Name: Easy Christmas Tree Cheese Platter
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Appetizer
Ingredients: 1 cup Colby Jack cheese, cubed (or your preferred cheese cubed); 1 cup Cheddar cheese, cubed (or your preferred cheese cubed); ½ cup cherry tomatoes; Fresh rosemary sprigs (for garnish)

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Get into the holiday spirit with this tree-mendously easy Christmas Tree Cheese Platter. This kid and adult friendly appetizer features a mix of Colby Jack and Cheddar cheeses (or your favorite combos), paired with juicy cherry tomatoes and garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs to add a festive touch for all your senses.

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Christmas tree wooden platter with alternating layers of cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes and rosemary sprigs.

I love the holiday season, and making easy but cute appetizers and treats to share with my family and friends.

This wasn’t always the case. Before I had children of my own I was a bit cynical about the whole commercialization of the holidays, and expectations of family members we had strained relationships with.

But kids really do change things. I love watching the magic through their eyes, and feeing their excitement. It’s turned me from a bit of a Grinch into a secret Santa, wanting to keep that magic alive as long as possible (without creating extra stress on us parents).

Which is where recipes like this easy Christmas Tree Platter come in handy. When I first created it, i thought to myself why didn’t I think of this before? So simple and quick.

Whether you’re hosting a holiday party or looking for an easy appetizer to bring to a Christmas gathering, this platter is both eye-catching, delicious, and great for kids to adults. It’s also a great Christmas vacation snack as it doesn’t require fancy equipment to make (just skip the tree cutting board).

In only about 15 minutes of prep time, you can assemble a beautiful cheese board in the shape of a Christmas tree, perfect for entertaining guests during the holiday season. Plus it’s versatile to everyone’s tastes and not too expensive if you stick to the more affordable cheeses, fruit or veggies.

Just switch out the cheeses, and veggies (or fruit) to one’s you prefer. We’ve done one that’s completely red & green fruits before as well, that’s just as cute.

🎄 Don’t have a festive shaped board? Here’s the Christmas Tree Cutting Board we most often use at home. Or just arrange the cheese & vegetables in a tree shape on a large wooden cutting board or platter.

Christmas Tree shaped wooden cutting board with rows of alternating cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes and rosemary sprigs

Why You’ll Love This Christmas Tree Cheese Platter Recipe

Festive & Fun: The Christmas tree shape makes this platter perfect for holiday parties, family gatherings, school classroom parties or even as a holiday snack. We use this fun Christmas tree cutting board.

Super Quick & Easy: With just 15 minutes of total time, you can have this platter assembled and ready to serve in no time.

Versatile & Delicious: You can easily customize the cheeses and garnishes to suit your preferences, making this platter perfect for any crowd. Add your favorite fruits, cheeses, meats, mini crackers or veggies. Just make sure to add a bit of green (rosemary or thyme sprigs, broccoli etc.) and red to make it extra Christmasy.

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Ingredients for the Easy Christmas Snack Board

Ingredients for the holiday cheese platter in small and medium bowls; cherry tomatoes, cheddar cheese cubes, colby jack cheese cubes, and sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Cheese Board ingredients you will need:

1 cup Colby Jack cheese, cubed (or your preferred cheese cubed)
1 cup Cheddar cheese, cubed (or your preferred cheese cubed)
½ cup cherry tomatoes
Fresh rosemary sprigs (for garnish)

PRO TIP: While we love a good aged cheddar, they tend to crumble when you try to cut it, if it’s too aged. We find slightly less mature cheddar works better for cubing. Plus we’ve noticed the kids like it better when the cheese has a milder taste.

Supplies you will need:

Christmas tree shaped cutting board or large platter
Cheese Knife & Cutting Board (for chopping the cheese cubes)
Saran Wrap to cover the platter if not using immediately OR
Reusable glass containers to store the prepared ingredients until we’re ready to put the platter out (our preferred containers & method).

🎄You may also like our list of favorite Kid-Friendly Christmas Appetizers

Instructions for the Cheese Christmas Tree Platter

This Christmas Tree cheese board is super quick to put together. As long as it takes you to cut the cheese cubes essentially, plus a few minutes to put the tree shape together.

My kids love helping put the tree together. It’s a fun family holiday activity, with not a lot of mess (if you cut the cheeses first).

1. Prepare the Ingredients

Wooden Christmas tree shaped cutting board, with small bowls of cubed cheese, cherry tomatoes and 3 sprigs of rosemary beside it.

