
Fall is in the air, and with it comes the perfect excuse to get creative with your serving trays. You can create a beautiful and functional piece to serve your favorite fall treats, such as apple cider and pumpkin pie.
To start, consider repurposing an old wooden crate or a vintage tray to give it a rustic, autumnal feel. This can be a great way to add some character to your serving tray without breaking the bank.
A great tip for adding a pop of color to your serving tray is to use seasonal elements like dried corn husks, fall leaves, or pinecones. These natural elements can add a warm and inviting touch to your tray.
For a more modern look, try using a tray with a sleek, metallic finish and pairing it with some simple, yet elegant, serving dishes. This can be a great way to add some sophistication to your fall entertaining.
Decorating and DIY

To create a beautiful fall serving tray, you'll need just a few simple supplies. A DIY fall tiered tray can be made with faux pumpkins, plates, and some hot glue.
The supply list for this project is short, but you can add a personal touch with a variety of colors and styles. You can choose neutral and muted tones or bright and vibrant colors, depending on your personal style.
Here's what you'll need to get started:
- 2 faux pumpkins (one smaller and one larger)
- 2 plates (one large and one small)
- Pencil
- Hot glue
- Faux fall stems
- Level (optional)
With these simple supplies, you can create a beautiful and functional fall serving tray that's perfect for displaying cookies, cupcakes, or other treats.
Decor, DIY, How-Tos
If you're looking for a fun and easy DIY project to add some fall flair to your home, consider making a DIY tiered tray. You'll need just a few items, including faux pumpkins, plates, hot glue, and faux fall stems. The beauty of this project is that you can customize it to fit your personal style, whether you prefer a neutral and muted or bright and vibrant color scheme.

To get started, gather your supplies, which can be found at the dollar store, thrift store, or craft store. You may even have some of the items on hand, like faux pumpkins that you've collected over the years.
Here's a list of the basic supplies you'll need:
- 2 faux pumpkins (one smaller and one larger)
- 2 plates (one large and one small)
- Pencil
- Hot glue
- Faux fall stems
- Level (optional)
Once you have your supplies, you can follow the steps outlined in the DIY tutorial to create your tiered tray. This includes tracing around the plate on the pumpkin, applying hot glue, and adding faux stems for decoration.
Use Inspired Jams
Adding a pop of flavor and texture to your cheese platter is as simple as using inspired jams. Quince paste is a great option for fall, but you can also use apple or pumpkin butter for a lovely twist.
Dried cranberries and quince paste make a wonderful combination on a cheese platter, but don't be afraid to mix things up with other options like spiced pear jam.
Purple grapes are a versatile choice that pair well with almost all cheeses, adding a great deal of body and height to the platter.
Fruit and Cheese Pairing
For a fall serving tray, you want to choose cheeses that complement the season's flavors. A Gruyere, sharp Cheddar, and Wensleydale with Cranberries are a perfect combination alongside apples and pears.
Sharp cheeses like Cheddar and Gruyere pair well with crisp apples, while a mild cheese like Gouda can be a good alternative if you're not a fan of fruit in your cheese.
Baked Brie with cinnamon apples and walnuts is a party hit, and serving it on a platter with cinnamon and sugar-dusted toast points adds a nice touch. Cinnamon and sugar dusted toast points are a great way to add some extra flavor and texture to your platter.
For a cheese ball, white Cheddar cheese, goat cheese, dried cranberries, almonds, and thyme are a perfect combination. This can be served on a platter with stoneground crackers, scattered cranberries and almonds.
Purple grapes pair well with almost all cheeses and add a great deal of body and height to the platter, making them a great addition to any fall serving tray.
Serving and Entertaining

For a fall serving tray, choose crackers that let the cheese shine, not overpower it. Opt for water and stone ground crackers instead of heavily salted or crazy flavored ones.
Serve your cheese platter with crackers that complement the flavors, like stoneground crackers with a cheese and fruit combination. This will add a nice texture and flavor contrast to your platter.
Consider pairing your cheese platter with a party cheese ball featuring white cheddar cheese, goat cheese, dried cranberries, almonds, and thyme. This combination is perfect for any fall gathering.
Cheese Pairing for Fruit Tray
For a fruit and cheese platter, a nice sharp, aged Cheddar pairs well with apples and pears. You can also consider a Gruyere for a more sophisticated taste.
A Gouda is a good alternative if you're not a fan of fruit in your cheese. It's a mild and creamy option that complements fruit nicely.
If you want to add a bit of sweetness, pair your fruit with a Wensleydale that has dried cranberries. This sweet and savory combination is absolute perfection.
Serve with Crackers

