Appetizers / December 23, 2022

candy cane cheeseboard

You may not like the traditional candy cane, but I’m betting you’ll enjoy this cheese-and-fruit rendition.

I really debated whether this was worth posting. It’s a very simplistic iteration of the cheeseboard, and I have a lot of cheeseboards here on FMG. But this one is a lil bit different, and pretty, and both those descriptors coupled with the ease of creating this concept helped me decide to throw it out for ya’ll to enjoy.

The Candy Cane Cheeseboard is a cute, fun appetizer for Christmas Eve or Day, and overall is easy to assemble and doesn’t require an asston of components thanks to its preordained color scheme. A few little tricks make this a breeze, and I’ll clue you in to what I like best to create our little striped friend.

I’ve created a cheeseboard for my family the past two or three years, and while this year I may not have the brainspace for a gargantuan fucker like I normally provide, this one is ample for the crowd I’m feeding (especially since one doesn’t like cheese, the heathen). You can make your candy cane as huge or as small as you wish, too, so it works for any size gathering.

The No-Bake Candy Cane

Like I said, this cheeseboard is a fruit-and-cheese fixture, since that combination is prettiest for the pattern. Anything else you serve can go on the side to keep the shape kosher, if you want something like olives or artichokes.

First, the cheeses. I went with a simple goat’s milk cheddar and a cranberry goat cheese, since the specks of dried berries on the latter are just so pretty next to the fruits. I always recommend mixing and matching hard and soft cheeses for textural interest, so if you’re picking just two, have one of each. Other ideas are regular goat cheese, gouda, brie, or feta.

The fruits. Red or reddish fruits are key. Grapes are a must, and I loved using raspberries and strawberries as well as pomegranates to fill in the gaps. If you like red pears and apples, those are good seasonal alternatives.

The garnishes. Sugared cranberries and rosemary and so pretty on anything this time of year, from cocktails to appetizers, and they’re lovely here. I made a bit of a holly berry shape on the bottom left of my board (especially since candy canes are an awkward shape and you can’t really “center” them properly) and pressed some of the rosemary into various parts of the candy canes as well. Just make sure your guests don’t eat the berries. You can, but they aren’t very tasty.

The accoutrement. While not pictured, we ate our cheeseboard with crackers, as one is wont. I usually buy some type of crisp cracker with dried fruit, and a whole grain or regular water cracker. Many places have assorted entertaining cracker kits currently, so pick up one that sounds good. Set any other components, like olives, honey, artichokes, or pickles, in little bowls near the candy cane. That way, guests can grab what they’d like while still getting to enjoy the cuteness of the board.

Be sure to allow around 15 or so minutes prior to munch time for the cheeses to come to room temp. They always taste better that way.

Enjoy this board, enjoy the holiday, and I’ll be sticking my nose on your computer screens tomorrow for a fun little last-minute dish!

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Getting cheesy in here:

Cheesy Buffalo Ranch Pretzel Snack Mix

Honey Whipped Feta and Cranberry Crostini

Everything Pesto Cheese and Egg Breakfast Tarts

Festive Holiday Cheeseboard