Dessert

Pumpkin Charcuterie Board Recipe

ByMaya Arden February 2, 2026February 2, 2026

Introduction

Create a festive and delicious Pumpkin Charcuterie Board that’s perfect for fall gatherings or Halloween parties. This colorful assortment combines savory, sweet, and fresh flavors arranged creatively to look like a pumpkin.

A round pumpkin-shaped charcuterie board features a variety of colorful items arranged in layers to form a smiling face on a white marbled texture. The outer edge is lined with peeled orange mandarin segments on the right side and dried apricots on the left, both bright orange. Moving inward, there are layers of orange cheddar cubes, orange crackers, yellow cheese cubes, and beige nuts positioned in sections around the board. The pumpkin’s stem is made of sliced green cucumber pieces stacked vertically at the top. For facial features, large black grapes form a wide smile near the bottom, with clusters of blackberries placed in the center for the nose and below it. Two triangular sections of dark chocolate chips represent the eyes, each topped with black olives. Bright orange popcorn and small orange puffs create texture in vertical lines from top to bottom. The whole board displays a bright, festive mix of orange, yellow, and black items arranged neatly to look like a happy pumpkin face. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

Cheddar crackers
Cheddar popcorn

Gold fish crackers
Cheddar corn nuts

Dark chocolate (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
Orange covered almonds

Cheddar cheese (sliced)
Smoked gouda (cubed)
Blackberries

Blueberries
Cantaloupe (cubed)
Orange slices

Dried apricots
Black olives
1 mini cucumber (sliced)

Instructions

Step 1: Use a large round wood board with a handle to resemble the shape of a pumpkin.
Step 2: Place three triangle-shaped cookie cutters on the board to create the eyes and nose. Fill one eye with dark chocolate candy, the other eye with black olives, and the nose with blackberries.
Step 3: Arrange the blueberries on the board in the shape of a big smile below the eyes and nose.

Step 4: Arrange the remaining ingredients vertically on the board, placing one ingredient per section until the board is full.
Step 5: Slice the mini cucumber and place the slices on the handle of the board to resemble a pumpkin stem.

Tips & Variations

Use a variety of cheeses for added flavor and texture, or substitute smoky gouda with sharp cheddar if preferred.

Swap dried apricots for dried cranberries or figs to add a different sweetness.
Add some nuts like pecans or walnuts for extra crunch and richness.
If you don’t have cookie cutters, use small bowls or freehand the shapes for eyes and nose.

Storage

Store leftover ingredients separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assemble the board fresh before serving to maintain the best texture and appearance. Cheese and fresh fruit can be reheated briefly or served cold depending on preference.

How to Serve

A large white platter is filled with neatly arranged layers of colorful snacks and fruits. Starting from the left side, there is a row of dried apricots in bright orange, followed by a layer of goldfish-shaped crackers in yellow-orange. Next to that, a section of light orange cantaloupe cubes is placed in a tight block, followed by a thin row of bright orange cheese-flavored popcorn that runs vertically. At the center, there is a black triangular dish filled with shiny black olives. Surrounding this are small orange-brown coated nuts or seeds, giving a rougher texture. On the right side, several layers of yellowish cheese cubes are neatly stacked beside the black triangular container with dark chocolate pieces. Below that, scattered but neat, are round beige nuts. There are fresh blackberries placed prominently above the cheese cubes. Near the bottom, a row of dark blueberries separates the cantaloupe cubes and the cheese cubes. The platter sits on a white marbled surface photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I prepare this board in advance?

You can prepare and slice the ingredients earlier, but it’s best to assemble the board right before serving to keep everything fresh and visually appealing.