Tag Charcuterie

This cookie charcuterie board might just be my crowning glory. As a self-proclaimed cookie queen, there’s nothing I love more than assembling cookie boxes, organizing cookie exchanges, and baking all the new cookie recipes I can find—especially during the holidays. And when it comes to get-togethers, I would choose a plate of cookies over fancy desserts any day.

As we round out the holiday season, I’m here with one more take on a charcuterie board for y’all. We started the season out with the ultimate crudite platter, a bruschetta board with all my favorite toppings, and an appetizer board that everyone will be talking about. So, it only makes sense to round out our series with the penultimate cookie board.

Ahead, discover all my favorite ways to elevate this holiday dessert—and step-by-step instructions for making it your own.

How to Build Your Cookie Charcuterie Board

The best part of a board like this is that the options are truly endless and you can customize based on what you and your guests like best. But like any cheese board formula, I like to think about having a few staples that will anchor the board and then go from there.

Chocolate cookies. Any good cookie board needs a chocolate varietal. Whether you go with a chocolate chip cookie, chocolate sandwich cookie, brownie cookie, or even a chocolate-peppermint version, you need chocolate somewhere on the board.

Fruit cookies. Having cookies with a bit of tangy fruit in them helps balance out all the other, super-sweet options. Think fruity jam and linzer sandwich cookies, citrus and lemon cookies, cookies made with dried fruits, or any other version you like.

Butter cookies. The unsung hero of the cookie world. Butter cookies are simple but rich, and they’re the perfect blank canvas of a cookie. Plus, with all the shapes and textures they come in, there’s something for everyone from the simple shortbread square to buttery spritz cookies.

The fun cookies. All cookies are fun but think of this category of cookies as a little extra. Especially for a cookie charcuterie board, these will help add visual interest and texture. Lean into cookies you may not always go for and try something new and different.

The Best Recipes for Your Cookie Charcuterie Board

We certainly have our favorites, but a cookie board is the perfect chance to use a blend of store-bought, bakery-made, and homemade cookies. You don’t have to bake every recipe yourself! I polled our editors for some of their favorite cookies when building this board. These are our favorites:

• Store-bought soft sugar cookies with frosting
• Almond pizelles from the bakery
• Shortbread stars
• Strawberry linzer cookies
• Hazelnut wafer cookies
• Store-bought gingerbread tiles and biscuits
• Peppermint bark
• Regular and walnut brownies
• Chocolate biscuits
• Chocolate chip cookies

And a few recipes I love to include as well:

Assembly Tips and Tricks

There’s no right or wrong way to assemble a cookie charcuterie board. But I have learned a few tricks along the way to help make it look more elevated and festive.

• Organize with cupcake liners. For smaller cookies or candies like peppermint bark, using muffin liners helps keep the cookies and treats organized while also adding a bit of texture.
• Use plates and bowls to help group cookies. Not only does using a small plate on the board help add some extra height and dimension, but it also gives you a chance to help separate cookies so their flavors don’t mix.
• Group cookies together in separate places. You don’t need fifty different cookie recipes to make your board feel lush and cozy. By creating groups of the same cookie in separate parts of the board, you can give the illusion of more abundance while keeping the board cohesive.
• Add extras. Peppermint bark, candy canes, caramel candies, candied nuts, marshmallows, and little items like these can help fill in any gaps on the board while also giving guests who may not love sweets as much as everyone else a chance to nibble on something small.

And that’s it! A cookie charcuterie board is the ultimate aesthetic dessert—and it couldn’t be easier to create and customize. I hope you have fun piling yours high with all the treats. And be sure to share your masterpieces with us @camillestyles.

I feel blessed to live in the era of the grazing board. Nothing warms the soul quite like the sight of fruits, jams, nuts, crackers, and cured meats arranged just so. But even the most stunning cheeseboard would be nothing without the perfect serving board literally backing them up. When it comes to setting a table and displaying a spread that’s sure to wow your guests, nothing does it quite like these 11 best serving boards.

Ahead, we gathered 10 of the very best serving boards available now, from slate-black beauties to suit a modern charcuterie lover to rustic slabs that look like heirlooms. We’ve also included a few boards that could easily double as a display piece when you’re not entertaining.

How to Create a Killer Charcuterie Board

Before we dive deep into the best serving boards, we’re happy to share the charcuterie-creating wisdom we’ve garnered over the years. In need of a beginner-friendly holiday charcuterie board? We have a guide for that. We also have top-tier tips for a fall grazing board, a board that has baked Brie as its centerpiece, and for how to make a charcuterie board on a budget. Want to impress Italian relatives or in-laws? Chef Erind Halilaj, Austinite and bonafide Italiano, can help with that. Don’t worry—we have you, and your board, covered.

The Best Serving Boards of 2023 for Every Style

In addition to style, weight was another consideration (we like our boards on the heavier side), as was the quality of the material used (fancy cheese deserves the best).

Every product is curated with care by our editors and we’ll always give an honest opinion, whether gifted or purchased ourselves. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

The Best Classic Board: Casa Zuma Gathering Board

Handmade in Seattle from oak wood, this hardworking board (available in two sizes) clocks in at one inch thick, making it supremely durable and satisfyingly heavy. When it’s not hosting a spread, it also doubles as a stylish display piece.

The Best Artistic Board: Berea College Intersections Charcuterie Board

Handmade with natural wood by crafts program students at Berea College, each board, sold exclusively at Design Within Reach, is truly a work of art. 

The Best Black Board: Crate & Barrel Tondo Ebonized Rectangle Serving Board

For modern cheese lovers, nothing ups the serving sexiness factor quite like a slate-back board made of ebonized acacia.

The Best Serving Board for Picnics: Serena & Lily Beachside Serving Board

Whitewashed mango wood, a charming dip-dye finish, and a useful leather handle allow this serving board to double as a decorative accent when it’s not at picnics on the beach.

The Best Melamine Board: Le Cadeaux Cheese Board

Le Cadeaux’s stylish dinnerware looks and feels like ceramics sourced from travels around the Mediterranean, but that’s the magic. The beautiful works are actually made of sturdy—and practically unbreakable—melamine.

The Best Reclaimed Wood Board: Casa Zuma Harvester Board

For a more patina’d look, this distinct board uses thoughtfully-sourced mango wood, an incredibly strong material that just gets better with age (and the occasional jam stain).

The Most Whimsical Board: Areaware Serving Friends Board

For a more playful approach to serving, this beech wood cutie has a small, circular indented center that’s perfect for a ramekin.

The Most Utilitarian Board: Casa Zuma Mango Wood Serving Platter

Charcuterie or not—you’ll want to have this handsome solid mango serving board forever on display. Thankfully, the platter’s raised edges make it a perfect catchall to keep on the counter.

The Best Olivewood Board: Sur La Table Italian Olivewood Slice Serving Board

This rustic board made with luxurious olivewood looks like it’s been passed down for generations.

The Best Glass Serving Board: Pottery Barn Slab Glass Cheese Board

We love how natural and earthy the recycled slab glass looks—a slick subversion of the typical wood charcuterie board. Clocking in at eight pounds, it’s a substantial piece, but it lets your food and tablescape shine.

The Best Oversized Board: Casa Zuma Large Vintage Wood Board

A great serving board is a solid background player, but Casa Zuma’s collection of oversized vintage boards command center stage. Thoughtfully collected across the European countryside (some are more than a century old), each board is a one-of-a-kind beauty with a story you’ll contribute to.