Delicious Grazing Table Ideas for Autumn with Luscious Pumpkin Dip – Perfect for Fall!

Last Updated on September 28, 2021 by Chef Mireille

This Fall Charcuterie Board is full of Grazing Table Ideas for Autumn with both sweet and salty elements. From Pumpkin Cloverleaf Rolls to Pumpkin Dip, seasonal fruit and cheeses – there is something for everyone on this grazing platter. The Pumpkin Dip recipe below is the star of the show!

So are you ready to put together your first grazing table? 

Grazing tables are a great way to entertain. This post will show you how to make a grazing table for autumn that includes pumpkin dip and other seasonal favorites like cranberry sauce and more! 

I know it’s only early fall, but the holiday season is fast approaching. Last year (2020), holiday parties were small and low key as it was deemed unsafe for most extended families to assemble in large gatherings. Although the danger is not completely behind us yet, this year most of us have at least one layer of protection and it’s safer and most people are gathering for Thanksgiving, Christmas and other family occasions again. 

What’s great about grazing table ideas is that there is no right or wrong way to do it. Although wooden boards is one of the most popular way to serve grazing table ideas, it’s not required. Cake stands, tiered stands, or just various serving platters set out on the table are the different ways you can set up your Fall Grazing Table. 

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Since you might be hosting this year and expecting a lot of your extended family who maybe you have not seen in 2 years due to the global crisis, this year you want to go all out and put out some killer charcuterie boards to keep people talking and reconnecting until the main course is served. 

It’s also a great idea for a Christmas or New Year’s Day Brunch. Having a variety of food items on a few different platters and let everyone enjoy small plates of delicious foods is a great option. They can keep on going back and trying different things depending on how many options you give them! 

There can never be too much food on a feasting table. The leftovers are just as delicious the next day! 

What are the essential elements of a grazing board?

There really are no hard and fast rules, but here are some general guidelines to putting together your first Grazing Table. 

• Different types of foods – You want elements with varying flavors. You don’t want everything to one note. If everything on a grazing table has a sweet flavor, that is going to get boring real fast. As many different flavors as you can include the better – sweet, salty, savory, tart, spicy. 
• At least 2 dips or sauces with different flavor profiles. 
• Cheese – Many grazing platters will include cheese. Again, you don’t want just one note of flavor. Pick a variety of cheeses with different textures and flavors. Not everyone likes soft cheeses for example and if that’s all you have, a lot of guests will be missing out on the cheese. 
• Fresh Fruit – Fruit always looks good on a grazing platter. Not only is it a balancing flavor if you have salty or spicy things on your grazing table, but it is an easy way to garnish the grazing board and make it look pretty! 
• Colors – You want to pick items with different colors for visual interest. You know what they say – we eat with our eyes first! 
• Fill It Up – Pack the board or platter with as much variety as possible and avoid blank space. 
• Make the table look pretty – Decorate the table with fresh flowers and whole seasonal produce like apples, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and pomegranates.  

Before we get to all the elements I included on this grazing table with enough food to keep everyone satiated, let’s start with the star of the show – Pumpkin Dip. This Pumpkin Pie Dip is made with just a few simple ingredients and takes all of 5 minutes to put together! 

Pumpkin Dip Ingredients 

• pumpkin puree (make it yourself with this Roasted Pumpkin Puree Recipe) 
• cream cheese 
• pumpkin pie spice mix (make it yourself with this Pumpkin Spice Mix Recipe)
• honey 
• salt 

How to make Pumpkin Spice Dip

• Whip the pumpkin puree and cream cheese together in a food processor. 
• Add the pumpkie pie spice mix, honey and salt. 
• Mix it all together. 

This Pumpkin Dip with Cream Cheese is so addictive and luscious. It is not overly sweet and goes so well with the other things included on this platter like seasonal apples and pumpkin cloverleaf rolls. 

You might also need:

Now let’s get to the grazing board you are going to serve at your next party! 

So what’s on this amazing grazing table? 

There are no wrong or right ingredients as long as you have a variety of foods with different flavors, textures and colors. 

Fall Grazing Table Ideas 

• Pumpkin Dip 
• Cranberry Sauce 
• Pomegranate Seeds 
• Blackberries 
• Starfruit
• Apple Slices (tossed in lemon juice so they don’t turn brown) 
• Pumpkin Cloverleaf Rolls 
• Manchego Cheese 
• Smoked Gouda Cheese 
• Fontina Cheese 
• Fresh Cheese (queso ecuatoriano) 
• Marble Cake 
• Nilla Wafer Cookies (I took a shortcut and used store bought cookies) 

For a more decadent grazing table, here are a few other food choices you may want to add to your Autumn Grazing Table 

• Pumpkin Jam 
• Quince Paste  (membrillo)
• Pumpkin Hummus 
• Carrot Hummus 
• Harissa Paste
• Chocolate Peppermint Cookies 
• Sandbakkels 
• Polvorones 
• Scandinavian Spice Cookies 
• Cardamom Tea Cake 
• Dutch Spice Cake 
• Coconut Sugar Cakes 

Now I think you have all the grazing table ideas you need to get started!

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