Tips for an Easy-to-Make Hanukkah Cheese Board

Because there's no better way to say "Happy Hanukkah" than with cheese — literally.

November 24, 2021
Cheese Platter With Snacks and Cheese That Spells Out "Happy Hanukkah"

Photo by: Rebekah Lowin

Rebekah Lowin

Short on time? Dreaming of a bountiful cheese platter for your Hanukkah spread? Well, we've got you covered with this easy-to-assemble food board brimming with snacks and cheeses in hues of blue, cream and white. Cookie cutters work to shape slices of cheddar cheese into letters spelling out "Happy Hanukkah" on an otherwise simple holiday cheese board — a fun, unexpected detail that's bound to make guests stop and stare (or pull out their phones for a photo). The best part? You can customize the message to say whatever you'd like.

Ingredients

  • sliced cheddar cheese, American cheese or any other sliced cheese that’s easy to manipulate with cookie cutters
  • fresh blueberries
  • popcorn
  • almonds
  • blocks of various cheeses
  • baked cheese stick twists
  • chocolate covered nuts
  • chips
  • crackers

Materials Needed

  • cutting board, cheese board or platter
  • miniature alphabet cookie cutters

Select a Board

Picking out the right surface is actually the most important step in this process. You'll want to make sure that the one you choose is flat and sturdy, with no curved edges — i.e., no dinner plates. That smooth, level surface will make it easy to arrange your food.

Assemble

No matter the occasion, a sparse-looking cheese board is a sad sight. Keep things plentiful by making sure there's enough food to keep all guests happy. Apart from the sliced cheese, go ahead and place all of the ingredients and snacks onto the board in groupings, leaving room for your desired message. Don't worry — you can always adjust the spacing and placement of each snack later.

Create Message

Working somewhat quickly so as to keep the cheese cool, use your alphabet cutters to cut letters out of the slices of cheese. Refrigerate any leftover cheese to replenish the board or to enjoy later. Place the letters onto the board to spell out a message of your choosing. Loosely cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, or enjoy immediately.

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