When choosing crackers to serve with your cheese platter, it's essential to select an assortment that won't overpower the flavors of your cheeses.
Heavily salted or crazy flavored crackers can cover up the taste of your cheeses, so it's best to steer clear of those.
Water and stone ground crackers are great options because they allow the flavor of your selected cheeses to shine through.
I've found that serving a variety of crackers can add a nice textural element to your platter and keep things interesting for your guests.
Serving crackers that are too salty or overpowering can be a real turnoff, so it's worth taking the time to choose the right ones.
More Fruit Entertaining Ideas
Baked Brie with cinnamon apples and walnuts is a surefire party hit. This combination is a perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors.
Try pairing it with cinnamon and sugar dusted toast points for a delightful crunch.
A party cheese ball with white cheddar cheese, goat cheese, dried cranberries, almonds, and thyme is another great option. This mix of flavors and textures is sure to impress your guests.
Serve it on a platter with stoneground crackers, scattered cranberries and almonds for a beautiful presentation.
Trays and Supplies
To make a fall serving tray, you'll need some basic supplies. You can find an assortment of buttons at most craft stores.
A tray is a must-have for this project, and you can find one at a thrift store or online. The Unfinished Wood Serving Tray would work well, too.
You'll also need some paint and a paintbrush. The DecoArt Americana Gloss Enamel Paint Antique Gold is a good choice, but you can use any color you like.
To attach the buttons to the tray, you'll need some glue. The Beacon 3-In-1 Advanced Craft Glue is a good option, but you can use any glue that suits your needs.
Here's a list of the supplies you'll need:
- Assorted buttons
- Tray
- DecoArt Americana Gloss Enamel Paint Antique Gold (or any other color)
- Beacon 3-In-1 Advanced Craft Glue (or any other glue)
- Paintbrush
DIY Tiered Tray Supplies
Creating a DIY tiered tray is a fun and easy project that can be customized to fit your personal style. You can choose a neutral and muted color scheme or go bold with bright and vibrant colors.
To get started, you'll need a few basic supplies. For a fall-themed tiered tray, you'll want to include faux pumpkins, which can be either small or large. Two plates, one large and one small, will also be necessary.
The supplies list is surprisingly short, leaving room for you to add your own personal touch. You'll also need a pencil, hot glue, and faux fall stems to complete the look.
Here's a list of the essential supplies you'll need for a DIY fall tiered tray:
- 2 faux pumpkins (one smaller and one larger)
- 2 plates (one large and one small)
- Pencil
- Hot glue
- Faux fall stems
- Level (optional)
DIY Tiered Tray Guide
To ensure your DIY tiered tray is level, lightly trace around the area where the bottom of the plate meets the top of the pumpkin with a pencil.
You'll need to check if the plate is level before removing it, and if it's not, you can use a piece of paper, cardboard, or styrofoam to create a shim that fits between the plate and the faux pumpkin.

To attach the plate to the pumpkin, use hot glue and trace around the circle drawn in pencil on the large faux pumpkin.
Don't worry if the shim can be seen, as the faux stems will cover it in the end.
To attach the small plate to the small pumpkin, repeat the process of tracing around the circle with hot glue and gently placing the plate on the glue.
Using hot glue to attach the small faux pumpkin to the center of the large plate is a great way to create a sturdy base for your tiered tray.
Tray with Buttons Supplies
To make a tray with buttons, you'll need a few basic supplies. You can find a tray at a thrift store, like I did, or use an unfinished wood serving tray.
Here's a list of the specific supplies you'll need:
- Assorted buttons
- Tray
- DecoArt Americana Gloss Enamel Paint Antique Gold (or the color of your choice)
- Beacon 3-In-1 Advanced Craft Glue (or the glue of your choice)
- Alumilite Amazing Clear Cast (this will make more than one tray)
- Paintbrush
- Lighter or hairdryer
The tray is the base of the project, and you can get creative with the buttons and paint to make it look fabulous.
Inspiration and Ideas
Fall is the perfect season to get creative with your serving tray. A beautifully arranged fall-themed serving tray can be the centerpiece of any gathering.
Use seasonal fruits like apples, pears, and grapes to add a pop of color and freshness to your tray. These fruits are also a great choice because they're readily available during the fall season.
A fall serving tray isn't complete without some warm and cozy elements. Consider adding candles, pinecones, and fall leaves to create a cozy atmosphere.
Gather some seasonal flowers like sunflowers or dahlias to add a bright and cheerful touch to your tray. These flowers are a great choice because they're in season during the fall months.
Don't forget to add some seasonal treats like pumpkin bread, apple cider donuts, or cinnamon sugar cookies to your tray. These sweet treats are perfect for the fall season.
Sources
- https://www.thecountrychiccottage.net/make-fall-tray-buttons/
- https://www.theanthonykitchen.com/cool-weather-cheese-amp-fruit-platter-entertaining-ideas/
- https://goodwoods.com/products/golden-autumn-serving-tray-s-2
- https://caligirlinasouthernworld.com/diy-fall-tiered-tray/
- https://lexisrose.com/fall-serving-platter-diy/
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