16 Festive Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board Ideas

Looking for Thanksgiving charcuterie board ideas to put a new spin on one of the tastiest holidays? We get it! Charcuterie boards are just as beautiful as they are delicious, making it easy for you to deliver big flavors to your partygoers in an aesthetically pleasing way. But where to start?

Thanksgiving is all about the food, so it’s a natural match for a stunning charcuterie board, whether as part of your dinner or as a satisfying appetizer to tide guests over while they wait for the main course. All you need are these Thanksgiving charcuterie board ideas and you’ll be well on your way to creating a memorable (and Instagrammable!) feast for your guests.

1. Book the perfect event venue with plenty of tabletop space

While we’re on the topic of planning for your Thanksgiving dinner—have you considered renting a space as an alternative to hosting the dinner at home? Where you have a gathering can make a huge difference in you and your guests’ experiences. And let’s face it, not every home has enough countertop space for your multi-course Thanksgiving meal and charcuterie boards.

Luckily, searching the listings available on Peerspace can make finding a great Thanksgiving dinner venue near you a breeze. It’s the web’s most extensive marketplace for renting spaces of all kinds, including venues with dining rooms and functional kitchens, on an hourly basis. With tens of thousands of Peerspaces located in hundreds of cities across the UK, the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia, Peerspace has got you covered for Thanksgiving dinner (and any other gatherings you might plan).

As one example, check out this private new modern event space in Edgewater Park, NJ. It’s an open 2,497-square-foot event space with room for 100 guests, a full kitchen, and several tabletops perfect for setting up your dazzling charcuterie boards!

Once you have your Thanksgiving dinner venue all figured out, you’re ready to focus on the food. So keep reading for the rest of our Thanksgiving charcuterie board ideas perfect for your next gathering!

2. Don’t be afraid to mix sweet and savory

Thinking about what makes classic Thanksgiving dishes so delicious, a big part of it is the combos of sweet and salty flavors: from savory roasted turkey with sweet cranberry sauce to marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole as a side dish.

One of our top Thanksgiving charcuterie board ideas is to combine savory bites like meats and cheeses with dried and fresh fruit, chunks of honeycomb, and even pastries or chocolate. Look to this board for an inspirational example of successfully combining sweet and savory flavors in a charcuterie board spread.

3. Create hand-held cornucopia charcuterie cups

Evoke the bounty of Thanksgiving with a charcuterie-style appetizer served in a cone-shaped bread cornucopia. 

4. Or use a giant bread cornucopia as your centerpiece

A large cornucopia made of bread can also make for a perfect charcuterie board centerpiece, especially when surrounded by all your favorite bite-sized snacks like cheese and olives.

5. Go ultra-decadent with a holiday pie board

Now we’re getting into the dessert-focused Thanksgiving charcuterie board ideas—thank goodness!! Traditionally, Thanksgiving desserts are all about the pies: pumpkin, pecan, apple, and more. So spread them out on a large board in a visually appealing manner with plenty of whipped cream and warm caramel sauce as toppings.

6. Delight your guests with a turkey-shaped charcuterie board

Arrange your variety of meats and cheeses into the shape of a turkey for a simple and fun Thanksgiving charcuterie board idea. Use half an apple or pear for the turkey’s body, baby carrots for the legs, and all your other snacks so you can make the giant tail.

Looking for fun ways to spice up your T-day gathering? Then check out these unique Thanksgiving party ideas!

7. Add visual interest with small decorative pumpkins and gourds

Bring in the fall vibes by decorating your spread with an assortment of colorful pumpkins and gourds nestled among all your fruit, cheese, meat, and other snacks.

8. Make cheese and cracker pumpkin pies for your board

These would make an adorable addition to any charcuterie board, and it especially makes sense to feature pumpkin pie on a holiday like Thanksgiving! The little dot of “whipped cream” on top of each slice further completes the illusion of tiny pumpkin pies.

9. Make mingling a breeze by designing portable charcuterie cups

Allow your guests to carry their snacks around with them on skewers and in individual cups. This will encourage them to mingle instead of hovering around the charcuterie board on the snack table.

10. Tempt tastebuds with a caramel apple charcuterie board

Here’s another fantastic dessert-centric Thanksgiving charcuterie board idea. It’s a tasty spread of caramel apple dip, various sliced apples, and plenty of delicious toppings. Your guests’ mouths will be watering the second they see it!

11. Go sweet and tangy with a sumptuous chocolate and fruit board

It’s hard to imagine a better combination than chocolate and fruit, and it also makes for a beautiful dessert charcuterie board. 

Make your party venue look as cute as your charcuterie board using our festive Thanksgiving decoration ideas!

12. Get creative and use cheese to spell out words

You can use cheese to cut out letters and spell out words on your charcuterie board, like “THANKFUL” in this example.

13. Channel the season with maple leaf cutout brie

To start, slice a wheel of brie through the center of a wheel of brie. Then, use a maple leaf cookie cutter to slice out the center of one brie half and fill it with a jam or spread with a complementary color and flavor.

14. Get playful with a s’mores charcuterie board

Present all the requisite s’mores ingredients—marshmallows, bars of chocolate, and graham crackers, plus anything else you think might go well with these, such as fruit, nuts, or shredded coconut—in the pleasing arrangement of a charcuterie board. This idea is so easy, its ingredients are quite affordable, and the result can be incredibly impressive, and with just a little bit of thought.

15. Get artistic and use a varied color palette

Delight the aesthetes at your dinner table and incorporate a variety of colors into the spread. This shouldn’t be too hard to do, given the wide range of snacks you can incorporate into a charcuterie arrangement. The outcome will be a tasty mixture of options in a veritable rainbow of colors—not only delicious but also beautiful!

16. Nosh on a Thanksgiving leftovers charcuterie board

Use leftover turkey, cranberry sauce, and other Thanksgiving leftovers to put together a delicious charcuterie board! It’s a creative way to enjoy your turkey day leftovers in a fresh and inspired way.

Thanksgiving charcuterie board ideas: conclusion

We hope these Thanksgiving charcuterie board ideas have you even more excited about your Thanksgiving gathering! Remember, the setting for your dinner can make planning your meal and hosting your guests easier, so be sure to check out all the incredible Thanksgiving dinner-worthy venues near you on Peerspace. On our platform, you can book lofts, mansions, cabins, art galleries, and any other type of space that has the style and amenities you want.

Find unique Thanksgiving party venues on Peerspace