Festive Christmas Tree Cheese Platter: The Ultimate Holiday Appetizer for Any Party

Elevate your holiday entertaining this season with a show-stopping Christmas Tree Cheese Platter! This visually stunning and incredibly delicious appetizer is perfect for any festive gathering, from intimate family dinners to bustling office parties. We’ve crafted ours with a delightful assortment of wedged cheeses paired with vibrant green and purple grapes, but the beauty of this platter lies in its versatility. Feel free to unleash your creativity with other finger foods and seasonal delights. It makes a fantastic companion to other holiday favorites, perhaps alongside a savory Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread for a truly cohesive spread.

Why This Holiday Cheese Platter Will Be a Hit

---

This Christmas Tree Cheese Platter isn’t just another appetizer; it’s a conversation starter and a centerpiece all in one. The clever arrangement of cheeses and grapes in the shape of a festive Christmas tree immediately captures attention, making it the talk of any party. Beyond its undeniable visual appeal, this platter is incredibly practical and enjoyable. It offers a variety of flavors and textures to please every palate, from sharp cheddar to creamy Havarti, complemented by the refreshing sweetness of grapes. It’s a low-effort, high-reward dish that allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the festivities with your guests. Plus, its customizable nature means you can tailor it perfectly to your taste preferences and dietary needs, making it a truly inclusive and impressive offering for the holiday season.

Essential Ingredients for Your Festive Platter

---

Crafting this beautiful Christmas Tree Cheese Platter requires a few simple, high-quality ingredients that come together to create a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. While the core elements are cheese and grapes, the specific varieties you choose can significantly influence the final presentation and taste. Below, we’ll provide details on the ingredients used in our recipe, along with suggestions for substitutions to help you personalize your platter. You’ll find a complete list of measurements and step-by-step instructions in the detailed recipe card towards the end of this post.

Ingredient Information and Creative Substitutions

---

Choosing Your Cheeses

CHEESE – The foundation of any great cheese platter is, of course, the cheese itself! For this Christmas tree design, firmer cheeses are highly recommended over soft varieties. Firmer cheeses hold their shape better when cut into wedges or cubes, ensuring your tree maintains its structural integrity throughout the party. We opted for a delightful combination of cheddar, Marble (Colby Jack), Havarti, and Habanero cheese, offering a range of colors and flavor profiles from mild to spicy. Here are some other fantastic options to consider:

• Sharp Cheddar: A classic choice, offering a robust flavor and vibrant orange color.
• White Cheddar: For a milder taste and a contrasting white color.
• Swiss: Known for its distinctive holes and nutty, slightly sweet flavor.
• Colby or Monterey Jack: Milder, creamier options that are universally appealing.
• Gouda: Offers a rich, buttery, and slightly sweet flavor. Smoked Gouda adds an extra layer of complexity.
• Pepper Jack: If you enjoy a bit of a kick, this cheese with jalapeño peppers adds a wonderful zest.
• Provolone or Fontina: Good semi-hard options with savory notes.

When selecting your cheeses, aim for a variety in color, flavor intensity, and texture to keep the platter interesting. Cutting them into 1-inch triangular wedges is ideal for the tree shape, but small cubes or slices can also be incorporated to fill gaps or add variety.

Selecting Your Grapes & Other Fruits

GRAPES – Grapes are essential for mimicking the lush green and red hues of a Christmas tree. We used a mix of green and red (or purple) grapes, which provides beautiful contrast and a burst of juicy sweetness. Look for firm, ripe grapes that are easy to remove from the vine. Other fruit ideas to intersperse or substitute include:

• Black Grapes: For a darker, richer color.
• Strawberries or Raspberries: Add bright red pops of color and tartness, especially when cut into halves.
• Kiwi Slices: Green and visually interesting, but ensure they are firm.
• Cranberries: Fresh or dried, they offer a festive touch and a tart counterpoint to the cheese.
• Cherry Tomatoes: For a savory twist, these can mimic festive ornaments.

Garnishes and Enhancements

GARNISHES – Fresh herbs are key to making your cheese tree look authentic and smell amazing. Sprigs of fresh rosemary are perfect for mimicking pine needles, while basil and parsley can add additional green texture and aroma. Consider adding:

• Small Star-Shaped Cheese or Bell Pepper: For a ‘star’ on top of your tree. You can use a mini cookie cutter for this.
• Pomegranate Seeds: These ruby-red jewels add sparkle and a burst of flavor.
• Small Olives: Black or green olives can serve as edible ornaments.
• Pretzel Sticks or Celery: An easy and edible choice for the tree trunk.

How to Assemble Your Stunning Christmas Tree Cheese Platter

---

These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe with ease. You can jump to the full recipe card at the bottom to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with precise measurements and instructions.

