Charcuterie cups are a charcuterie board in a cup: a breadstick, a few cubes of cheese, folded salami, some fruit and a skewer, standing upright in a small clear cup so every guest gets their own. Nobody crowds around a board, nobody double-dips, and guests can carry them around with a drink in the other hand. They are made for showers, office parties, picnics and holiday buffets.
Every cup needs one sharp bite to cut through the cheese and salami. Our pick for the top of the skewer is a whole cap of pickled crimini mushroom, with garlic and thyme in the jar. The caps are firm enough to stay put on a skewer, and they look like they belong there.
Below: what you need, how to make charcuterie cups step by step, ten charcuterie cup ideas from classic to Christmas, how far ahead to make them, and the questions people ask.
How to make charcuterie cups
What you need for 12 cups
- 12 clear cups, 9 oz or 12 oz (or small mason jars for "jarcuterie")
- 12 wooden skewers: 6-inch for 9 oz cups, 8-inch for 12 oz cups
- About 12 oz (340 g) of cheese, two or three kinds, cut into cubes
- About 12 oz (340 g) of sliced salami or other cured meat
- 12 breadsticks or pretzel rods, and a box of sturdy crackers
- Grapes, berries or dried apricots, and a handful of nuts (optional)
- Olives or cherry tomatoes, and a jar of pickled crimini mushrooms, for the skewers
- A bunch of fresh rosemary
Method
- Prep everything first. Cube the cheese, fold the salami into quarters, and wash and dry the fruit. Pat the pickled mushrooms and olives dry on a paper towel so no brine drips into the cups.
- Build the skewers. Thread each one with a cheese cube, a folded slice of salami and an olive or tomato, and finish with a pickled crimini cap on top.
- Start at the bottom. Put the heaviest dry things in first, such as nuts or a few cubes of cheese, so the cup doesn't tip.
- Add height at the back. Stand the breadstick, the skewer and a sprig of rosemary at the back of the cup.
- Fill the middle. Tuck the remaining cheese, the folded salami and the fruit in front of them.
- Crackers go in last. Stand two or three at the front, where they stay crisp and on show. If you are making the cups ahead, add the crackers just before serving.
"The mushrooms still have a bite to them and don't have that canned texture at all."
— Julia R., Golden Grove customer
A jar holds 250 g (about 9 oz) of mushrooms once drained, so one jar tops the skewers for a big tray of cups. Making cups for more than one party this season? A Build Your Variety Pack lets you choose every jar in the box: crimini for the classic cups, king oyster for the seafood cups, shiitake for the aged cheese cups, and white shimeji for a caprese cup.
10 charcuterie cup ideas
1. The classic cup
Cubes of sharp cheddar and pepper jack, folded salami, red grapes, a breadstick, a rosemary sprig and a skewer of cheese, salami and a pickled crimini. It suits almost any party.
2. An Italian antipasto cup
Small mozzarella balls, salami, a breadstick wrapped in prosciutto, green olives, a marinated artichoke heart and pepperoncini, with a skewer of mozzarella, salami, olive and pickled crimini. The skewer is the same one as in our antipasto skewers recipe.
3. A caprese cup
Mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes and basil leaves on a skewer, with a few clusters of pickled white shimeji on top. Its product page pairs it with "Soft cheeses, burrata, fresh mozzarella". It needs no meat at all, so it works for guests who don't eat it.
4. An aged cheese cup
Batons of Gruyère, thin triangles of Manchego, a chunk of aged Gouda, Marcona almonds, a dried fig and slices of pickled shiitake, the most savory of our jars. Our guide to the best cheese for a charcuterie board has more pairings.
5. A seafood cup
A spoonful of cocktail sauce in the bottom, chilled prawns hooked over the rim, a celery stick, a lemon wedge and a coin of pickled king oyster on a pick. Keep these on ice. Our king oyster seafood recipe layers the same idea in glasses.
6. A Bloody Mary brunch cup
A celery stalk, a cube of cheddar, a folded slice of salami, a pickled green bean and a skewer of pickled crimini and olives, like the garnish on a good Bloody Mary. More garnish ideas are in our Bloody Mary bar guide.
7. A Christmas cup
White cheddar cut into stars, salami, red and green grapes, a few cranberries, and a tall sprig of rosemary to look like a tiny tree. For more festive shapes, see our Christmas charcuterie board ideas.
8. A fall or Thanksgiving cup
Sharp cheddar, apple slices tossed in a little lemon juice so they don't brown, pecans, dried cranberries, prosciutto and a pretzel rod. Our Thanksgiving charcuterie board guide has more fall pairings.
9. A kids' cup
Mild cheddar and Colby Jack cubes, rolled turkey or ham, pretzel sticks, strawberries and apple slices. Leave the pickled mushrooms and olives off unless they ask; some children love them.
10. A dessert cup
Chocolate-dipped pretzel rods, strawberries, shortbread, a few squares of good chocolate and a cube of brie. Make these last so the chocolate doesn't sweat in the fridge.
How far ahead to make charcuterie cups
- The day before: cube the cheese, fold the meat, build the skewers and wash the fruit. Keep everything covered in the fridge in separate containers.
- Up to a few hours ahead: assemble the cups without the crackers, cover them with plastic wrap or lids, and refrigerate.
- Just before serving: add the crackers.
- To travel: stand the cups snugly in a box or a rimmed tray so they can't tip, and carry them in a cooler with ice packs.
Once they are out, perishable food shouldn't sit at room temperature for more than two hours, or one hour above 90°F. Put out half the cups at a time and keep the rest cold.
How many charcuterie cups to make
Plan on one cup per guest when other food is served, plus a few extras. Each cup above holds about an ounce each of cheese and meat. If the cups are the main food, make them bigger, with 12 oz cups and a second skewer, rather than making two each. If you use nuts, put a small sign on the tray, or serve the nuts in a bowl on the side.
For a platter instead of cups, see our charcuterie board ingredients guide, which has amounts for 4, 8 and 12 guests.
Charcuterie cup questions
What do you put in charcuterie cups?
Something tall (a breadstick or pretzel rod), two kinds of cheese, cured meat, fruit, crackers and a skewer, plus one sharp bite such as an olive or a pickled mushroom.
How far in advance can you make charcuterie cups?
Prep the parts the day before and assemble the cups a few hours ahead. Keep them covered and refrigerated, and add the crackers just before serving.
What size cups do you use for charcuterie cups?
Clear 9 oz cups are a popular size; 12 oz cups hold a bigger serving. Small mason jars or stemless glasses work too.
How do you keep charcuterie cups from getting soggy?
Pat anything pickled dry, keep wet things on the skewer rather than loose in the cup, and add the crackers last.
What is jarcuterie?
The same idea in a small glass jar, such as a mason jar. Charcuterie cones use paper cones instead.
The short version
Stand a breadstick, a skewer and rosemary at the back of a clear cup, fill the middle with cheese, meat and fruit, and add the crackers last. Top the skewer with a pickled crimini for the sharp bite. A Build Your Variety Pack covers a different cup for every party this season. For more, see our antipasto skewers and charcuterie board ingredients.