This impressive 4th of July Charcuterie Board is loaded with yummy red, white and blue treats! Easy to assemble and a total showstopper, this festive dessert board is the perfect way to celebrate! Customize with your favorites!
Need more party appetizers? Try this Spinach Artichoke Dip, Baked Bacon Cheese Dip, and these Deviled Eggs!
4th Of July Charcuterie Board
Over the years, I’ve developed a love for charcuterie boards and find myself making at least one for every party I throw and often bring them when I’m a guest. It really doesn’t matter the theme, charcuterie boards, whether sweet or savory, are always a hit and really set the stage for any sort of gathering.
Today I’m sharing a sweet charcuterie board or dessert board, that is just perfect for the 4th of July, Labor Day or Memorial Day weekend. It’s got all the red, white and blue you’ll need for a festive display at whatever type of event you are hosting or attending.
I’m going to go over what I used in my board but also include lots of suggestions as to other items to add to your own to customize. We’ll cover homemade treats as well as other store bought goodies that will fit the theme and make assembling this 4th of July Charcuterie Board a breeze.
What Is Charcuterie?
I first fell in love with charcuterie (pronounced [shar-koo-tuh–ree] boards a few years back when I accidentally made one for Christmas. The reaction I got to this easy to prepare appetizer was epic to say the least. Charcuterie is the art of preparing cured or smoked meats. Charcuterie boards are essentially meat’s response to a cheese board, and boy are they good.
Today, we’re taking the essence of a charcuterie board and turning it into a festive dessert board that is perfect for the 4th of July.
More Great Appetizers
Looking to wow friends and family with some tasty appetizers? Here are some of our favorites:
- Crab Melt
- Watermelon Pizza
- Charcuterie Board
- Veggie Pizza
- Slow Cooker Kielbasa Bites
- Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels
- Deviled Eggs
Charcuterie Boards: Where To Begin?
I like to start with the board choice. Charcuterie boards can be as big or as small as you want them to be. Charcuterie for two is super fun for date night or picnics. When I have really large events, I always create more than one board to ensure my guests have plenty at hand.
You don’t need to buy a special board. Use a wood cutting board, slate board, serving tray, etc. Any flat surface you have will work. If you don’t have something on hand, you can find a lot of great options here.
Adding Color and Texture
- When you are selecting items for your board, make sure to choose some that will “pop” on your board. For this 4th of July board, deep reds, bold blues and bright whites really stand out.
- Make sure you’re not placing too many like colors directly next to each other. This will help the board
- The same goes with texture. Variety is key. You want some smooth, shiny surfaces like Jordan Almonds. You want some edgy surfaces like the frosted cookies.
Tips for Charcuterie Board Assembly
It may seem like a no-brainer: just toss a variety of items on a board and voila! Not so easy as it sounds. While charcuterie boards are the essence of easy entertaining, it takes a little thought and strategy to build a charcuterie board that will wow your guests. Here are some of my favorite tips and strategies for achieving a show stopping board that will wow friends and family.
Start With Containers
Small containers and bowls are great for smaller items and help divide the board up. They also perform double duty by acting as the ground work for your board. Place them around the board. The number and size will depend on how large your board is. Don’t worry too much because you can move them around as you build the board. Fill the containers with the smaller items that can’t stack or stand on their own. Small candies, sticky items, etc. all should go in a container.
Add Larger Items
After the bowls are in place, I like to start filling in some of the gaps on the board with larger items or packaged items (like the wrapped individual Ghirardelli white chocolate squares) and jumbo marshmallows.
Centerpiece
Make sure there is a focal point on the board. I grouped small frosted cookies in the center of the board initially and then decided to separate them when I started shifting and rearranging. The Jordan Almonds in the bowl were so cute that I moved them into the center and worked around them. The centerpiece doesn’t need to be in the exact center but it should be the focal point.
Fill In The Gaps
After the bowls are in place, I like to start filling in some of the gaps on the board. Place larger items or packaged items (like the wrapped individual Ghirardelli white chocolate squares) and jumbo marshmallows.
Once those are in place, start adding additional items. I cut Red Vines in half and grouped them all over the board.
