How to Make a Butter Board that Takes Bread and Butter to the Next Level
Updated: Jun. 29, 2023
Chic charcuterie boards will certainly always hold our affection, but butter boards are just too easy and too cute to pass up for a simple party snack.
As so many trends do nowadays, the obsession with butter boards began on TikTok. Brooklyn-based content creator Justine Doiron spread softened butter on a wooden board and topped it with flaky sea salt, lemon zest, herbs, red onion, honey and edible flowers. She then demonstrated how to eat it by swiping a slice of bread across the colorful creation. In the video, however, she credits Portland chef and cookbook author Joshua McFadden as the original creator of this viral sensation.
It’s safe to say the boundless world of butter has been explored long before TikTok trends, though. One example: the classic French snack of radishes dipped in butter and sprinkled with salt. In the end, we can all agree that you can’t get much better than a smear of perfectly soft butter on bread…that is, unless you jazz it up with a bunch of your favorite seasonings and toppings!
What Is a Butter Board?
A butter board is softened butter artfully spread onto a serving board and topped with various seasonings, spreads or drizzles. The possibilities are endless, and the flavor combinations are exciting to explore. The board is served with bread or crackers that can be swiped and swirled through the butter to create the perfect flavorful bite.
If you like the social snack sharing of elegant charcuterie boards, then butter boards will be right up your alley too. It’s a simple concept that anyone can replicate for their next party.
@justine_snacksI like this one idk I’m in a silly goofy butter mood♬ original sound – speed songs
How to Make a Butter Board
Start by selecting your board. It can be a large platter to serve a crowd, or a small wooden surface for a more intimate gathering. Just remember the bigger the board, the more butter and toppings you will need to have.
After you’ve selected your serving surface, it’s time for the butter. You can use either salted or unsalted butter depending on your personal preference. Unsalted butter tends to have a fresher, creamier taste, and then you can add your own desired amount of salt to the board. Salted butter tends to hold up a little bit better at room temperature, so that might be the way to go if you expect the board to sit out for a longer period of time.
Finally, it’s time to think about your toppings. Consider what can be sprinkled, dolloped and drizzled. Also, take into consideration colors and textures for optimal visual appeal.
For your butter board, try toppings like:
- Citrus zest—lemon, orange or lime
- Fresh or dried herbs—rosemary, thyme or basil
- Microgreens or edible flowers
- Flaky or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Hot pepper jelly, fig jam or honey
- Chopped nuts or seeds
Really, you can top with whatever your heart desires (or whatever you can find in your fridge!). Here is how I made my butter board, but feel free to get as creative as you like.
Ingredients
- 1 stick softened unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup microgreens
- 2 tablespoons fig jam
- 1 tablespoon honey
Directions
Step 1: Spread the softened butter
Spoon the softened butter onto a clean, dry board. Use a knife or spreader to push the butter to about 1/2 inch of the edge of the board in an even thickness. Using a gentle back and forth motion, make swirls of butter around the board.
Step 2: Add seasonings and herbs
Evenly sprinkle the surface of the butter with flaky sea salt. Grate half a lemon over the butter, allowing the zest to fall down evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with the microgreens.
Step 3: Drizzle and dollop spreads
Distribute small dollops of fig jam over the butter, and drizzle the board with honey.
Step 4: Serve with bread or crackers
Serve your butter board creation with slices of your favorite bread or crackers. Swipe through the flavored butter and enjoy.
Butter Board FAQs
What can I serve with a butter board?
In the end, you can’t go wrong with warm homemade bread. For this recipe, I used slices of baguette because the size was just perfect for snacking. Your favorite store bought or homemade crackers are also delicious options. Of course, you could also try something more out of the box. Combine a breakfast charcuterie board with your butter board and use pancakes as your “bread.” You could even try it with bagels or waffles.
What brand of butter is best for a butter board?
With so many brands of butter out there, it can be hard to decide which one is best for your butter board. Our butter taste testers love Land O Lakes, Kerrygold, Challenge and Vital Farms. You can try one of these or use your favorite.
Are butter boards safe?
So many people wonder if it is safe to keep butter out on the counter.
The USDA recommends that salted, pasteurized butter can be left out for one to two days. (Remember, butter will keep longer in a cool house and spoil quicker in a warm house.) Butter is most often made with pasteurized milk, which means it’s free of food-borne bacteria. In addition, given the high fat content of butter, it is naturally unattractive to bacteria as it doesn’t have much water where germs can thrive.
If you are worried about sharing the butter board with others, there are other options as well. Instead of presenting it as finger food where everyone can swipe their own bread along the butter board, simply set out some small butter knives for guests to use. This way each person can transfer the butter board spread to their individual plates.
Classic Charcuterie Board
Knowing how to make a charcuterie board is an invaluable skill to have as a host. After you learn how to put together a classic board, the sky is the limit for other creative spreads! Our traditional charcuterie board includes charcuterie board meats like prosciutto and soppressata and popular cheeses for charcuterie boards like smoked Gouda and blue cheese, plus assorted crackers and spreads to go along with them.
