Trader Joe’s Holiday Cheese Board

Impress your guests with this Trader Joe’s Holiday Cheese Board. Keep reading to find a list of ingredients to buy and how to assemble them.

Make a festive holiday charcuterie board that will wow your guests

My favorite appetizer at any holiday gathering is ALWAYS the cheese board. For most family holidays it is my job to make the biggest most elaborate charcuterie spread that I can think up.

How many people will this Trader Joe’s Holiday Cheese Board feed?

Since most people aren’t having large gatherings in 2020 I made this board on the smaller side. It is perfect for 6 very hungry people or 10-12 people when there are other appetizers available.

Amy and I love to make big charcuterie boards into meals. I made this one for us for dinner one night and we basically demolished it between the two of us.

What kitchen items do I need to assemble this holiday charcuterie board?

I like to use a large wood slab lazy susan as the canvas for my cheese board. In my opinion it is easier to arrange the items on something round and flat. It is nice that board rotates so that guests don’t need to reach around to try all of the items.

Then, I grab some small bowls for the nuts, jam and olives. I always have a set of small glass bowls on hand. Lately, I have been using these soy sauce bowls for things and love the way they look.

Lastly, you will need some toothpicks, small spoons, and cheese knives for serving. If your cheese is particularly hard, consider safely putting a sharper knife out.

What ingredients will I need to make this Trader Joe’s Holiday Cheese Board?

Here is the list of ingredients that I used to make my holiday charcuterie plate. I also listed some alternatives incase you cannot find or do not like the item I suggest.

• Organic Raspberry Fruit Spread – you can find this near all the jams and jellies. There are lots of options there including a cherry jam that would be great.
• Double Cream Brie with Truffles – This is my favorite item on the cheese board, but if you don’t like truffles you can replace this with a standard Double Cream Brie or Trader Joe’s new Sliceable Brie Cheese
• Uncured Applewood Smoked Salami – Amy and I agreed that this was DELISH, but if you can’t find it or are not a fan I would use another type of salami or prosciutto in its place. If you are vegetarian, I recommend replacing this with the cranberry goat cheese log.
• Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives – These are with the pickles and beans. Now I know blue cheese is controversial, but hear me out. I really don’t like blue cheese and I LOVED these. Of course, you can replace them with standard olives, mixed marinated olives, or mini gherkins.
• Fig & Olive Crisps – These are just the perfect holiday cracker. At my Trader Joe’s they are on the shelves above the freezer items.
• Pecan Pralines – OKAY I think these are new and they are heavenly. If you can’t get these, definitely do your best to add some kind of candied nut to the board.
• Creamy Toscano Cheese Soaked in Syrah – I could go on and on about this wine soaked cheese, but just trust me, its delicious. If you can’t find this, I recommend replacing it with a nutty, aged cheese like an aged gouda.
• Brioche Toasts – Usually I buy a baguette, slice it on a bias and toast it up to make little crostinis, but when I need to save time I buy these brioche toasts. They are rather large and I recommend breaking them in half before placing them on the board.
• Truffle Marcona Almonds – I know, I know. DOUBLE TRUFFLE on this board, but it’s the holidays!! Again if you don’t like truffle, grab the rosemary marcona almonds or some standard salted marcona almonds
• Unexpected Cheddar – It is my firm belief that every single cheese board should contain a good cheddar. This is hands down my favorite cheddar of all time from Trader Joe’s if you’re shopping at another store keep an eye out for Kerry Gold cheddar.

Can I get the ingredients somewhere else?

Yes! Of course you can buy all of these charcuterie board ingredients at a standard grocery store. They might not have the exact same items, but you will be able to get some very similar things.

In addition to Trader Joes, in my area I like to go to Costco or Wegmans for cheese board items. Any grocery store will have some good options. Don’t forget to check for items in the deli section like fun olives and spreads.

Let’s make a Trader Joe’s Holiday Cheese Board!

To begin, grab the cheese board that you are going to use and clean it thoroughly or line it with parchment paper.

Then, take 4 small bowls and add the olives, fruit spread, pecan pralines, and marcona almonds each into one bowl. Arrange the bowls on the charcuterie board. I usually make a diamond shape.

Next, open the cheeses and slice a few slices off each cheese. This encourages guests to dig in. Then, arrange the cheeses on the charcuterie board between the bowls.

Open the pack of salami and fold into a triangle by folding it in half and then in half again. Next, use your salami triangles to make a salami river between cheeses.

Then, break the brioche toasts in half and arrange the toasts and fig and olive crisps on the cheese board.

Finally, add some toothpicks, small spoons and cheese knives for serving.

Can I prepare this cheese board ahead of time?

Yes! If I am having people over I will usually prep the cheese plate ahead of time.

Place all of the ingredients on your cheese board except for the crackers. Then, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

Once you are ready to serve your cheese board, add the crackers to the board and serve!

You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!

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