Sugar cookies are always popular for the holidays, and with help from the kids, you can have this batch of Turkey Sugar Cookies done in no time at all!
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and in addition to planning all the Thanksgiving trimmings like 3 Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Homemade Dinner Rolls and Easy Ham Appetizers, we’re in full TREAT MODE over here!

A Thanksgiving Cookie Idea
Each year on Thanksgiving morning, my sister-in-law gathers all the kids in the kitchen to make an edible turkey creation that they get to eat after our big meal.
These turkey sugar cookies were the cookie idea she came up with last Thanksgiving. Judging by how much my own kids LOVED them, I’d say it’s a safe bet that your Thanksgiving guests will love this cookie idea too!
These sugar cookie turkeys are easy, festive, and totally delicious! Here’s how to make them –
How to Make Turkey Sugar Cookies
A lot of decorated sugar cookie recipes require special cookie cutters and some mad decorating skills, but not these darling turkey cookies! This Thanksgiving dessert doesn’t take long at all to make, and your guests will surely be impressed.
INGREDIENTS –
- Sugar Cookies – You can use store-bought sugar cookies from the bakery, or bake your own sugar cookie dough! Our 10-Minute Sugar Cookies from Scratch are perfect for these turkeys!
- Frosting – I like the look of chocolate, but you can use whatever flavor/color you’d prefer!
- Candy Corn – Love it or hate it, candy corn make the perfect “feathers”.
- Milano Cookies – These are my favorite, but you could also use Nutter Butters.
- Candy Eyes – Homemade or store bought.
- Tic Tac Candies – I used orange and yellow.
- Red Frosting or Icing – For the waddle.
INSTRUCTIONS –
Frost – Add a layer of chocolate frosting on top of your sugar cookie.
Feathers – Layer two overlapping rows of candy corn on the top edge of each cookie.
Body – Spread some frosting on the back of a Milano cookie and place it in the center of your frosted sugar cookie, overlapping the bottom row of candy corn.
Face – Add a small amount of frosting or icing to each piece of the turkey’s face, placing each candy on the Milano cookie, and finishing with a red dab of icing next to its “beak”.
Serve – Set them on a cookie sheet, cooling racks, parchment paper, or a cake stand and eat them when you’re ready!
Darling Thanksgiving Turkey Cookies in no time! (I love when my Thanksgiving crafts are edible!)
Other Turkey Cookies Ideas
With the time you saved baking in the kitchen, you’ll have more time to spend with your family doing activities and playing games like Turkey Pictionary or Roll a Turkey.
Sugar Cookie Turkey Recipe
Here’s a printable recipe card for your convenience –
Turkey Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 sugar cookies
- 16 oz chocolate frosting
- 16 oz candy corn
- 12 Milano cookies
- 24 candy eyes
- 12 orange Tic Tacs
- red icing
Instructions
- Frost – Add a layer of chocolate frosting on top of your sugar cookie.
- Feathers – Layer two overlapping rows of candy corn on the top edge of each cookie.
- Body – Spread some frosting on the back of a Milano cookie and place it in the center of your frosted sugar cookie, overlapping the bottom row of candy corn.
- Face – Add a small amount of frosting or icing to each piece of the turkey’s face, placing each candy on the Milano cookie, and finishing with a red dab of icing next to its “beak”.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Other Notes
Leave us a comment below and let us know how much you liked these adorable turkey sugar cookies. Be sure to snap a picture of you making these with your family and tag us on social media. We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy!
So cute and easy!! Totally making these next week!
I am not much of a baker and these were so easy to make!! Adorable too!
Thanks Heather!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing turkey sugar cookie recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
Thanks Allyssa!
Loved these! I never heard of chocolate covered sunflower seeds. I couldn’t find them at my grocery store so I used the candy corns you suggested and they turned out just as darling. Thanks!
You’re so welcome!
these are so cute and super easy to make! What a fun idea!
Thanks!
These are so cute and really easy to make! My kids really loved them!
Thanks Toni!
These were perfect for keeping the kids entertained at Thanksgiving! Great idea!
I’m so glad they had fun making them!
These are seriously soo fun and soo cute! My kids had a blast making them. Thanks for sharing!
That’s awesome, I’m so glad they enjoyed making them!