Charcuterie Board Dessert

This Charcuterie Board Dessert has something for everyone!

When it comes to satisfying a lot of different sweet tooths (sweet teeth?) at once, a Dessert Charcuterie Board is the perfect crowd-pleaser.

Unlike most of my savory charcuterie board ideas that are meant to be served before a meal or as a light savory snack, this dessert board is destined to be served after dinner, maybe with espresso martinis, hot chocolate, or another type of dessert drink.

From rich chocolate dip to fresh fruit to crunchy cookies and pretzels, this board can be a go-to option for a variety of events.

What is Dessert Charcuterie?

Dessert charcuterie takes the concept of a traditional savory charcuterie board and transforms it into a sweet dessert platter.

Instead of cured meats and cheeses, this type of board focuses on an array of sweet treats (and there’s actually still a bit of cheese, too).

Charcuterie Board Dessert Ideas

The possibilities of what to add to a charcuterie dessert board are practically endless, but here are some ideas that I’ve used on my board:

• chocolate dip – you can buy this at the store, but I very much prefer my homemade chocolate dip recipe.
• chocolate chunks
• strawberries
• raspberries
• clementine segments
• pretzel twists
• pizzelles (waffle cookies)
• gingersnap cookies
• mini chocolate chip cookies – store bought or homemade
• chocolate hazelnut creme filled wafers
• shortbread (I bought a package of birthday cake-flavored shortbread for fun)
• festive mini cupcakes
• small flowers, for garnish (optional) – baby’s breath, waxflowers and small carnations are what I’ve used here.

How to assemble a Dessert Charcuterie Board

1. DIP. Place the bowl of chocolate dip on the board first, so you can build the rest of the board around it.

2. BIG ITEMS. Start by placing the largest items, like the pizzelles, shortbread, other cookies, cupcakes and large strawberries around the dip on the board.

3. SMALL ITEMS. Fill in any empty spots with smaller items like raspberries, pretzels, chopped chocolate and clementine segements.

4. FINISHING TOUCHES. If you’d like, add some small, festive flowers as a finishing touch to your board. Just a few, strategically placed, are enough to make your board absolutely beautiful.

Can I make charcuterie boards ahead of time?

Certainly! Many elements for dessert charcuterie board ideas can be prepared and placed on the board well ahead of time, for a stress-free way to entertain. Tightly wrap the board and keep it in the refrigerator until it is time to serve.

The only elements I suggest adding right at the end, JUST before serving, is anything crunchy – crackers, pretzels, crunchy cookies and the like. These would get soggy if refrigerated with moist ingredients like fruit, so it’s best to add them to the board right at the end.

Dessert Charcuterie Board: Ideas on how to serve

While the classic presentation of arranging everything on a large platter will always be a great option, there are a few more ways to create a visually appealing and interactive experience:

• TIERED DESSERT STAND – Using a tiered dessert stand will add height and dimension to the presentation. Arrange smaller treats on higher tiers and larger items on lower tiers.
• INTERACTIVE STATIONS – Instead of arranging everything on one board, another option is to set up stations where different components of the board are separated, allowing each guest to kind of build their own board on their plate as they move through the stations.
• LABELS – If you think if would be helpful to your guests, place small cards or labels next to each item. This is also a helpful way to label allergens such as dairy and gluten.

Charcuterie Board Dessert: Ideas on how to store

To assemble ahead of time, see the section above titled “Can I make charcuterie boards ahead of time?”

For any leftovers you may have, separate the crunchy bits (crackers, pretzels, crunchy cookies) and store them at room temperature in airtight containers. The rest of these dessert charcuterie board ideas can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to a day.