New Years Clock Countdown (Printable)

A festive platter arranging crackers, olives, and cheese cubes as a clock for joyful celebration.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crackers and Breadsticks

01 - 24 round crackers
02 - 8 breadsticks (optional, for decoration)

→ Cheeses

03 - 7 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
04 - 7 ounces Swiss cheese, cut into small cubes

→ Olives and Garnishes

05 - 24 pitted black olives
06 - 24 pitted green olives
07 - 2 cherry tomatoes
08 - Fresh parsley or rosemary sprigs (optional)

→ Extras

09 - 1 small round wooden or ceramic serving board, approximately 12 inches in diameter (optional)

# Method:

01 - Place round crackers evenly in a circle around the serving board’s edge to represent clock numbers, positioning 12 at top, 6 at bottom.
02 - Alternately place one black olive and one green olive atop each cracker to simulate clock numerals.
03 - Set cherry tomatoes in the center of the board to form the clock’s midpoint.
04 - Skewer cheddar and Swiss cheese cubes on toothpicks and position them as the clock hands pointing to midnight.
05 - Enhance presentation by adding breadsticks and filling gaps with parsley or rosemary sprigs as desired.
06 - Serve immediately, inviting guests to enjoy snacks while counting down to midnight.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of platter that stops people mid-conversation and makes them smile the moment they see it
  • Takes just 20 minutes to create something that looks like you spent hours planning
  • Naturally vegetarian and naturally Instagram-worthy, which your guests will appreciate in equal measure
02 -
  • Pit your olives ahead of time—the last thing anyone wants right before midnight is an olive pit surprise mid-chew
  • Assemble this no more than 2 hours before your party or the crackers will start absorbing moisture and losing their crunch
03 -
  • Assemble everything except the cheese hands up to 3 hours ahead, then add your toothpick hands just 30 minutes before guests arrive—this keeps the cheese fresh and the toothpicks pristine
  • If you're using wooden toothpicks, soak them in water for 10 minutes before threading cheese so they're easier to work with and less likely to splinter
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