Butter Board Charcuterie (Printable)

A creamy butter base adorned with toasted nuts, fresh herbs, sea salt, and bright citrus zest for sharing.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Butter Base

01 - 7 oz unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

→ Toppings

02 - 1 oz mixed nuts (walnuts, pistachios, almonds), roughly chopped
03 - 2 tbsp fresh herbs (chives, parsley, dill), finely chopped
04 - 1 tsp flaky sea salt
05 - Zest of 1 lemon
06 - 1 tbsp honey (optional, for drizzling)
07 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ For Serving

08 - 1 baguette or assorted crackers, sliced

# How To Make It:

01 - Toast the mixed nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently until lightly golden and fragrant. Allow to cool slightly.
02 - Evenly spread the softened butter onto a clean wooden board or serving platter, creating swirls and ridges to add texture.
03 - Sprinkle the toasted nuts, fresh herbs, flaky sea salt, and lemon zest evenly over the butter. Add cracked black pepper and drizzle honey if desired.
04 - Present immediately with slices of baguette or crackers for dipping and spreading.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks impressive but takes barely fifteen minutes, which means you can actually enjoy your guests instead of being stressed in the kitchen.
  • The butter melts on warm bread in a way that somehow tastes better than any spread you've carefully portioned onto crackers.
  • People gravitate to it naturally—there's something about the informality that makes everyone relax and linger.
02 -
  • Toast your nuts fresh every time—pre-toasted nuts from a jar will taste flat and feel stale against the creamy butter.
  • If your butter is too cold when you start, it'll be impossible to spread, so let it sit on the counter for ten minutes while you prep everything else.
  • Warm bread makes all the difference; cold bread won't absorb the butter the same way and tastes almost disappointing in comparison.
03 -
  • If you're making this ahead, spread the butter on the board and cover it loosely with plastic wrap in the fridge, then top it with nuts and herbs right before serving—the toppings stay crisp and the butter comes to perfect spreading temperature.
  • High-quality European butter with higher fat content is worth seeking out because it's noticeably creamier and richer, and since it's the star of the show, it deserves to shine.
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