Brunch Charcuterie Board
A Brunch Charcuterie Board is a fantastic option for grazing breakfast or brunch at social events and in more formal settings, like business or organization meetings. It’s a fun way for folks to graze, enjoying their favorite breakfast foods from the board.
Baby and bridal shower brunches, book club meetings, and Easter and Christmas mornings are just a few of the events well suited to a brunch or breakfast charcuterie board, which could be ‘themed’ accordingly.
Table of Contents
Taking a Few Liberties with ‘Charcuterie Board.’
Charcuterie literally means a store selling cooked and preserved meats. Like the rest of the world, we have taken liberty with that term. I guess a better term would be ‘grazing board.’ But since traditional ‘charcuterie boards’ are now widely accepted as meat and cheese boards, we ask your permission to stretch it even further to include this easy Brunch Charcuterie Board. Many thanks in advance. 😉
Why I Think You Will Love a Brunch Charcuterie Board
I love the idea of presenting enough options so that everyone can find something they love. Some folks love sweet breakfast food, while others prefer savory. A well-balanced brunch charcuterie board offers several options.
It is perfect for occasions when mingling is encouraged. I’m excited to prepare this Brunch Charcuterie Board for Christmas morning this year. Between opening gifts, which we really drag out, everyone can nab what they want.
You can prep and make many Brunch Charcuterie ingredients in advance. While many of the ingredients can be purchased already made, if you are doing it yourself, you can mix flavored cream cheeses and bake mini muffins, quiches, breakfast burritos, and bread in the days before. On the morning off, reheat and slice as needed. You can also wash and cut (as required) fruit the day before.
Lastly, you can customize your breakfast board for the occasion, season, or personal taste. During the holidays, emphasize red and green fruits. In spring and summer, highlight watermelon and berries.
Ingredients on this Easy Brunch Charcuterie Board
Use your favorite recipes or purchase items already made at the grocery store. I’m all about homemade when possible, but most grocery stores carry most of these items if you need to save time with an easy charcuterie board.
Sweet
- Mini pancakes (found at Trader Joe’s but are available at almost every grocery store in the frozen foods section. I layered them with Nutella, banana, raspberries)
- Yogurt, fruit, and granola cups (Tropical fruit and yogurt recipe)
- Mini muffins (lemon poppy seed, cranberry orange)
- French toast sticks with syrup (purchased at the grocery store)
- Mini donuts or donut holes
Savory
- Avocado Toast (Mini Toasts recipe)
- Bacon (candied bacon)
- Mini quiches (found at Trader Joe’s but are available at almost every grocery store in the frozen foods section.
- Mini-filled puff pastry (Trader Joe’s Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion) is available at almost every grocery store in the frozen foods section.
- Everything bagel dip with bagel chips (dip is found at Trader Joe’s, but it is available in almost every grocery store in the frozen foods section).
Fruits
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Papaya & Lime (for tropical parfait)
Options for Sides and Accompaniments
- Maple syrup
- Jellies
- Preserves
- Cream cheese (flavored or plain)
- Granola
- Butters like maple butter or honey butter
- Fruit curds
- Nutella
- Whipped cream
- Mini chocolate chips
- Peanut butter or almond butter
- Fresh herbs for filling and decorating
Other Items
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As you consider what to place on your Brunch Charcuterie Board, you may need some of the following items to help you serve and your guests enjoy their breakfast.
- Charcuterie board, cutting board, tray, or large flat surface 16-24 inches (for 10-20 people)
- We used bowls to hold jam, fruit, etc.
- Here are the 5-ounce cups we used for the parfaits, French toast sticks, and bacon.
- Cheese knives as need
- Small spoons and forks for jelly, parfaits, oats, etc…
- Toothpicks to hold pancakes together.
- Small plates
- Napkins
- Serving tongs
More Brunch Charcuterie Board Ideas
The beauty of any charcuterie board is that you can make it your own with your chosen food. I recommend following the guideline of choosing three to five food choices in each category for your board and picking mini, bite-sized, or small bite-type items.
Here are some other favorite breakfast items for you to consider when mulling over what you’d like to put on your Brunch Charcuterie Board:
Other Sweet Options
- Mini cinnamon rolls
- Scones (Lemon Rosemary Scones or Gingerbread Scones)
- Mini tarts (Mini Strawberry Tarts)
- Overnight oat cups
- Mini muffins (Banana Blueberry Muffins)
- French Toast
- Slices of coffee cake (Strawberry Jam Cake)
- Crepes with jelly or curd and dusted with powdered sugar,
- Mini croissants,
- Monkey bread bites
- Apple Cider Doughnut Cake cut into slices
- Banana bread cut in bites, sticks, or slices (Cranberry, Apple and Banana Bread)
- Cinnamon buns
- Doughnut holes (Apple Spice Doughnut Holes and Pumpkin Doughnut Holes)
- Tea Cakes (Vanilla Tea Cake with Lavender Glaze)
- Pop tart bites
Other Savory Options
- Bagels with lox and cream cheese
- Mini Chicken and waffles
- Frittata
- Chilaquiles
- Breakfast tacos
- Breakfast burritos (cut in half)
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Deviled eggs
- Egg muffins
- Cheese puffs (a gluten-free option)
- Sausage links
- Bagel chips with cream cheese dip
- Sausage in puff pastry
- Sausage balls (can be made gluten-free with GF Baking mix)
- Bacon Twizzlers
- Toasted English Muffin Bread
Fruits
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Melon
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Apple slices soaked in lemon juice to prevent browning
Tips for Success!
