Ultimate Fall Harvest Cheese Board: Easy Cozy Autumn Appetizer Ideas
This ultimate fall harvest cheese board is a cozy, crowd-pleasing appetizer loaded with autumn’s best flavors—creamy cheeses, seasonal fruits, roasted nuts, and sweet accents. It’s easy to assemble, endlessly customizable, and perfect for entertaining or a casual night in.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- Brie cheese (soft, creamy)
- Sharp white cheddar cheese (aged)
- Blue cheese or gorgonzola
- Goat cheese log (plain or rolled in chopped herbs/cranberries)
- Smoked gouda cheese
- Honeycrisp apples (sliced, tossed in lemon juice)
- Ripe pears (Bosc or Bartlett, sliced thin)
- Fresh figs (halved, or dried figs if out of season)
- Red or Concord grapes (small clusters)
- Pomegranate arils
- Dried apricots or dried cherries
- Roasted or candied pecans
- Marcona almonds or roasted almonds
- Prosciutto (optional)
- Salami rounds or spicy soppressata (optional)
- Assorted crackers (multigrain, seeded, or gluten-free)
- Crostini (homemade or store-bought, brushed with olive oil and toasted)
- Breadsticks or pretzel twists
- Fig jam or apple butter
- Spiced honey (hot honey or honey with cinnamon and maple syrup)
- Dark chocolate squares (optional)
- Rosemary sprigs (for garnish)
- Fresh thyme (for garnish)
Instructions
- Remove all cheeses from the fridge 30-60 minutes before serving to bring to room temperature. Slice hard cheeses into bite-sized pieces or thin wedges. Leave soft cheeses whole or in large chunks.
- Slice apples and pears thinly, tossing them in lemon juice to prevent browning. Halve figs and trim grape clusters. Remove pomegranate arils.
- Place cheeses in different corners or sections of your board. Add small bowls for jams, honey, and runny items.
- Arrange fruit, crackers, and nuts in piles and clusters around the cheeses and bowls.
- If using charcuterie, fold prosciutto or salami and tuck around the cheeses. If skipping meat, add extra fruit or roasted veggies.
- Scatter dried fruit, roasted/candied nuts, and dark chocolate squares across the board. Fill gaps with fresh herbs.
- Garnish with rosemary sprigs and fresh thyme. Drizzle spicy honey over blue cheese if desired.
- Serve with cheese knives, napkins, and tongs or toothpicks. Keep the board cool until serving if outdoors.
Notes
Let cheeses come to room temperature for best flavor. For gluten-free, use seed crackers or sliced cucumbers. For nut-free, substitute roasted chickpeas or pumpkin seeds. Prep hard cheeses and fruit ahead, but slice apples and pears just before serving. Don’t overload the board—leave space for easy serving. Add pops of color with pomegranate arils or fresh herbs. For a warm twist, bake brie for 10 minutes at 350°F with honey before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of cheese board
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 16
- Sodium: 500
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 15
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