Celebrate the season with this eye-catching Christmas tree appetizer. Made with layers of colorful grapes, cubes of cheese, and sprigs of fresh herbs, this platter brings both beauty and taste to your holiday spread. Simple to prepare and full of charm, it’s perfect for gatherings with friends and family. Once assembled, this cheerful appetizer instantly becomes the centerpiece of your table.
This easy and elegant cheese plate Christmas tree is more than just a pretty display — it’s a creative way to offer a variety of flavors and textures for guests to enjoy. Combining juicy grapes with rich cheeses, the presentation is simple but impressive. Fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary add a festive touch, while the crisp celery base forms the perfect trunk. If you’re planning a larger spread, consider adding this idea to a themed board alongside crackers or nuts. You can even switch it up to make a fun Christmas tree fruit platter by adding fruits like pineapple, berries, or apples for extra color and sweetness. No matter how you build it, this charming display is a fresh, fun way to serve appetizers throughout the holiday season.
Why We Love This Cheese Plate Christmas Tree
- Perfectly festive
Easy to arrange ingredients into a festive tree shape. Use a variety of cheeses and grapes for color. - Customizable
Not just for Christmas! Choose your favorite ingredients and toppings to match any party theme or preference. - Easy to assemble
Just choose a variety of cheeses, crackers, and fruit, and assemble them into a tree shape. Takes only minutes to put together!
Love this Christmas cheese plate? Try our charcuterie tree.
Ingredient Notes And Substitutions
- Cheese slices: Colby Jack, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack
Cheeses are cut into 3/4 inch cubes or triangles. To make this appetizer recipe even easier, look for precut cheese cubes. They can be purchased ready-cut from Costco, Sam’s Club, and Target. - Grapes: Green and Red
Grapes should be separated from the stems - Fresh thyme springs
- Fresh rosemary stems
- Celery: Cut the celery stalk into two-inch pieces to use as the tree trunk
Recipe Variations
- Make a festive Christmas wreath: Instead of shaping the ingredients into a tree, form a circle to create a stunning wreath. Arrange the cheeses, grapes, herbs, and extras for a beautiful Christmas appetizer that’s easy to grab and enjoy.
- Add color and crunch: Include cracker sticks, sliced veggies, cherry tomatoes, and olives between the cheeses and grapes for added variety. This makes each bite more exciting and adds beautiful pops of color to your display.
- Try different cheeses and fruits: Switch up the flavors by adding mozzarella cheese, or swap in fruits like pineapple, raspberries, oranges, apples, or blueberries. Fresh herbs such as fresh parsley and rosemary sprigs enhance the look and flavor, making your Christmas tree fruit platter extra special.
- Create playful star shapes: Use a small star cookie cutter to shape cheese slices and place them along the tree or wreath for a whimsical touch. Sprinkle a little pepper over the cheese for subtle spice and extra visual appeal.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Keep ingredients fresh and vibrant.
To prevent grapes and cheese from drying out, assemble your Christmas tree appetizer close to serving time. If prepping ahead, cover the platter tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to display
How to Make Christmas Tree Fruit Platter
- Follow the order of ingredients
Start by stacking the cheddar cheese cubes in a row. Then, stack a row of green grapes under the cheese. As you do this, the rows will widen. See the images below for examples.
Follow this order from top to bottom to create a cheese and grape board:
- cheddar cheese
- green grapes
- Monterey Jack cheese
- red grapes
- Colby Jack cheese
- green grapes
- cheddar cheese
- red grapes
- Colby Cheese
Assemble in rows on a platter to resemble the shape of a Christmas tree.
- Allow guests to serve themselves
Just set the Christmas cheese board in the center of your table. Then, let everyone enjoy!
- Easy to prep ahead and store in fridge
Cover the board and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it with your favorite crackers.
