The Cutest Christmas Charcuterie Board Starts With A Wheel Of Brie Cheese

There's no better way to celebrate the holidays than with a vibrant, seasonal snack board. Next to enjoying your definitive eggnog recipe and one or two party-friendly dips, charcuterie boards give you an opportunity to make appetizers both fun and festive. More specifically, to make this year's Christmas spread more noteworthy, simply turn your next wheel of Brie into cute, seasonal snack bites everyone will love.

Sure enough, all you need is a sharp knife and a few extra ingredients to transform Brie cheese into miniature, edible Christmas trees. The process is simple: Cut your Brie into wedges, poke pretzel sticks into each wedge, and then add a variety of tasty toppings. Given the fact that Brie is often paired with a variety of fresh herbs, nuts, and dried fruit, your choice of flavorful toppings end up looking like festive tree decor. 

To prepare this holiday charcuterie board snack, start by cutting a standard wheel of Brie in half and then cut each half into four distinct wedges. From here, cut each wedge through the center so the rind is on one side. When all is said and done you should have 16 halved pieces of Brie. From here, insert pretzel sticks or toothpicks into the base of each portion, drizzle the cheese with regular or hot honey, and then dip each wedge in your preferred toppings. While making these festive appetizers seems simple enough, follow a few helpful tips for a more impressive platter each and every time.

If you're an avid cheese lover, you may already know the best way to serve Brie cheese is at room temperature. That said, in order to keep these specially curated apps in tip-top shape for cocktail hour, make sure the variety of Brie you use has a moderate amount of butterfat. Stick to conventional or double cream options, and steer clear of triple cream or heavily aged wheels. Since Brie becomes softer with age, the consistency of aged and triple cream selections may be too soft to cut into neat, discernible wedges. 

When it comes to choosing the right size for the job, standard 8-ounce wheels work best. You can also use miniature wheels if you desire. Whichever size you choose, be mindful to cut each wedge into equal halves. Disproportionate wedges are far more difficult to pierce with pretzel sticks and toothpicks.

To select the tastiest toppings, use a range of different ingredients to give these cheesy Christmastime snacks some variety. Take inspiration from flavorful toppings popular on baked Brie and select an assortment of both sweet and savory extras. For example, dip some of your wedges in a spicy combination of chopped Calabrian peppers, fresh basil, and everything bagel seasoning. Then, create a sweeter assortment with blueberry pie filling and crushed graham crackers. Or, for an ultra-festive topping, use fresh cilantro or parsley, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries. Whichever extras you choose, make sure to finely chop your toppings for easy eating.