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Easy Halloween Charcuterie Board with Candy Corn & Cheese Ghosts

Halloween charcuterie board - featured image
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A spooky and fun Halloween charcuterie board featuring cheese ghosts floating on blackberry jam, candy corn, and other sweet and savory snacks. It comes together in 15 minutes with mostly store-bought ingredients and is perfect for mixed-age crowds.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella
  • 4 ounces sharp white cheddar
  • 1 cup candy corn
  • 1 cup chocolate-covered pretzels
  • 1/4 cup blackberry or raspberry jam
  • 2 cups Ritz crackers or butter crackers
  • 1 cup green grapes
  • 1/2 cup shelled, lightly salted pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup black olives
  • 4 ounces prosciutto or salami (optional)
  • 1 apple, sliced thin (optional)
  • 1 cup carrot sticks (optional)
  • Babybel cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the cheese ghosts: Slice fresh mozzarella into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Press a ghost-shaped cookie cutter firmly into each round, wiggling slightly to cut through. Gently push the ghost out. You should get 6-8 ghosts from one 8-ounce ball. If the cheese is too soft, freeze for 10 minutes first.
  2. Prepare the cheddar: Cut sharp white cheddar into thin triangles, about 1 inch wide at the base. Alternatively, use a bat-shaped cookie cutter.
  3. Set up the jam ‘pond’: Spoon blackberry jam into a small ramekin and place it in the center or slightly off-center on the board.
  4. Arrange the ghosts: Place 3-4 cheese ghosts around the edge of the jam, as if floating. Tuck one ghost partially into the jam. Place remaining ghosts in other spots on the board.
  5. Add the crackers: Arrange Ritz crackers in clusters around the board, creating little ‘pathways’ between ingredients.
  6. Scatter the candy corn: Sprinkle candy corn in small piles around the board, placing a few pieces near the cheese ghosts for contrast.
  7. Add the chocolate pretzels: Tuck them into gaps between crackers and candy corn.
  8. Place the grapes: Arrange green grapes in small clusters of 3-5, spaced out around the board.
  9. Fill in with pumpkin seeds and olives: Scatter pumpkin seeds in empty spaces. Place black olives in small piles near the cheese.
  10. Add optional items: If using prosciutto, roll each slice into a loose rose and tuck near the cheddar. If using apple slices, arrange in a fan pattern opposite the cheese.
  11. Final check: Step back and fill any obvious empty spots with extra crackers or candy corn. The board should look full but not crowded.

Notes

Chill the mozzarella before cutting for cleaner ghost shapes. Use a sharp, thin cookie cutter. Don’t overcrowd the board; leave about 10% visible. Balance sweet and salty elements. Prep all ingredients before arranging. The board is best served at room temperature. Leftovers should be separated into airtight containers; cheese ghosts keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween charcuterie board, cheese ghosts, candy corn, easy appetizer, spooky snack, party platter

Find it online: https://prismtaste.com/easy-halloween-charcuterie-board-with-candy-corn-and-cheese-ghosts/