Turkey Cookies and Cupcake Toppers

2 min read September 13, 2026 Melissa Bahen
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When I was little, my mom taught us how to make cute little turkeys out of store bought cookies, chocolate frosting, and candy. They are such a fun and easy project that we've been making them for Thanksgiving ever since! These simple turkey cookies are easy enough for children to help out with, and are a wonderful kid-friendly Thanksgiving project. They look cute on their own, and also make fun cupcake toppers. You could even tuck a small piece of paper between the turkey's body and tail and use them as place card holders!

Recipe Time
10 to 20 min
Difficulty
Beginner
Servings
12 to 24 Servings
Ingredients:
  • Store Bought Cookies
  • Chocolate Frosting
  • Candy Corn
  • Hershey's Kisses
  • Red Hots
Step
1

You can make as many of these as you want! For each turkey cookie, you'll need 2 gingersnaps, 3-5 candy corns, chocolate frosting, 1 Hershey's kiss, and 1 red hot. Begin by cutting one gingersnap in half. If the gingersnap crumbles or doesn't cut cleanly, just set those pieces aside and try again. You can use all your mess ups to make a gingersnap crust for cheesecake or to sprinkle on ice cream.


Turkey Cookies and Cupcake Toppers step 1
Step
2

Spread a thin layer of chocolate frosting (or squeeze a line of chocolate cookie icing) on the cut edge of one gingersnap half. Stick that gingersnap on the whole gingersnap so that it is standing up, and place it just behind the center of the other cookie. The frosting should act like glue to hold the two cookies together.


Turkey Cookies and Cupcake Toppers step 2
Step
3

Spread frosting on the front of the cut gingersnap, and place 3-5 candy corns on to represent turkey feathers.


Turkey Cookies and Cupcake Toppers step 3
Step
4

Spread frosting on the bottom of the Hershey's kiss, and place it frosting side-down onto the whole gingersnap in front of the turkey's "tail." The Hershey's kiss will be the turkey's body.

 

Turkey Cookies and Cupcake Toppers step 4
Step
5

Dip one edge of the red hot into the frosting, then stick the red hot on the front of the Hershey's kiss just below the point at the very top. The red hot will be the turkey's wattle.

 

Turkey Cookies and Cupcake Toppers step 5
Step
6

Allow the frosting to dry, then use the turkey cookies as a fun Thanksgiving treat, as cute cupcake toppers, or as creative place card holders.


Turkey Cookies and Cupcake Toppers step 6

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