Fruit and Cheese Board
If you're a fruit lover, this fruit and cheese board is perfect for brunch or a fancy midday snack. We shaped kiwis into roses (the same way we'd make avocado roses), and scored mango halves, leaving the fruit in the skin. For optimal freshness, use seasonal fruit. Here are the fruits in season every month of the year.
Breakfast Board
Hosting weekend guests? A sunny breakfast charcuterie board piled with quartered waffles, mini cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit and more is a fun way to start the day. Load up your waffles with as much maple syrup and butter as you want, or make a waffle sandwich by layering cheese, bacon and tomatoes between two quarters.
Chocolate Board
Chocolate lovers will go crazy for this decadent chocolate charcuterie board. Not only does it have plenty of chocolaty desserts like turtle candies, chocolate macarons, and quadruple chocolate chunk cookies, but it even has homemade chocolate ganache for dipping. If you ask us, there's no such thing as too much chocolate!
Holiday Cheese Board
Our Christmas cheese board is elegant and seasonal with wintry fruits and spices like oranges, cloves, pomegranates and rosemary, in addition to a bacon, cheddar and Swiss cheese ball and other typical charcuterie board finds. Serve it with a pitcher of sangria or bottle of red wine to set the tone for a stylish celebration.
Spring Charcuterie Board
Our spring-themed charcuterie board—inspired by a crudités platter—layers colorful, seasonal vegetables and dips for a board that's visually striking, fresh and delicious.
Pancake Board
Winding, scalloped layers of fluffy pancakes are the main event on our pancake charcuterie board—but several piles of berries, a few different syrups, and spreads like peanut butter and Nutella for slathering take this board over the top. Talk about building your dream stack! The Taste of Home Test Kitchen found the best pancake mixes, if you're looking for a new go-to.
Birthday Board
Think beyond the cake: This birthday charcuterie board is the perfect alternative for someone's special day. We loaded it up with plenty of sprinkles and colorful desserts like frosted animal cookies, birthday cake fudge and M&Ms. Plus, we included mini cupcakes for a birthday cake bite. Don't forget to write "Happy Birthday" in frosting on one of the sugar cookies!
Hot Chocolate Board
The best part of our hot chocolate "charcuterie" board has got to be our hot chocolate bombs. Pour hot milk over them and they'll "explode" in your cup to create the perfect mug of hot chocolate. Serve a pitcher of hot milk or water and hot cocoa mix on the side so your guests can have more than one cup. This cozy board includes plenty of marshmallows to take your hot chocolate from good to great, plus wintry cookies, peppermint sticks, and candies for nibbling alongside your cup of cocoa.
Pizza Board
Make our pizza charcuterie board to tackle homemade pizza night with a little more organization than usual. Arranging all the topping options on one board means less of a mess to clean up later. We included toppings for Hawaiian pizza and supreme pizza, but you can swap in toppings for any kind of pie you're craving.
S'mores Board
While you can't go wrong with classic s'mores, you can definitely upgrade! Our s'mores board includes plenty of ways to do just that. Instead of graham crackers, reach for chocolate chip cookies or Oreos, layered with white chocolate Ghirardelli squares or peanut butter cups. For more ideas for your s'mores board, check out these other things to add to s'mores.
Valentine's Day Board
We love a themed charcuterie board, and there's nothing more festive on February 14 than heart-shaped foods. Our Valentine's Day charcuterie board includes marbled meringue hearts, conversation hearts, Palmiers and halved strawberries. Here are even more heart-shaped recipes perfect for a personalized Valentine's Day spread.
St. Patrick's Day Board
This St. Patrick's Day board has something for everyone, with an array of classic Irish foods alongside treats inspired by holiday symbols like shamrocks and rainbows (plus, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow). We think you'll find shamrock cookies, gold-wrapped chocolates, and tie-dye cupcakes with Sour Punch Straw rainbow garnishes to be particularly lucky.
Easter Board
Pastels are the name of the game at Easter. We filled our Easter charcuterie board with pastel-colored candies, Easter Peeps and, of course, a giant chocolate bunny. Get creative and use your favorite Easter-themed cookie cutters as containers for loose items like M&Ms and speckled jelly beans. We have plenty more cute Easter treats that would also work nicely on this themed board.
4th of July Board
What's a Fourth of July party without plenty of red, white and blue? Our Fourth of July charcuterie board includes all three colors in patriotic stripes, with red snacks like strawberries and licorice; blue M&Ms and blueberry yogurt-covered pretzels; and, for the white foods, star-shaped crackers and white cheddar cheese cubes.
Halloween Board
Orange and black candies and snacks create the illusion of a jack-o'-lantern for our Halloween charcuterie board. Fill in black licorice candies for the eyes and mouth and load up the rest of the board with orange goodies like cheese balls, orange M&Ms, candy corn, popcorn balls and more. Arrange a line of Oreos for the stem, and your not-so-spooky charcuterie board is ready to fuel trick-or-treaters and Halloween party guests.
Thanksgiving Board
Our fall-themed Thanksgiving charcuterie board will be a standout on your Thanksgiving table. We've got snack dishes shaped like pumpkins, seasonal fruit, and maple leaf cookies, and we even cut a leaf shape out of a wheel of Brie and filled it with jam for an eye-catching addition to the board. You could also celebrate Turkey Day with an adorable turkey charcuterie board.
