Nothing brings family together like a decadent array of delicious food. And it’s even better when the food is beautifully arranged as a charcuterie board. In our mind, they’re the perfect addition to any gathering.
While typical charcuterie boards only feature meats, cheeses and other savory goodies, there’s an alternative board we can’t wait to try: an Easter charcuterie board.
Get ready for a rainbow of colors and sugar galore. It’s candy time, baby!
How to Make an Easter Charcuterie Board
First, think about the symbols and traditions you associate with Easter. You’ll likely visualize soft, pastel colors as well as bunnies, chicks and eggs as far as the eye can see. Then, look for colorful candies, marshmallows, cookies and other sweet treats that fit the theme.
This board from @ainttooproudtomeg is quite a step up from the Easter baskets we grew up with!
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We also love this board from @kayla.camera.eats. It includes a combination of bright Peeps, bunny cookies, chocolate eggs and pastel M&M’s.
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To balance out all of the sugar, you can even create a board that blends sweet with savory. Another creation from @ainttooproudtomeg, this board relies on more traditional charcuterie ingredients like cheese, fruit and crackers. But don’t worry, there are some sweet treats in the form of cookies, candies and chocolate-covered pretzels. It is a holiday, after all.
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Overall, the arrangement of a board is just as important as the food it incorporates. I find what I love most about these particular variations are the incredible hues—they’re practically works of art.
This Is Fun for the Whole Family
While you probably already have plans to dye some eggs this Easter, why not add a new tradition, too? Assembling an Easter charcuterie board is a fun, kid-friendly activity! Just remember to practice safety for family gatherings this year, and have a wonderful time eating all that Easter candy.
Easter Egg Cookies
My mother started baking these cookies with me and my eight brothers and sisters when I was a child, and I carried on the tradition with our four youngsters when they were little. Now, my children are grown and can make these cookies with their own tots. —Barbara Neuweg, West Point, IowaMelt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon Cutouts
Full of lemony flavor, these cookies are great for any time of year and always popular with family and friends.—Patricia C. Quinn, Omaha, NebraskaApricot-Pecan Thumbprint Cookies
I enjoy experimenting with cake mixes to make new cookie recipes. I love apricot, but feel free to fill the thumbprint in the center of these goodies with any fruit preserve you like. —Nancy Johnson, Laverne, OklahomaJelly Bean Cookies
It's a family tradition for my grandmother and me to make these colorful cookies every year for the holidays. —Cheyenne Fink, Pleasantville, PennsylvaniaItalian Honey Clusters
My mother made these treats flavored with cinnamon and anise for neighbors, teachers and anyone who stopped by. Make sure the honey doesn’t boil longer than a minute or it could burn.—Sarah Knoblock, Hyde Park, IndianaButtersweets
With cream cheese, cherries and a sweet topping, this recipe turns chocolate chip cookies into something special. They taste like a combination of cookie and candy, and the sweet bites are a treat for the eyes as well. They're a family favorite at Christmastime—and year-round! —LeeAnn McCue, West Springfield, MassachusettsPastelitos De Boda
In Mexico, these rich cookies are called "Little Wedding Cakes" and usually are served with hot chocolate. Since moving here close to Mexico from the Midwest, I've enjoyed trying authentic recipes—they're a sharp departure from the Iowa favorites I grew up with! I love introducing these to relatives and friends! —Terri Lins, San Diego, CaliforniaItalian Cornmeal Spritz Cookies
A chef at a local culinary school gave me this recipe, and I've been using it for years. Italian cornmeal cookies are from the Piedmont region of northern Italy. They're not too sweet, and the glazed cherries add just the right touch. — Kristine Chayes, Smithtown, New YorkTender Italian Sugar Cookies
