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Home » Recipes

DIY Charcuterie Cups (with Mini Cheese Balls!) for My Parents' Anniversary

DIY mini charcuterie cups food in a cup idea for anniversary picnic

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Today I'm sharing a fun twist on a classic favorite ... DIY Charcuterie Cups! It's really the perfect way to entertain (and even celebrate!) outdoors without sharing food or having to gather around the same appetizer platters. I did not invent the idea—it's been all over the internet since the pandemic started—but I'm excited to share my own version in today's new post (details down below!).

Individual Charcuterie Cups for My Parent's 50th

It all started when my brother and I decided we absolutely had to do something to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary this year! They live down in Florida and have both been fully vaccinated (woohoo!). So we decided that if this celebration was going to happen in the lovely winter month of February, Florida was absolutely the best place to do it. Bring on the sunshine and warm weather!

My parents 50th anniversary celebration on 100 Days of Real Food

So, my parents knew we were coming down with our families, but they didn't know exactly what we had in store. We just told them to be dressed up and ready by 4:30 on Saturday. We had an upscale sunset beach picnic planned complete with a live steel drummer, champagne, and some yummy snacks, of course! We were so lucky to have a super beautiful evening with absolutely perfect weather.

Video of the 50th Anniversary Picnic Spread

The mini Charcuterie cups (along with crackers that we also had available) were the perfect thing to serve as we all sat down in our seats and enjoyed the live music and the sunset. And, funny story, I was so busy finishing up the cheese balls and glazing the nuts (at the bottom of the cups) that my 13-year-old literally assembled all of the individual charcuterie cups 100% by herself! She did such a good job; I swear she's a little food stylist in the making, and I'm so lucky to have her!

DIY mini charcuterie cups with homemade cheeseballs

What We Put in the Individual Charcuterie Cups

Here's what we put in the cups (most of the food was purchased locally at Trader Joe's)...

  • CHEESES
    • Mini cheese balls
      Recipe is down below.
    • Mini brie bites
      These were at Trader Joe's, but I've seen them at other grocery stores as well.
    • Slices of Manchego
      One block went a long way!
  • PRODUCE
    • Cherry tomatoes
    • Cornichons (i.e. baby pickles)
      Olives would be a good choice, too!
    • Grapes
    • Dried apricots
    • Blackberries
  • MEATS
    • Salami
    • Prosciutto
      Both folded over accordion-style on the toothpicks.
  • OTHER
    • Tall breadstick
      I could not find a 100% whole-grain breadstick, but you could make them yourself. The ones from Trader Joe's were at least a cleanish version without junky additives.
    • Rosemary
      This was purely for garnish, although one of my children—I'm not naming names—did actually eat hers (random), LOL.
    • Glazed nuts
      These were placed at the very bottom of the cup, I used the recipe from my first 100 Days of Real Food cookbook. Any roasted nuts would be a good substitute.
    • Crackers
      We offered a variety of options on the side.
  • SUPPLIES
    • Paper cups
      I found our particular cups on Amazon but also saw similar cups advertised for wedding confetti.
    • Toothpicks
      It was harder than I would've thought to find nice long toothpicks to stick out of the cups. I ended up getting mine at Total Wine & More, but saw them for sale in larger quantities on Amazon.
    • Stickers (optional)
      We used our Cricut to make and cut out our stickers, but you could absolutely hand write your message on any blank sticker you can find!
Parent's 50th anniversary beach picnic with individual charcuterie cups

Recipe for the Mini Cheese Balls

Here's how we made the mini cheese balls for the charcuterie cups. I actually made them in advance at home, froze them, and pulled them out of the freezer just before traveling. They went straight into the fridge when we got there, and I waited to roll them in the crushed nuts just before serving. It worked out perfectly (and it was nice to have one less thing to do/make once we got there)!

Charcuterie Cups with Mini Cheese Balls on 100 Days of Real Food

Mini Cheese Balls (for DIY Charcuterie Cups)

These mini cheese balls are so quick and simple to put together. They are the perfect addition to any DIY charcuterie board or cups! Best part is, you can make them ahead of time and then assemble them in your cups or board later.
5 Average
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 20 minutes mins
Course: Snacks & Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Method: Too Easy
Diet: Egg Free, Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Servings: 16 mini cheeseballs
Save Recipe Saved!

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 green onion (chopped (white and green parts))
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce ((or similar))
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • black pepper (to taste)
  • ¾ cup crushed nuts (for outside coating (I used pistachios, measurement is approximate))

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients except the crushed nuts in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Use a tablespoon-sized scooper to roll the cheese mixture into equal-sized balls.
  • Freeze or store in the fridge for up to three days (I made mine in advance and pulled them out of the freezer before traveling). Just before serving, roll the cheese balls around in the crushed nuts until evenly coated.