Showstoppers
Not to be confused with the centerpiece the showstopper on this board are the three large decorated flag cookies (which I picked up from Target). Bakeries in grocery stores will have a TON of options as we near the 4th of July.
The showstoppers are really what tells the story of the board. The flags make it obvious what the them is.
Tip: I like to pick up a few extra so as those cookies get eaten, I can replenish the board.
Finish and Garnish
Fill in gaps on your board with additional candies and treats. There is no wrong answer here except that gaps need to be avoided. You want a very full charcuterie board so items don’t move around.
What You’ll Need
There is no limits to what can be used on a charcuterie board. I’m going to list what I used and a ton more ideas below. As always, you can find the full printable recipe at the end of this post. Let’s take a look at what I used:
- Swedish fish
- blue gummy sharks
- chocolate covered blueberries
- red vines or twizzlers
- red cinnamon bears
- jordan almonds
- jumbo marshmallows
- Ghirardelli white chocolate squares
- decorated flag cookies (found these at Target!)
- star shaped sugar cookies with sprinkles
How To Assemble
- Gather a large wood board or tray that is big enough to house the items you wish to include on the charcuterie board.
- Next, assemble an assortment of small containers that can hold the items for the board.
- Add smaller items to the containers.
- Add wrapped or stackable items to the board.
- Fill in the gaps with more treats.
- Top with some showstoppers and serve!
Homemade Treats To Add
I went the store bought route to make this board extra quick and easy but make it even more special with these homemade treats:
- 4th of July Mini Vanilla Cupcakes
- Red, White and Blue Patriotic Peppermint Patties
- Red, White and Blue Sparkler Cookies
- Star-Spangled Gumdrops
- Divinity Candy
- Whipped Shortbread Cookies (used red, white and blue sprinkles)
Store Bought Treats To Add
The sky is the limit! I recommend walking the holiday aisles in your favorite stores and getting inspired. Here are some great options to look for:
- Twizzlers
- Red Hots
- red Starbursts
- Rock Candy – get blue and red
- sour cherry balls
- yogurt covered raisins
- Hot Tamales
- Cinnamon Bears
- Swedish Fish
- Gummi Bears
- Hershey’s Drops
- Kit Kat white minis
- Cookies and Cream or Birthday Cake Hershey’s Kisses
- salty water taffy
- M&Ms
- fresh fruit: blueberries, cherries, strawberries
- white chocolate covered pretzels
Storage Information
For the board prepared just as I did, you can cover tightly and leave at room temperature. If you have any perishable items, remove them from the board, cover and refrigerate.
FAQs
It really depends on what is being included on your charcuterie board. Perishable items will need to be refrigerated. As long as the items included on your board do not need to be refrigerated, you can tightly cover the board and store at room temperature.
There are lots of popular ways to build a dessert board for the 4th. Sorting your ingredients into red, white and blue and recreating the flag is always fun or you can just do all red together, all blue together and all white together for a nice visual punch
More 4th of July Desserts
- 4th of July Mini Vanilla Cupcakes
- No Bake Pull Apart Berry Cheesecake
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Flag Dip
- Red, White and Blue Sparkler Cookies
- Red, White and Blue Patriotic Peppermint Patties
- Berries ‘N Cream Cookies
How To Make a 4th Of July Charcuterie Board
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4th of July Charcuterie Board
This impressive 4th of July Charcuterie Board is loaded with yummy red, white and blue treats! Easy to assemble and a total showstopper, this festive dessert board is the perfect way to celebrate!
Ingredients
- Swedish fish
- chocolate covered blueberries
- blue gummy sharks
- red vines or twizzlers
- cinnamon bears
- jordan almonds
- jumbo marshmallows
- Ghirardelli white chocolate squares
- decorated flag cookies (found these at Target!)
- star shaped sugar cookies with sprinkles
Instructions
-
Gather a large wood board or tray that is big enough to house the items you wish to include on the charcuterie board.
-
Next, assemble an assortment of small containers that can hold the items for the board.
-
Add smaller items to the containers.
-
Add wrapped or stackable items to the board.
-
Fill in the gaps with more treats.
-
Top with some showstoppers and serve!
Notes
I didn’t include amounts of each candy because it will depend on the size of your board.