Pin it A festive, visually stunning arrangement of sweet treats and themed snacks, perfect for holidays or game nights. This customizable dessert board brings together a variety of flavors, textures, and colors for a memorable sharing experience.
I love making dessert boards because they instantly brighten up a party and let everyone pick their favorites. The themed designs always impress guests, and it is an easy way for me to adapt to different diets and tastes by simply swapping or adding ingredients.
Ingredients
- Cookies & Baked Treats: 12 holiday or themed sugar cookies, 8 brownie bites or mini cupcakes, 12 chocolate-dipped pretzel rods
- Chocolates & Candies: 1 cup assorted chocolates (truffles, wrapped candies), 1 cup holiday or team-colored M&Ms or candy-coated chocolates
- Fresh Fruits: 1 cup strawberries (halved), 1 cup seedless grapes, 1 cup apple slices (tossed with lemon juice)
- Dips & Spreads: 1 cup chocolate fondue or hazelnut spread, 1 cup marshmallow fluff or vanilla yogurt dip
- Themed Snacks & Extras: 1 cup popcorn (with white chocolate or colored sprinkles), 1 cup mini marshmallows, 1/2 cup festive sprinkles or edible glitter (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare your base:
- Choose a large wooden board, platter, or tray as your base.
- Arrange bowls:
- Place bowls or ramekins on the board for dips, spreads, and loose candies.
- Group baked treats:
- Arrange cookies, brownie bites, and cupcakes in small groups around the board.
- Fill with chocolates and candies:
- Fill empty spaces with chocolates, candies, and themed treats.
- Add fresh fruit:
- Fan out strawberries, grapes, and apple slices in colorful sections for visual appeal.
- Include snacks & garnishes:
- Add popcorn, mini marshmallows, and extra garnishes to fill gaps.
- Finishing touch:
- Sprinkle edible glitter or festive sprinkles over the board.
- Serve:
- Serve immediately, providing small tongs, spoons, and napkins for guests.
Pin it Setting out a dessert board is now a family tradition for birthdays or movie marathons. My kids love helping choose the themed treats, and every board becomes a delicious centerpiece they look forward to sharing.
Required Tools
Large serving board or tray, small bowls or ramekins, serving spoons or tongs, small plates, and napkins.
Allergen Information
Contains wheat, milk, egg, soy, and possibly nuts depending on treats chosen. Adapt with allergy-friendly alternatives as needed.
Nutritional Information
Per serving: 350 calories, 15 g total fat, 50 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein.
Pin it This dessert board is a crowd-pleaser and adapts easily for any celebration. Experiment with different snacks and let your creativity shine.
Recipe FAQs
- → What varieties of treats work best for a themed dessert board?
Use a mix of cookies, cupcakes, chocolates, candies, fruits, marshmallows, and popcorn. Adjust colors and shapes for your chosen theme.
- → How do I create visual appeal on the platter?
Arrange different treats in clusters, fan out fruits by color, and finish with festive sprinkles or edible glitter for vibrant presentation.
- → Can the board be adapted for special diets?
Swap in gluten-free, vegan, or allergy-friendly alternatives. Add nuts or cheese for extra variety, checking labels as needed.
- → How should dips and spreads be served?
Pour chocolate fondue, yogurt dip, or marshmallow fluff into small bowls or ramekins placed on the board for easy access.
- → What beverages pair well with a dessert board?
Hot chocolate, coffee, or sparkling wine complement sweet flavors and make gatherings more festive and enjoyable.
- → What serving tools are necessary?
Provide small tongs, spoons, bowls, plates, and napkins to allow guests to serve themselves comfortably and keep things tidy.