Make a charcuterie chalet to level up your appetizing game this holiday season

Charcuterie boards are always in season, but this festive idea transforms platters of cured meats, assorted cheeses and accouterments into an adorable food-filled chalet.

Sure, gingerbread houses may reign supreme as the dessert decor option, but these edible cabin structures are a savory snack lover's dream.

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Before we've even hit Thanksgiving, this trend took off on social media with Instagram feeds overflowing with intricate meat-made architecture.

From salami shingles and breadstick beams to rosemary wreaths and goat cheese snowmen, here are some of the creative concoctions for the delightfully festive DIY.

While the festive trend first started popping up in 2016, it reemerged with gusto this year. Our team tested out some strategies with the multiple ingredient carpentry to help you create your very own charcuterie chalet.

How to to build a charcuterie chalet

Ingredients
Pretzel rods - to build the house
Everything bagel crackers - for the roof
Almonds - for the walkway
Salami - for the walkway
Mozzarella balls - to make snowballs
Grated parmesan cheese - for the snow effect
Cream cheese - to hold the house and roof together
Round crackers - for the windows
Cheddar cheese to make pavers next to the house
Ritz crackers - to make pavers next to the house
Peppers - to make Santa’s sleigh
Pretzel square - for the fence
Rosemary - to mimic trees and a wreath
Goat cheese - can be used for an optional snowman

Assembly and tips

Building a charcuterie chalet can be daunting and slightly trickier than building a regular gingerbread house. Especially since it doesn’t come with a pre-cut house and directions, you have to use your creativity.

Stack the pretzel rods to build a log cabin and create a stable foundation and then built the roof with everything bagel crackers.

The thin, lightweight crackers help build the roof, which gets held together by cream cheese and lean against each one for added support.

Build a fence of square crackers that sink into the cream cheese snow-like covered base, shape salami into a walkway with surrounding almonds set as pavers and use rosemary sprigs as trees.

After adding more crackers for the house, add a sleigh made of bell peppers and more herbs to create a wreath on the door and complete the snow-covered chalet topped with a fresh dusting of grated cheese.

"The whole thing took about two hours, but I think now that I know how to best build it -- it would take less time the next time around," she noted. "Definitely a fun, and delicious, family activity!"

Editor's note: This was originally published on Nov. 18, 2020.