This gorgeously delicious Holiday Butter Board with cream scones and cranberry pomegranate compote is a stunning addition to any festive party.
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Grazing boards such as this holiday butter board bring a perfect “hands-on” element that really adds to any festive evening. I love how easy it is to take these few simple ingredients and create something that your family and friends will love. The idea of a butter board is one of the latest food trends, but at its core it is a mix of delicious baked goods with the perfectly sweet or savory spread. Making it an amazing way to treat any number of people.
“Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.”
Mary Ellen Chase
These days at our bakery, the Flour Barn, we’re busy swapping out our fall recipes for our favorite holiday favorites! Pumpkin and apple ease into festive orange and cranberry, chocolate and peppermint flavors that highlight the Christmas season. We are especially loving finalizing and preparing for our holiday baking classes. As the air turns chilly, there’s nothing more satisfying than spending an evening baking with friends!
What is a Butter Board and What Makes it Special?
Many people hear the term “butter board” and are confused… A whole serving board just of butter? Technically, yes. A butter board is comprised of flavorful butters placed in an eye catching arrangement on a serving tray and covered with toppings such as fruits, oils, etc. But there is much more to these trendy pieces of art, and the most crucial element of a delicious Butter Board is having some amazing vessels for your butter. Maybe that is fresh bread, flavorful crackers, a crumbly scone, a cheddar biscuit, or something as simple as fruit or chocolate. Additionally, spreads can include many things such as fruit butters, flavored cream cheese, and herbed toppings. Butter Boards are not just for butter lovers, but anyone who loves delicious pairings of flavor and decadence!
Like traditional charcuterie boards, butter boards are great for feeding groups of people and are often served as the perfect appetizer. Butter boards can be much richer than cheese boards and sometimes work well for the dessert table. Everyone loves a good grab and go option!
Why are Butter Boards perfect for the Holiday Season?
When feeding a group at a holiday celebration, everyone is trying their best to not only show their love through food but also to show off a bit! I love a classic charcuterie board because they are beautiful and are a real crowd pleaser. Butter boards can have the same wowing effect on a crowd. Especially under twinkling Christmas lights with the dim glow of a fire in the background!
These flavors are such a treat even just for two or a tight knit group of friends. A fresh scone with some delicious butter and cranberry compote is delicious no matter the number! To see all my favorite butter board ideas read here.
Cranberry Pomegranate Holiday Butter Board
This board has several beautiful components, that are all so simple to put together and are such a treat when all combined.
The Compote
I love compotes because they are simple to make and packed full of flavorful ingredients. If you have made my Blackberry Compote then you have an idea of how the recipe works. We start by adding a mix of cranberries, pomegranate seeds, orange zest and white sugar to a sauce pan. You stir your mixtures and watch as the sugar dissolves and the fruits slowly stars to soften a meld together. While letting the mixture come to a simmer, create a cornstarch slurry. This is just a combination of cornstarch and water. Once your mixture starts to bubble, slowly add in your slurry and stir. Your mixture should start to thicken, and as it does turn off the heat. If your compote is not as thick as you would like, feel free to add more cornstarch slurry to it. Just make sure it is hot enough.
The “Butter”
So technically this is a cream cheese board, but it still fits the concept! Start by whipping your room temperature cream cheese in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. If you do not have a hand mixer or a stand mixer you can certainly whisk it by hand and get a good work out in! Whip the cream cheese for three minutes until it is light and fluffy. Add freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest and beat until well combined. Finally, add in a sweetening agent, whether this be sugar, maple syrup, or honey, to taste.
The Trimmings
The cream cheese and compote pair well with dark chocolates or fresh fruit like oranges and raspberries. Throw some fresh rosemary or fresh thyme leaves around the edges. Not only does it add to the festive look, it can also add a fresh bite to the sweet board. I used fresh cranberries and pomegranate seeds to decorate, but dried fruit, ground cinnamon, flaky sea salt or citrus zest on top would also be lovely and delicious.
The Mini Scones
This is my go-to scone recipe. It is the base for all my other scone recipes, including these Cranberry Orange Scones (which would also be great with this). Recipe included below.
If you’re feeding a larger group, add some croissants or crusty bread for a real treat!
What boards to use
You can use a variety of boards for your butter board. A marble board is great, but you have to be careful with acidic ingredients because they can corrode your marble. Wooden cutting boards work great, but just make sure to wash it properly afterward. I selected this particular wooden board because of its subtle bling around the edges, perfect for a holiday party!
Here are some of our favorite boards you can snag on Amazon!
Large Server Board with Handles
Live Edge Wooden Cutting Board
How to Decorate
A great way to start decorating is to use a cookie scoop or a large spoon to scoop your citrus cream cheese into a line down the middle of the serving board. Then use an icing spatula or the back of a spoon to drag the cream cheese into a feather like shape.
After the cream cheese is smeared onto the board, top it with your cranberry pomegranate compote. Top with all the trimmings: cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and fresh herbs. Finish your holiday butter board with homemade mini scones, dark chocolate and whatever else sounds good to you! Throw on several small butter knives and your all set!
The Perfect Holiday Butter Board Recipe
This Christmas butter board is festive with it cheerful color scheme and delicious with its festive flavors. Although there is a variety of boards that I am sure your family would love for you to bring, this is one that screams Christmas. Jump on board the new butter board trend, perfect paired with a cup of hot chocolate and some Michael Bublé!
Mini Cream Scones
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups 300 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup 100 grams sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons 90 grams butter, cubed
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 egg
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest.
- Add the cubed butter to the mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, begin to blend the butter with the dry ingredients by breaking up the cubed butter. Continue to work it until the mixture looks like coarse meal and the largest butter pieces are the size of peas.
- In a smaller bowl, mix together 1 cup of heavy cream and the egg with a fork until well combined.
- With the same fork, make a well in the middle of your dry ingredients. Add in the cream and egg. Begin stirring the wet ingredients into the dry, working from the middle out toward the edges of the bowl until all of the flour is hydrated.
- Dump the batter out onto a floured surface and pat it together into a disk. Use a butter knife or bench scraper to divide the dough in half, then form two separate disks. Continue to pat the dough into two 6 inch round circle of an even thickness, about 3/4 of an inch. Use a sharp knife to cut the disk into 8 even triangles. Gently place each triangle onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the scones are golden brown.
- To Make the Glaze: Whisk together cream and powdered sugar. The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle, yet thick enough to sit on top of the scones. Allow the scones to cool slightly before drizzling the glaze generously over the scones. I like to go over each scone twice to make sure they have enough!
Cranberry Pomegranate Compote
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Cranberries
- 1/4 Cup Pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Squeeze of fresh orange or lemon juice optional
- Pinch salt
Cornstarch Slurry
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- To make slurry, stir cornstarch and water in small bowl, until smooth. Set aside.
- In small saucepan, combine cranberries, pomegranate, sugar, lemon juice, and salt.
- Bring berries to a boil and cook for 2 minutes to allow sugar to dissolve.
- Turn heat to low, give slurry one last stir and add approximately 2/3 of it to hot berries, stirring continuously. Return to boiling and cook for at least one minute, until thickened. Add more of the slurry and continue to cook if more thickening is necessary.
- Serve warm or cool and enjoy!
