How to Make a Breakfast Charcuterie Board to Wow Your Guests

Charcuterie boards are the fancy snack plates to enjoy during wine tastings and picnics, full of expensive cheeses and cured meats. However, a charcuterie board can be enjoyed any time of day, and one of the best ways to switch it up is to make one for breakfast! A breakfast charcuterie board allows you to have a taste of all of your favorite breakfast foods, along with providing a classy way to impress your guests.

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It can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to a breakfast charcuterie board, but the good news is that it's hard to go wrong. Simply think about what your favorite breakfast foods are and go from there. The board is essentially an assortment of small portions of your most beloved breakfast foods, allowing you to enjoy a bit of everything.

Breakfast is one meal that has a perfect balance of savory and sweet. It's perfectly acceptable to eat a meal of eggs and bacon or a few icing-coated cinnamon rolls. For a charcuterie board, you'll want to incorporate both savory and sweet flavors to have a well-rounded breakfast experience that everyone can enjoy.

How to Make a Breakfast Charcuterie Board

When arranging your board, it's helpful to decide what you want the focal part of the board to be. Maybe you've made a batch of blueberry pancakes that are meant to be the star of the show, or maybe your guests have been eagerly awaiting your famously fluffy scrambled eggs. Whatever it may be, place this in the center of the board, arranging it as artfully as you can while leaving room for the rest of the breakfast foods.

Then, simply add in your other foods around this, working outward until the board is covered. Maximize space by layering slices of cheese and meat, and use small bowls when it comes to the fruits, veggies, and spreads. You can place savory foods on one side, sweet on the other if you prefer organization, or spread all of the foods throughout the board for a colorful and dynamic presentation.

If you have some foods that are ready before others and you're worried about keeping everything warm, just place items on sheet pans and keep them in the oven at 200 degrees F until your board is ready to be assembled. Here are some of the most important elements of a breakfast charcuterie board.

Eggs, Meat and Cheese

Start by considering your favorite savory breakfast dishes. This might be eggs, whether you go for hard-boiled eggs, sunny side up or scrambled eggs.  Many grazing boards also include an assortment of meat options, like prosciutto, salami and sausage links. Since it's breakfast, bacon is a good way to go, and lox is always a tasty choice.

Cheese is also a central part of any charcuterie board, whether it's an afternoon picnic or a fancy breakfast. Include a variety of cheeses, from soft options like brie to hard ones like cheddar and gouda. These will go great on mini bagels or English muffins.

Breakfast Sweets

Since you're already going all out with your breakfast or brunch board, you should include some sweet treats. These balance out the savory options and help the meal feel celebratory and indulgent. You can never go wrong with French toast, waffles and pancakes. Cinnamon rolls are also a classic. To get extra fancy with it, pick up some chocolate croissants and donuts at your local bakery. These sweets go best on a charcuterie board when made mini, so as to fit as many different foods as possible.

Fruits and Veggies

To keep the meal balanced, incorporate some fresh fruits and veggies into your breakfast. Fresh fruit is always a treat for breakfast, so add a few bowls of fruit like sliced kiwi, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, sliced oranges, and grapes. Avocado and baby tomatoes are yummy choices as well.

Fresh fruit goes deliciously with yogurt and granola, so consider having small portions of each of these as well. Add in some fruit-flavored yogurt and a bowl of granola to sprinkle in, and your breakfast board will be even tastier and healthier.

Spreads and Condiments

Any self-respecting breakfast platter will have a number of spreads and condiments. Yummy jams and jellies are an important touch, and you'll need butter and maple syrup for your mini pancakes and waffles. Peanut butter and Nutella are great for those with a sweet tooth, or go all out and have whipped cream and cinnamon sugar. Don't forget cream cheese to eat on a mini bagel with lox. Place your spreads in small bowls around the board to enjoy on mini bagels, waffles and pancakes.

Vehicles for the Spreads

It's essential to have a vehicle for the spread, condiment or cheese of your choice. This can be bagels, toast, English muffins, crepes or even a baguette to get extra classy. This detail can be easily forgotten in the excitement of adding all of your favorite breakfast foods to one board, but it's important to have enough ways to enjoy the spreads and condiments on your breakfast board. Enjoy your classy and delectable breakfast charcuterie board!