Individual charcuterie boxes are so cute, mini, and simple to make. They make an impressive dinner party appetizer and a great DIY gift for special occasions such as holidays, baby showers, corporate events, and more!
Jump to the Individual Charcuterie Boxes RecipeAlso known as grazing boxes, the best part about these is that they come with lids and are easy to take on the go — to be served wherever needed. In this tutorial and recipe you’ll learn exactly what and how much of each item you’ll need to make about 10 mini boxes (or 6 small boxes that serve about 2 each).
Below is a step-by-step guide for the assembly of the boxes, including links to any needed materials and store recommendations. The overall cost will be broken down in detail; they are about $15-$25 a box when you DIY as opposed to about $35-$45 each (size depending) when purchasing online.
What Are Individual Charcuterie Boxes / Mini Graze Boxes Good For?
Gifts
These individual charcuterie boxes make an adorable gift for weddings, corporate events, holidays, baby showers, birthdays, and more! First, choose your size (the 8”x8” boxes feed about two people and the 6”x6” boxes feed one). Then, after filling it, tie each box shut with cording, jute, or even string. Finally, add a bow, sticker, or even write on the box to make the gift personalized.
Food at an Event
These boxes are great at parties or picnics and any of the above-mentioned occasions. They also make a great appetizer or even full meal/snack for a special event.
Picky Eater or Allergies
These make a great gift or event food – especially since they are perfect for a picky eater or food allergies. Just easily swap out the item that can’t be consumed with another culinary favorite and write the person’s name on their box. For example, the entire box can be made gluten free per the recipe below by using gluten free pretzels and crackers.
Tips for Lasting, Transportation, and Storage
While these boxes are better fresh, they can be made and refrigerated overnight, if needed, for additional preparation time. To make them last, add any dry goods the next day. In this recipe below, the crackers, trail mix, and pretzels should be kept separate in airtight plastic baggies and added to the rest of the box when ready to serve.
For transportation, all items in the boxes will still taste good for several hours. Just create the entire box, tie them up, and transport them in a cooler until ready to serve/gift them.
What Size Box and Which Utensils Should You Use?
The answer is…it depends! Do you prefer an individual charcuterie box that can serve two, or a box that serves one? If you’re looking for one, then the mini option works best – 6”x6” boxes. If you’re looking for the small option for two, 8”x8” boxes work best.
In addition to the box, large baking cups or mini baking cups are needed to hold olives and trail mix. Additionally, mini jars make a fun add-in for honey and jelly/jam. Finally, mini spoons to serve the jelly/jam and mini honey dippers to serve the honey make fun and cute additions.
What to Put in an Individual Charcuterie Box?
Meats
Charcuterie boxes typically contain thinly sliced meats. The most common options include prosciutto, salami, and pepperoni.
Cheeses
It is recommended to include a variety of both hard and soft cheeses + to mix up the colors for a colorful box full of options. Some of the best varieties of cheeses for a cheese board or box include:
- Cheddar or Colby jack
- Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan, or Manchego
- Gouda, Havarti, or brie
- Pepperjack, Swiss, or provolone
- Goat cheese or blue cheese
Crackers
I like to use a couple different varieties of crackers to offer those eating the boxes some options. In general, I prefer to keep the cracker styles/flavors very plain, so they go well with any item from the charcuterie box that you deem necessary to top them with. Rice crackers or pita crackers go well. I also love to use a flatbread style cracker. If anyone consuming them has dietary restrictions, crackers made with rice are a great option.
Fruits
A mixture of fruits that provides a wide array of colors is best. Multiple colors of grapes, strawberries, and blueberries provide great options. Figs are also a common choice along with dried fruits such as raisins, apricots, and cranberries.
Nuts (trail mix)
A mix of different nuts offers flavorful option and an additional source of protein for charcuterie boxes. A trail mix is even better, adding additional fun mix-ins.
Olives
Any olives work well! A mixture of green and black olives will provide nice color. Options include: kalamata, manzanilla, and black olives.
