Sweet and Savory Holiday Boards

The holiday season is in full swing, and that means you’ve probably got to plan for another friends and family get-together. This year, instead of the traditional, why not try out something new and delicious? A holiday “Board Party” will let your guests show off their creativity with a themed board with their own flair. There are many variations and endless ideas when it comes to these edible masterpieces. Not to mention, these boards can match the theme of the party or could turn into a friendly competition.

Here are just a few of our sweet or savory board ideas when planning your next party this season.

Charcuterie Board
Butter Board
Frosting Board
Fruit Board

Using Spice World Ready-to-Use Minced Ginger, Garlic, and Chopped Easy Onion will not only enhance the flavor of your recipes, but they also provide numerous health benefits! Onions and ginger both improve digestion health, while garlic helps to reduce cholesterol levels. As you think through different foods for the holiday season, consider adding these ingredients for a healthy boost of flavor!

Charcuterie Board

It’s no wonder charcuterie boards have increased in popularity due to their delicious ingredients and aesthetic appeal. They are great for snacking, and one may even argue they are the perfect appetizer for any meal. Traditionally, charcuterie boards consist of cheese, meats, crackers or bread, pickles, olives, and dips. However, what’s stopping you from adding a touch of creativity to make the board uniquely yours?

Here are some of our unique charcuterie additions for a “Holiday Board Party:”

French Onion Dip
Garlic Bread with Garlic Confit

French Onion Dip

This French Onion Dip pairs great with any of your favorite crackers and adds a variation of flavor to the other cheeses and meats on the board. It is a classic dip that will be a crowd favorite on the charcuterie spread, especially when elevated by Spice World Ready-to-Use Chopped Easy Onion.

Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp Spice World Ready-to-Use Chopped Easy Onion
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 ½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
⅛ tsp salt

Cooking Instructions:

Mix together sour cream, Spice World Ready-to-Use Chopped Easy Onion, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
Once combined, chill for 30 minutes.
Transfer to a small serving bowl and enjoy on your charcuterie board!

Garlic Confit

Garlic confit is a popular spread on bread, and when you make it, you’ll have some delicious garlic oil to cook with. This recipe is sure to impress, but it’s incredibly simple. Watch our video to see how this versatile addition is made.

Ingredients:

4 cloves of Spice World Fresh Organic Garlic
4 sprigs of rosemary
2 sprigs of thyme
2 cups extra virgin olive oil

Cooking Instructions:

Peel Spice World Fresh Garlic, trim root ends, and add to a dry saucepan.
Cover garlic with extra virgin olive oil, ensuring that all cloves are completely submerged.
Add rosemary and thyme to the oil.
On the lowest heat setting, simmer for 30 minutes. Do NOT allow to boil.
Remove from saucepan, storing oil and garlic in glass jars. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to 1 week. Freeze for longer use.

Butter Board

A butter board is exactly what it sounds like—a board coated with butter! This is a creative way to serve a classic bread and butter appetizer and is much more appealing (and fun) than a tub or stick of butter. Butter boards can be made any way you prefer, but here is one of our favorite methods to add some flavorful flare.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp olive oil
3 thinly sliced Spice World Fresh Organic Garlic cloves
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup of crushed nuts (your preference)
1 Tbsp torn dill springs
1 orange, zested
1 lemon, zested
1 Tbsp sea salt
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp honey

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Once hot, add the sliced Spice World Fresh Organic Garlic and fry for 30 seconds to a minute. Stir, flip, and repeat on the other side.
Remove the Spice World Fresh Organic Garlic from the skillet and drain on paper towels.
Spread the softened butter onto a serving board.
Top the butter with fried garlic, crushed nuts, dill, the zest of an orange and a lemon, sea salt, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Top it with a drizzle of honey.
Add toasted bread and serve!

Frosting Board

Let’s be honest, what is a holiday party without something sweet? This frosting board served with cookies, doughnuts, and brownies is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth at your holiday board party. Just don’t forget the Spice World Chocolate Gingersnap Cookies!

Ingredients:

3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, slightly melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
Gel food coloring
Jelly beans
Spice World Chocolate Gingersnap Cookies for dipping

Instructions:

Beat confectioners’ sugar, softened butter, and vanilla extract on high in a medium bowl. Mix for about 5 minutes, or until the consistency is light and fluffy.
Separate into 3 separate bowls.
In one bowl, combine about one tablespoon of frosting with black food coloring.
In another bowl, combine about ¼ cup of frosting with yellow food coloring.
In the third bowl, combine the rest of the frosting with green food coloring.
Transfer each frosting color into separate tipless piping bags.
On a large charcuterie board, create a green frosting triangle for the Christmas tree.
Use the yellow frosting to make a star at the top.
Place a string of black frosting across the tree, mimicking Christmas lights. Leave enough space in between each row to add the jelly bean lights.
Place jelly beans on the black frosting lines; alternate different colors.
Place gingersnap cookies at the bottom of a tree trunk.
Fill the tree with cookies, and it is ready for serving.

Fruit Board

If you’re looking for a balance between the sweet and the salty, try out this fruit board. The vibrant colors will pop on the table, and with a large variety of fruits, this board has endless options for creativity. Any variety of fruit, nuts, pretzels, and dips of your choice will make a delicious board.

Ingredients:

Sliced pineapple
Fresh blueberries
Fresh raspberries
Fresh strawberries
Kiwi
Grapes
Honey
Dried nuts

Ginger Marmalade Dip

How to assemble:

Place nuts and dip in small bowls and place randomly on the board.
Add the larger fruits such as grape clusters and large pineapple slices in a few spots on the board.
Fill in the gaps with handfuls of fresh berries and sliced kiwi.
Top with honey for a garnish and it is ready to serve!

While planning and hosting a holiday party can bring stress, a “board party” can take cooking and cleaning off your plate. You can make a board in advance, saving time on the day of the party, and having guests participate in bringing their own themed board provides enough for everyone. Because while you enjoy each other’s company, you might as well enjoy each other’s food too!