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Holiday Cheese Board

By Snejana Andreeva

on Dec 09, 2022, Updated Nov 18, 2023

Let’s create the ultimate 🎄 Holiday Cheese Board together! If you’ve ever thought creating a cheese board is intimidating, don’t worry—this tutorial is designed just for you. Crafting a stunning cheese board is simpler than you might think. The key to perfection lies in using a variety of colors, textures, and shapes. By following my arrangement and using these specific steps, you’ll be able to impress everyone with a beautiful cheese board this holiday season.

• Why You’ll Love Holiday Cheese Board
• How to Prepare Holiday Cheese Board
• Nonna’s Tip
• Variations and Substitutions
• Other Holiday Recipes
• Common Questions
• Holiday Cheese Board Recipe

Why You’ll Love Holiday Cheese Board

Creating this Holiday Cheese Board 🧀 is a breeze; you’ll love it for a few reasons. It’s beginner-friendly, letting you put together a lovely spread. The best part? You get to be creative with different colors and textures. If you follow the steps I give, you will for sure have a board that not only looks good but also impresses everyone who tries it.

Perfect for the holidays , it’s a crowd-pleaser that adds a festive touch to your gatherings. Plus, the variety of cheeses, meats, and other charcuterie ensures there’s something for everyone to enjoy. So, get your 🎅 Santa hat on and get ready to make your holiday gatherings a bit more special with a cheese board that’s easy, creative, and sure to get those ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’.

How to Prepare Holiday Cheese Board

🌹 First, arrange salami in a circle to form a rose in the middle.

🍍 Next, spread pineapple cream cheese on one side, and place blue cheese on the opposite side.

🔻 Then, cut the brie into triangles and arrange on each side of the rose.

🧀 Now cube Tickler cheese and havarti, placing them on opposite sides so that they contrast each other.

⭐ Place crisps between the salami rose and cream cheese.

🍇 Add green grapes on opposite sides of the plate, along with two small jars of jam.

🫒 Put a bowl of olives between the salami rose and Tickler.

🌰 Cut up figs and add them to the top of the plate or board.

🥕 Fill in the remaining spaces with your favorite ingredients. Be creative and enjoy!

Nonna’s Tip

All the extras, like nuts, golden berries, pomegranate, figs, and grapefruit can be substituted for anything you like.

Variations and Substitutions

Whether you’re experienced or new to making cheese boards, customization is key. You’re always welcome to swap out my suggested choices and experiment with different cheeses, crackers, and more.

1. Instead of the cheeses I used, try some different cheeses like truffle-infused cheese, smoked gouda, or 🌿 herbed goat cheese.
2. Explore different charcuterie (meat) options such as prosciutto, chorizo, or capicola for a diverse selection.
3. Instead of crisps, consider a variety of crackers , breadsticks, or even a 🥖 baguette sliced into rounds.
4. You can certainly experiment with different spreads like honeycomb, fig jam, or grainy mustard.
5. Consider varying the fruits based on the season; maybe adding sliced pears, persimmons, or 🍎 apple slices.
6. I used hazelnuts, but you can use any nuts you like – almonds, candied pecans or spiced walnuts instead of
7. Feel free to include 🍫 chocolate-covered nuts or dark chocolate chunks for a decadent touch.
8. For a plant-based alternative, incorporate vegan cheeses, plant-based charcuterie, and vegan-friendly spreads.
9. Offer different types of bread , like rye or 🍞 sourdough, in addition to or instead of crackers.

Other Holiday Recipes

Are you cooking for a crowd this 🎄 holiday? I’ve got plenty of ideas that are not only gorgeous on your table but also easy to prepare. The presentation will impress your guests, and you’ll be glad you didn’t spend the entire afternoon in the kitchen! If you want more boards, check out my Holiday Butter Board or Holiday Charcuterie Board .

Puff Pastry Christmas Tree

35 mins

Antipasti Christmas Wreath

10 mins

Holiday Candy Cane Prosecco

5 mins

Garlic Bread Christmas Tree

30 mins

Common Questions

All the extras like nuts, golden berries, pomegranate, figs, and grapefruit can be substituted for anything you like.

Yes, many components like cheeses, charcuterie, and some accompaniments can be prepared in advance. Add fresh items (like fruit or crackers) just before serving.