These traditional Italian cookies are moist and tender. —Weda Mosellie, Phillipsburg, New JerseyGiant Lemon Sugar Cookies
These wonderfully chewy cookies have a light lemon flavor from both the juice and zest. The sanding sugar on top adds sparkle and a bit of crunch. —Michael Vyskocil, Glen Rock, PennsylvaniaSlice 'n' Bake Lemon Gems
Rolled in colorful sprinkles, these melt-in-your-mouth cookies are pretty enough for a party. I make a lot of them for holiday cookie trays. (Complete your cookie tray with Chocolate Pretzel Rings.) —Delores Edgecomb, Atlanta, New YorkPolka-Dot Macaroons
Macaroons studded with M&M's are easy to mix up in a hurry. That's good, because believe me, they never last long. —Janice Lass, Dorr, MichiganStrawberry Shortcake Cookies
Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite desserts. I thought it would be great to capture all that wonderful flavor in a cookie. The pastry-like cookie is topped with pink strawberry frosting. —Allison Anderson, Avondale, ArizonaCoffee Shortbread
You'll be remembered for these cookies when you serve them for a morning coffee or at a gathering. Melted chips drizzled on top make them look fancy, but they're so easy to make. —Dixie Terry, Goreville, IllinoisPastel Tea Cookies
These glazed sugar cookies are perfect for nibbling between sips at a tea party, graduation or shower. —Lori Henry, Elkhart, IndianaCrisp Lemon Shortbread
Fresh juice and zest pair up to give my buttery cookies a lemony pop. Sprinkle sugar on top for extra sparkle. —Marcia Whitney, Gainesville, FloridaAmish Raisin Cookies
I found this recipe for a chewy raisin cookie in one of the many Amish cookbooks I own. I haven't seen it duplicated anywhere else. —Marcia Wagner, Berrien Springs, MichiganApricot-Filled Triangles
Traditionally called hamantaschen, these crisp, buttery triangle cookies truly do melt in your mouth. It's a good thing this classic Jewish dessert recipe makes a big batch because no one can stop after eating just one! —Mildred Lorence, Carlisle, PennsylvaniaLemony Coconut Macaroons
These chewy gems have refreshing lemon flavor. They freeze well and thaw easily in the fridge, so you can cure a craving anytime. —Karla Johnson, East Helena, MontanaConfetti Cake Batter Cookies
Mom and I took up cake decorating. Funfetti was our favorite cake, so we used the mix to make cutout cookies. Plain or decorated, they’re a fave at parties. —Danielle DeMarco, Basking Ridge, New JerseyOrange Sugar Cookies
I make these citrusy cookies for parties and special occasions, and we always get to eat the ones that don't come out perfectly. Eventually I had to start making extra "mistakes" to keep my family happy! —Myrrh Wertz, Milwaukee, WisconsinSuper Chunky Cookies
Chocolate lovers will go crazy over these cookies that feature loads of chocolate! When friends ask me to make "those cookies," I know exactly what recipe they mean. —Rebecca Jendry, Spring Branch, TexasLemon-Lime Butter Cookies
I was looking for a light cookie that would freeze and travel well and couldn't find one, so I created these. They are so good you won't be able to eat just one.—Brenda Brooks, Bowie, MarylandRaspberry Cream Sugar Cookies
We make sugar cookies and fill them with a tangy raspberry cream cheese. They taste best after they've been refrigerated for at least 45 minutes.—Heidi Farnworth, Riverton, UtahGlazed Bonbon Cookies
The chocolate in the middle of these cookies is such a fun surprise. And the dough is so simple to make, with just the right amount of sweetness. —April Shuttleworth, Fort Wayne, INSlice & Bake Coconut Shortbread Cookies
Light and buttery, these delicate shortbread cookies are melt-in-your-mouth good. The coconut flavor makes them extra special. —Roberta Otto, Duluth, MinnesotaKourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)
I had to bake something from my heritage for school. So, I made this heavenly kourabiedes recipe. —Rebecca Sprague, St. Louis, MissouriThe post People Are Making Charcuterie Boards for Easter—and We Love the Egg-Stravaganza appeared first on Taste of Home.
Melany Love