A small charcuterie board surprisingly makes a BIG statement! The are darling and all your guests will love seeing them in their spot. Plus, they can be made in just 5-minutes.
These are especially great to make when you only have a few guests for an intimate dinner party or gathering because you can personalize them for allergies or food preferences.
I came up with these tiny boards when I saw the marble boards in smaller sizes at my favorite local store, Cosy. There were really tiny squares and then rectangle marble slabs. There was even square marble platters roughly the size of a piece of paper that I was dying to make them on!
My friends loved them so much at our girls brunch that I made them again for a ladies holiday dinner party. No matter what the occasion, they are always a hit!
I mean, who doesn’t love a little personalized charcuterie board waiting for them in their spot? It’s like a present at the start of your event or gathering! And they go great with our mocktails too.
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Unlike a large charcuterie board, a small charcuterie board can seem much less intimidating. They certainly cost less and take much less time to put together than our BIG grazing table for a crowd! You can even make our summer charcuterie board or pancake charcuterie board into a small version. You can also put them into these cute charcuterie cones to mix it up. So let’s get started…
What usually goes on a charcuterie board
Charcuterie boards or individual charcuterie boxes are a great way to enjoy tasty snacks featured in a so many different ways. They typically include meats, cheeses, crackers and fresh veggies and/or fruit. You can also add specific foods to follow a theme, like in our Mexican charcuterie board.
You can even add chocolates and nuts in a small bowls on the board or fill in empty spaces with fresh greenery. Like on our Valentines charcuterie board and Christmas charcuterie board we like to feature fresh herbs for some live greenery.
Some don’t need it especially when they are on the sweeter side like our Halloween charcuterie board or Thanksgiving charcuterie board or more masculine like our Super Bowl charcuterie board.
What you’ll need for this one
- Honey or honeycomb with a honey stirrer
- Gluten-free crackers
- Cheese (slices of cheese or chunks)
- Cured meats
- Artichoke hearts or olives (optional)
- Chocolate (optional)
Since these mini charcuterie boards are so small, you will want to keep it simple with just a few items but a variety. I recommend at least one meat, once cheese, one cracker choice and one sweet like honey or chocolate.
Get our free charcuterie board shopping list printable HERE
Meats to choose from for your small charcuterie board
When it comes to what meats to include on your cheese board, it comes down to personal preference. Like it spicy? Get that hot chorizo salami and slice it right onto the marble or wooden board.
Here are some of my personal favorites to get you thinking…
- sopressata
- Italian dry salami
- prosciutto di Parma
- wagyu beef salame (one of my favorite things ever!)
Although I will say the latter is hard to find at a really good quality. Get creative in what you choose though and go with what your taste buds prefer. My husband loves to keep it simple with summer sausage so don’t feel like you have to go fancy.
Pro Tip: You can estimate about 2 ounces of each cheese and meat for each guest.
Cheese to choose from for your small charcuterie board
You can choose any kind of cheese for creating a good charcuterie board or cheese platter. It is entirely up to you but I recommend having multiple different types of cheese.
My husband likes a simple sliced cheddar that you can easily find at your local grocery store. I love hard cheese like parmigiana and I really like soft cheese. Boursin is one of my all time favorite cheeses but I also love goat cheese and blue cheese is always a well received option.
Both go great with little dark chocolates and crackers. If you are more of a savory charcuterie board fan, then grab some smoked gouda or aged havarti.
If you want a sweeter board, blueberry Wensleydale or a fruit encrusted goat cheese. You can also just serve it with dried fruit.
Be sure to have some great cheese knives for when you serve up your cheeses. It is the easiest way for folks to enjoy especially when they come in large chunks making it an easy charcuterie board.
How to make it
Since you won’t be using one large board, this is just a bit different to make. You will use more smaller items and not as many kinds of cheeses. Like with our heart cut out cheeses on the Valentines board, you can also add cheeses in different shapes here as well.
I love making a diy charcuterie board or charcuterie plate of any kind but especially these little ones. They are just darling for special occasions like a baby shower or girls night in!
They make a great addition to whatever spread you are featuring and go great with a larger cheese appetizer like baked brie cheese or our BEST ever cheese ball.
Start with some cute mini wood boards and layer them with your favorite things like honey, cured meat, cheese, olives, fruit and greenery.
- Step 1: Get four small charcuterie boards and place 2 ounces of cheese, cured meats and crackers on each board
- Step 2: Add some honeycomb or honey with a little spreading knife
- Step 3: Finish by adding in fresh berries or fruit and the green herbs to give it a live, effervescent look if you’d like
Does this board need sweets?
While it doesn’t require sweets, I find that it lends a nice touch. I personally love a beautiful piece of honeycomb with dripping honey off of it to dip my chunk or parmigiana reggiano in but you choose what’s best for you.
Little chocolates or fresh fruit also work great for sweetness. You can even add some truffles or candied nuts.
For a little sweet charcuterie board, just put your favorite chocolates, toffee, and brittles on an small wood board with a tiny Christmas tree. You can also make our charCOOKuterie board or charcuterie cheese board cookies for a fun treat!
How far in advance can you put them together?
Grazing on a charcuterie platter or gluten-free cheese and charcuterie boards is fantastic for gatherings because they are so easy to put out and then let everyone nibble on at their own pleasure.
As a host, you couldn’t ask for a better set up. No more running in and out of the kitchen, you can now sit down and relax with everyone else!
The cheeses and meats can be placed on the boards together and refrigerated until you are ready to serve. Leave off the crackers until right before serving so they are crisp.
What’s the best way to store leftovers?
Leftovers deli meat, cheeses and fruits can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Crackers and treats can be places into bags or containers and kept at room temperature.
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Small Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 8 ounces GF crackers
- 8 ounces Cheese
- 8 ounces Cured meats
- 4 ounces Honeycomb, honey or chocolates
- 4 ounces Berries or other fresh fruit optional
- Fresh greenery for esthetic optional
Instructions
- Step 1: Get four small charcuterie boards and place 2 ounces of cheese, cured meats and crackers on each board
- Step 2: Add some honeycomb or honey with a little spreading knife
- Step 3: Finish by adding in fresh berries or fruit and the green herbs to give it a live, effervescent look if you'd like
Abby says
I was so excited to try this recipe out for my Bachelor night! The girls loved it!
Chandice says
So glad to hear it, thanks!