Turkey Sugar Cookies
These Turkey Sugar Cookies are a cute fall treat! Made with just 4 ingredients, they’re ideal for a fun fall baking activity with kids. Shaped like little turkeys and decorated with colorful icing, they also make great homemade gifts or bake sale treats this season!
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If you’re making them for a classroom party, a family get-together, or as homemade gifts, these turkey sugar cookies add a playful and delicious touch to your fall celebrations.
If you’re looking for appetizers to serve, here are 20+ Flavorful Fall Appetizers that pair perfectly with these turkey-shaped sugar cookies.
How to Make Turkey Sugar Cookies
Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe
Step by Step Guide
1. Start by cutting your dough into finger-thick discs. Dust your board with flour, roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick, and use a heart cookie cutter to shape the discs into turkeys. If the dough sticks, rolling it between two sheets of parchment paper helps.
2. Place the heart shapes on a baking paper-lined board, then use the remaining dough to create scallop shapes for the turkey feathers. Chill the cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat your oven to 392°F (200°C). Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. The cookies should stay white on top. Let them cool on a wire rack.
4. Melt the white chocolate chips in a double boiler. Divide the icing into portions and color some yellow for the beak. Outline and fill in the beak on each cookie. Once the icing sets, add two dots for the nostrils using dark chocolate.
5. Use white icing to outline the eyes and fill them in. Refrigerate the cookies for about 10 minutes to let the icing set.
6. Color the remaining icing brick red and spread it over the cookies.
7. After another 10-minute chill, use more icing to add the red turkey wattle and dark chocolate pupils for the eyes.
Serve and Enjoy!
Important Recipe Notes
- For best results, chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour before rolling and cutting shapes. This helps prevent spreading and keeps the turkey shapes sharp.
- Dust your rolling surface and rolling pin lightly with powdered sugar to prevent sticking without altering the dough texture.
- Place cookies in the center of the oven and rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking for even color and texture.
- Let the cookies cool fully on a wire rack before icing to avoid melting and sliding decorations.
- Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Turkey Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4-pound sugar cookie dough (store-bought or homemade)
- 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
- Food coloring: yellow, red, and brick
- A little dark chocolate for the pupils
Instructions
- Start by cutting your dough into finger-thick discs. Dust your board with flour, roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick, and use a heart cookie cutter to shape the discs into turkeys. If the dough sticks, rolling it between two sheets of parchment paper helps.
- Place the heart shapes on a baking paper-lined board, then use the remaining dough to create scallop shapes for the turkey feathers. Chill the cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 392°F (200°C). Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. The cookies should stay white on top. Let them cool on a wire rack.
- Melt the white chocolate chips in a double boiler. Divide the icing into portions and color some yellow for the beak. Outline and fill in the beak on each cookie. Once the icing sets, add two dots for the nostrils using dark chocolate.
- Use white icing to outline the eyes and fill them in. Refrigerate the cookies for about 10 minutes to let the icing set.
- Color the remaining icing brick red and spread it over the cookies.
- After another 10-minute chill, use more icing to add the red turkey wattle and dark chocolate pupils for the eyes.
