If you're looking for a fun way to entertain guests, look no further than this simple dessert charcuterie board. It's a fun way to combine all of your favorite treats into the easiest dessert ever. Whether it's a birthday celebration, holiday party, movie night, valentine’s day, or just a girl's night in - this gorgeous dessert charcuterie board is the perfect addition.
Love a themed board? Check out my Breakfast Charcuterie Board and Halloween Charcuterie Board for more charcuterie board ideas!
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Is there anything better than walking into a room and seeing a dessert platter filled with nothing but sweet treats and all of your favorite things? Let me answer that for you - no! And if you're looking for a quick and easy holiday dessert idea, this is IT. Everything can be store bought and placed on a beautiful board for a fun and festive dessert that takes minutes to assemble.
It's no secret that we love cheese boards, but there's something special about this sweet charcuterie board. It's filled with fresh fruit, chocolate truffles, cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels and so much more. For a nice sweet and salty kick, I also added goat cheese, candied pecans and brie - because you need balance, right?
This chocolate dessert charcuterie board is the perfect dessert for any occasion and is so much fun to make. It's the perfect way to indulge in your sweet tooth this holiday season without having to cook and bake for hours on end!
What is a charcuterie board?
A charcuterie board is a board filled with cured meats like salami, prosciutto, ham, etc. Very often you'll also find cheese, jams, dried fruit, and breads on a good charcuterie board. The term charcuterie board is a French term that comes from two words - "chair" which means flesh and "cuit" which means cooked. So, it's essentially a board of cooked or cured meats.
This dessert charcuterie board is certainly not your traditional charcuterie board. In fact, it doesn't have any charcuterie at all. However, I think that the term has been used to describe any platter that has a nice variety of flavors that you can enjoy all at once - like a grazing board.
What's even better is that you can use whatever you want. You can use store-bought items, homemade treats, any of your favorite sweets - this simple dessert charcuterie board has endless possibilities.
What to put on a Dessert Charcuterie Board
I like to mix it up and use a little bit of everything! Think of this entire board as an easy dessert. Don't be afraid to combine a bunch of different flavors! This is a fun and easy way to enjoy all of your favorite tasty treats together. Now is not the time to be bashful, treat yourself!
Cookies
Ok I love adding a multitude of cookies to my dessert board. If I have any leftover cookies from my baking throughout the week, I'll use those. If not, to save time, I will use store-bought treats. This includes:
- chocolate chip cookies
- graham crackers
- sugar cookies
- Madelines
- Meringue Cookies
- shortbread cookies
- butter cookies
- peanut butter cookies (these go so well with a chocolate dip like chocolate ganache). Pro tip: turn this into a cookie platter and enjoy with a scoop of ice cream.
Fresh Fruit
To break up all of the decadence of the chocolate and cookies, I love adding fresh berries. Use your favorite fruits here! My suggestions are;
- apple slices
- grapes
- orange slices
- fresh figs
- sliced pears
You can even dip some strawberries in dark chocolate and place th chocolate covered strawberries onto the board. Fruit pairs SO well with just about anything you can think about on this board. You can also use the fruit to make a chocolate fondue board by adding chocolate dip (this is especially nice for valentine's day). SO yummy and so many possibilities with this one.
Candy
Here's where I like to go a little crazy with the chocolate. Add broken up chocolate bars, peanut butter cups (my fave), chocolate chips, m&ms, white chocolate, bonbons, truffles - you get my drift. You can also add gummy bears, jelly beans, rice krispie treats, or gummy worms - whatever candy you have on hand.
Dips
There are SO many dessert dips that I like to use for an epic dessert charcuterie board. You can try:
Dunkaroo Dip - this is my favorite dip for to eat with sweets! It goes SO well with graham crackers and fresh fruit. If you've never tried this, you need to make this immediately.
Cream Cheese Fruit Dip - a classic creamy dip that's silky and delicious!
Edible Brownie Batter - ok this is technically not a dip - however, it's really good on a dessert board as a delicious spread, especially with the cookies.
Marshmallow Dip - you can't go wrong with marshmallow dip.
Caramel Sauce - what doesn't go with caramel sauce?!
Caramel Apple Dip - dunk fresh fruit or cookies into this dip and be transported to flavor heaven!
Honey - it may not be a dip, but I LOVE dunking my berries in honey. It gets messy but the flavors pair so well that the mess is worth it.
