Fall Dessert Charcuterie Board

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Updated 2023.

I couldn’t decide which holiday to use this delicious pumpkin dessert humus for, so… of course I made two versions! There’s one for Halloween (boo!), and one for Thanksgiving (or any autumnal occasion for that matter). On instagram the votes were so close between the two! You’ll just have to make both versions to see which your crowd likes better.

For more fall boards, try my Fall Harvest Board, Fall Cheese Board, Fall Burrata Board, Pumpkin Cheese Ball, Pumpkin Baked Brie, Caramel Apple Board, Trader Joe’s Halloween Cheese Board, and all of my Fall Recipes.

For other festive boards, you can search all board ideas by holiday!

Make This Perfect Fall Dessert Board

• Ginger snaps

• Pecan halves

• Pretzels

• Green apple, sliced

• Red apple, sliced

• Maple Leaf Cookies

• Graham Crackers, broken into quarters

• Dark chocolate, broken into pieces

• Vanilla sugar wafers

• Boo chips

• Leaf tortilla chips

• Boar’s Head Pumpkin Pie Dessert Hummus

• Candy corn

• Letter cookies (find them at Trader Joe’s or Ikea)

• Mini pumpkin, for garnish

Note: To make this a fall or Thanksgiving board, trade the boo chips for yogurt-covered pretzels, the candy corn for chocolate truffles, and “BOO!” cookies for leaf sprinkles. (More below!)

Put It (F)all Together

• Add the hummus and candy corn to separate ramekins. Place the ramekins and pumpkin on the board first.

• Fan the maple cookies and boo chips around the pumpkin hummus. Add the pretzels around the candy corn. Finally fan the ginger snaps and leaf chips around the pumpkin.

• Add the apples to one corner and the graham crackers to the another. Fill in any holes with chocolate pieces, pecans, and sugar wafers.

• Garnish the hummus with letter cookies spelling out “BOO!” and dig in!

Pro tip: This board is full of lots of brown goodies, so try and break them up with more colorful items!

Make This Fall Dessert Board a Super Festive Spread 

Anywhere I can add a special shape or item that really kicks the theme up, you know I’ll double down on it. Dips are a great place to add some thematic flair. If you have dip in a ramekin, it’s just one plain color, so add some decoration or specialty items on top to really make it festive.

• For a trick-or-treat vibe I added an adorable “BOO!” using letter cookies for the Halloween Board.
• To make it feel like a Thanksgiving board, I couldn’t resist adding cute leaf sprinkles.
• And since making just those two, I got inspired and added a few more ideas: frosting spider web, ghost graveyard using Boo Chips, jack-o-lantern faces using chocolate, and more. (FYI Boo Chips are found at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods during the Halloween Season, but here’s a link to veggie Boo Chips found on Amazon.)

The sky’s the limit here, you could add whatever spooky or sweet accoutrement you’d like to make it festive.

Boars Head Pumpkin Hummus

Have you ever tried Boar’s Head pumpkin pie dessert hummus? I’m a big fan! Honestly, it’s the perfect autumnal sweet dip that tastes just like pumpkin pie filling! Made from real pumpkin, with vanilla and spices, I like it for dipping crisp apples, graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or pretzels.

It pairs best with:

• Graham crackers

• Vanilla wafer cookies

• Apple slices

• Marshmallows

• Pancakes

• Pretzels

• Cinnamon sugar pita chips

• Pound cake

Don’t forget to add your favorite fruit, candy, and seasonal accessories!

How To Keep Your Apples From Browning

This is a big question around here. And honestly, I didn’t use any of my tricks on this board because I was in a rush (shame on me). I do however, cover this topic on my Rosh Hashanah Board because apples are such an important part of that spread.

In short, apples oxidize as soon as they are exposed to air and thus begin the browning process. While still edible, they don’t quite look as appealing when brown.

Here are a few tricks to keep your apples looking good:

• Make sure you slice your apples last. Focus on other board elements and then add apples at the end to limit the exposure time.

• Dip them in citrus. The common go-to is lemon water (just a simple solution of the two mixed), but I don’t love the tart taste of lemon when you think you’re going to get a sweet crisp apple, so I use orange juice instead. It’s a sweeter alternative that doesn’t disrupt the apple taste. Another sweet option is pineapple juice.

• Some people swear by dipping them in 7-up or Sprite. No hate, but I don’t really want to mix soda with my fruit. But I know it works if you’re in a pinch.

• Citric Acid. Make a mixture with Ball Preserves Citric Acid and water or sprinkle directly onto the fruit to preserve natural color. See label for full instructions.

Show Me Your Fall Boards

I hope this post inspires you to make this fall dessert board. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the beautiful snacks and treats you create from my tips. If you make something inspired by this post, please tag me at @ainttooproudtomeg so I can see and share!

And, If you liked this recipe, please rate and review.