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How to Build a Holiday Cheeseboard + Quick Spiced Apricot Preserves!

This is exactly how to build a holiday cheeseboard complete with a variety of cheeses, breads, crackers, nuts, fruit preserves, and mustards! This quick spiced apricot preserve recipe is easy to make ahead to add to the board, or to use as a hostess gift!

Course Appetizer
Prep Time 20 minutes
Author Molly | Spices in My DNA

Ingredients

For the cheeseboard

  • cheddar cheese (I like a sharp or aged version)
  • manchego cheese (always a must!)
  • syrah soaked Toscano cheese/Sartori cheese
  • triple cream Brie
  • spreadable herb cheese
  • cranberry crusted goat cheese
  • hard salami or cured meats
  • multigrain baguette
  • hard breadsticks
  • flatbread crackers (I used a rosemary sea salt version)
  • pita chips
  • pistachio pomegranate crisps (I found these at Trader Joe's)
  • candied pecans or walnuts
  • rosemary sea salt roasted marcona almonds
  • dried cranberries
  • grapes
  • caper berries
  • olives
  • peppadew peppers
  • gherkins or pickles
  • grainy mustard or other gourmet mustards
  • sour cherry preserves
  • fig jam

For the spiced apricot preserves

  • 10 ounce jar of apricot preserves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

  1. To make the preserves, heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the apricot preserves, cinnamon stick, cloves, allspice, and honey. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently or until mixture has reduced a bit in volume.

  2. Whole still hot, remove the cinnamon stick, cloves, and allspice, and discard. I left a few of mine in there. Let cool and serve with your cheeses!

  3. To assemble the cheeseboard, arrange everything on a platter. I usually like to place different cheeses closer together, and kind of scatter everything throughout, but it's totally up to you. Have fun with it!