- Balance Sweet and Savory: Ensure you have a roughly equal mix of sweet and savory items to appeal to various tastes. The rule of thumb is 3-5 from each category (sweet, savory, and fruit & nut)
- Offer Variety: Include options for different dietary needs (e.g., gluten-free crackers, dairy-free yogurt).
- Prepare Ahead: Assemble as much as possible the night before, except for items that need to stay fresh, like avocado or baked goods that are best warmed.
- Use Height and Levels: Add dimension to your board using small pedestals or bowls to create visual interest.
- Group Items: Arrange items in clusters to make them easy to reach and visually pleasing. Keeping warm food together and away from cool food will help those warm foods stay warmer longer.
- Seasonal Touches: Incorporate in-season fruits and garnishes like fresh herbs for an extra festive touch.
- Keep It Fresh: Serve items like avocado toast or pastries just before serving to maintain their texture and flavor. If you have a warming drawer, keeping warm food in there so you can refresh the board as needed is helpful. If you don’t have a warming drawer, set your oven between 170°F and 200°F (77°C and 93°C) to keep already cooked foods warm.
Brunch Charcuterie Board
Equipment
- Wooden sandwich picks - to hold pancake stacks together
Ingredients
Sweet:
- Mini pancakes optional: with nutella, banana, raspberries
- Fruit and Yogurt Cups Pictured Tropical Fruit and Yogurt Cups
- Mini muffins lemon poppy seed, cranberry orange
- French Toast sticks with Syrup
- Mini donuts or donut holes
Savory:
- Avocado Toast Mini Toasts
- Bacon pictured candied bacon
- Mini quiches
- Mini filled puff pastry
- Everything bagel dip with bagel chips
Fruits
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Papaya & Lime for tropical parfait
Drinks (Optional):
- Mimosa prosecco with orange juice
- Bloody Mary's
Instructions
- Start preparation for the board 30 minutes to 1 hour before.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃), if you are making bacon. Cooking the bacon in the oven will help preserve time and will make clean-up easier.
- Cut bacon in half (this will make it more bite-sized). Place a single layer of bacon on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes. *If you make candied bacon, sprinkle each piece with brown sugar and cracked pepper. To add a little spice, sprinkle of cayenne or red pepper flakes.
- Heat the mini quiches, pancakes, and French toast sticks according to package directions.
- While waiting for oven items, prepare yogurt cups.
- Layer cooled pancakes with banana and Nutella, top with fruit such as raspberry, and secure with a toothpick.
- Place a small amount of syrup at the bottom of small cups and french toast sticks in each cup.
- Once the bacon is cooked, place each piece on a new piece of parchment to cool.
- To assemble the board, place larger items, such as the small bowl of everything: bagel dip, yogurt cups, bacon in a cup, and French toast cups.
- Make the avocado toast just before serving since the avocado can turn brown, and the arugula will wilt if left out too long. Recipe below
- Add other items around the small dishes, such as the muffins, avocado toasts, mini pancakes, and bagel chips.
- Fill in with fruit
Notes
More Brunch Charcuterie Board Ideas
The beauty of any charcuterie board is that you can make it your own with your chosen food. I recommend following the guideline of choosing three to five food choices in each category for your board and picking mini, bite-sized, or small bite-type items. Here are some other favorite breakfast items for you to consider when mulling over what you’d like to put on your Brunch Charcuterie Board:Other Sweet Options
- Mini cinnamon rolls
- Scones (Lemon Rosemary Scones or Gingerbread Scones)
- Mini tarts (Mini Strawberry Tarts)
- Overnight oat cups
- Mini muffins (Banana Blueberry Muffins)
- French Toast
- Slices of coffee cake (Strawberry Jam Cake)
- Crepes with jelly or curd and dusted with powdered sugar,
- Mini croissants,
- Monkey bread bites
- Apple Cider Doughnut Cake cut into slices
- Banana bread cut in bites, sticks, or slices (Cranberry, Apple and Banana Bread)
- Cinnamon buns
- Doughnut holes (Apple Spice Doughnut Holes and Pumpkin Doughnut Holes)
- Tea Cakes (Vanilla Tea Cake with Lavender Glaze)
- Pop tart bites
Other Savory Options
- Bagels with lox and cream cheese
- Mini Chicken and waffles
- Frittata
- Chilaquiles
- Breakfast tacos
- Breakfast burritos (cut in half)
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Deviled eggs
- Egg muffins
- Cheese puffs (a gluten-free option)
- Sausage links
- Bagel chips with cream cheese dip
- Sausage in puff pastry
- Sausage balls (can be made gluten-free with GF Baking mix)
- Bacon Twizzlers
- Toasted English Muffin Bread
Other Fruit Options
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Melon
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Apple slices soaked in lemon juice to prevent browning
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
For 10-20 guests, a board around 16-24 inches works well. Adjust size based on your guest count and available space.
Use warming trays or insulated serving dishes for items like mini quiches or sausage puffs.
Keep wet and dry items separate. For example, serve syrups and dips in individual bowls or cups.
Use fillers like fresh herbs, edible flowers, or extra fruit to fill any gaps.
Mimosas, Bloody Marys, coffee, tea, or flavored waters are excellent complementary options.
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