This Halloween Themed Charcuterie Board is as much fun to see as it is to eat. This kid-friendly snack board is filled with sweet and savory Halloween treats, and has a playful mix of spooky, silly, and sweet. The recipes for the cookies, mummy pretzels, and spider web dip are in the blog post, as well as lots of tips for how to create a charcuterie board. This board is easy to customize and is a favorite at any Halloween table, party, or gathering.
What we love about this Halloween Charcuterie Board
I love this board. I love Halloween, and the fun ways you can celebrate the holiday with food. Kids, teens, and adults all love the homemade treats on this board. I can guarantee there will be smiles with the mummy pretzels, Oreo spiders, and pumpkin patch cookies. With the exception of the Oreo spiders, I make them in advance and freeze them. The great thing about making your own charcuterie board, though, is that if you only have time to make one thing, or even really nothing, you can buy some Halloween cookies from the store and easily fill the board with those as well. The cookie recipes are ideas and optional; feel free to use what you wish.
I have a lot of tips in this post for building your own board. I love the process of deciding what to put on your board. Choose one or a few main items (for me, it was my cookies and pretzels), and then shop for the complementary accompaniments to your main item(s). Have fun with it! You can choose your family’s favorite Halloween treats and use those to fill. I chose my items to include a variety of Halloween colors, textures, and things I knew each of my children would be excited to see. If you’re new to making a charcuterie board, give it a try! It’s a definite crowd pleaser and an enjoyable way to celebrate so many holidays and special occasions.
These recipes are all included in this charcuterie board: Pumpkin Patch Cookies, Chocolate Frosted Cookies, Mummy Pretzels, and Oreo Cookie Spiders.
What you need to make this Halloween Themed Charcuterie Board
I used the following ingredients:
- Chocolate Frosted Cookies
- Pumpkin Patch Cookies
- Mummy Pretzels
- Oreo Cookie Spiders
- Store bought guacamole (Yucatan brand’s authentic recipe, local grocery store)
- Sour cream
- Can of olives
- Halloween colored tortilla chips (local grocery store or AJ’s in Arizona)
- Store bought pimento cheese dip (local grocery store)
- Pita Thins (Stacy’s Garlic & Herb flavored Pita Thins, local grocery store)
- Pretzel Sticks (Trader Joe’s or local grocery store)
- Reese’s Pieces
- Grapes
- Chocolate eyeballs (local grocery store or World Market)
- Sweetened dried orange slices (Trader Joe’s)
- Gummy worms (Trolli’s Sour Brite Crawlers, local grocery store)
- Cheddar Popcorn (G.H. Cretors brand, local grocery store)
- Peeps Marshmallow Ghosts (local grocery store)
- Brach’s Mellowcreme Pumpkins candy (local grocery store)
- Brach’s Classic Candy Corn (local grocery store)
Halloween Snack Board Substitutions
The great thing about charcuterie boards is that you get to choose your favorite foods to use. For this board, I focused on Halloween treats and savory snacks and used specific Halloween colors. Feel free to fill a board with your favorites or with what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:
- Substitute the homemade cookies for store-bought cookies if you like. Halloween sugar cookies or Rice Krispies treats work well.
- Substitute the pimento dip with a different favorite dip or some queso. I like the orange color of the pimento dip, so something else orange could work, like cubed cheese, a cheese ball (a pumpkin-shaped cheese ball would be cute), queso, etc.
- You can use any brand of store-bought guacamole or make your own from scratch. We almost always make ours from scratch, but for the spider web dip, the guacamole should lie flat and be less chunky, which is why I use store-bought here.
- Feel free to fill the board with different Halloween snacks and treats. Again, I was going with Halloween colors, so some other options could be: Cheez-its or Goldfish crackers, cubed cheese, green olives, dried mangos, mandarin oranges, a popcorn mix, or other Peeps marshmallows. Halloween trick-or-treat candy is a fun filler as well.
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1. First, place your small bowls or ramekins on your board and spread them out in different places on your board. I like to use an odd number of bowls on my board for balance, but at times it may be appropriate to have one or two, or even five to seven.