Plan for about 2-3 ounces of cheese per person when serving a cheese board as an appetizer.

You can certainly use plant-based cheeses, vegan charcuterie, and a variety of fruits, nuts, and spreads for a delightful vegetarian or vegan cheese board.

A New Recipe Card!!

1. Check off each step in instructions!
2. Add ingredients to your shopping list!

Video

Ingredients

• ▢ 20 slices genoa salami , any salami works
• ▢ 1 wheel pineapple cream cheese , by Castello
• ▢ 1 blue cheese , triangle
• ▢ ½ brie cheese , small wheel
• ▢ ½ brie cheese , extra creamy (small wheel)
• ▢ 1 cup havarti , cubed
• ▢ 1 cup cheddar , cubed
• ▢ any crisps or crackers
• ▢ green grapes + red grapes
• ▢ any jam , I used fig jam
• ▢ olives of choice
• ▢ few figs , cut in half
• ▢ 1 pack golden berries
• ▢ pomegranate seeds
• ▢ grapefruit slices
• ▢ hazelnuts , any nuts
• ▢ sprigs of Rosemary , for presentation

Instructions

• ▢ Take a glass and start arranging the salami in a circle, flip it over to form a rose and place it in the middle. Add the pineapple cream cheese on the bottom and the blue cheese on the opposite side. You can break up the Blue cheese if you wish in the front.
• ▢ Cut the brie into triangles and arrange it on each side of the rose.
• ▢ Cube the Tickler cheese (cheddar) and Havarti and place them on opposite sides of each other. Take the crisps and place them in between the salami rose and cream cheese, you can now start to fill in the blanks with the rest of your ingredients in the order that I listed them in.
• ▢ Add the green and grapes opposite sides of each other as well as the two small jars of jam.
• ▢ Place a little bowl of olives between the salami rose and Tickler (cheddar) and cut up the figs and add them at the top of the plate or board.
• ▢ The rest of the fillings you can add anywhere that you love and fill in any blanks you have. Try to be creative and use ingredients that you love. Enjoy

My Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Holiday Cheese Board

Ingredients

• 20 slices genoa salami any salami works
• 1 wheel pineapple cream cheese by Castello
• 1 blue cheese triangle
• ½ brie cheese small wheel
• ½ brie cheese extra creamy (small wheel)
• 1 cup havarti cubed
• 1 cup cheddar cubed
• any crisps or crackers
• green grapes + red grapes
• any jam I used fig jam
• olives of choice
• few figs cut in half
• 1 pack golden berries
• pomegranate seeds
• grapefruit slices
• hazelnuts any nuts
• sprigs of Rosemary for presentation

Instructions

• Take a glass and start arranging the salami in a circle, flip it over to form a rose and place it in the middle. Add the pineapple cream cheese on the bottom and the blue cheese on the opposite side. You can break up the Blue cheese if you wish in the front.
• Cut the brie into triangles and arrange it on each side of the rose.
• Cube the Tickler cheese (cheddar) and Havarti and place them on opposite sides of each other. Take the crisps and place them in between the salami rose and cream cheese, you can now start to fill in the blanks with the rest of your ingredients in the order that I listed them in.
• Add the green and grapes opposite sides of each other as well as the two small jars of jam.
• Place a little bowl of olives between the salami rose and Tickler (cheddar) and cut up the figs and add them at the top of the plate or board.
• The rest of the fillings you can add anywhere that you love and fill in any blanks you have. Try to be creative and use ingredients that you love. Enjoy

Video

Nutrition

Holiday Cheese Board https://themodernnonna.com/holiday-cheese-board/ December 9, 2022

Home › Recipes › Cookies & Snacks

Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies

By Snejana Andreeva

on Dec 15, 2022, Updated Nov 08, 2023

My lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies melt in your mouth . This recipe is one of those recipes that you’ll need to triple, because it’s THAT good. 🍋Whether you’re a lemon lover or simply looking for a unique and delicious cookie, these Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies are a must-try. They’re perfect for any occasion, from a casual afternoon tea to a fancy dessert spread.

