This cookie charcuterie board might just be my crowning glory. As a self-proclaimed cookie queen, there’s nothing I love more than assembling cookie boxes, organizing cookie exchanges, and baking all the new cookie recipes I can find—especially during the holidays. And when it comes to get-togethers, I would choose a plate of cookies over fancy desserts any day.
As we round out the holiday season, I’m here with one more take on a charcuterie board for y’all. We started the season out with the ultimate crudite platter, a bruschetta board with all my favorite toppings, and an appetizer board that everyone will be talking about. So, it only makes sense to round out our series with the penultimate cookie board.
Ahead, discover all my favorite ways to elevate this holiday dessert—and step-by-step instructions for making it your own.
How to Build Your Cookie Charcuterie Board
The best part of a board like this is that the options are truly endless and you can customize based on what you and your guests like best. But like any cheese board formula, I like to think about having a few staples that will anchor the board and then go from there.
Chocolate cookies. Any good cookie board needs a chocolate varietal. Whether you go with a chocolate chip cookie, chocolate sandwich cookie, brownie cookie, or even a chocolate-peppermint version, you need chocolate somewhere on the board.
Fruit cookies. Having cookies with a bit of tangy fruit in them helps balance out all the other, super-sweet options. Think fruity jam and linzer sandwich cookies, citrus and lemon cookies, cookies made with dried fruits, or any other version you like.
Butter cookies. The unsung hero of the cookie world. Butter cookies are simple but rich, and they’re the perfect blank canvas of a cookie. Plus, with all the shapes and textures they come in, there’s something for everyone from the simple shortbread square to buttery spritz cookies.
The fun cookies. All cookies are fun but think of this category of cookies as a little extra. Especially for a cookie charcuterie board, these will help add visual interest and texture. Lean into cookies you may not always go for and try something new and different.
The Best Recipes for Your Cookie Charcuterie Board
We certainly have our favorites, but a cookie board is the perfect chance to use a blend of store-bought, bakery-made, and homemade cookies. You don’t have to bake every recipe yourself! I polled our editors for some of their favorite cookies when building this board. These are our favorites:
- Store-bought soft sugar cookies with frosting
- Almond pizelles from the bakery
- Shortbread stars
- Strawberry linzer cookies
- Hazelnut wafer cookies
- Store-bought gingerbread tiles and biscuits
- Peppermint bark
- Regular and walnut brownies
- Chocolate biscuits
- Chocolate chip cookies
And a few recipes I love to include as well:
- Hot chocolate cookies
- Pistachio-cranberry slice-and-bake cookies
- Peanut butter cookies
- Candied pecan cookie bars
Assembly Tips and Tricks
There’s no right or wrong way to assemble a cookie charcuterie board. But I have learned a few tricks along the way to help make it look more elevated and festive.
- Organize with cupcake liners. For smaller cookies or candies like peppermint bark, using muffin liners helps keep the cookies and treats organized while also adding a bit of texture.
- Use plates and bowls to help group cookies. Not only does using a small plate on the board help add some extra height and dimension, but it also gives you a chance to help separate cookies so their flavors don’t mix.
- Group cookies together in separate places. You don’t need fifty different cookie recipes to make your board feel lush and cozy. By creating groups of the same cookie in separate parts of the board, you can give the illusion of more abundance while keeping the board cohesive.
- Add extras. Peppermint bark, candy canes, caramel candies, candied nuts, marshmallows, and little items like these can help fill in any gaps on the board while also giving guests who may not love sweets as much as everyone else a chance to nibble on something small.
And that’s it! A cookie charcuterie board is the ultimate aesthetic dessert—and it couldn’t be easier to create and customize. I hope you have fun piling yours high with all the treats. And be sure to share your masterpieces with us @camillestyles.
