inspiration
Jamie’s Christmas cheeseboard ideas
November 19, 2025 • In Cheese, Christmas, EntertainingChristmas cheese is non-negotiable in the Oliver household! Get the full lowdown on the brilliant British cheeses that usually make an appearance on Jamie’s festive cheeseboard.
For this ultimate guide, Jamie reached out to the very best, chatting with Jason Hinds from the iconic Neal’s Yard Dairy for his top cheeseboard suggestions, tips, tricks and twists.
A very British cheeseboard
The youngest of the board, this Cheshire is fresh, lactic and lemony, perfect for opening up the palate before the bolder cheeses hit!
A truly amazing all-rounder, this cheese is wonderful paired with dried fruit, fruit chutney or a slice of quince jam. What’s special about this savoury, meaty variety is that it’s actually aged for about 10 months or more. You can effortlessly swap this delicious cheese into classics like our Cauliflower cheese, Greens mac ’n’ cheese, Baked garlicky mushrooms and Pork & mash gratin. It’s also one of the best cheeses around for melting but if you’re keeping it simple, pair it with a good pint of beer or farmhouse cider.
Cheddar is the most consumed cheese on the planet, but there are only three varieties that are authentically made in Somerset (and this is one of them). Pair its rich and nutty profile with the freshness of green apples or sweet grapes, as well as traditional accompaniments like chutneys, baked figs or pickled onions. Beyond the cheeseboard, its depth makes it a great cooking cheese, perfect for baking into our Air-fryer Cheddar cheese & chive scones, Mac ‘n’ cheese, Celeriac gratin or Roast beef sandwich. Enjoy with a glass of crisp white wine.
This is a really good, more mellow, creamier Stilton. If you close your eyes, you might not even know you’re eating a blue cheese, so it’s perfect for all palates. If you’ve got any leftovers, try it in this Blue cheese & apple burger.
Made on the Norfolk/Suffolk border, this is an amazing brie and – dare I say it – better than a lot from France. It's not chalky in the middle, or running all over the plate, it's just perfect in texture with an amazing flavour. I love chunks of it in a bitter leaf salad with sweet grapes and fresh tarragon, or garlicky croutons. Enjoy with a glass of Pinot Noir or even something stronger like a nip of brandy or whisky. You could also swap it into our festive party favourite Baked Camembert.
Slightly more savoury with more creaminess and some caramelly notes, this is actually the last farmhouse version of this cheese still being made.
This is blue cheese but not as you know it. It's super-creamy and rich, but mellower in flavour than many other blues. Wonderful in a simple salad of crisp leaves, ripe pear and new-season walnuts, or great crumbled over a shaved celery salad. It also melts well and is delicious paired with meat. Enjoy with a glass of port, or even a sweet white like Vin Santo or Marsala. You can swap it into recipes like our Sweet potato & blue cheese frittata, Cauliflower cheese pizza pie, Pear & Gorgonzola farfalle, So good pork burger.
A delicious, oozy, creamy cheese made in the heart of the Cotswolds. Inspired by Vacherin Mont d’Or, a famous soft cheese from the Jura mountains, it's wrapped in a thin circular band of spruce wood to hold the cheese together while aging, giving the edges an amazing pine perfume that works so well with its rich buttery nuttiness. Try serving it simply with rye crackers or toasted sourdough, but it also works well with a selection of cured meats and pickles. It’s also delicious used in Dauphinoise potatoes, which make an epic Christmas side dish. Enjoy with a glass of aromatic dry white like Riesling, a Chablis, or a lighter red like Pinot Noir.
Sparkenhoe Blue
This cheese has a gentle sweet savouriness with just enough blue tang for balance, and a wonderful fudgy texture. Delicate blue cheese like this works very well in a salad with endive, slices of pear and fresh soft herbs, or even with rocket, ripe figs, crispy pancetta and some crunchy croutons. It melts and cooks well, and would be a wonderful bonus in a Leftover turkey pie. Enjoy with a glass of Vin Santo, sweet sherry, or even something stronger and fruitier like sloe gin.
