You can even pair Halloween charcuterie boards with Halloween deviled eggs for an appetizer spread! To complete the theme, serve Jack-O-Lantern stuffed peppers and Panera Autumn squash soup for dinner afterward.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section gives you some Halloween charcuterie board ideas for ingredients to use, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Cheeses – Use a combination of hard cheese, semi-hard or semi-soft cheese, and soft cheese for variety. I used brie, sharp cheddar cheese, and white cheddar cheese. Other good options for making shapes include Gruyere, Swiss, Manchego, gouda, mozzarella, or see my full cheese list here. If you don’t like brie for your soft cheese, you can use a soft goat cheese, or even make a cheese ball. (You may need cheese knives for very soft cheeses that are more like a spread.) Olives – I used pimento olives for a spooky eyeball look, but green olives or black olives work as well. Pickles – You can use mini dill pickles (cornichons), sliced pickles, or even pickled vegetables for variety. Meats – I incorporated salami and prosciutto into my Halloween-themed board, but you can also include other meats, such as dry cured chorizo, coppa, or pepperoni. Crackers – Choose your favorite! Sweet potato crackers are a favorite at our house, but I added some regular gluten free crackers, too. You can also make homemade flax seed crackers, 3-ingredient almond flour crackers, crunchy cheese crackers, or even homemade cheese crisps. Fruit – Berries or grapes work well, because they don’t make a mess and people can grab how much they want. I used blackberries and blueberries to incorporate some dark colors for a Halloween theme. You could also add raspberries, strawberries, orange slices, or even cinnamon apple chips for fall flavor. Nuts – Try almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, or any other nuts you like.
How To Make A Halloween Charcuterie Board
This section shows how to make Halloween themed charcuterie board, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
More Halloween Charcuterie Board Ideas
Pumpkin Shape – Use a round board and make the eyes and Jack-O-Lantern mouth first using blueberries or black berries. Then, arrange mainly orange items (cheeses, nuts, and crackers) to fill the board. Use fresh herbs or a celery stick to make the pumpkin stem at the top. Skeleton Shape – Cut out the head of a skeleton from a wheel of brie. Arrange cheese and meat slices horizontally below the head to make the rib cage. Then, arrange other items around the skeleton to fill the rest of the board. Vegetarian – Make a Halloween cheese board by skipping the meats and add more cheeses. Add A Sweet Touch – Make a sweeter board by adding more fruit, regular or sugar-free marshmallows, your favorite Halloween candy, healthy oatmeal cookies, or other treats (my kids love sugar-free peanut butter cups!), and/or a bowl of chocolate hummus with sliced apples for dipping. Decorations – I used plastic spiders and a spider web mat under the board, but you can also add skeleton hands on the board or witches cauldron serving bowls on the side.
Storage Instructions
If you have leftovers, you can keep all the components (except crunchy ones like nuts and crackers) tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Keep nuts and crackers in the pantry.
Using toothpick labels is a fun way to label various meats and cheeses. You can also do all your slicing a few days ahead of time and assemble the Halloween charcuterie board right before serving, or assemble the board 1-2 days in advance and store in the fridge covered in plastic wrap.
More Fun Appetizer Recipes
Get togethers, parties, and potlucks all need appetizers. Here are some others to try: Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. Nutrition info uses salami (for the meat) and gluten-free crackers.
