Oreo Turkey Cookies are the epitome of festive fun for your Thanksgiving celebrations. These charming, no-bake treats are incredibly easy to assemble, making them an absolute blast for kids to create and even more delightful to devour. As autumn leaves begin to fall and the holidays draw near, these delightful turkey-themed cookies offer a perfect way to add a touch of whimsy and sweetness to your seasonal spread.
As we embrace the cozy ambiance of fall and anticipate the warmth of Thanksgiving, these little Turkey Cookies stand out as both engaging to make and incredibly tasty to eat. If you’re on the hunt for an effortless no-bake dessert recipe that comes together in mere minutes, you’ve found your next holiday favorite. Requiring no oven time, this recipe is perfect for busy households and a fantastic way to involve young chefs in the holiday preparations without the complexities of traditional baking.
Whether you’re preparing for a lively classroom party or contributing to your grand Thanksgiving dinner, these Oreo Turkey Cookies are undoubtedly one of the most beloved Thanksgiving desserts and snacks for children. For over a decade, my family has cherished the tradition of crafting these festive treats, alongside other favorites like Turkey Cupcakes and Chocolate Acorns. Each year, anticipation builds for these whimsical creations, making them a highlight of our holiday season. For more delightful options, be sure to explore our extensive collection of Thanksgiving Cookie Recipes. You might also find inspiration in our Thanksgiving Cake Recipes and this charming Turkey Cake.
My fondness for Oreo cookies extends beyond Thanksgiving; I also enjoy crafting other holiday-themed treats like Oreo Spider Cookies for Halloween. The versatility of Oreos makes them a perfect base for countless creative dessert ideas, providing a familiar and beloved flavor that appeals to everyone.
What’s in this post: Oreo Turkey Cookies
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Additions and Substitutions
- Step By Step Instructions
- Pro Tips
- Storage
- Oreo Turkey Cookies Recipe
Why You Will Love This Recipe
These Oreo Turkey Cookies aren’t just a dessert; they’re an experience waiting to happen. Here’s why they’re destined to become a cherished part of your holiday traditions:
- No-Bake Perfection: Say goodbye to crowded ovens and complicated baking schedules. This recipe requires absolutely no baking, freeing up your oven for other Thanksgiving dishes and making it an ideal activity for even the youngest helpers. It’s perfect for those who want a homemade touch without the fuss, offering a stress-free path to a delightful holiday treat.
- Festive Fun for All Ages: With their vibrant candy corn feathers and expressive candy eyes, these cookies are undeniably cute and instantly bring a smile to anyone’s face. They are fantastic for holiday parties, school events, or simply as a fun family activity on a chilly autumn afternoon. Kids will particularly enjoy the hands-on process of transforming simple Oreos into adorable turkeys, fostering creativity and a love for cooking.
- Fast and Simple: In under 15 minutes, you can transform a few basic ingredients into a tray full of charming turkey cookies. This speed and simplicity make them perfect for last-minute dessert needs or when you want to whip up something special without dedicating hours to the kitchen. Minimal ingredients and straightforward steps mean less cleanup and more time enjoying the holiday spirit.
Essential Ingredients for Your Oreo Turkey Cookies
Gathering the right components is key to creating these adorable and delicious Thanksgiving treats. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity, utilizing readily available items that combine for a delightful result.
- Oreo Cookies: Opt for regular Oreo cookies, not the Double Stuffed variety. The thinner cream filling of regular Oreos provides the perfect snug fit for the candy corn feathers, ensuring they stay securely in place and create a balanced look.
- Candy Eyeballs: These edible eyeballs are essential for bringing your turkeys to life with a touch of whimsy and personality. Kids especially adore adding these playful features, making each cookie unique.
- Peanut Butter Chips: These little chips are perfectly shaped to serve as the turkeys’ beaks, adding a sweet and nutty flavor contrast to the chocolate Oreo. Their distinct triangular shape provides an authentic look.
- Candy Corn: The iconic colors and unique shape of candy corn make them the ideal choice for creating vibrant and realistic turkey feathers. Their festive appearance instantly transforms the cookies into seasonal masterpieces.
