Charcuterie cones

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Limited Ingredients: This recipe only takes a handful of simple ingredients, so you can make an appetizer with a variety of flavors without having to track down specialty ingredients.

Easy Process - If you are looking for a show-stopping appetizer to impress your guests with, these are it. With minimal effort and no cooking required, this will be the dish that everyone will be talking about. Don’t be surprised when the camera eats first for these.

Make Ahead - Not only are these easy to assemble, but you can also prep them earlier in the day. When your guests arrive, simply put them out.

Customizable - I used my favorite combination of goodies for the charcuterie cones, but the sky's the limit. Have fun adding your favorite meats, cheeses, and produce.

Portion Control - There’s no guessing if you have enough of a dish for all of your guests. These make individual servings fun, creative, and easy to prepare. In addition, there’s less worry of spreading germs, and there isn’t a group of people hovering over a charcuterie board.

Ingredients

Prosciutto - This is an uncooked, unsmoked, and dry-cured ham that is an Italian specialty. True Italian prosciutto will be labeled as prosciutto di Parma and prosciutto di San Daniele, and marked with a DOP, meaning they have a protected designation of origin.

Salami - Incredibly savory and crave-worthy, this cured fermented sausage comes in endless varieties. Use your favorite, but keep in mind that you will be making roses out of it. Genoa salami is a great option.

Blueberries - Adds sweetness that balances the salty meats.

Mozzarella Balls - Mild, creamy, and a rich yet neutral flavor that goes with both the meats and also sweet fruit and acidic pop tomato. They’re sometimes sold as pearl mozzarella.

Tomatoes - Gives a pop of color and acidic sweetness that pairs well with both meats and also mozzarella.

Strawberries - Adds sweetness with its juicy bite that complements the savory, salty meats.

Variations

The great thing about this individual charcuterie cone recipe is how easy it is to make it your own! There are so many combinations you can try, and they're all delicious. These are just a few of the many switches you can make to create different flavors.

Mortadella

Marinated mozzarella balls

Basil leaves

Olives

Marinated artichoke hearts

Stuffed cherry peppers

Capocollo

Soppressata

Provolone cubes

Pepperoncini

Nuts nestled into the bottom of the cone

Pitted cherries

You can also use themed ingredients to suit holidays and special occasions, which is the perfect way to make any event a little more festive.

Summer Holidays: Fill your cones with strawberries, blueberries, and your favorite white cheese for a patriotic look.

Christmas: Use green and red fruits and veggies in addition to meats and white cheeses for a classic look.

Valentine's Day: Try using strawberries or raspberries in addition to your favorite meats and mild, white cheeses for a pretty theme.

Kid's Parties: Fill a waffle ice cream cone with fresh fruits and veggies and a few chocolate chunks for added sweetness.

How to Make Charcuterie Cones

Tightly roll a piece of prosciutto and place it into the bottom of food-safe paper cones. This will keep the rest of the ingredients stable.

On one of your food picks, place a blueberry, a grape, and another blueberry, followed by a halved strawberry. Nestle it into the cone.

Make your salami rose. Place one round of salami halfway on another piece of salami. Fold the salami pieces in half and then roll. You will see one end form a rose.

On your second food pick, add a mozzarella ball, followed by a tomato, and finally, the salami rose. Secure the pick into the food cone.

Place your cones onto a cone holding tray and enjoy!

Expert Tips

If you don’t have a cone holder, you can use a glass to steady each charcuterie cone while you assemble it. They can then be displayed on a flat serving tray.

You can find a link to a great board and cone combo on Amazon in the recipe card.

Rinse your fruits and tomatoes just before making the cones. Washing them a day or two in advance leads to mold growth.

Don’t slice your strawberries too far in advance. You don’t want them to be too wet and release their juices.

Choose high-quality meats, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables for this recipe. They are the stars of the show, so their flavors need to be fresh and delicious.

Charcuterie Cones FAQ

What do you put in charcuterie cones?

Just like boards, these appetizer cones should contain a variety of cheeses, meats, nuts, and even bite-sized crackers if you have them. These cones are simply charcuterie boards in a single-serve package.

What cold cuts are good for charcuterie?

Classic deli meats for any kind of charcuterie include prosciutto, salami, chorizo, capicola, mortadella, pate, and rillettes.

How do you fold deli meat for a charcuterie cone?

There are two methods for folding charcuterie meats. You can do a ribbon fold by folding the meat back and forth to create a layered, ribbon look. This works very well for thin cuts of meat. For thicker, round cuts, such as salami, try the rose technique. Simply layer and roll a slice or two. It should be tight in the center and looser at the outside to create the flower effect.