Step 2. Next, put your larger and main items down to make sure there is room for them on the board. Group similar items together as you build. I try and have something similar in color or of similar importance on the opposite side of an item (i.e. the two decorated cookies on opposite sides of the board, and the mummy pretzels opposite the spider web dip.) This brings balance and focus to the entire board instead of just one section. You won’t be able to fit all your cookies or items on the board, but extras can be placed on a plate, or cake or cupcake stand on the side of your board if desired.
Step 3. Fill in the empty areas, starting by framing around the small bowls you have in place, and then fill in any empty spaces on the board. This is where you can have fun adding different colors and textures. Some great ideas for smaller items to use as accompaniments include dried fruits, nuts, fresh fruit or cheese, small chocolates, candies, salty crackers, or snacks.
Step 4. Add any items that need to be refrigerated (or items that are hot) last. Refrigerated items can be left at room temperature for two hours and you want them to last as long as possible for your gathering. Add any utensils for serving if necessary, and last but not least, add a final touch. This could be a special garnish or flowers. Here I had fun with the Halloween theme and included a skeleton hand, plastic spiders, and bat wings (all found at the dollar store)
Tips for creating a board
- Start with a theme; this one is for Halloween, but a special occasion, holiday, season, or time of day for serving can be the theme.
- When planning a charcuterie board, choose at least 1-3 items that you are excited about putting on your board: an eye-catching dessert or two that go with your theme, pretty cupcake liners for cupcakes, or sprinkles for cookies. A special dip or appetizer that goes with your theme works too. I also choose 1-3 colors to focus on, so there is a welcoming color palette, especially for certain holidays (Halloween colors in this case).
- Shop for small ingredients, the complementary accompaniments, to use on your board that support your theme. I find it helpful to browse the grocery store or other specialty shop for ideas. I prefer to use a combination of salty and sweet accompaniments, a variety of textures (crunchy/soft/juicy), and shapes. I include fresh fruits and/or cheese when I can. (Unless you are doing a sweets-only or savory-only board). Some ideas for complementary items include dried or fresh fruit, cubed and sliced cheese, nuts, chocolates, small crackers, or candies.
- Pick a board; the size will partially depend on the number of people you are serving. If using a wooden board, make sure it says it is food-safe. The board here is 11×13 inches. I have a 15-inch round board and a larger rectangular board, 14×16 inches, which I love. You can use a serving tray, pizza board, large cutting board, large platter, or baking sheets as well. Look for sales, I have bought some of my best boards that way.
- When assembling the board, choose several ramekins or small bowls you can put on the board and on the side. These can hold dips, salsas, jams, small items, etc. I like to use an odd number of bowls on my board for balance, but at times it may be appropriate to have one or two, or even five to seven.
- For instructions on building the board, see the recipe instructions.
- You will need extra ingredients to fill the board when items run out while serving. You can include some in small bowls or plates next to your board, or use a cupcake or cake stand.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Can you assemble the board in advance? |
| a. For the Pumpkin Patch Cookies, Chocolate Frosted Cookies, and Mummy Pretzels, I bake them in advance and freeze them, then put them in the fridge the night before to thaw (or the pretzels on the counter to defrost beforehand). If you are making homemade cookies or a homemade treat, this is a major timesaver. b. For the spider web dip, I would open the guacamole and add the sour cream just before serving so the sour cream doesn’t smear and the guacamole doesn’t turn brown. b. You can wash and slice any fresh vegetables the day before, but I would be careful about not adding anything too watery that could seep and leak onto other items. I prefer to prepare fruits and vegetables the day of, so they look their best the day you are serving them. c. You can make your board earlier in the day and refrigerate it; just be sure not to include anything crispy like crackers, pretzels, or nuts, as they will soften, and then add them just before serving. Anything hot should be added right before serving. |
| How do I know how much food to buy for a charcuterie board? |
| a. Shelly Westerhausen, author of Platters and Boards, suggests that for a charcuterie board that’s an appetizer, plan on 1-2 ounces of cheese, meat, and chips per person. Plan on 2-3 cookies per person, 4-5 pieces of fruits or vegetables, and 1-2 tablespoons of nuts or condiments per person. If it’s the main meal, those amounts would be nearly doubled. It’s best to overbuy than underbuy. Also, a full board is a more appealing presentation. Be generous when assembling your board. For more information on quantities of foods to buy for your board to feed a certain amount of people see this Food Network article on how to make a perfect charcuterie board. |
| How do I store the food in the charcuterie board? |
| a. Store cookies in an air-tight container. I use a Tupperware container and use parchment paper to separate the layers when stacking, so they don’t stick together. The frosted cookies should be stored in the fridge and can last for about a week there, and in the freezer for 3 months. I store the mummy pretzels and Oreo spiders in an air-tight container at room temperature so they don’t soften. b. Any refrigerated items like dips, cheeses, or fruit should be stored, covered, or sealed in the fridge and shouldn’t be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours for food safety purposes. Store each item separately in a different container. |
Halloween Themed Charcuterie Board
30-40
minutes with any chosen homemade treats made in advance4-6
people, can feed more refilling the boardThis Halloween Themed Charcuterie Board is as much fun to see as it is to eat. This kid-friendly snack board is filled with sweet and savory Halloween treats, and has a playful mix of spooky, silly, and sweet. The recipes for the cookies, mummy pretzels, and spider web dip are in the blog post as well as lots of tips for how to create a charcuterie board. This board is easy to customize and is a favorite at any Halloween table, party, or gathering.