- White Icing: A simple tub of store-bought white icing acts as the perfect adhesive for all your decorative elements. Its sticky consistency ensures that the candy corn, eyes, and beak remain firmly attached, making assembly quick and mess-free.
You can find the complete list of ingredients with precise measurements within the recipe card located at the bottom of this page.
Creative Additions and Clever Substitutions
One of the joys of making these Thanksgiving Oreo turkeys is how adaptable the recipe is! Feel free to get creative with these additions and substitutions to make them uniquely yours.
- For the Cookies: While classic Oreos are recommended for their perfect cream filling, don’t hesitate to experiment with different Oreo flavors! Golden Oreos, Mint Oreos, or even seasonal Pumpkin Spice Oreos could add an exciting twist. If you only have Double Stuffed Oreos on hand, you can still use them; simply apply a bit more icing to secure the candy corn, or trim the base of the candy corn slightly to ensure a better fit.
- For the Eyes: If candy eyes are unavailable, you have several fun alternatives. Mini chocolate chips can be used as eyes, placed with the flat side down, or white chocolate chips can also work. For a truly personalized touch, use a food-safe marker to draw small black dots on white mini candies or even on tiny dabs of icing once they’ve set.
- For the Beak and Wattle: Reese’s Pieces are a fantastic substitute for peanut butter chips, offering a similar flavor profile and shape. You can also use small orange candies or even a tiny triangle cut from orange fruit leather for the beak. For an authentic turkey wattle, use a tiny piece of red fruit leather or a small dot of red icing applied with a toothpick just below the beak.
- For the Icing: While store-bought icing offers unparalleled convenience, feel free to use homemade royal icing for a more polished look or buttercream icing for a richer flavor. If you want to add a pop of color, incorporate a few drops of food coloring into your white icing. This colored icing can then be used for the nose, wattle, or even to create colorful “feathers” if you run out of candy corn.
- Add a Peanut Butter Cup for Dimension: For an extra layer of sweetness and a more prominent turkey “body,” place a mini peanut butter cup on top of the Oreo cookie (secured with a dab of icing). Then, apply the candy eyes and peanut butter chip beak onto the peanut butter cup. This creates a charming 3D effect and adds another beloved flavor to your cookie.
- Melted Chocolate as Adhesive: Instead of icing, melted chocolate (white, milk, or dark) can serve as an excellent “glue” to adhere the eyes and nose. Melted chocolate sets quickly and provides a very secure hold. For precise application, especially for the facial features, use a piping bag or a ziploc bag with a tiny corner snipped off.
- Transform into Oreo Pops: Make these even more fun by turning them into Oreo pops! Simply insert a lollipop stick into the cream filling of one Oreo side (use a little melted chocolate to help secure it) before assembling the turkey. Kids will absolutely adore holding and eating their turkey on a stick, making them a less messy option for parties.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Your Adorable Turkey Cookies
Creating these festive Oreo Turkey Cookies is incredibly straightforward and fun. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have a delightful flock of turkeys ready for your Thanksgiving table in no time!
Step 1 – Prepare the Feathers: Carefully untwist each Oreo cookie, ensuring that most of the cream filling remains on one half. This side will form the base of your turkey. On this cream-filled half, arrange four pieces of candy corn in a fanned-out pattern at the top, pressing them gently into the cream to create the turkey’s vibrant tail feathers. Make sure the pointed ends of the candy corn face upwards.
Step 2 – Secure the Top: Take your pre-made white icing and apply a small amount to the exposed cream filling around the base of the candy corn pieces. This icing will act as an edible adhesive, not only helping to hold the candy corn feathers more securely but also preparing the surface for the other half of the Oreo cookie to be placed back on.
Step 3 – Reassemble the Cookie: Carefully place the plain Oreo wafer half back on top of the cream-filled side, gently pressing it down. Ensure that the candy corn feathers are peeking out from the back, creating the distinctive turkey tail. Apply just enough pressure to make the cookie halves stick together without squishing the cream or candy corn.
