Fall Cheese and Charcuterie Board

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My favorite time of year is when summer gives way to autumn. The light changes, the temperatures drop, and the abundance of late summer harvests and early autumn produce mingle at the markets. It never fails to inspire me to create a beautiful Fall Cheese and Charcuterie Board. It is such a special time of year and I feel like a cheese and charcuterie board studded with in-season herbs, figs, apples, and pears is the perfect way to celebrate and welcome the fall season after a long, hot summer.

large cutting board covered with fall-themed cheeses and other ingredients

Recipe Background and Details

If you know me you know I love creating and enjoying a cheese board. As I have written before, to me it's like painting a picture and I really enjoy the creative process. Cheese and charcuterie boards are very much a seasonal thing to me. I let the colors and flavors of seasonal produce guide me as you can see in this fall cheese board as well as in my Springtime Charcuterie Board.

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Recipe Background and Details
Ingredients
Instructions
Make Ahead and Storage
FAQ
Related - Thanksgiving
How to Create a Fall Cheese and Charcuterie Board

Ingredients

I will provide a list of the ingredients I used, but be sure to use what is seasonal and local to you when you create your own fall cheese board.

close up of small round of cheese with honeycomb and fresh figs on top

Cheeses and Meats

I went for as many orange-colored cheeses as I could find as well as some all-time favorites that I include on pretty much all of my cheese boards. I purchased all of the ingredients for this board from my local Wegmans and some of these cheeses are exclusive to that grocery chain.

smoked gouda: for the golden color but also a nod to fall fireplaces and bonfires.
aged gouda: I used one that was very hard and aged like parmesan and another that was softer and had cumin seeds (very unique and delicious!).
apple cider washed soft cheese: This was like a cross between a brie and a taleggio - very creamy and delicious.
balsamic aged cheddar: sharp and tangy and I loved the burgundy accents from the balsamic.
small round of aged goat cheese: I chose this as a platform for my figs and honeycomb.
humboldt fog: a classic and one of my favorite cheeses.
blue cheese: again, one of my personal favorites.

Meats:

I used three meats for this board but you could add more if you like such as pepperoni, salami, or mortadella.

Prosciutto
Grigliato Prosciutto Cotto with herbs (this was very fall to me as it had rosemary and sage)
Serrano Ham

close up of pear slice wrapped in prosciutto on larger fall charcuterie board

Fresh produce and herbs:

sage and rosemary: from my garden. Use what you have!
figs: again, from my garden. Depending on where you live and the time of year you may not be able to find fresh figs but you can use dried figs or fig jam.
apples, pears, plums, and black grapes: to me, these are all the quintessential late summer and early fall fruits.

Nuts, seeds, and crackers:

candied walnuts
pumpkin seeds

Crackers:

Raincoast crisps: I used wegmans version of these in the fig and vanilla flavor
bruschetta toasts
sourdough crackers
cheese straws

Other:

sweet potato hummus: I chose this for the pretty orange color
honeycomb and honey
dried figs
fresh persimmons, oak leaves, and marigolds: All from my backyard. These were mostly for decoration but if you can find ripe persimmons they are delicious with cheese.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Have fun and make it yours. Take some time to really think about the flavors, colors, and textures and make this fall cheese and charcuterie board your own unique creation. That is the best part! Your seasonal produce may be very different from what I can get here in Northeastern Virginia. So use my board as a guide, but make it your own based on your region and your preferences.

cracker topped with soft cheese fresh figs and honey

Choose a large cutting board or tray: I used my biggest Boos board for this epic fall charcuterie board, but if you are serving fewer, you can go with a 13x18 baking tray or board.
Place your largest items first: I like to place round items first, including round cheeses and round ramekins/serving dishes. Then I place related items together. So for the hummus, I placed the hummus down first and then arranged crackers and other items around it.
Make it easy to eat: Slice, cube, or crumble hard cheeses and provide a small knife or spoon for soft cheeses.
Group like items together: For example, instead of sprinkling grapes around, I like to do one or two big bunches. The board will be much more visually appealing as well as easier to navigate if you have clusters of items rather than a big mess of mixed up ingredients.
Fill in the cracks: I like to add crackers, herbs, and flowers at the very end once I'm happy with the way it looks. I just go around filling in any spaces and tucking herbs underneath items on the edge until it looks really abundant and very pretty.

Make Ahead and Storage

This fall charcuterie board can be assembled 3 days ahead, covered well with plastic wrap and refrigerated. I suggest adding garnishes, honeycomb, crackers, fruits, fresh herbs, and flowers just before serving.

angled image of fall cheese board focusing on small pumpkin-shaped dish full of sweet potato hummus topped with green pumpkin seeds

FAQ

What should go on a fall charcuterie board?

A fall cheese and charcuterie board should include fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, cheeses and meats that have a fall feel such as those made with herbs and wine, as well as accompaniments like pumpkin seeds, candied nuts, pumpkin or sweet potato hummus, and other ingredients that are unique to the fall season.

What is a good fall cheese?

A good fall cheese is a well-aged gouda, gruyere, or parmesan. Also, if you can find it, an apple cider washed cheese is perfect for a fall cheese board.