A dessert board is an easy way to turn a mix of sweets into something fun and shareable. The board or platter is loaded up with a mix of cookies, brownies, bars and fruit, or whatever you have on hand, and arranged so it looks full and inviting. It's a quick and relaxed style of serving dessert that lets everyone pick and choose their favorites.
A dessert board feels generous without requiring hours in the kitchen. It also gives variety so there's something for every kind of sweet tooth, from chocolate lovers to fruit fans. Most of all, it turns dessert into an interactive experience where guests can graze and try new combinations, and it keeps the party feeling fun and relaxed.
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Trader Joe's Ingredients
Sometimes there just isn't enough time to bake six different desserts for one party. It can get pricey, and you'll end up with way more sweets than you need for a sampler style dessert board. That is where store bought treats come in handy. Different grocery stores have their own options and strengths, so we went to Trader Joe's since we knew they would have a great variety.
We grabbed macarons and lemon bars from the freezer section, brownie bites, chocolate chunk cookies and Belgian waffles from the bakery area, and mocha latte pretzels from the snack aisle. We got the strawberries in the produce section and then grabbed a tiny pack of chocolate covered almonds by the register on the way out. The whole spread came in at just under $32 and we had extras too! Even if you don't have a Trader Joe's nearby or aren't a fan, here's what we recommend when buying ingredients for and creating a dessert board:
- 2 or more different types of cookies
- 2 or more different types of bars and brownies
- 1 or more fruits
- 1 or more unusual items like the Belgian waffles
- 2 or more small filler items like chocolate covered pretzels or nuts
How to make a Dessert Charcuterie Board
I know, I know. Desserts aren't technically charcuterie. Traditionally, charcuterie refers to meats and cheeses. That's why I didn't call this a "dessert charcuterie board." But when you hear dessert charcuterie board, you instantly picture the look we're going for...a board piled high with a variety of colorful treats.
So how do you put together a dessert charcuterie board? Start with a large platter or cheese board. The platter shown in the photos is 11x16, with about 9x14 of usable space. Start with your first dessert and create at least three separate groupings. They don't need to be perfectly spaced. We started with the Belgian waffles since they're larger and more difficult to tuck in later. Next, choose another dessert and make at least three more groupings. Ours were strawberries, which also don't work well as fillers. From there, we added lemon bars and macarons to spread out pops of color. Chocolate chunk cookies came next so they weren't all clumped in one area. Finally, we filled in the gaps with mocha pretzels and chocolate covered almonds. Small filler items are really important because they cover empty board space and visually tie the whole board together.
Substitutions
- Gluten free - If you shop at a store like Trader Joe's, they have a decent selection of gluten free items to choose from. If you're shopping at a regular grocery store, look the regular spots and in random spots too. Our closest grocery store now has a refrigerator chest of gluten free cakes and desserts right next to the regular cakes.
Storage
Store any leftover fruit and desserts separately. Any leftover fruit or lemon bars should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Most cookies and bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 to 7 days. Storage times may vary if you choose different items for your dessert board.
Next Level Tips
- One of the keys to a great looking dessert board is to really pack in the treats. Leave as little empty space as possible.
- Create visual interest by arranging your desserts in different directions and layers. Don't be afraid to stack some bars or turn cookies and brownies on their sides.
- Cutting your cookies or bars into smaller pieces allows everyone to sample more of the desserts, it creates visual interest and it allows you to use cookies and bars as filler too.
- Think about color when you're buying treats and creating your board. Strawberries are always a great choice as they add a lot of color to your board. We also like the assorted pack of macarons for all the different colors.
Pairing
These are my favorite charcuterie boards to serve with a dessert board:
How to Make a Dessert Board
Ingredients
- 2 or more types of cookies
- 2 or more types of brownies and bars
- 1 or more fruits
- 1 or more unusual sweets like Belgian waffles
- 2 or more small filler treats like chocolate covered pretzels or almonds
Instructions
- Start by cutting any large cookies, bars or waffles into smaller pieces.
- Next, take your first dessert and make 3 or more groupings of that dessert. They don't have to be perfectly spaced out. We started with the Belgian waffles.
- Then, take your next dessert and make 3 or more groupings of that dessert. They can be touching, but don't have to be touching, your first 3 groups. We used strawberries for the second dessert.
- Next place and stack some cookies and bars in different directions in three or more spots each. Think about adding color pops in different areas of the board.
- Finally, fill in any empty, blank spots on your board with the filler items like chocolate covered pretzels or almonds.
- If you have extra treats, you can also pile them higher vertically.
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