• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Yellow Bliss Road

Easy, approachable and family friendly recipes for any home cook.

  • Home
  • About Me
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact
    • FAQs
    • Disclosure
    • Sharing Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
  • Collaborate
  • Signup >
Display Search Bar
  • Recipes
    • View ALL Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Asian
    • Beverages
      • Smoothies
      • Cocktails
    • Bread
    • Breakfast Recipes
      • Casseroles
      • Egg Recipes
      • Muffins
      • Pancakes
    • Desserts
      • Brownies and Bars
      • Cake and Cupcakes
      • Cookies
      • Fruit Desserts
      • No Bake Desserts
    • Dinner
      • Casseroles
      • Easy Weeknight Dinners
      • One Pot Meals
      • Pasta
      • Pork
      • Chicken
      • Beef
      • Seafood
    • Lunch
      • Easy Weekday Lunches
      • School Lunches
    • Cooking Method
      • Air Fryer
      • On the Grill
      • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
      • Slow Cooker
    • Dips and Sauces
    • Mexican
    • Sandwiches
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
      • Vegetables
    • Slow Cooker
    • Soups and Stews
  • Holiday Recipes
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Halloween
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Seasonal Recipes
    • Easter
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • Seasonal Recipes
      • Fall
      • Spring
      • Summer
  • Free Printables
    • Christmas
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Easter
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Fourth of July
    • School
    • Birthdays
  • Home/Crafts/DIY
    • Crafts and DIY
    • Gift Ideas
    • Home Decor
    • Photography Tips
  • Family
    • Adoption
      • My Adoption Story
    • Birthdays
    • Travel
Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Instagram!

Home » Holiday Recipes » Christmas » Christmas Tree Fruit & Cheese Platter

Christmas Tree Fruit & Cheese Platter

Published on October 1, 2019, Updated October 12, 2020 by Kristin Maxwell | 7 Comments

7030shares
  • 22
  • 7006
  • 1
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Christmas Tree Fruit & Cheese Platter is an adorable way to spruce up your holiday table. It’s a basic cheese board with fruit that’s totally customizable and great for holiday parties or just something fun for the kids on Christmas.

An overhead view of grapes, berries and cheese in the shape of a Christmas tree

Christmas Fruit and Cheese Platter

Cheese Boards are all the rage right now. I mean, there are even books on how to make a cheese board. I love a good cheese and when paired with the right things, a good cheese platter can be the absolute hit of your party.

My daughter and I set out one weekend to create a fun and festive fruit and cheese platter for the holidays and this Christmas Tree Fruit & Cheese Platter was born. Now I do not take credit for the idea, because I have seen several similar fruit platters floating around. However we picked the fruits and cheeses that we like and felt that rosemary gave the look and feel of a real Christmas tree. Pretty, right?

A side angle view of a fruit and cheese platter for christmas

How to Plan a Fruit & Cheese Platter

  1. Choose your fruits and cheeses. Keep in mind that not all fruits pair well with cheese. For example, bananas and oranges do not; grapes and berries, do. Depending on what fruits are in season where you live, you have a variety of options. I like to include a variety of cheeses. Mix some sharper, firmer cheeses like sharp cheddar, Parmesan and blue cheese with some milder, softer cheeses like jack, Colby and mozzarella. Texture is as important as taste. Here is a great article on what NOT to pair with cheese.
  2. Plan the layers. Start with the cheese that you feel will be most popular, like cheddar, and layer that on the bottom. I actually drew this out on a piece of paper first so I would know how much of each cheese to cut. I figured Parmesan is one kind of cheese that most people wouldn’t eat a ton of so I placed it at the top. The middle cheese layers are colby-jack and Gouda.
  3. Shape the tree with a flat layer first. Starting with the bottom layer, in this case the cheddar cheese, make a single layer of cheese in the shape of the bottom of the tree. Then add a single layer of fruit, then the next cheese, and so on up the tree shape until you get to the point at the top. Once you have the basic shape, start filling it in with more cheese and fruit to make your tree shape fuller.
  4. Garnish. I used some fancy parsley for the top of the tree, but you could use star shaped crackers or even cut a star shape out of one of the cheeses. The “needles” of the tree are just bits of rosemary that I tucked into any empty spaces (it works great as filler for your fruit and cheese platter Christmas tree!).

That’s it! Easy peasy, and you have a beautiful fruit and cheese platter for Christmas that is sure to impress your guests. Make sure to include toothpicks so your guests can easily grab their favorites.