Notes

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Mini Cheese Balls (for DIY Charcuterie Cups)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 84 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 24mg8%
Sodium 130mg6%
Potassium 33mg1%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 278IU6%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 88mg9%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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I hope this gives you some ideas for a fun outdoor celebration that you can have this spring or summer (even if you aren't at the beach)! Instead of continuing to cancel everything for another year, we've just got to get creative. Here are my parents with their four grandkids just as the sun was setting. It's safe to say it was a very successful celebration, and I'm so glad it all worked out as planned! :)

My Parents 50th Anniversary Celebration on 100 Days of Real Food

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25.6K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Olivia says

    December 01, 2022 at 5:41 pm

    If you wanted to add some type of jam or honey, what would be a clever way to incorporate that with the individual cups?

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      December 05, 2022 at 1:30 pm

      You could put a basket of individual jams and honey out in little mini jars like these: https://amzn.to/3uoXQhV
      -Nicole

      Reply
  2. E says

    August 04, 2022 at 6:06 pm

    Any idea how much it cost you per cup??

    Reply
  3. Laura says

    October 19, 2021 at 2:15 pm

    Hi,
    Everyting looks amazing! I’m getting ready all my supplies, but was wondering if the cups you used were 12oz or 14oz? Also, what size of toothpick did you use?

    Thank you for your help!!!

    Reply
  4. Sarah Baumeister says

    July 12, 2021 at 11:42 am

    5 stars
    So cute and customizable. I love portioned appetizers for parties. Easy on the host and the guests.

    Reply
  5. Tonya Jones says

    February 25, 2021 at 6:27 pm

    How early could you prep something like this? I’ve got my parents 50th coming up and with the Pandemic, this seems perfect! No sharing of utensils! Or would you have something else you’d recommend that could be prepped the day before?

    Reply
    • Lisa Leake says

      February 26, 2021 at 1:31 pm

      You could wash and cut all ingredients, put together some of the skewers, make the cheese balls (but wait on the nut coating) in advance, but I would not assemble more than a few hours beforehand. The breadsticks and nuts would get soggy otherwise.

      Reply
  6. Tiffany @ Foxy Fit Apparel says

    February 25, 2021 at 12:51 pm

    Wow - such a cute anniversary party! Love the charcuterie cup idea! (I recently learned how to say "charcuterie" - yay! ) This gives me some great ideas for larger groups vs. just a couple girlfriends having some wine and a charcuterie board. I'll definitely be stealing this soon!

    Reply
    • Lisa Leake says

      February 26, 2021 at 1:24 pm

      Thanks! And just recently my daughter called it "char charay" ... it's actually a much prettier word, but gave us a good laugh! :)

      Reply
  7. Jennifer says

    February 24, 2021 at 11:24 pm

    Are there instructions/recipe on how to put the cups together?

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      February 25, 2021 at 9:27 am

      Hi Jennifer, you would just place each ingredient onto the skewers as you wish. - Nicole

      Reply
  8. Martha says

    February 24, 2021 at 4:49 pm

    What a creative idea. Your parents look so young.

    Reply
    • Lisa Leake says

      February 26, 2021 at 1:26 pm

      Thanks! I'm sure they will love that compliment. :)

      Reply
  9. Amy K says

    February 24, 2021 at 2:49 pm

    I'm allergic to tree nuts. Do you have any suggestions as to what I can coat the mini cheese balls with?

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      February 25, 2021 at 9:32 am

      Hi Amy, I think there are endless suggestions to coat with! How about dried cranberries, green onions, crushed pretzels, other herbs ... really anything that you think could compliment the cheese. - Nicole

      Reply
  10. JL says

    February 24, 2021 at 2:14 pm

    Absolutely heart warming. Your daughter did a fantastic job assembling the cups. I love this idea and will definitely try it. I’m thinking tailgating for football!

    Reply
    • Lisa Leake says

      February 26, 2021 at 1:27 pm

      Yes, would be perfect for football ... and thanks! :)

      Reply
  11. Kim says

    February 24, 2021 at 12:58 pm

    I love this! My parents’ 50th is in May and I was also thinking of doing a beach picnic. Where did you get those low tables? Thanks so much!!!

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      February 25, 2021 at 9:33 am

      Hi Kim, the picnic company (linked in the post) supplies all of that! - Nicole

      Reply

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Meet Lisa! Lisa is a best-selling cookbook author, wife, mother, and passionate home cook. Lisa began blogging in 2010 and has created a community of millions of people who share her love of healthy living, real food ingredients, and family recipes.

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