Instead of a Gingerbread House decorated with candy, try mixing up your cheese board with a Charcuterie Chalet. It's a fun holiday project that would be a great party activity. All of the toppings are plant-based!
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The holiday season is everyone's favorite time for appetizers. From Homemade Seedy Gourmet Crackers to this post for 5 Steps to a Perfect Cheese Board, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy. I even have a full post including details on How to Host a Holiday Cocktail Party, to get you in the spirit.
If you love wordplay, don't miss this Santa Clausmopolitan.
What is a charcuterie chalet?
A charcuterie chalet is an updated take on the classic gingerbread house - but made with savory ingredients reminiscent of a cheese board (instead of frosting and candy pieces).
To be honest I was laughing out loud when editing these photos...mainly because this entire concept is hilarious to me for some reason. A tiny house made of vegan cheese and vegetables? Why not.
For ease of construction, I used a pre-made gingerbread house as the base for my creation, but I've seen people more ambitious than myself make their own house entirely out of crackers. Impressive!
Ingredients Needed for a Charcuterie Chalet
- A store-bought gingerbread house, for your base
- Hummus or vegan cream cheese, as your "stucco" to coat the walls and roof
- Radish rounds and cucumber slices, for roof tiles
- Red bell pepper pieces and stick pretzels, to outline
- Quadrant pretzels for windows
- Circular pretzels, for potted plants
- Carrot coins, for awnings
- Fresh thyme, for a wreath
- Rosemary sprigs, for trees
- Nut nougat as the chimney
- Broccoli and kale, for the garden
- Pepitas, for the cobblestone walkway
- Cashew parmesan as the snow
Vegan Charcuterie Chalet Tips and Tricks
As you assemble, work quickly but carefully. This centerpiece is best made right before you plan to serve it, as too much time sitting in the heat can cause pieces to fall.
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Coat the entire house in hummus/cream cheese before adding the decorations. This will ensure you don't need to run over certain parts again and bump them.
Buy a variety pack of pretzels so you have a lot of shapes and sizes to select from.
For visual learners, be sure to check out the video below for an entire tutorial and step-by-step walkthrough.
Get creative! There is really no "recipe" here, just some inspiration to build your own "dream cabin."
Variations + Other Ideas to Include
Instead of pepitas for the walkway, feel free to substitute any small nut (or even these rosemary nuts).
Any color pepper will work in place of a red bell.
Pretzels could be a fun way to cross-hatch the roof! Vegan sausage slices would also be cute if you eat those.
Fresh herbs are your friend - adding a "garden" really helps this house jump off of the table. Sprinkle in thyme, parsley, and kale for a particularly verdant look.
More Holiday Appetizer Ideas
Please leave a comment and rating if you give this a try, and tag me on Instagram! I love seeing your unique creations.
Charcuterie Chalet
Ingredients
- 1 store-bought gingerbread house for your base
- 16 oz hummus or vegan cream cheese
- 1 bunch radishes sliced into thin coins
- 1 small cucumber sliced into thin coins
- 1 thin bar of nut nougat sliced on a diagonal
- ½ of a red bell pepper sliced thinly
- 1 cup skinny stick pretzels
- 1 cup quadrant pretzels
- ½ carrot sliced into half coins
- 1 cup mini circular pretzels
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ head of broccoli cut into tiny florets
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 1 leaf curly kale
- ½ cup pepitas
- ¼ cup cashew parmesan
Instructions
- Prep all ingredients needed and set aside this will help as you assemble).
- Spread a thin layer of hummus or cream cream across entire house to act as your stucco.
- Make the roof by laying overlapping shingles of radish and/or cucumber across the entire surface of each side. Leave a space to press on your nougat chimney.
- Next, make an outline as you wish across the house, with red pepper and skinny pretzels.
- Use your quadrant pretzels to make windows, and carrot half coins to make awnings. Press firmly so everything sticks.
- Stack your circle pretzels to make little "pots" to fill with thyme sprigs and broccoli pieces.
- Stick a dab of hummus on the table and "plant" your rosemary sprig standing upright, like a tree. Garnish around the tree with some kale, for "plants."
- Shape a curved walkway out of pepita pieces. Sprinkle cashew parm over everything as your snow, and serve immediately.
R weis says
This is awesome! I love it, so cute and festive!
Emily says
Yay thank you so much for rating, Merry Christmas AR!!