A Christmas cheeseboard should feel like part of the occasion, not something that gets dragged out at the end because everyone bought too much cheese.

For me, the best boards are all about contrast: something creamy, something sharp, something crunchy, something sweet and a little heat somewhere along the way. Add a good drink and you’ve got a whole extra course with very little actual cooking involved.

And then there’s the question that comes up every Christmas: cheese before or after pudding?

In the UK, we tend to serve cheese after dessert, while in France it’s traditionally served before. I’m not sure there needs to be a rule. If there’s good cheese, good chutney and plenty of crackers on the table, I’m happy whenever it appears.

HOW TO PUT TOGETHER A CHRISTMAS CHEESEBOARD

You don’t need six or seven cheeses. Three or four with different textures and flavours gives you plenty to work with.

CHOOSE YOUR CHEESES

I like a mix of:

Something soft and creamy – Brie, Tunworth, Baron Bigod or a soft goat’s cheese

Something hard and nutty – Lincolnshire Poacher, Comté or a good mature Cheddar

Something blue – Stilton, Stichelton or Shropshire Blue

Something smoky or punchy – smoked Cheddar, Applewood or smoked Gouda

If you’re feeding a smaller crowd, a soft cheese, a hard cheese and a blue is more than enough.

WHAT CHUTNEY OR PRESERVE GOES BEST WITH CHEESE?

This is where the board gets interesting.

APRICOT PRESERVE + GOAT’S CHEESE

Apricot preserve is brilliant with goat’s cheese and soft cheeses.

The sweetness of the apricot works against the tang of goat’s cheese, while the acidity stops everything becoming too rich. It’s also lovely with Brie, Camembert or a buttery British soft cheese.

My Apricot & Amaretto Preserve is particularly good here. Spoon a little alongside the cheese rather than covering it, so you still get both flavours.

SCOTCH BONNET CHILLI JAM + CREAMY CHEESE

A sweet chilli jam works brilliantly with rich, creamy cheeses. Try it with Brie, Camembert or a soft British cheese.

You get sweetness first, followed by enough chilli to cut through the richness.

PINEAPPLE & CHILLI RELISH + MATURE CHEESE

Fruity, sharp chutneys can stand up to stronger, nuttier cheeses.

Try Pineapple & Chilli Relish with mature Cheddar, Comté or Lincolnshire Poacher.

HONEY + BLUE OR GOAT’S CHEESE

A drizzle of good honey is one of the easiest cheeseboard additions.

It works particularly well with goat’s cheese, blue cheese and salty aged cheeses. Add nuts if you have them and you’ve got another texture on the board without doing anything complicated.

DON’T FORGET THE CRACKERS

You don’t need five varieties, but a couple of different textures makes a difference.

I’d go for:

Buttery oatcakes with soft cheese

Seeded or crisp crackers with Cheddar and harder cheeses

Thin slices of sourdough for blue cheese and chutney

And keep some crackers back. Putting every cracker on the board at once looks lovely for ten minutes and then you’re left with soft crackers by the end of the evening.

FAQ'S

WHAT DRINKS GO WITH A CHRISTMAS CHEESEBOARD?

Sparkling wine is one of the easiest options. Champagne, Crémant or English sparkling wine all have enough acidity to cut through rich cheese.

Pinot Noir or Gamay work better than a huge, heavy red if you’ve got lots of different cheeses on the board.

Cider is great with mature Cheddar and nutty British cheeses.

And don’t overlook beer. A malty ale, porter or stout can be brilliant with mature and smoked cheeses.

CAN I MAKE A CHEESEBOARD AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes.

Get the cheeses, preserves, chutneys and anything like grapes or nuts onto the board ahead of time, cover and refrigerate.

Take the cheese out of the fridge around 30 minutes before serving so it can come towards room temperature and actually taste of something.

Add crackers and bread just before serving so they stay crisp.

HOW MUCH CHEESE DO I NEED PER PERSON?

If the cheeseboard is coming after a full Christmas meal, around 60–80g of cheese per person is usually plenty.

If cheese is more of the main event, allow closer to 100–150g per person.

And if you’re anything like us, buy slightly more than you think you need because leftover cheese between Christmas and New Year is hardly a problem.

WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH GOAT’S CHEESE?

Goat’s cheese loves something sweet but sharp.

Try it with:

• Apricot preserve
• Honey
• Figs
• Pears
• Toasted nuts
• Seeded crackers
• Apricot preserve with soft goat’s cheese is one of my favourite combinations for a Christmas board.

SHOULD CHEESE BE SERVED BEFORE OR AFTER DESSERT?

There really isn’t a wrong answer.

Traditionally in Britain, cheese tends to appear after pudding. In France, it is more commonly served before dessert.

At Christmas, I’d serve it whenever people actually want it. Put the board down, open another bottle and let everyone pick at it.

Because a good cheeseboard isn’t really an afterthought.

It’s another excuse to stay around the table.