Serving Suggestions
This cheese plate Christmas tree is perfect for grazing and sharing, especially when paired with crackers, pretzels, or sliced baguettes. Arrange everything on a large cutting board or wooden platter for a striking presentation that feels festive and inviting. To make it even more fun, place toothpicks nearby so guests can easily grab a bite. For holiday brunch, serve this alongside a bowl of yogurt or creamy basil pesto for dipping. If you’re leaning toward a savory twist, offer small dishes of marinara sauce or even melted brie for guests to enjoy with their cheese and grapes.
Leftover ingredients can be turned into skewers or layered on pizza dough with a sprinkle of garlic powder and parmesan cheese, then baked until golden for a simple flatbread. For a playful touch, use star-shaped cheese cutouts as edible ornaments, or spread softened cream cheese with herbs and stack extra fruits and veggies to create mini trees on individual plates. However you serve it, this charming platter brings holiday cheer to every table.
More Holiday Recipes You’ll Love
Serve these Christmas appetizer recipes with Crock Pot ham with cola glaze is a crowd-pleaser and so easy to prep. And make our buttermilk brined turkey breast for a fresh twist on the Thanksgiving meal.
If you like your board to have meat and additional spread, make sure to check our charcuterie board appetizer for more tips!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make the Christmas cheese plate the day before and keep it in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
It can last up to four hours on a cheese board. We recommend serving the Christmas tree cheese platter within one hour of assembling it to ensure the best texture and flavor.
It is best to cut cheese cold for the best texture. It will hold its shape better and it won’t stick or smush when you try to cut it.
More Christmas Recipes To Try…
If you tried this Christmas tree appetizer cheese board recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Christmas Tree Appetizer
Equipment
- 12 x 18 inch platter or board
Ingredients
- 12 ounce block Colby Jack Cheese cut into 3/4 inch cubes or triangles
- 8 ounce block cheddar cheese, cut into 3/4 inch cubes or triangles
- 4 ounce block Monterey Jack cheese cut into 3/4 inch cubes or triangles
- 1 pound green grapes separated from the stems
- 1 pound red grapes separated from the stems
- 1 container fresh thyme springs
- 1 container fresh rosemary stems
- 1 stalk celery
Instructions
- Start with the cheddar cheese, stacking the cheese cubes in a row (start with 8 cubes, then adjusts), then stack a row of green grapes (start with about 12, then adjust) under the cheese on your serving platter or board. The cheese rows and grape rows will widen as you go.
- Follow this order to create cheese and grape board: cheddar cheese, green grapes, Monterey Jack cheese, red grapes, Colby Jack cheese, green grapes, cheddar cheese, red grapes, and Colby Cheese shown in rows on a platter or cheese board to resemble a Christmas tree shape.
- Then add a red grape on top, surrounded by green grapes to make the tree topper. Arrange the thyme springs and rosemary springs throughout the grapes on the platter as shown in the recipe photo.
- Cut the celery stalk in 2 inches and place it at the bottom to create the tree trunk. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve with your favorite crackers.
Notes
- You can also make it into a Christmas wreath instead of a tree by forming the cheese, grapes, and herbs in a circle shape. Perfect centerpiece to your holiday spread.
- Add cracker sticks, olives, and other garnishes to the Christmas cheese plate for added color and texture.
- Use different types of cheeses, fruits like pineapple, raspberries, oranges, apples, or blueberries, herbs as garnish (parsley, rosemary sprigs), and other accompaniments to create a unique fruit tree look.
- Use a small star cookie cutter to cut cheese and add it to the last row of your Christmas fruit tray.
To prevent grapes and cheese from drying out, assemble your Christmas tree appetizer close to serving time. If prepping ahead, cover the platter tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to display. Add festive touches for extra charm.
Use small star cookie cutters to shape cheeses or stack extra ingredients like cherry tomatoes and herbs as edible ornaments. Little details make this appetizer feel even more special on your holiday table. Make Ahead Instructions
- Easy to prep ahead and store in the fridge, cover the board, and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it with your favorite crackers.
Nutrition
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