Don’t throw away that cute box your Valentine’s Day chocolates came in! Use it to make an extra special Cheese and Charcuterie Heart Box to snack on with your love.
I Love a Yummy Tradition
Got Valentine’s Day chocolates? Hold onto that box! I’ve been making a variation of this Cheese and Charcuterie Heart Box for years (see here and here) and I am so excited to share it with you! It’s such a super cute, versatile, and yummy way to serve your Valentine’s Day appetizer.
Watch Me make a Cheese and Charcuterie Heart Box
Join me in the kitchen as I create this incredible Valentine’s Day charcuterie box!
Delicious and Fun
Whether it’s just you and your someone special, or you’re sharing it with the whole family, it’s a festive way to celebrate the day. So easy to customize and serve! I’ve used the same large chocolate box (and lid!) several years in a row, and each time it’s so delicious and fun.
Ingredient Options
Because you’re making this in a container with limited space, there’s no need to go overboard on ingredients. A little of this, a bit of that. Use what you have on hand and keep favorites handy to replenish, if you like. Be sure to reference my How We Charcuterie and Cheese Board post for details on all of our favorite meats, cheeses and accompaniments.
Ingredients and Supplies
Here are some of the ingredients we’ve enjoyed in our cheese and charcuterie heart boxes over the years:
Charcuterie (Meat):
- prosciutto
- salami
- mortadella
Cheese:
- mini Brie cheese rounds (with a heart shape cut out of the middle)
- white cheddar cheese cracker cuts (cut into hearts with a mini heart shaped cookie cutter)
- cheese cubes
- aged white cheddar
- crumbled blue cheese
Crackers:
- heart-shaped crackers (you can also find them on Amazon)
- beet crackers
- Fig and Olive crisps
Fresh Fruits:
- strawberries
- raspberries
- blueberries
- apple slices
- red grapes
- green grapes
- cherries with the stem
- fresh figs
Dried Fruits:
- dried figs
- dried apricots
- dried apricots, cut into heart-shapes
- dried cherries
Nuts:
- Marcona almonds
- candied pecans
- sesame cashews
Pickled Items:
- black olives
- pimento stuffed green olives
- cornichons
Spreads: I also like to serve some spreads on the side in these little heart shaped dipping bowls.
- honey with honeycomb
- mustard with mustard seeds
- strawberry jam
- pepper jelly
- fig preserves
Valentine’s-Inspired Additions:
- M&M’s Valentine’s Cupid’s Mix Chocolate Candies
- Reese’s Valentine’s Pink Peanut Butter Hearts
- White Chocolate Hearts
- Sour Pucker Lip Candies
- Cherry Hearts
- Twizzler Nibs
- Jelly Belly Cinnamon Lovers Hearts
- Sweet and Sour Heart Shaped Gummies
- Large Conversation Hearts Candy
- Chocolates, of course!
Supplies:
How to Make a Cheese and Charcuterie Heart Box
- Wash fresh fruits and set aside to dry. Drain olives and cornichons. Cut apricots into heart shapes using a mini-heart-shaped cookie cutter.
- Cut a heart out of the middle of the mini Brie bites with a mini heart-shaped cookie cutter (you can use both parts of the round in the box). Also, cut a heart shape out of the middle of the white cheddar cheese cracker cuts, if desired.
- Cut strawberries into heart-shapes.
- Roll slices of prosciutto and arrange other meats into rose shapes or cut into heart shapes using a heart-shaped cookie cutter.
- Fill each compartment with cheeses, meats, accompaniments and other festive Valentine-inspired goodies.
- Serve and enjoy! After enjoying it, remove the plastic tray from the box and clean the tray with soap and water to save and use again next year!
Hot Tips!
- Check out the “orphan” cheese box at Whole Foods or Central Market for small portions of cheese.
- Order your meats from the meat counter where you can order as many slices of each meat as you wish. Or buy smaller portions from stores like Trader Joe’s and ALDI.
- Check your pantry and fridge for nuts, dried fruits, fresh fruits, olives, crackers, etc.
- Check the refrigerated snack section of your store for snack-sized containers of meat, cheese & crackers. Usually near the lunchables or grab & go prepared section of the store.
- To keep the apples from browning, slice them and add them to the box last and expose as little of the white portion as possible.
Bonus Valentine’s Dessert Board!
