I Make Charcuterie Boards for Every Holiday, and These Are the 10 Tools You Need for Your Next Festive Spread

There are two reasons why I love charcuterie boards. One, they’re undeniably delicious. And two, you can get as creative as you want with them: They can be sweet, savory, or a combination of both — not to mention elaborate and over the top for the holidays, if that’s your style. I’ve made themed snack boards for groups both big and small throughout years of holiday gatherings, so I’ve learned how to push charcuterie board “boundaries,” so to speak.

Initially, I nailed down the basics of creating a charcuterie and cheese board. Once I perfected my favorite cheese, meat, dessert, and snack pairings, I was able to get creative, focusing on the aesthetics of the popular appetizer. Check out my top Amazon finds, starting at just $7, that will upgrade your next charcuterie board to a picture-perfect one. 

Best Amazon Charcuterie Board Accessories

• Yxchome Cheese Knives Set, 4-Pack, $7
• Artena Ultra-Fine Porcelain Serving Platter, $33
• True Wooden Cheese Markers, $10, originally $11
• Libwys Rustic Wooden Serving Trays, $31
• Cunhill 24-Piece Charcuterie Accessories, $14, originally $16
• Fox Run Marble Cheese Slicer, $18
• Ultra Cuisine 24-Piece Mini Cookie Cutter Set, $16
• Mini 3.5-inch Small Glass Bowls, $20, originally $22
• Bonne Maman Assorted Preserves, $12
• Sahale Snacks Glazed Nut Mix Variety Pack, $30

Yxchome Cheese Knives Set, 4-Pack

A cheese knife set will make the lives of you and your guests easier. Consisting of a mini spade knife, mini fork, narrow plane knife, and spreading knife, this utensil set allows you to cut and spread various types of cheeses, while the wooden handle adds a photo-worthy flare. Place them next to the respective cheeses where they’d be useful, such as the spreading knife by the soft goat cheese or the mini spade knife by the hard Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. 

Artena Ultra-Fine Porcelain Serving Platter 

I tend to overbuy charcuterie items when I host, so I started placing an additional serving platter with small bowls next to the main board for overflow, as I did with last year’s Halloween board. This wooden tray contains three porcelain bowls where you can store extra nuts, fruits, and jams that couldn’t fit on the original board while making it look tidy. Plus, guests can pick at it more easily throughout the gathering. 

True Wooden Cheese Markers 

Wooden cheese makers are my favorite buy for my charcuterie boards, hands down. I use chalk to write down the types of cheeses I’m serving on the markers so that guests know exactly what they’re reaching for — and can pair it with meats and jams accordingly. Unless you’re creating a really elaborate table-sized board, this set of four is perfect for added customization. (You can even get super creative here, especially if your party is themed — for Halloween, I labeled a cranberry chèvre goat cheese as “intestines” and jam oozing out of brie as “brain matter.”) 

Libwys Rustic Wooden Serving Trays 

As you can see from my Easter sweets board, I prefer the contrast that dark, rustic wooden serving trays bring to a snack board with light cheeses. Unless you're transporting the board elsewhere, I always choose trays without compartments or ridges, like this set of two at Amazon. This allows you to spill ingredients over the board which, in my opinion, always looks more appetizing. 

Cunhill 24-Piece Charcuterie Accessories

For the jams, olives, and other snacks integrated throughout the board, you’ll want to offer guests small serving tongs, forks, or spoons. (This also reduces the amount of hands touching the food). This 24-piece stainless steel set looks chic and will last you for many parties. I recommend storing these right next to the board for the taking. 

Fox Run Marble Cheese Slicer

When preparing a charcuterie board, you’ll want to cut the cheese slices as similarly as possible, which can be hard to do. This marble cheese slicer has a stainless steel wire cutter to take out the stress of achieving the perfect rectangle every time. My pro tip is to cut various cheeses into different shapes — cubed, rectangular, or triangular — for a more elegant look.  

Ultra Cuisine 24-Piece Mini Cookie Cutter Set

The first time I used cookie cutters for a charcuterie board was during New Year’s Eve. Use the tools to cut out shapes on soft cheeses, like brie or Boursin. Then, fill the cutout with your favorite jam to draw attention to the cheese centerpiece. This 24-piece cookie cutter set has everything you could need for any occasion: stars, triangles, hearts, flowers, and more. 

Mini 3.5-Inch Small Glass Bowls

Small glass bowls filled with jams, dips, candies, or nuts, are the first thing I put on a charcuterie board (see my dessert-filled Christmas board or traditional cheese board). You can build the rest of your spread around them, know exactly what foods are inside, and prevent round treats like olives from rolling off the board. I also think they make your presentation look more sophisticated. This set of 12 has nearly 800 five-star ratings and is microwave- and dishwasher-safe.

Bonne Maman Assorted Preserves

I love offering a large assortment of jams and preserves. (Fig, apricot, strawberry, and raspberry are my go-tos.) Transferring several flavors into other bowls takes up a little too much room, so I love spreading Bonne Maman mini jars throughout the board. This 8-pack sells for just $12 and includes strawberry preserves, orange marmalade jam, cherry preserves, grape jelly, raspberry jam, apricot jam, honey, and more. 

Sahale Snacks Glazed Nut Mix Variety Pack

To make a charcuterie board aesthetically pleasing, I suggest you learn the art of filler snacks. Fruits (dried or fresh), mixed nuts, and chocolate are there to fill the space that cheese, crackers, and meats don’t — the goal is to get the board looking as full as possible. This glazed nut mix variety pack is ideal to have on hand when your appetizer needs a little extra stuffing.  Included are maple pecans, pomegranate vanilla cashews, and honey almonds, among other tasty morsels.