Tips for Making a Cheeseboard
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Fall is here, and I kind of feel like fall is unofficial cheeseboard season. Anyone else feel that way? With all the holidays and gatherings that happen in the fall – Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then into Christmas – it just seems like this is cheeseboard season!
If you don't usually make cheeseboards, or if you are overwhelmed by them and want some tips for making a cheeseboard then I got you covered. I am going to show you how to make a cheeseboard step by step. A cheeseboard is literally the easiest appetizer to make because they are so freeform. Plus, cheeseboards are filled with all kinds of delicious snacks that people love! So, it makes cheeseboards an amazing appetizer to make for any party.
However, you may be overwhelmed by cheeseboards at times. I feel you because, people can make some seriously impressive cheeseboards! Plus, recipes can be very freeform with just listing ingredients and not give you much direction on how arrange or style a cheeseboard. But, I am going to show you how to make a cheeseboard step by step.

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Tips for Making a Cheese Board
So, today I am sharing my top tips for making a cheeseboard. They are my absolute favorite appetizer to serve for a party or to see at a party. I always love grabbing a bite from a cheeseboard because there is something for everyone. Here is a tutorial on how to make a cheeseboard step by step.
Have More Than One Kind of Cheese
Cheese is essential for a cheeseboard. So make sure to have cheese, and at least two kinds. If you have three kinds of cheese, then that's even better! When you create a cheeseboard, think of your guests. Not everyone may like the same kind of cheese, so that's why having options is key.
Try to choose a couple cheeses that are different enough to give variety, but also pair well together. You will probably have people eating both, but you always want to make sure to give your guests variety so people can find something they like.
Here are 5 must have cheeses for a cheeseboard:
Organic Brie Brie cheese is a soft cheese, which is great for spreading on crackers. Be sure to include a cheese knife if you serve a soft style cheese.
Organic Cheddar Cheddar cheese is a crowd pleaser. It's a simple cheese that everyone knows and loves, and it goes great with crackers, veggies, and fruit. Slice up your cheddar cheese ahead of time and put the slices onto the board. My favorite is Organic Valley Grassmilk Raw Cheddar.
Organic Gruyère I love Swiss cheese, it's probably one of my favorite kinds of cheese out there. And Gruyère is a hard Swiss cheese. This will definitely make your cheeseboard extra fancy!
Organic Gouda Gouda is a semi firm cheese, but it can still be cut with a knife so you can serve pieces of cheese on the board.
Organic Pepperjack I love serving Pepperjack cheese on a cheese board. This cheese has a little extra spice to it, which adds more flavor to the simplicity of a cheeseboard.

Include Crackers
A cheeseboard should always have crackers! Even if you don't eat crackers, they go with cheese – just like peanut butter goes with jelly. You can add any kind of crackers you like to your cheeseboard. But, adding ones that pair well with your cheese choices are best.
If you're serving Brie, I really love having this type of cheese with a thin crispy cracker – like an organic wheat thin (which I find at Vons). But, if there's a soft and simple cheese like cheddar, then I like to have that paired with a buttery cracker or an Organic Triscuit. So, just think about what would go well with the cheese you've selected.
Fruits
I always like to include fruit on my cheeseboards. I love fruit and it makes an amazing snack with cheese. Make sure to add fruits that are easy to grab with your fingers. Fruits like: strawberries, grapes, raspberries, and blueberries are all great fruits to add to a cheeseboard. People can easily grab these fruits with no issues.
Stay away from fruits that can brown when cut, such as bananas and apples. These fruits may look unappetizing as the cheeseboard sits out for a little while.
Veggies
Veggies are a great addition to your cheeseboard. Vegetables like carrot sticks, celery sticks, bell peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower are all great choices for a cheese board.
Olives
Olives a great addition to your cheeseboard. The saltiness of olives goes incredibly well with cheese. They are also an easy garnish to add, they look amazing, and they give more options to snack on. I will usually go with a classic organic green olive on a cheeseboard as they go great with so many cheeses.
Nuts
Nuts are a great addition to your cheeseboard. They add a salty element, and this way if your guests don't eat cheese, there is a protein option for them as well! You can use any kind of nuts for a cheeseboard. Anything from almonds, cashews, peanuts, brazil nuts – you can even use candied nuts. I love using candied nuts around the holidays as it adds a little extra something!
Garnishes
A great way to fill extra space on a cheeseboard is with garnishes. You can use fruits, veggies, olives, nuts, herbs, or even flowers as a garnish on your cheeseboard. Filling in the extra space is what really makes a cheeseboard go from boring to wow! So, make sure to plan to have some garnishes to fill that extra space.
Small things work really well here, which is why blueberries, grapes, nuts, herbs, and flowers are all a great option. Think about what goes with your cheeseboard and plan to have a garnish.

Make It Festive
Try to find something to make your cheeseboard reflect the holiday that you're celebrating, if it's a holiday party. For example, in my Halloween Charcuterie Board, I add organic candy corn and chocolate bars because it's Halloween! And on my Easter Cheeseboard I use organic jelly beans and bunny candies.
How to Style a Cheeseboard
So, now that you have all the ingredients for your cheeseboard, it's time to put it together. This may seem like the overwhelming part, but this part is really fun! The first step is to find a board.
Find a Board
Find a board that you want to use for your cheese board. This can be a wood board, a marble board, even a plastic cutting board will be fine! You can even use a platter or a large plate. Anything that you have that's large enough and flat will work for making a cheese board.
Start With the Cheese First
The cheese is the star – I mean it's called a cheese board! So, put the cheese on first as this is the vocal point of the board. This doesn't have to go in the middle either. The cheese can go on one side, or wherever you want.
If you have multiple cheeses, then try putting one in the middle, one like brie or gouda where it might be a vocal point of the board. Then you can put sliced cheese in one corner.
Olives or Nuts Come Second
Olives and nuts can be put into a small bowl and added to the board. If you want to do this, then I suggest adding these second, because the bowl will take up space. So, find a space for the bowl to go now, that way it's easy to fill in around it. If you don't plan to add nuts or olives to a bowl, then you can add these in at the garnish stage.
Next Add Crackers
Crackers are your next big ingredient and they need the most space. So, it's best to add crackers next. Fan them out or stack them pretty – totally up to you!
Fill in with Fruits & Veggies
Fill in the gaps with fruits and veggies. Add a pile of carrots in one open spot, then add a few strawberries in another. If you have one small space, then add in a few blueberries or a single strawberry.

Last, Add Garnish
Once you filled in with all the food, then it's time to add your garnishes. This can even be a few extra nuts or olives here or there. It could be a few sprigs of rosemary to make your cheese board more festive, or it could be a couple flowers. The main thing here is you want to fill in all the space on the board, this is the secret to making a cheese board look so impressive – no blank space!
This is where you can fill in with a little something festive too. Some candy if it's Easter, some Rosemary and Sugared Cranberries for Christmas, a couple pink flowers for Valentine's Day. If you are celebrating a holiday, this is a great way to make it just a little festive. And if not, then just fill in with other garnishes.
I hope this helped you become more confident about making your own cheese board at home. I have many recipes here for cheese boards for the holidays, such as my Halloween Charcuterie Board, Thanksgiving Cheeseboard, Holiday Cheeseboard, Valentine's Day Charcuterie Board, and my Easter Cheeseboard.
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