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Celebrate Success with the Ultimate Graduation Snack Board

Congratulations to all the graduates out there! This is a monumental achievement, a testament to your hard work, dedication, and resilience, especially for those navigating unique circumstances. Whether you’re graduating from college, high school, middle school, kindergarten, or even preschool, this special time in your life deserves to be celebrated in style. Forget the fuss of a formal meal; let’s create a vibrant, delicious, and effortlessly chic focal point for your celebration: a festive Graduation Snack Board. It’s designed to be enjoyed by everyone, featuring a delightful assortment of treats that are as fun to look at as they are to eat!

Why a Graduation Snack Board is the Perfect Choice

In a world where celebrations might look a little different, a thoughtfully curated snack board offers unparalleled versatility and charm. It’s the ultimate solution for any graduation gathering, from intimate family moments during a virtual ceremony to lively backyard parties. Here’s why a snack board stands out:

Effortless Elegance: A beautifully arranged board instantly elevates any celebration without requiring hours in the kitchen. It looks impressive but is incredibly simple to assemble.
Something for Everyone: With a diverse selection of sweet and savory items, you can easily cater to various tastes and preferences, ensuring all guests find something they love.
Interactive and Fun: Snack boards encourage mingling and casual grazing, fostering a relaxed and joyful atmosphere. Guests can pick and choose at their leisure, making the experience interactive.
Visually Stunning: The vibrant colors, varied textures, and artful arrangement make the board a show-stopping centerpiece that doubles as edible decor.
Flexible for Any Setting: Whether you’re hosting indoors or outdoors, a snack board is easy to set up and maintain. It’s perfect for a relaxed gathering where guests can pick at their own pace.

This particular Graduation Snack Board is packed with delightful details, from playful, candy-filled dishes signaling the year of accomplishment to charming cookies spelling out “CONGRATS GRAD.” Add in adorable graduation cap candies and whimsical diploma cookies, and you have a spread that’s perfect for munching on during the ceremony or celebrating long into the evening.

Crafting Your Festive Graduation Snack Board: A Step-by-Step Guide

Recreating this festive board is far simpler than it looks, and the possibilities for customization are endless. We’ll guide you through the process, offering tips to make it truly unique to your graduate.

Selecting Your Board and Theme Colors

The foundation of any great snack board is, of course, the board itself. A 20-inch round walnut wood board provides an ample and elegant base, but feel free to use any large platter or cutting board you have on hand. The size can be adjusted based on the number of guests you anticipate.

For this demonstration, we opted for a classic and festive color scheme of black, neutrals, and red. However, this is where your creativity can truly shine! Personalize the board by incorporating your graduate’s school colors. Imagine vibrant blues, spirited greens, or regal purples woven throughout the snacks. You can easily swap out candies like red M&M’s and red Twizzlers for alternatives that match the school’s palette. Even the centerpiece dishes and cookies can be customized if you can find delicious treats in the perfect hues.

The Centerpiece: Setting the Foundation

Begin by placing your centerpiece elements on the board. We used “2020” candy dishes, which were perfect for a specific year, but you can use any small, decorative bowls or ramekins that fit your theme. These dishes will serve as the anchor around which the rest of your board will be built.

Fill these centerpiece dishes with a variety of delectable treats to offer contrasting flavors and textures. Our choices included classic Milk Duds, rich Hershey’s Almond Chocolate Kisses, crunchy Trader Joe’s Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds, and the decadent Trader Joe’s Gold-Wrapped Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. This combination offers a delightful mix of chewy, crunchy, and melt-in-your-mouth sensations.

Edible Messaging: “CONGRATS GRAD” Letter Cookies

A personalized message makes the board even more special. We spelled out “CONGRATS” at the top of the board and “GRAD” at the bottom using Trader Joe’s letter cookies placed on top of Oreos. For “CONGRATS,” arrange eight Oreos, each topped with a letter cookie. For “GRAD,” use four Oreos, each with a letter cookie. This clever arrangement adds a charming, celebratory touch that guests will adore.

Savory Balance: Popcorn and Other Fillers

To balance the sweetness, incorporate a savory element like popcorn. Strategically place generous piles of popcorn above and below your centerpiece candy dishes. This not only adds a salty counterpoint but also acts as a wonderful filler, giving the board a lush, overflowing appearance.

Next, line Fudge Stripe Cookies on either side of the “GRAD” letter cookies, extending them upwards towards the candy dishes. These cookies provide another layer of texture and a classic flavor, while their distinct stripe pattern adds visual interest.

Adorable DIY Graduation Cap Candies

Inspired by clever creations found on Pinterest, these graduation cap candies are an absolute must-have for your board. They are surprisingly easy to assemble and incredibly cute!

Here’s how to make them:

Take a dark chocolate peanut butter cup and turn it upside down to serve as the base of your cap.
For the top of the cap, use a mini dark chocolate Ghirardelli bar, also placed upside down.
Using cookie icing, attach the Ghirardelli bar to the top of the peanut butter cup. Allow it a moment to set.
For the tassel, take a string of Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel. You’ll only need a small section, perhaps an inch or two.
Attach one end of the Twizzler string to the center of the Ghirardelli bar with another dot of cookie icing.
Finally, place a single red M&M on top of the icing where the Twizzler is attached, creating a delightful “button” for the tassel.