Cut the Colby Jack and Cheddar cheeses into small, bite-sized cubes. Wash & dry the cherry tomatoes and set them aside.

2. Assemble the Christmas Tree Platter

Three photos showing a Christmas Tree shaped cheese board with rows of cubed cheese, cherry tomatoes and fresh rosemary sprigs.

On a large, Christmas tree-shaped platter (or any large platter), begin placing the top layer of Cheddar Cheese cubes. Then follow with a row of cherry tomatoes directly beneath the Cheddar cubes to create a colorful, festive effect.

Add a layer of Colby Jack cheese cubes beneath the cherry tomatoes, continuing to build the shape of a tree as you work downward.

Place fresh rosemary sprigs beneath the Colby Jack, to add a touch of greenery to resemble the branches of the tree.

You could even do mini cheeseballs in the layers if you have the extra time and want to be fancy.

3. Repeat the Layers

Continue the pattern by adding another layer of Cheddar Cheese, followed by cherry tomatoes, and then Colby Jack cubes, (or your chosen ingredients) until you reach the bottom of the platter.

4. Finish with Greenery

Cubed cheese board on a Christmas Tree shaped wooden cutting board with rows of alternating cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes and rosemary sprigs.

Finish the tree by placing fresh rosemary sprigs at the bottom, completing the festive look with a final touch of greenery. Your Christmas tree-shaped cheese platter is now ready to serve!

Tips & Notes

Use Different Cheeses: You can switch up the cheeses by using Gouda, Mozzarella, or Pepper Jack if you prefer. The key is to use firm cheeses that hold their shape well when cubed.

Add More Festive Colors: To enhance the holiday look, consider adding green grapes, broccoli, or sliced cucumbers between the layers for more color and texture.

Make Ahead: This cheese platter can be prepped a few hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Just cover it with plastic wrap to keep it fresh until ready to serve.

Customize Your Garnishes: If you don’t have rosemary, you can use other fresh herbs like thyme or parsley for greenery.

Serve with Crackers and Dip: Pair this cheese platter with a variety of crackers or breadsticks and dip on the side for guests to enjoy with the cheeses.

This Christmas Tree Cheese Platter is a simple yet festive addition to your holiday spread. It’s quick to assemble, fun to customize, and will definitely impress your littlest to oldest guests this holiday season!

Cheese cube Christmas platter in in the shape of a tree, with cherry tomatoes, cheese cubes and rosemary sprigs in rows.

Easy Christmas Tree Cheese Platter

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup Colby Jack cheese, cubed (or your preferred cheese cubed)
1 cup Cheddar cheese, cubed (or your preferred cheese cubed)
½ cup cherry tomatoes
Fresh rosemary sprigs (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Ingredients

Cut the Colby Jack and Cheddar cheeses into small, bite-sized cubes. Wash & dry the cherry tomatoes and set them aside.

2. Assemble the Christmas Tree Platter

On a large, Christmas tree-shaped platter (or any large platter), begin placing the top layer of Cheddar Cheese cubes. Then follow with a row of cherry tomatoes directly beneath the Cheddar cubes to create a colorful, festive effect.

Add a layer of Colby Jack cheese cubes beneath the cherry tomatoes, continuing to build the shape of a tree as you work downward.

Place fresh rosemary sprigs beneath the Colby Jack, to add a touch of greenery to resemble the branches of the tree.

3. Repeat the Layers

Continue the pattern by adding another layer of Cheddar Cheese, followed by cherry tomatoes, and then Colby Jack cubes, (or your chosen ingredients) until you reach the bottom of the platter.

4. Finish with Greenery

Finish the tree by placing fresh rosemary sprigs at the bottom, completing the festive look with a final touch of greenery. Your Christmas tree-shaped cheese platter is now ready to serve!

Notes

Use Different Cheeses: You can switch up the cheeses by using Gouda, Mozzarella, or Pepper Jack if you prefer. The key is to use firm cheeses that hold their shape well when cubed.

Customize Your Garnishes: If you don’t have rosemary, you can use other fresh herbs like thyme or parsley for greenery.

Add More Festive Colors: To enhance the holiday look, consider adding green grapes, broccoli, or sliced cucumbers, between the layers for more color and texture.

Make Ahead: This cheese platter can be prepped a few hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Just cover it with plastic wrap to keep it fresh until ready to serve.

Serve with Crackers and Dip: Pair this cheese platter with a variety of crackers or breadsticks and dip on the side for guests to enjoy with the cheeses.

Fun & Easy Christmas Tree Cheese Platter Your Guests Will Love