Step 4 – Create the Turkey’s Face: Now for the fun part – bringing your turkey to life! Using a small dab of white icing (a toothpick works perfectly for precision), attach two candy eyes to the center of the reassembled Oreo cookie. Below the eyes, use another tiny dot of icing to secure a peanut butter chip, pointy side down, to form the turkey’s beak. You can even add a tiny piece of red candy or a dot of red icing for a wattle if you wish for extra detail.
Pro Tips for Perfect Oreo Turkey Cookies
Achieving picture-perfect and delicious Oreo Turkey Cookies is simple with these helpful tips:
- Don’t Overdo the Icing: When applying icing to secure the cookie halves and the facial features, remember that less is often more. Using too much icing can cause the pieces to slide around, creating a messy appearance. A small dab is usually sufficient to create a strong bond. If you find it challenging to apply tiny amounts, try using a toothpick or a piping bag with a very small opening for better control.
- Allow Time to Set Before Serving: While these cookies are quick to assemble, giving them a little time to set is crucial. Allowing the icing to firm up for at least 15-30 minutes will ensure that all the decorative elements—especially the candy corn feathers, eyes, and beak—stay firmly in place. This is particularly important if you plan to transport the cookies or display them on a platter.
- Regular Oreo Cookies Work Best: For this specific design, regular Oreo cookies are highly recommended over Double Stuffed. The thinner layer of cream filling in a regular Oreo provides the ideal depth for the candy corn to snugly fit when creating the feathers. Double Stuffed Oreos can be too thick, making it harder to reassemble the cookie halves securely and sometimes causing the candy corn to stick out awkwardly.
Storage for Your Oreo Turkey Cookies
Proper storage is key to keeping your delightful Oreo Turkey Cookies fresh and delicious for days, ensuring you can enjoy them throughout the Thanksgiving season. Once your charming turkey cookies are fully assembled and the icing has had a chance to set, store them at room temperature. The best method is to place them in an airtight container or a sealed bag. This helps to prevent them from drying out and keeps the Oreos crisp.
When stored correctly in an airtight environment, these festive cookies will maintain their freshness and delightful taste for approximately 2 to 3 weeks. While refrigeration isn’t strictly necessary for these ingredients, if you live in a very warm climate or prefer a chilled treat, they can be refrigerated. Just be aware that condensation might affect the texture of the candy corn slightly, but they will still be perfectly enjoyable.
More Thanksgiving Desserts For Kids
Thanksgiving Desserts
Turkey Cupcakes
Thanksgiving Desserts
Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies Recipe
No bake Dessert
Chocolate Acorns
Embrace the holiday spirit with this delightfully simple recipe for the perfect no-bake Thanksgiving treat. These Oreo Turkey Cookies are not just easy and fast to make, but they also bring immense joy and a touch of seasonal charm to any gathering. We encourage you to try this fun activity with your family and enjoy the delicious results. Please share your experience by leaving a star recipe rating and a comment below once you’ve whipped up your own batch!
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Oreo Turkey Cookies
Ingredients
- 12 Oreo Cookies
- 48 pieces Candy Corn
- 24 Candy Eyes
- 12 Peanut Butter Chips
- 4 oz White Icing
Instructions
- Gently untwist each Oreo cookie, trying to keep most of the cream filling on one side.
- On the cream-filled side of the Oreo, carefully insert 4 candy corn pieces into the cream filling, arranging them in a fan shape to resemble turkey feathers. Ensure the pointed tips of the candy corn face upwards.
- Apply a small amount of white icing to the top of the cream filling, covering the base of the candy corn. This will help secure the feathers and act as glue for the other cookie half.
- Carefully place the plain Oreo wafer half back on top of the cream-filled side, gently pressing to reassemble the cookie and sandwich the candy corn feathers securely.
- Use a tiny dab of white icing to attach two candy eyes to the center of the reassembled Oreo. Below the eyes, attach one peanut butter chip with a small amount of icing to create the turkey’s beak (pointy side down).
- Allow the cookies to set for about 15-30 minutes for the icing to harden, then enjoy your adorable Oreo Turkey Cookies!
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