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Quick Spooky Halloween Charcuterie Board in 15 Minutes

Quick Spooky Halloween Charcuterie Board in 15 Minutes - featured image
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A last-minute Halloween hero that transforms simple pantry ingredients into a spooky, crowd-pleasing charcuterie board in under 15 minutes. Perfect for classroom parties, family movie nights, or any Halloween gathering.

Ingredients

Scale
  • Assorted crackers (about 1 cup)
  • Pretzel sticks (about 1 cup)
  • Breadsticks (about 4-5)
  • Block of cheddar cheese (about 8 oz)
  • Block of mozzarella cheese (about 8 oz)
  • Salami or pepperoni (about 4 oz)
  • Black olives (about 1/2 cup)
  • Red grapes (about 1 cup)
  • Baby carrots (about 1/2 cup)
  • Strawberries (about 1 cup)
  • Candy eyes (about 1/4 cup)
  • Optional: Gummy worms or spiders
  • 1/2 cup ranch dressing or hummus
  • Crushed dark chocolate cookies or chocolate graham crackers (for dip topping)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: Wash and dry grapes, strawberries, and baby carrots. Cut cheddar and mozzarella into 1/2-inch cubes. Use a small cookie cutter to make shapes from cheddar if desired. Slice salami into thin rounds, fold each in half and then in half again to create small triangles. Set everything aside in small bowls.
  2. Create the graveyard base: Place a large cutting board or platter on your work surface. Arrange crackers in a loose, organic pattern, leaving space between them to resemble headstones.
  3. Add the fence: Place pretzel sticks around the edge of the board, sticking out at different angles to resemble fence posts or witch’s broomsticks. Lean a few against crackers for depth.
  4. Scatter the spooky proteins: Place cheddar and mozzarella cubes in small clusters around the board. Tuck folded salami slices between cheese and crackers. Arrange black olives in a few spots. To make spiders, use a tiny dab of cream cheese or hummus to stick two candy eyes onto each olive, then place on top of cheese or crackers.
  5. Add the creepy produce: Scatter red grapes (eyeballs) in small groups. Arrange baby carrots to look like witch’s fingers pointing in different directions. Place halved strawberries (bloody drips) near the edges of the board.
  6. Create the graveyard dirt dip: Fill a small bowl with ranch dressing or hummus. Sprinkle crushed chocolate cookies on top until completely covered. Place the bowl in the center or a corner of the board.
  7. Final garnish: Sprinkle candy eyes all over the board. Tuck a few gummy worms into the dirt dip, letting them crawl out over the edge. Adjust any bare areas with additional crackers or grapes.
  8. Serve at room temperature. If making ahead, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Add gummy worms and candy eyes just before serving.

Notes

For best results, take the board out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving. If making ahead, store cheese and salami in the refrigerator and keep crackers and pretzels in a sealed bag. Assemble just before serving to prevent soggy crackers. The ‘Rule of Threes’ for visual appeal: group ingredients in odd numbers. Don’t overcrowd the board; leave some space between clusters.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween charcuterie board, spooky snack board, last-minute Halloween appetizer, graveyard board, kid-friendly Halloween snack

Find it online: https://goldensimmer.com/quick-spooky-halloween-charcuterie-board-in-15-minutes/