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

Festive holiday arrangements of meats, cheeses and crackers.

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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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.