maybe you prefer aged goudas to white cheddar, or you want to feature a local cheese maker. The structure stays the same, but the personality shifts to reflect what excites your palate.
- Gluten-free crackers work beautifully and honestly no one notices the difference anymore
- Roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts make a surprisingly satisfying vegetarian hat
- Fresh mozzarella in different formats—balls, pearls, or torn pieces—adds incredible variety
Save This board has become my answer to the question of what to bring to a holiday gathering when you want something that feels special but doesn't require hours of cooking. Every time I make it, I'm reminded that the best food moments happen when you combine a little creativity with genuine care about the experience you're creating for people around your table.