• Why You’ll Love Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
• How to Prepare
• Nonna’s Tip 🍋
• Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Variations and Substitutions
• Other Holiday Recipes
• More Holiday Cookies
• Common Questions
• Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

Why You’ll Love Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies

These lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies are ideal for anyone who cannot tolerate 🥚 eggs as they are completely egg-free . The dough takes 5 minutes to whip up, so these cookies are easy enough for anyone who is not even a baker. They’re only 5 ingredients , which you probably already have on hand. I can honestly say that this is one of those cookie recipes that you cannot get enough of.

How to Prepare

🥣 Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer and bowl to cream butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes until smooth.

🍋 Add sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth . Then add flour, and mix until a sticky dough forms. Scrape down the sides to fully incorporate any remaining flour.

🧊 Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

🥄 Remove dough from the refrigerator, use a small ice-cream scooper to portion the cookies, rolling each in a touch of flour to prevent sticking.

🍓 Place rolled cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper . Flatten each with your thumb, creating an indent, and add a teaspoon of preferred jam/preserve to the center.

🔥 Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are light and golden brown .

❄️ Allow the cookies to cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. They can be stored at room temperature for up to a week.

Nonna’s Tip 🍋

You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.

Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Variations and Substitutions

• Try adding a decorative topping like chopped nuts or a sprinkle of coarse sugar for holiday decoration.
• I have not tried this recipe with gluten-free flour , but feel free to experiment with a gluten-free 1-1 replacement and let me know how it goes!
• Instead of lemon extract , you could try almond, vanilla, orange or another you have on hand.
• Feel free to experiment with different jams or preserves , for example, you could use strawberry, raspberry, apricot or even marmalade.
• You could try dairy-free or vegan alternatives to the butter and cream cheese if you or your guests have allergies.

Other Holiday Recipes

Antipasti Christmas Wreath

10 mins

Holiday Butter Board

20 mins

Holiday Candy Cane Prosecco

5 mins

Holiday Cheese Board

20 mins

More Holiday Cookies

Looking for an even fancier-looking cookie? Try my puff pastry cookies .

Easy Gingerbread Cookies

3 hrs 23 mins

Italian Amaretti Cookies

25 mins

3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies

20 mins

Shortbread Butter Cookies

27 mins

Common Questions

Feel free to use any jam or preserve you enjoy. I love fig or apricot but you are more than welcome to use any you have on hand.

The lemon extract is optional so don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand. You can also use pure vanilla extract, or almond extract, or leave them plain. Or, if you don’t have pure lemon extract, but still want the flavor, you can also use the zest of a lemon in the recipe.

You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.

Feel free to freeze the cookie dough tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and shape as usual.

The cream cheese and butter must be softened in order for the cookies to bake correctly.

You can use salted or unsalted butter. I have made them with both and both results are delicious.

While 1 cup of flour weighs 160g in my kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 180g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure. For best results, go by the weight listed in the recipe.

A New Recipe Card!!

1. Check off each step in instructions!
2. Add ingredients to your shopping list!

Video

Equipment

• ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
• ▢ Mixing Bowls
• ▢ Baking Sheet
• ▢ Parchment Paper

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup cream cheese , softened
• ▢ ½ cup white sugar
• ▢ 1 stick softened salted butter
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoons lemon extract , optional if you don’t have any on hand
• ▢ 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour , + 2 extra tablespoons for rolling the balls
• ▢ 18 teaspoons jam , I used fig preserve

Instructions

• ▢ In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes or until smooth. You can also use a hand-held mixer and a bowl as well.
• ▢ Once creamy, add the sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth. Add in the flour and mix until a sticky dough forms. If there’s any flour on the sides, you can scrape it down and mix again until fully incorporated.
• ▢ Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. After an hour, take out the dough, remove the plastic and use a small ice-cream scooper to scoop out the cookies. I scoop each cookie, roll it in a touch of flour as it will stick to your hands if you don’t.
• ▢ Repeat this step for all 18 cookies. Place each rolled cookie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press each one down with your thumb to make an indent. Add a teaspoon of any jam/preserve you like to the middle.
• ▢ Preheat the oven to 350F and bake until the edges are light and golden brown. This should take 13-15 minutes depending on the oven.
• ▢ Let them cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. These are perfectly stored at room-temp for up to a week.

My Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.