fall harvest cheese board

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Nothing says fall like a charcuterie board filled with all the bounty of autumn! I’ll show you exactly what types of cheese, crackers, meats, and extras to buy for your cheeseboard and how to assemble the whole thing so it’s the star of the show for all your fall gatherings and holidays!

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I LOVE a good cheese board. I mean, I LOVE IT SO MUCH. It’s beautiful to look at, it’s filled with delicious snacks, and let’s face it – it’s basically a super fancy lunchable for adults!

What to Put On Your Cheese Board:

If you haven’t made a charcuterie or cheese board before, first let me tell you that it’s super easy! I’ll break down each category (cheese, crackers, etc.) to ensure you cover a variety of flavors + textures. Let’s dive in!

Picking Your Cheese:

Let’s start with the cheese – obviously. Get a mix of flavors + textures! Here’s what I like to go with:

Fromage – A soft, creamy, spreadable cheese (Trader Joe’s has an amazing one!).
Brie – Another soft cheese – the one above is from Aldi and it’s amazing and only $3!
Sharp Cheddar – simple and classic! A safe choice that most people will enjoy.
Smoked Cheddar – Something with a little more punch of flavor, but still on the safe side for the less adventurous
Flavored Goat Cheese Log – A little more unique and adventurous! I used a Cranberry one from Trader Joe’s this time.
Toscano – This is a seasonal cheese from Trader Joe’s and it’s sort of like a white cheddar and parmesan mix – and it has a cinnamon rind which is so delicious and perfect for fall!
Halloween Cheese – The four cheeses that look Halloween-ish are special Halloween cheeses that I found at Aldi. Seasonal finds like that are so fun to incorporate!

So, I’ve got 2 soft cheeses, 3 pretty classic options, and 1-2 more adventurous options! This way, there’s bound to be something for everyone.

Picking Your Meats:

I don’t get quite as much meat as I do cheese, and I like to keep the options pretty basic here! 2-4 types of meat is plenty. If you notice on the board, there’s very little meat – with this Fall Harvest board I wanted to fit in as much fall produce as I could, so I only ended up putting Prosciutto on the board. These are my recommendations, however, if you want to incorporate more in the meat category!

Summer Sausage – If you’re from Wisconsin, you know that Usinger’s Summer Sausage is an absolute MUST for any sort of cheese plate. The Johnsonville one is good too, if you can’t find Usinger’s at your local grocery store.
Dry Salami – A cheese board staple!
Prosciutto – Another staple! I think there are different types but I just get a traditional, basic one from Trader Joe’s.

Picking Your Crackers

Next, our crackers! Again, I think 3-4 options is plenty here! I recommend getting 1 super plain cracker, and then picking something with a little cheese flavor, and something with an herb flavor.

Pita Bite Crackers – Super basic and they go with everything – plus they taste amazing.
Rosemary Italian Style Crackers – these are a little bumped up in the flavor department
Roasted Gorgonzola Crackers – A little cheesy, and very addictive!
Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps – This is another seasonal find from Trader Joe’s and they’re amazing!
Anna’s Ginger Snaps – A fun way to mix things up – this pairs well with fruits, jam, and caramel.

Picking Your Extras:

This is the fun category! Extras covers everything from fruits, to nuts, to chocolates, to jams and garnishes!

I love using what’s in season! Apples, oranges, and pears are classic choices, but things like pomegranates, figs, and grapes are a fun addition too.

My simple homemade caramel sauce is a MUST – it’s great for dipping fruit in, and perfect for anyone who isn’t very adventurous about trying different meats and cheeses. I always include some type of fig butter or jam, and honey – it goes with almost everything. Pear and cranberry flavored jams and spreads are a fun option, too.

Nuts and chocolates are great ways to fill in the cracks once you’ve added the bulkier items like meats, cheeses, and crackers. The dark chocolate sea salt caramels from Aldi are delicious. You can add candied nuts, like the ones above, or you can sprinkle on plain salted nuts.

How to Assemble Your Cheese Board + Make it look Super Fancy

Now, if you’re thinking “Hellooo, I’m not Martha Stewart!” – I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t matter! You can still make a drop-dead gorgeous cheese board. Here’s how I do it.

Choose a sturdy wooden cutting board or a dedicated cheese board. I have a slate board from World Market that I love (you can see it in action in this wintery cheese board) and for this board, I used a wooden round board that I found at Home Goods.

Start with your cheeses – place them around the board with plenty of space in between. Keep the soft, spreadable cheeses whole, and slice some of the regular cheese. Stick some cheese knives around at the end to help people know where to start!

Next, add your meats. Place them near the cheeses. Next, add your crackers, placing them near the meats and cheeses. Fill in the remaining holes with all your extras – small bowls of jams, fruit, nuts, and chocolate. Finish it off with a few small fake pumpkins (I also found them at Home Goods) and a few sprigs of fresh herbs, like thyme, rosemary, or sage. I even took it further this time and added some extras around the outside of the board, like a jar of caramel sauce and some more fruit (for decor).

If you’re having guests over who have dietary restrictions, you can set up a “deconstructed” cheese board to ensure everyone will be able to enjoy this beautiful feast! Keep meats on one plate, cheese on one, crackers on one, fruit and candy on one, and nuts in a small bowl.

A Note About Yield:

It’s hard to estimate how many people you can feed with a cheese board – you can never predict exactly how much each person will eat :). The board I used (pictured here) is 12 x 18 and I think it has about 7-10 servings worth on it.Keep in mind that everything won’t fit on the board at once, and you can refill it as it gets emptied.

If using a bigger board, or two boards, you can put more food out at once and feed more people, with less refilling needed.

Make-Ahead Tip

This doesn’t work super well as a make-ahead type of thing, because the crackers and candy will get soggy in the fridge, and the meat + cheese obviously can’t be left out. You can half-assemble it a day ahead though, by placing your cheese, meats, and small bowls of jam on the board. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Add the other items just before serving! I don’t recommend cutting the fruits ahead of time either, as they’ll start to brown.

That’s everything, folks! I hope you have a wonderful Halloween, Thanksgiving, and rest of the fall season! And I hope there are many delicious charcuterie boards in your future.

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