Christmas Tree Board
This elegant Christmas tree charcuterie board is easier to make than you'd think. Start with a star sandwich cookie at the top, then create diagonal lines in the shape of a tree with classic charcuterie board items and homemade Christmas sweets, like gumdrops and holiday meringues. Finish with a trunk made of chocolate-covered phyllo sticks, and you've got yourself an edible tree! There are so many charcuterie board ideas perfect for the holiday season, like a snowman cheese board, a Christmas charcuterie wreath or a charcuterie chalet.
Hanukkah Board
Our Hanukkah board is ready for the holiday with layers of blue, white, silver and gold. Hanukkah cookies, blue gumballs, homemade gelt, yogurt-covered pretzels, shimmery wrapped coins and other chocolates are just a few of the sweets that make this spread so festive. Pick your favorite Hanukkah desserts to add to this holiday "charcuterie" board.
New Year's Eve Charcuterie Board
Everything on our posh New Year's Eve charcuterie board pairs nicely with a glass of champagne—whether it's shrimp cocktail, pastry-wrapped asparagus or Ferrero Rocher truffles. Confetti poppers and noisemakers will come in handy once midnight hits! When the NYE festivities are over, plan on making some of these New Year's Day foods for a year of good luck.
Vegan Charcuterie Board
Vegans should be able to get in on the charcuterie board trend, too. Instead of meat and cheese, our vegan charcuterie board includes an assortment of vegan cheeses, crispy falafel, pita triangles, hummus and other dips, nuts, fruits and sliced vegetables. Both vegans and non-vegans will dig in as soon as you serve this "charcuterie" board!
French Fry Board
This french fry charcuterie board is just plain fun. With six different kinds of fries and five dipping sauces, you can mix and match to your heart's delight. From curly to crinkle, shoestring to sweet potato, this spread of spuds is sure to be a hit. Use both your oven and your air fryer to heat up all of the fries quickly. A baked potato board is another starchy spread we're sure you'll love.
Taco Board
Use a cookie sheet to keep all of your favorite taco toppings contained when making a taco board. Give your guests plenty of options to build their dream tacos: hard shells and soft shells, a choice of meats and cheeses, salsas, and guacamole, with refried beans and corn salad as sides. Serve this taco board with your favorite margarita recipe.
Sandwich Charcuterie Board
Build a showstopper sandwich with this sandwich board piled with bread, meat, veggies and cheeses. Don't skimp on the condiments, either (sun-dried tomato mayo is just one of our favorites). And of course you'll need plenty of pickle slices for everybody's plate!
Caramel Apple Board
Looking for the perfect way to welcome fall? A caramel apple board should do the trick. For our deconstructed caramel apple board, we went with apple slices, caramel apple dip and several toppings so guests can experiment and find their favorite combos. Serve a few whole apples in addition to the slices in case anyone wants to go the traditional route.
Chicken Wing Board
Wings lovers will devour this spread with not one, not two, but three kinds of wings and wing sauces. If you have an air fryer, speed up prep time with air-fried chicken wings. We love this board for a March Madness or Super Bowl watch party. Go all out by also making an over-the-top Super Bowl snack stadium.
Ice Cream Sundae Board
Build your dream ice cream sundae with the help of an ice cream sundae bar loaded with toppings and sauces. Set out a few ice cream flavors in a tub filled with ice so they don't melt too quickly. Serve your sundae board with a selection of waffle bowls, waffle cones, sugar cones and regular bowls.
Snack Board
Our snack board is a casual version of a traditional charcuterie board. We piled it with antipasto kabobs, pickles, nuts, cheese slices, dips and more. If you're feeding a pickle-loving crowd, make a relish tray, too.
Individual Charcuterie Boards
Grab-and-go individual charcuterie boards are perfect for a picnic or potluck. Feel free to use bento boxes, small plates or even mini cutting boards as your base. Jarcuterie is another cute way to serve individually portioned snacks.
After-School Snack Board
Got a slew of kids coming over after school? Make an after-school snack board to hold them over until dinner. Include snackable fruits and vegetables like clementines, green grapes, carrots and celery next to Teddy Grahams, Goldfish, animal crackers and bite-sized ham and pickle pinwheels.
Slumber Party Board
Candy is the key to a slumber party charcuterie board—even if it keeps the kids up a little bit later. We went with pink, blue and purple sweets, including rock candy, gummy sharks, yogurt-covered pretzels and bubble gumballs. Our Sleeping Bag Blondies tie everything together, with pink, blue and purple "comforters" frosted on top. This slumber party board is just one of our favorite kids' charcuterie boards.
Movie Night Board
You can't have movie night without popcorn, so our movie night board includes three different kinds: cheddar, caramel corn and Parmesan ranch. Balance out the popcorn with sweet candies that you'd find at concession stands, like Sour Patch Kids, Raisinets, KitKats and peanut butter cups. Don't forget the soda to wash it all down! For even more charcuterie board ideas, take a peek at some of our favorite charcuterie board books.
