Finally, a turkey you don’t have to cook. Or defrost. Or dig through a ginormous freezer to find. These turkey cookies are fun to make and easy enough that little ones can help. Last year my then 2 1/2 year-old granddaughter had a great time helping me make them. The only down side? Lately it’s been hard to find the ingredients. You have to buy the candy corn and pumpkin cremes around Halloween, because if you wait until close to Thanksgiving, you’ll only find Christmas candy in the stores. The Brach’s chocolate stars were non-existent this year, and I only found one box of chocolate covered cherries in the whole city, so I couldn’t make a bunch to bring to work like I usually do. You can probably tell how to make these just by looking at them, but just in case, here is the recipe.
Keebler fudge-stripe cookies
Chocolate covered cherries, or similar size chocolate candy
Brach’s chocolate stars (or substitute Reese’s peanut butter minis)
Candy Corn (“Indian” corn works best for the colors, but harder to find.)
Melted chocolate chips for the “glue”
If you want to make the baby turkeys, you’ll also need Keebler fudge stripe minis (sold as 100 calorie packs) and Mellowcreme pumpkins
Melt the chocolate chips and add a dab of margarine to thin if needed.
On a wax paper-covered workspace, lay out the feet (stars), add a dab of melted chocolate and attach the body (chocolate covered cherry.) Allow 1-2 minutes to harden, then place a dab of melted chocolate on the back and add the cookie, stripes pointing vertically. Allow to harden, then a dab of chocolate on top of the chocolate covered cherry, and add the head (candy corn).
If you make the baby turkeys, assembly is the same, except use the pumpkin for the body, the mini cookie for the tail and trim the wide end off the candy corn to make a smaller head.
I sometimes use the large turkeys as place card holders by slipping the place card behind the turkey head, but this doesn’t work with the baby ones. Or I put them out later in the day, just when everything is winding down, and the guests are ready for more sugar. Last year we lined up the little kids at the table and watched them eat their baby turkeys – so cute.
If you decide to make these no-cook turkeys, be forewarned: once you start this tradition, your family will expect to see them every year, especially if you have little ones in your group.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
© Huffygirl 2012
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