A child's hand reaching in to grab a piece of cheese from a fruit and cheese platter

Tips and FAQs

  • How much cheese per person? Plan on roughly an ounce and a half of cheese per person for an appetizer.
  • How much fruit per person? About 1/2 a cup per person should be enough.
  • Add some crackers, crunchy breadsticks or pretzels on or near the cheese platter.
  • Have some pretty toothpicks nearby for guests to serve themselves with having to use their fingers.

Complete Your Christmas Appetizer Spread

  • Festive Christmas Appetizers and Sides
  • Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
  • Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce
  • Cranberry Fluff Salad

And for more holiday tips and tricks:

  • How to Host the Holidays Like a Pro
  • Christmas Planner (Free Printable Planner)

Christmas Tree Fruit and Cheese Platter

Kristin Maxwell
An adorably festive fruit and cheese tray, made in the shape of a Christmas tree that's perfect for holiday parties!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 196 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 ounces Sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 ounces Colby-Jack cheese
  • 2 ounces Gouda cheese
  • 1 ounce Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 cups red grapes
  • 4 cups green grapes
  • 1 cup blackberries
  • fresh rosemary sprigs
  • fresh parsley sprigs

Instructions
 

  • Cut the cheese into bite sized chunks. Wash the fruit, plucking the grapes off of the vine or cutting them into small clusters of 4-5 grapes each.
  • On a large flat serving board, arrange a single layer to shape the tree. Start at the bottom and work your way up: Cheddar cheese, then green grapes, then colby-jack cheese, red grapes, gouda, green grapes, parmesan, and finally blackberries.
  • Once you have the initial shape, you can build up the tree by adding more layers of fruit and cheese.
  • Once you are happy with the shape, begin tucking in small sprigs or rosemary and parsley to fill out your tree. A star cracker would be a cute addition at the top if you can find them.

Notes

Amounts are approximate. You can use more or less of any ingredients, depending on your taste. 
Use any type of firm cheese you like. I just listed the ones I prefer. 
Same with the fruit - I think grapes work best because they don't leak juices or turn brown, but you can use mandarin orange slices, berries, apples (soak in lemon juice first), kiwi. 

Nutrition

Calories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 8gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 226mgPotassium: 273mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 358IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 233mgIron: 1mg
Keyword cheese platter, fruit and cheese platter
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Fruit and cheese layered on a cutting board forming a christmas tree.

 

Previous Post
Next Post

About Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook. Read more about Kristin HERE.

5 Secrets to Dinnertime Sanity

free email bonus
Tested, Tasted & Terrific!

Reader Interactions

Join the Conversation

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Jen Alvarado says

    December 5, 2019 at 6:43 pm

    Girl this looks amazing and I’m hoping to make it this weekend.

    Reply
    • Kristin Maxwell says

      December 5, 2019 at 7:10 pm

      Thanks Jen! It was really fun to make too!

      Reply
  2. Rose Rodier says

    December 5, 2019 at 9:37 am

    Will make this for my friends for Christmas lunch with stuffed tomato. I love it.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 8, 2019 at 11:47 am

      Nice! Thanks for stopping by Rose.

      Reply
  3. Andreya says

    November 24, 2017 at 9:19 pm

    It’s a nice plan, Kristin.

    Reply
  4. Andrew says

    November 23, 2017 at 10:39 am

    This would be amazingly tasty with Red Windsor and Red Leicester! Thanks!

    Reply
  5. Natalie says

    November 22, 2017 at 4:50 am

    Such a beautiful idea for Christmas!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m KRISTIN!

I'm a busy wife and mom who loves to cook, bake and create. All of the recipes and tips you will find here are created with your busy family (and mine!) in mind.

Read More »
Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Twitter! Follow me on Instagram! Email me!

5 Secrets to Dinnertime Sanity

free email bonus
Tested, Tasted & Terrific!

Mexican Food Faves

  • How to Make Authentic Mexican Rice
  • Ground Beef Enchiladas
  • Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
  • Mexican Chicken Casserole
  • Healthy Chicken Fajita Bowls with Rice
  • Hot Mexican Corn Dip
  • Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers
  • Easy Homemade Taco Pizza

All-Time Favorites

  • Oven Baked Chicken Breasts
  • How to Make Authentic Mexican Rice
  • All-Natural Mattress Cleaner – How to Clean Odors and Stains from Your Mattress
  • Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes (Au Gratin)
  • Healthy Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl
  • Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
  • Cheesecake Cookies
  • One Pot Cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta Skillet

Yellow Bliss Road, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Browse Around

  • Chicken
  • On the Grill
  • Pasta
  • Dinner
  • Soups
  • Sides
  • Salads
  • Desserts
Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Instagram!
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Collaborate
  • Privacy & Copyright
  • Recipes by Category
Copyright © 2021 Yellow Bliss RoadTheme by Once Coupled