Description
A festive and flavorful butter board featuring a combination of softened butter, cranberry sauce, orange zest, and various toppings. It’s an easy-to-assemble appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (for garnish)
- Assorted breads, crackers, or vegetables for serving
Instructions
- Line a serving board (wood, slate, or marble) with parchment paper (optional, for easier cleanup).
- Spread the softened butter evenly across the board using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Create swirls or peaks for visual appeal.
- Spoon the cranberry sauce over the butter in scattered dollops.
- Sprinkle the orange zest, kosher salt, and black pepper evenly over the butter and cranberry sauce.
- Garnish the board with chopped pecans or walnuts and fresh thyme leaves.
- Finish by sprinkling flaky sea salt over the entire board.
- Serve immediately with assorted breads, crackers, or vegetables for dipping/spreading.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is fully softened to room temperature for easy and smooth spreading.
- If you prefer a sweeter board, you can add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup after step 4.
- This board is best served fresh; if making ahead, prepare the board (without the bread/crackers) and cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.
- For a smooth texture, you can whip the butter before spreading, but softened butter works perfectly fine.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Varies (estimated 1/10 of the recipe)
- Calories: 200-250 (estimated, depending on bread/cracker consumption)