Using the lid of your candy box, make a super sweet Valentine’s Dessert Board to share with those you love! Just mix plain and peanut M&M candies in a small heart-shaped bowl. Place the bowl in the center of the chocolate box lid and arrange Valentine inspired treats around the bowl, filling the lid completely. Here are some of my favorite ingredient options:
- Little Debbie Be My Valentine Snack Cakes
- Red Velvet Cookies
- Strawberry flavored yogurt covered pretzels
- Gummy X’s and O’s (usually sold at Trader Joe’s and Target)
- Strawberry Creme Wafer Cookies
- Valentine’s Hershey’s Kisses
- M&M’s Valentine’s Cupid’s Mix Chocolate Candies
- M&M’s Valentine’s Peanut Chocolates
- Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Mini Heart Cookies
- Pink Oreos
- Cupid candy corn
- Heart shaped sugar cookies (found in the bakery section of most grocery stores – I get mine at Target)
More Ways to Say “I Love You, Let’s Eat!”
This February 14th, shower the ones you love with festive eats and treats from Our Favorite Lovey-Dovey Valentine’s Day Boards. From the sweet to the salty, and everything in between, these snack boards are the perfect way to say, “I love you, now let’s eat!”
If you make this Cheese and Charcuterie Heart Box, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 
I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Cheese and Charcuterie Heart Box
Description
Don’t throw away that cute box your Valentine’s Day chocolates came in! Use it to make an extra special Cheese and Charcuterie Heart Box to snack on with your love.
Ingredients
Charcuterie (Meat) Options: prosciutto, salami, mortadella
Cheese Options: mini Brie cheese rounds, white cheddar cheese cracker cuts, cheese cubes, aged white cheddar, crumbled blue cheese
Crackers: heart-shaped crackers, beet crackers, Fig and Olive crisps
Fresh Fruits: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apple slices, red grapes, green grapes, cherries with the stem, fresh figs
Dried Fruits: dried figs, dried apricots, dried apricots, cut into heart-shapes, dried cherries
Nuts: Marcona almonds, candied pecans, sesame cashews
Pickled Items: black olives, pimento stuffed green olives, cornichons
Spreads: honey with honeycomb, mustard with mustard seeds, strawberry jam, pepper jelly, fig preserves
Valentine’s-Inspired Additions: M&M’s Valentine’s Cupid’s Mix Chocolate Candies, Reese’s Valentine’s Pink Peanut Butter Hearts, Sour Pucker Lip Candies, Cherry Hearts, Cinnamon Lovers Hearts, Twizzler Nibs, Heart Shaped Gummies, Jelly Belly Hearts, Large Conversation Hearts, and Chocolates, of course!
Instructions
- Wash fresh fruits and set aside to dry.
- Drain olives and cornichons.
- Cut apricots into heart shapes using a mini-heart-shaped cookie cutter.
- Cut a heart out of the middle of the mini Brie bites with a mini heart-shaped cookie cutter (you can use both parts of the round in the box). Also, cut a heart shape out of the middle of the white cheddar cheese cracker cuts, if desired.
- Cut strawberries into heart-shapes.
- Roll slices of prosciutto and cut or arrange other meats into heart or rose shapes.
- Fill each compartment with cheeses, meats, accompaniments and other festive Valentine-inspired goodies.
- Serve and enjoy!
- After enjoying it, remove the plastic tray from the box and clean the tray with soap and water to save and use again next year!
Valentine’s Day Dessert Board
Description
Using the lid of your candy box, make a super sweet Valentine’s Dessert Board to share with those you love!
Ingredients
Ingredient Options:
- Little Debbie Be My Valentine Snack Cakes
- Red Velvet cookies
- strawberry flavored yogurt covered pretzels
- Gummy X’s and O’s
- Strawberry Creme Wafer Cookies
- Valentine’s Hershey’s Kisses
- M&M’s Valentine’s Cupid’s Mix Chocolate Candies
- M&M’s Valentine’s Peanut Chocolates
- Mini Heart Cookies
- Pink Oreos
- Cupid Candy Corn
- Heart shaped sugar cookies
Instructions
- Mix plain and peanut M&M candies in a small heart-shaped bowl and place the bowl in the center of the chocolate box lid.
- Arrange Valentine inspired treats around the bowl, filling the lid completely.