These mini graduation caps are not only adorable but also a delightful combination of flavors. They’re sure to be a conversation starter!

Sweet Achievements: DIY Diploma Cookies

Complementing the graduation caps are these equally charming and simple diploma cookies. They add another layer of themed festivity to your board with minimal effort.

Here’s how to create these delightful diplomas:

Take Chocolate Hazelnut Pirouettes and carefully cut each one in half. The hollow center of the pirouette naturally mimics the rolled shape of a diploma.
From your Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel, peel off a single string and cut it in half.
Tie one half of the Twizzler string around the center of each pirouette half, creating a neat little bow or knot, just like a ribbon on a rolled diploma.

These diploma cookies are not only adorable and perfectly themed but also offer a delicious, crispy texture with the rich flavor of chocolate hazelnut. They’re a wonderful addition to your celebratory spread.

Final Touches and Arrangement

With all your themed treats prepared, it’s time for the final arrangement. Place the adorable graduation cap candies and diploma cookies strategically across the board. Nestle some of them on top of the popcorn, and position others on the top sides of the board, filling any remaining gaps and ensuring every corner of your board is inviting and full.

Take a step back and admire your creation! The goal is a bountiful, appealing spread that offers a delightful mix of flavors and textures. The mostly sweet treats, balanced by the salty popcorn, create a perfect harmony for a truly sweet celebration of success.

Tips for a Seamless Graduation Celebration

To ensure your graduation celebration is as stress-free as it is memorable, here are a few extra tips for your snack board:

Prep Ahead: Many components of this board can be prepared in advance. Make the graduation cap and diploma candies a day or two beforehand and store them in airtight containers. Popcorn can also be made hours before and kept fresh.
Customization Beyond Colors: Consider adding small labels to highlight special treats or dietary options. You could also include small flags with the graduate’s name or school motto.
Drink Pairings: What goes well with this array of snacks? Offer a variety of beverages like sparkling cider, lemonade, or even a themed punch. For adult gatherings, consider a light wine or craft beer selection.
Garnish for Flair: A few sprigs of fresh mint or small edible flowers (if appropriate) can add a touch of freshness and elegance to your board.
Serveware: While guests will primarily use their hands, small tongs or serving spoons for items like nuts or specific candies can be helpful. Don’t forget a stack of festive napkins!
Scale It Up or Down: This board concept is incredibly flexible. For smaller, more intimate gatherings, use a smaller board and fewer ingredients. For larger parties, simply expand the quantities and consider using multiple boards.

A Heartfelt Congratulation

Once again, a heartfelt congratulations to all the graduates and their supportive families! This momentous occasion marks the culmination of hard work and the exciting beginning of a new chapter. May you feel immense pride in your accomplishments and truly celebrated for all you’ve achieved. We wish you the very best as you embark on the next adventure in your life’s journey.

We hope this Graduation Snack Board inspires you to create a beautiful, festive, and utterly delicious spread for your own celebration. If you do recreate it, we’d absolutely love to see your unique take! Be sure to snap a picture and tag us on Instagram @thebakermama. Your creativity and inspiration mean the world to us!

xoxo,

Graduation Snack Board

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Author: The BakerMama
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 8-10 people

Print Recipe

Description

Celebrate your graduate with this festive Graduation Snack Board covered in a tasty assortment of snacks that everyone will enjoy!

Ingredients

Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Schoolbook Letter Cookies
5 oz box Milk Duds
1 package Hershey’s Almond Chocolate Kisses
10 oz tub Trader Joe’s Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds
8 oz tub Trader Joe’s Gold-Wrapped Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
12 Oreos
Popcorn
14 Fudge Stripe Cookies
8 Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
8 Mini Dark Chocolate Ghirardelli Bars
Cookie Icing
1 package Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel
8 Chocolate Hazelnut Pirouettes

Instructions

Start by placing the “2020” candy dishes (or festive small bowls) in the middle of a 20″ round walnut wood board.
Fill the dishes with Milk Duds, Hershey’s Almond Chocolate Kisses, Trader Joe’s Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds, and Gold-Wrapped Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.
At the top of the board, place 8 Oreos, each topped with a letter cookie to spell out CONGRATS. At the bottom of the board, place 4 Oreos, each topped with a letter cookie to spell out GRAD.
Place generous portions of popcorn above and below the centerpiece candy dishes.
On the bottom of the board, line Fudge Stripe Cookies on either side of the GRAD letter cookies, extending them upwards to the candy dishes.
To make the graduation cap candies: Turn a dark chocolate peanut butter cup upside down as the base. Attach a mini dark chocolate Ghirardelli bar (also upside down) to the top of the peanut butter cup with cookie icing. Then, attach a small string of Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel to the top middle of the Ghirardelli bar with more cookie icing, and place a red M&M on top of the icing for the tassel’s button.
For the diploma cookies: Cut Chocolate Hazelnut Pirouettes in half. Tie a half of a string of Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel around the center of each pirouette half to resemble a ribbon on a diploma.
To finish, artfully arrange the graduation cap candies and diploma cookies on top of the popcorn, placing some additional diploma cookies on the top sides of the board to fill out the display.
Serve and enjoy celebrating this special achievement!