How to Make Charcuterie Cups
Another easy party appetizer idea for your holiday gatherings, these DIY charcuterie cups are as simple as it gets.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.
If you follow my blog or Instagram, you might already know that I am always searching for ideas to make holiday hosting easier. I love finding simple, crowd-pleasing appetizers to serve at parties and family gatherings, especially during the holidays! I’ve tried many recipes over the years, and the ones I return to are always those that are simple, but really fun to serve! In the past I’ve served these puff pastry Christmas trees, a fun caprese wreath, and yummy cranberry brie bites, to name a few festive snack ideas. And, spoiler alert, these charcuterie cups are no different!
Individual Charcuterie Cups Holiday Party Appetizer
Charcuterie is a must-have appetizer at any party, but I love this more relaxed take. Charcuterie boards are beautiful (and you know I love a good serving board), but these are so much easier for guests to grab and enjoy. No more crowding around the table to fill your plate—you can mingle with these in-hand, thanks to these paper cups.
All you need to make these charcuterie cups is a mixture of cured meats such as prosciutto and salami, crackers, cheese, and a few other complementary finger foods like grapes and olives. Use mini skewers or cocktail picks to hold the main pieces together and tuck the crackers and fruit in front of it. Fold up the pieces of meat like an accordion so they don’t take up too much space. You can also add a sprig of rosemary for a little added holiday flair!
More Filling Ideas
There are so many ways to go with these cups. I like this more traditional charcuterie look for the holidays (lots of red and green!) but you can easily make swaps to suit your tastes and occasion. The best combinations will have a good balance of sweet and salty. Here are a few ideas!
Cheese: Gruyère, manchego, gouda, cheddar—any medium to hard cheese that you can easily cube will do.
Salami: Prosciutto, Genoa, Soppressata, pepperoni - choose a couple types and mix classic flavors with more seasoned varties.
Olives: Kalamata and castelvetrano olives work well here, and you can try various stuffed or marinated varieties.
Fruit: I love grapes for these cups! You can also try berries or dried fruits
Bread: Crackers and crostinis of different kinds to complement the meat and cheese.
Lastly, A Fun Way To Serve Champagne with Your Party Appetizers
This ice mold is such a fun focal point and can be used over and over again (as you may have seen last summer). For Christmas this year, I added greenery, oranges, cranberries and pomegranate. When I’m using for a party, I like to put a little ice inside the cube to keep it extra cold. It always turns out so pretty!
Tip: To get clear ice, heat the water up! I didn’t make my water hot enough this time but it still looks great. Also, to get it out, make sure you pull out of freezer at least 30 minutes before you attempt to remove. I also run a little warm water over the outside so it comes out easier!
Happy entertaining! Hope you enjoyed these holiday appetizer and serving ideas!