Before you begin assembling, ensure you have a generously sized platter or cutting board ready. A large, flat surface provides the best canvas for your edible masterpiece. You can either freestyle your tree by sight, which offers a more organic look, or for a perfectly symmetrical shape, cut out a tree-shaped template from waxed paper to guide your arrangement.

1. Prepare the Cheese: Cut your chosen cheeses into uniform 1-inch triangular wedges. Consistency in size will help create a neat, attractive tree structure.
2. Prepare the Grapes: Carefully remove the grapes from their vines, ensuring they are clean and dry.
3. Start the Tree Top: Begin at the very top of your platter with a single grape. For an added touch, you can make thin slices into one grape and fan it out slightly below the initial top grape, creating a small, elegant base for the peak of your tree.
4. Build Layers Downward: Systematically construct your tree by working your way downward. Create alternating layers of cheese and grapes. For visual appeal, vary the colors as you go. For example, start with a red grape layer, then add yellow cheese, followed by green grapes, then white cheese, and so on. This creates a vibrant, multi-dimensional effect.
   
5. Garnish and Decorate: Once the main tree structure is complete, it’s time to add the finishing touches. Garnish your tree wherever you like using fresh herbs such as sprigs of parsley, basil, and/or rosemary. These not only add a fresh aroma but also enhance the visual resemblance to an evergreen tree. You can also strategically place cranberries, small olives, or star-shaped cheese cutouts as ornaments.
6. Add the Trunk: Complete your Christmas tree by adding a ‘trunk’ at the bottom. A 4-inch piece of a clean tree branch (ensuring it’s food-safe and clean) works wonderfully for a rustic touch. Alternatively, a sturdy piece of celery or even a few pretzel sticks can serve as an excellent edible trunk.
7. Serve with Crackers: Arrange a variety of crackers around the base of your beautifully assembled Christmas Tree Cheese Platter. Offer an assortment of textures and flavors to complement the cheeses and fruits.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips for Success

---

Expert Tips for an Unforgettable Platter:

• Temperature Matters: Remove your cheeses from the refrigerator about 30-60 minutes before serving. This allows them to reach room temperature, enhancing their flavors and textures.
• Vary Your Components: Don’t limit yourself to just cheese and grapes. Consider adding small bowls of honey, fig jam, various nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds), dried fruits (apricots, cranberries), or even small pickles/olives to offer more variety and palate cleansers.
• The Star on Top: For an extra festive touch, use a small star-shaped cookie cutter to cut a star from a slice of cheese (like white cheddar or provolone) or a slice of yellow bell pepper. Place it prominently at the very top of your tree.
• Consider Your Platter Size: Match the size of your platter to the number of guests. For larger gatherings, you might need a very substantial cutting board or even create two smaller trees. Using a large marble cutting board or even your Thanksgiving turkey platter can provide an excellent foundation.
• Food Safety First: Avoid leaving the platter out for more than two hours at room temperature, especially if your party extends beyond that. Replenish with fresh cheese and grapes as needed, or place the platter back in the refrigerator for a brief period if possible.
• Make it Interactive: Provide small cheese knives or toothpicks for guests to easily pick up pieces of cheese and grapes. This keeps hands clean and makes it more enjoyable.
• Theme Variations: While a Christmas tree is festive, you can adapt this concept for other holidays! Think of a heart shape for Valentine’s Day or a spooky ghost shape for Halloween.

Serving Suggestions for Your Holiday Masterpiece

---

This exquisite Christmas Tree Cheese Platter is not just a beautiful centerpiece; it’s also incredibly versatile for various holiday gatherings. It shines at intimate family dinners, lively parties with friends, or professional holiday office parties. If you’re bringing it to an office get-together, consider transporting all the prepared ingredients separately and assembling the tree on-site for the freshest possible presentation. For an extra touch, serve our creamy cream cheese fruit dip alongside the grapes, providing a sweet complement to the savory cheeses and making it a truly unforgettable spread. Remember to have plenty of crackers and perhaps some mini baguette slices nearby to allow guests to enjoy the full experience.

More Delightful Holiday Appetizer Recipes

---

Looking for more festive inspiration to complete your holiday menu? Here are some other fantastic recipes that are perfect for sharing and celebrating:

• Appetizer Veggie Pizza
• Baked Brie
• Caramel Apple Dip
• Bruschetta
• Snowman Cheeseball
• Antipasto Wreath

I love to bake and cook and share my kitchen experience with all of you! Remembering to come back each day can be tough, that’s why I offer a convenient newsletter every time a new recipe posts. Simply subscribe and start receiving your free daily recipes!

This post was originally published here on December 17, 2019.