Christmas Fruit Platter Wreath Recipe

This Christmas fruit platter is a wreath of red and green grapes, strawberries, kiwi, orange half-moons, apple slices, and pomegranate arils, with rosemary sprigs tucked in so it looks like evergreen. It takes about 15 minutes and feeds 8 to 10 people. The one trick: build the ring on a base of grapes first, so every other fruit has something to lean on.

I have made it for kids’ gatherings, holiday brunches, and once as a Thanksgiving fruit board. It sits well next to richer treats like Christmas popcorn, and it takes far less work than anything from the oven.

What You Need for One Wreath

• Fruit: about 7 cups once prepped, from 1 cup each of green grapes, red grapes, and strawberries, 2 kiwis, 1 orange, 1 apple, 1 small pomegranate, and 1/2 cup cranberries or cherries
• Platter: a large round platter, around 12 to 14 inches, or any big plate with a small bowl in the middle to guide the ring
• Time: 15 minutes of washing, cutting, and arranging
• Serves: 8 to 10 as part of a holiday spread
• Make ahead: assemble no more than 2 hours before serving and keep it covered in the fridge

Which Fruits Hold Up on a Holiday Table

Green grapes are the base because they are sturdy, glossy, and easy to pile. Red grapes give the circle depth. Together they set the red and green before anything else goes on.

Strawberries add height and the brightest red. Kiwi brings a green center with tiny black seeds that look like decoration. Orange half-moons fan out without rolling away, and thin apple slices add crunch as long as they get their lemon juice. Pomegranate arils go on last and catch the light like little ornaments.

For an extra twist I sometimes add starfruit or dragonfruit slices from the optional list. Starfruit stars look right at home next to a mug of Christmas hot chocolate.

Kiwi or Starfruit for the Green?

In my notes I compared the two. Kiwi gives bold color and a juicy bite, but it softens faster on the platter. Starfruit holds its shape longer and looks striking, though the flavor is milder. For a short party, kiwi. For a long brunch where the tray sits for a while, starfruit keeps its edges better. I reach for kiwi most often.

Prepping the Fruit So Nothing Turns Soggy

Wash everything, then dry it properly. Spread the grapes on a clean towel for about 10 minutes. Wet grapes slide off the ring and leave water pooling on the platter, and damp strawberries soften fast.

Hull and halve the strawberries, peel the kiwi and cut it into even rounds, and slice the orange into thin half-moons. For the pomegranate, break it open in a bowl of cold water and pull the arils free. They sink, the white pith floats, and your counter stays clean.

Cut the apple last, right before arranging, and toss the slices in the lemon juice straight away. It is the one fruit on this tray that browns within minutes.

Building the Wreath, Layer by Layer

Set the platter down, or put a small bowl in the middle of a regular plate. Make a full ring of red and green grapes first. Then add strawberries and kiwi, alternating the colors as you go around.

Lay the strawberry halves cut side down so their juice stays on the plate instead of staining the kiwi. Keep the kiwi on top of the grapes rather than tucked underneath juicy fruit. Slide orange and apple slices into the gaps. Scatter pomegranate arils and cranberries over the top, then tuck rosemary sprigs around the edge and between the fruit.

Raw cranberries are very tart, so treat them as decoration. If you want every piece to get eaten, use cherries or a little more pomegranate. And if one fruit runs short, double up on another; the red and green balance matters more than exact amounts. The ring follows the same idea as my gingerbread wreath: a strong base, accents in layers, detail on top.

How to Make a Santa Fruit Tray With the Same Fruit

Kids go straight for a face, so the same shopping list also makes a Santa fruit tray. Use a large oval or round platter and build from the top down.

• Hat: lay strawberry halves cut side down in a tall triangle at the top of the platter, points facing up.
• Trim and pom-pom: run a thick line of mini marshmallows (from the optional add-ons) along the base of the hat, and pile a small cluster at the tip.
• Face: fan apple slices, pale side up, in an oval under the trim. Toss them in the lemon juice first so the face stays light.
• Eyes, nose, cheeks: two red grapes for the eyes, a cherry or cranberry for the nose, and a few pomegranate arils on each cheek.
• Beard: a wide U of mini marshmallows around the bottom of the face. Fill the rest of the platter with green grapes, kiwi, and orange half-moons.

Make it no more than 2 hours ahead, like the wreath, because the marshmallows go soft where they touch wet fruit. For more character food on a Christmas morning table, try my reindeer pancakes or Santa hat cheesecake bites. In October, the same idea works as a Halloween fruit platter.

A Citrus and Apple Ring

For a quieter look, skip the grapes and fan orange half-moons and apple slices around the platter, overlapping them like petals, then fill the center line with pomegranate pieces and rosemary. Keep the apples in lemon juice until the moment they go down.

Making It Ahead and Saving Leftovers

Some of the work can happen the night before. Wash and dry the grapes, seed the pomegranate, and keep both covered in the fridge. On the day, hull the strawberries and cut the kiwi and orange, then slice the apple last.

Serve the platter right away, or cover it and chill it for up to 2 hours. Cut fruit should not sit out for more than 2 hours in total, so for a long party, keep it in the fridge until guests arrive and refill from a second batch. Cold fruit also gives people a break between savory dishes, which is why I like it beside a Christmas salad.

For leftovers, pull out the rosemary and store each fruit in its own container. Grapes and strawberries are fine for another day; kiwi and apple soften sooner, so I blend them into a smoothie the next morning.

Readers Ask About Fruit Trays

How much fruit do I need for a Christmas fruit platter for 10 people?

About 7 cups of prepared fruit, which is what this recipe makes. For 20 people, make two wreaths rather than one huge platter; a smaller ring stays neater.

Can I make a fruit platter the night before?

Not the whole platter. Wash and dry the grapes and seed the pomegranate the night before, then cut the rest and arrange it no more than 2 hours before serving.

How do I keep the apples from turning brown?

Slice them last and toss them in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice right away. Lay them where they are easy to see, so they get eaten early.

What can I use instead of rosemary?

Rosemary looks most like evergreen and holds up for hours. Mint leaves also work for color, but they wilt faster, so add them just before serving.

Pin this wreath to your Christmas board so it is ready for the next gathering. If you make the Santa tray or try your own fruit, tell me in the comments what you used. For a baked dessert on the same table, my Christmas pavlova uses a lot of the same fruit.