Ingredients
16 16 -ounce store-bought guacamole
16 16 -ounce sour cream
2 2 olives
Halloween colored tortilla chips
store-bought pimento cheese dip
garlic & herb flavored pita thins
pretzel sticks
Reese’s Pieces
grapes
chocolate eyeballs
sweetened dried orange slices
gummy worms
cheddar popcorn
Peeps Marshmallow Ghosts
Brach’s Mellowcreme Pumpkins
Brach’s Classic Candy Corn
Directions
- Charcuterie Board:
- First, place your small bowls or ramekins on your board and spread them out in different places on your board. I like to use an odd number of bowls on my board for balance, but at times it may be appropriate to have one or two, or even five to seven.
- Next, put your larger and main items down to make sure there is room for them on the board. Group similar items together as you build. I try and have something similar in color or of similar importance on the opposite side of an item (i.e., the two decorated cookies on opposite sides of the board, and the mummy pretzels opposite the spider web dip.) This brings balance and focus to the entire board instead of just one section. You won’t be able to fit all your cookies or items on the board, but extras can be placed on a plate, or cake or cupcake stand on the side of your board if desired.
- Fill in the empty areas, starting by framing around the small bowls you have in place, and then fill in any empty spaces on the board. This is where you can have fun adding different colors and textures. Some great ideas for smaller items to use as accompaniments include dried fruits, nuts, fresh fruit or cheese, small chocolates, candies, salty crackers, or snacks.
- Add any items that need to be refrigerated (or items that are hot) last. Refrigerated items can be left at room temperature for two hours, and you want them to last as long as possible for your gathering. Add any utensils for serving if necessary, and last but not least, add a final touch. This could be a special garnish or flowers. Here I had fun with the Halloween theme and included a skeleton hand, plastic spiders, and bat wings (all found at the dollar store)
- Spider Web Dip:
- Spread the guacamole in an even layer in a small bowl chosen for your board. Put sour cream into a Ziploc bag and cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Squeeze the bag and pipe 3-4 concentric circles over the guacamole. Drag a toothpick or knife from the center out several times to create a spider web pattern.
- Slice two olives in half. Use one half for the spider body, and slice in strips the other halves to create legs for the spider, and place the body and legs of the olive spider over the dip. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Underneath the “What you need to make this Halloween Snack Board” section of this blog post, I have listed where I purchased each item, the brand I purchased, and an Amazon link for purchase if they carry the item on Amazon.
- See my “Tips for Creating a Board” section in this blog post for ideas on how to prepare to create your board.
- Crackers tend to be plain in color and can be put on a plate or bowl on the side of your board so that your board is filled with more colors and textures.
- If using a wooden board, I wash it after use with just a little mild soap if needed, without completely soaking the board, and dry it immediately after washing to keep the board in good condition. If you are worried about food seeping into your wooden board or staining it, you can line your board with parchment paper before assembling the food on it.
Wow, this Halloween charcuterie board looks so fun and festive! Can’t wait to try making something like this for our spooky celebrations.
This is so cute and festive! Love the little olive spider in the guacamole!!
Definitely making the charcuterie Halloween board for my upcoming holiday party, my daughter will love this idea