How to Assemble the Boxes
- Remove the boxes from the packaging and pop them open.
- Fill honey and jam jars and add one of each to each box.
- Add olives and nuts into parchment cups and add into each box.
- Add dry items including: crackers, chocolate or yogurt covered pretzels, and unwrapped chocolate squares.
- Add cheeses.
- Add meats– fold each piece in half and then in half again for a nice, raised look inside of the box.
7. Add fruit to fill the remaining space.
8. Add a fun presentation piece to make the boxes unique– such as a chocolate covered candied orange slice, another unique confection piece, or an edible flower.
9. Set mini spoons or mini honey dippers on top inside the box OR tie to the outside of the box.
10. Close the box and wrap as desired. See below for some wrapping options – they vary by skill level and occasion, so wrap as you deem fit. My personal favorite is with the honey dipper and mini spoon tied on the outside, as most recipients of these were the most excited about the cute mini honey dippers.
Please see the end of this post for an exact cost calculation and store recommendations for buying everything in two trips or less. This recipe cost me:
For 10 – 6”x6” mini boxes: $14.24 each, $142.41 total
For 6 – 8”x8” small boxes: $23.90 each, $143.41 total +2.37
Note: You will have extra honey dippers, mini jars, parchment cups, and boxes. These were rolled into each boxes’ total price calculation, in case you do not get another opportunity to use them.
Note: The cost will vary depending on varying Amazon prices for the linked ingredients and varying grocery prices depending on store chosen, location, current food costs, etc. Please use the recipe cost as a guideline and not final price.
See below recipe. Make about 10 – 6”x6” boxes if you’d like them to serve about one person each. Make about 6 – 8”x8” boxes if you’d like them to serve about two people each. This is the beauty about charcuterie boxes – you don’t need exact measurements. No matter what, they’ll turn out delicious and can be adjusted as needed. I recommend you decide on the total number of boxes you’d like to make and then divide the ingredients proportionally among the boxes.
These boxes are better fresh. However, they can be made and refrigerated overnight if needed. In this case, to make them last, add any dry goods the next day. In the recipe below, the crackers, trail mix, and pretzels should be kept separate in airtight plastic baggies and added when ready to serve.
All ingredients in most charcuterie boxes will last a couple days in the refrigeration with the exception of the crackers, trail mix, and pretzels. These will get soggy and need to be stored separate outside of the refrigerator, in airtight plastic baggies.
Charcuterie boxes contain meats and cheeses which can spoil. Follow proper food safety guidelines and create the boxes, tie them up, and transport them in a cooler until ready to serve/gift them.
∙ I’m gluten free myself, so all items recommended in the very end of this blog are gluten free; be sure to use gluten free crackers and chocolate covered pretzels and then you’re all set!
∙ Boxes can be made dairy free by substituting dairy free cheeses for the cheese below, opt for plain pretzels instead of yogurt or chocolate covered, and use dairy free chocolate squares instead. Make sure your trail mix does not include chocolate – a bag of mixed nuts would be easiest.
∙ These same dairy-free substitutions should also be made for the vegan version, plus the jar of honey should be removed and replaced with maple syrup if desired. Remove meats.
Love party recipes and want to make them a little healthier?
You may also love these healthier party favorites:
- Charcuterie cones (another great individual serving option)
- Easy Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberries (plus, learn how to add glitter to them)
- Healthy Gluten Free Taco Dip
- Gluten Free Fruit Pizza Cookies (gluten free, dairy free, vegan)
- And much, more!
Be sure to join the list for more healthy & gluten-free: brunch, cocktails, party, and other favorite recipes!