A bit of a curiosity, coming from a part of England where very little cheese is produced. It’s a genius hybrid with the gentle acidity and crumble of a West Country Cheddar blended with the delicious sweet smell and firm texture of an alpine mountain cheese. It goes really well with celery, salami, walnuts, real ale or quince chutney; and is wonderful served with crisp seeded crackers, spelt or even rye bread. Try crumbling any leftovers into our warming Brussels gratin or grating it into a Boxing Day toastie.
Perfect cheese pairings
Keep your crackers and bread simple, so the cheese does the talking. Jamie’s Savoury seeded crackers are the perfect vehicle for all sorts of cheese because you can keep them plain or hit them up with different seeds and spices. If you want to really push the boat out, have a go at making your own bread – this basic bread recipe is a thing of joy.
Classic cheeseboard condiments
- Apples, pears, clementines, grapes – most seasonal fruits will work well with cheese. Jason is particularly fond of apples for adding a little pause between different types of cheese.
- Fresh figs, or even raisins or dates you might have dried in the cupboard can add good contrast.
- Quince Membrillo or fruit cheeses, such as Damson cheese, which are native to the UK. And if you don’t have these, a good British jam will work – gooseberry jam is especially good. Think about anything that grows in our hedgerows and you’ll be onto a good bet. But to be honest, anything you’ve got in the cupboard is worth a try – think chutneys, marmalades, jams, pickles, and preserves.
Booze + cheese = happy days
- Fat is to tannin like oil is to water, or so Jason says, so as a rule of thumb it’s generally easier to pair white wines, or even pale ales, porters, stouts and ciders with British cheeses.
- Vin santo, marsala and sweet wines work really well with blue cheeses.
- Stinkier cheeses make good combos with whisky, where the pungency of the cheese can keep up with the strength of the alcohol.
Throw in a wildcard!
- Pair something like a fresh, young Lancashire cheese with your Christmas cake, to give you a bit of relief from the richness of the fruit cake.
- Jamie’s favourite curveball is to drizzle a piece of Cheddar with some good honey, then sprinkle with a little pinch of freshly ground coffee – it’s a bit of a festive flavour mash-up and will challenge perceptions.
Top tips for the ultimate Christmas cheeseboard
Keep your cheese happy
If your cheese is fridge-cold, get it out 2 to 3 hours before you want to serve it, and leave it somewhere cool. Your best bet is to place it on a board then cover it with a clean damp tea towel, to keep it fresh, stop it drying out and also protect you from any of the smellier varieties!
Clue up on cheeseboard etiquette
- It's helpful for your guests if you make little number flags so you can go from mildest to strongest when you’re tucking in, you need to start mild so you can actually taste each one as you go. Plus you can task the kids with making the flags if you need to keep them occupied for a bit! You can even make flags with the cheese names on as well.
- When you have a rinded cheese, slice it so you get a piece that runs from the rind to the centre, rather than cutting across the nose – its ripening from the outside in so the flavour profile will be different at either end. With blue cheese this is exaggerated further, the ripening of the cheese happens from the outside in so you get less blue on the outside and more acidity in the centre.
Go all out on presentation
- Get yourself a nice big wooden cheese board – Jamie’s Big Love Board is ideal for serving up cheeses and charcuterie in style. If you’re serving a crowd, go for Jamie’s beautiful All-Rounder Board.
- If modern is more your style, a piece of granite makes for an excellent cheeseboard.
- Take your Christmas cheese to new heights using Jamie’s Showstopper Stand – you’ll save space on the table and add a touch of elegance.
- Designate a little table as your cheese area and present it nicely – this is a centrepiece that everyone will get excited about.
- Serving cheese on a platter also works great – give your Christmas cheese the spotlight it deserves with Jamie’s Pass-Me Platter.
For loads more cheese inspiration check out Neal’s Yard Dairy, as well as our huge selection of cheesy recipes.