Cheese
It may seem like a wild pairing, but yes, cheese goes with dessert! Especially soft cheeses like brie (if you love brie, you have to try this baked brie with jam recipe too), mascarpone, and even goat cheese! If you love sweet and savory flavors, don't forget about the cheese, especially if you're adding nuts to your board.
Accoutrements
Breads - croissants, brioche, leftover french toast sticks, even muffins make this fun dessert board even better!
Nuts - candied pecans are my favorite, but peanuts, cashews, pistachios, etc are all a great option to add to your serving platter.
Pretzels - used a mix a salted pretzels and chocolate covered pretzels.
Mini cupcakes or mini cheesecakes - cupcakes and cheesecakes are always a good choice for a sweet dessert charcuterie board, they add so much flair!
Leftovers - this is a great way to use leftover candy so if you have anything that's still good and has been sitting around for a while, pop it onto your board!
Pro Tips
- Use small bowls to keep any small candy from rolling off of the board.
- Mix up different shapes and different sizes to give your board movement! Also, add a variety of colors to keep things interesting. Pops of color are so aesthetically pleasing!
- When assembling your board, be mindful of how many people you're serving! You'll want to make sure that everyone will be able to get a little bit of everything. I usually try to have at least a ½ cup of treats allotted per person.
- If you have leftovers, make little goodie bags for your guests to take them home!
How to make a Dessert Charcuterie Board
- Grab a large wooden board. Add the larger items first - this includes items that are in bowls or dishes like spreads, dips, candies in bowls etc. Space them out so that you can add other items in between.
- Then add medium sized items like fruits, cheeses, cookies, mini cakes, cupcakes etc.
- Fill in any empty spaces with candies, chocolates, dried fruit.
- Lastly, garnish with fresh herbs or mint leaves to make it nice and pretty!
More Charcuterie Board Ideas
- Valentine's Day Board - add conversation hearts and chocolates for a valentine's day dessert board!
- Fruit Charcuterie Board - perfect for baby showers, date night, or any special occasion!
- Easter Board - add peeps or your favorite easter candy to make a festive easter board.
- Halloween Charcuterie Board - this is a great way to use up any leftovers after a party, especially leftover halloween candy from a halloween party.
- Christmas Candy Charcuterie Board - add candy canes and other festive foods to make christmas charcuterie board - Merry Christmas!
- Summer Charcuterie Board or Brunch Board - enjoy everything summer has to offer with a glass of rose on a warm night!
Recipe FAQs
A dessert charcuterie board is a platter filled with sweet treats, fruits, baked goods, and soft cheeses.
Cupcakes, cakes, birthday cakes, candy, cookies, and even ice cream all go well with a charcuterie board.
Goat cheese, ricotta, brie, blue cheese, mascarpone and cream cheese, and burrata are all great cheeses that pair well with sweeter flavors.
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Dessert Charcuterie Board
Equipment
- Serving Board
- Cheese Knife (optional)
- Small Bowls (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Strawberries (cut in half)
- 1 cup Blackberries
- 2 cups Meringue Cookies
- 10 Madeline Cookies (or cookies of choice)
- 2 cups Chocolate Candies
- 2 cups Chocolate Covered Pretzels
- 8 oz Brie
- 1 cup Strawberry Preserves
- 4 Croissants (torn in half)
- 1 cup Candied Pecans
- 1 cup Dried Fruit of Choice
Directions
- Grab a large wooden board. Add the larger items first - this includes items that are in bowls or dishes like spreads, dips, candies in bowls etc. Space them out so that you can add other items in between.
- Then add medium sized items like fruits, cheeses, cookies, mini cakes, cupcakes etc.
- Fill in any empty spaces with candies, chocolates, dried fruit.
- Lastly, garnish with fresh herbs or mint leaves to make it nice and pretty!
Notes
- Use small bowls to keep any small candy from rolling off of the board.
- Mix up different shapes and different sizes to give your board movement! Also, add a variety of colors to keep things interesting. Pops of color are so aesthetically pleasing!
- When assembling your board, be mindful of how many people you're serving! You'll want to make sure that everyone will be able to get a little bit of everything. I usually try to have at least a ½ cup of treats allotted per person.
- If you have leftovers, make little goodie bags for your guests to take them home!
Nice, loved this board.