I hope everyone adores these delicious, thoughtful, and impressive gifts as much as I do! Here’s to regaining our sparkle together,
✧❈✯✦Jenn✦✯❈✧
Individual Charcuterie Boxes
Ingredients
Supplies if you want to make 6 of the 8×8 boxes:
- 6 each 8”x8” boxes, assembled
- 6 each large baking cups
- 12 each mini jars
- 6 of each mini spoons and mini honey dippers
Supplies if you want to make 10 of the 6×6 boxes:
- 10 each
6″x6″ boxes, assembled - 10 each mini baking cups
- 20 each mini jars
- 10 of each mini spoons and mini honey dippers
Ingredients (works for either size)
- 1 cup (12 tablespoons) fruit preserves, jam, or jelly
- 2 cups raw honey
- 1 cup (about 7 oz) round rice crackers
- 18-30 each (about 5.3 oz) flatbread crackers
- ½ lb trail mix or mixed nuts
- 1½ cups olives, drained (if from can)
- 2 Brie cheese wheels or wedges
- Cheddar cheese block, cut into cubes
- White cheddar cheese block, cut into cubes
- 8 ounces salami slices, each piece folded in half twice
- 5 ounces pepperoni slices, each piece folded in half twice
- 3½ cups strawberries
- 3½ cups blueberries
- 5 cups grapes, mixed colors look nice
- 3 cups (about 11 ounces) yogurt or chocolate covered pretzels
- 6-10 chocolate squares
- Optional presentation piece: chocolate covered candied orange slice OR edible flowers
Instructions
- Fill honey and jam jars and add one of each to each box.
- Add olives and nuts into parchment cups and add into each box.
- Add dry items including crackers, chocolate or yogurt covered pretzels, and unwrapped chocolate squares to the boxes. Add cheeses, meats, and fruits to fill any remaining space.
- Optional: Add a fun presentation piece to make the boxes unique– such as a chocolate covered candied orange slice or another unique confection piece or an edible flower.
- Set mini spoons or mini honey dippers on top inside the box OR tie to the outside of the box. Close the box and wrap as desired.
Price/Recipe Costing + Store and Brand Recommendations
Supplies if you want to make 6 of the 8×8 boxes:
8”x8” Boxes = 15 pack $14.99
Large Baking Cups = $9.09
Mini Jars = 24 pack $15.95
Mini Honey Dippers = 12 pack $6.96
Mini Spoons = 48 pack $7.97
Supplies if you want to make 10 of the 6×6 boxes:
6”x6” Boxes = 12 pack $13.99
Mini Baking Cups = $5.79
Mini Jars = 24 pack $15.95
Mini Honey Dippers = 12 pack $6.96
Mini Spoons = 48 pack $7.97
Ingredients (works for either size):
1 cup (12 tablespoons) fruit preserves (Trader Joes 17.5 oz jar for $3.69)
2 cups raw honey (Trader Joes 2 [12 oz] containers for $7.98)
1 cup (about 7 oz) round rice crackers (Walmart 1 box for $3.73)18 each (about 5.3 oz) flatbread crackers (Walmart 1 box for $4.52)
½ lb trail mix or mixed nuts (Trader Joes 1 lb package for $5.99)
1½ cups olives (Trader Joes 14.5 ounce jar for $2.64)
2 Brie cheese wheels or wedges (Trader Joes 2 for $10.80)
Cheddar cheese block (Trader Joes $2.70 ea)
White cheddar cheese block (Trader Joes $2.84 ea)
8 ounces salami slices (Trader Joes 8 ounce packages for $5.29)
5 ounces pepperoni slices (Trader Joes [1] 5 ounce package for $3.29)
3½ cups strawberries (Trader Joes 1 lb package for $3.99)
3½ cups blueberries (Trader Joes 18 ounce package for $5.49)
5 cups grapes (Trader Joes 32 ounce package for $5.49)
3 cups (about 11 oz) yogurt or chocolate covered pretzels (Walmart 2 packages for $10.24)
6-10 chocolate squares (Walmart [Ghirardelli] 5.32 oz bag for $4.28)
Optional presentation piece: chocolate covered candied orange slices OR edible flowers
Great gift idea
These boxes are so cute! Everything looks delicious. I especially love the folded salami and mini honey dippers. Will definitely be making these over the holidays!