Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes

These moist chocolate cupcakes are topped off with even more chocolate frosting and decorated to resemble a turkey with edible items. This recipe can either be a festive decorative element to your dessert table, or a fun kids activity to do ahead of Thanksgiving. You can make it as easy or as hard as you want. Your kids can frost cupcakes and decorate them as they see fit.

The best part is that you can use pre-made cupcakes if you’re short on time. The entire family will have fun decorating them with chocolate buttercream, tail feathers, chocolate chips, white chocolate, a bag of candy corn, Reese’s pieces, and anything else you have on hand,

This is an easy dessert, and the adorable Thanksgiving turkeys will be perfect for your table or for your kids’ friends. If you’re making these for the big day, you can even throw in a few vanilla cupcakes for some variety. Festive cupcakes are a family favorite recipe in our house!

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To bake these Thanksgiving Turkey cupcakes, you will need the following ingredients:

• Box of chocolate cake mix (and any oil and eggs you need according to the packaging)
• Container of chocolate frosting 
• Chocolate sprinkles
• Candy corn
• Candy eyeballs (Like THESE ones)
• Red frosting (THIS works great!)

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

• Cupcake Pan (Regular)
• Mixing Bowl (Large)
• Mixer (Hand)
• Mixing Bowl (Small)
• Spatula

How To Make Our Turkey Cupcake

1. When you are ready to make the turkey cupcakes, prepare the chocolate cupcakes according to the directions on the box. The box mix generally makes about 24 cupcakes. 
2. Bake the cupcakes and let them cool down completely. 
3. Once the cupcakes have cooled down, you will want to spread about 2 tablespoons or so onto each cupcake until the top of the cupcake is fully covered. 
4. In a wide bowl, pour in the chocolate sprinkles. Then after the cupcakes have been frosted, turn the cupcake upside down, and slightly push the cupcake into the sprinkles trying to get them to cover the cupcake. 
5. Then, take 5 pieces of candy corn and push them into one side of the cupcake upside down and next to each other to create the feathered tail of the turkey. 
6. Now on the opposite side of the cupcake place two candy eyeballs with little space in between. 
7. Then place one more piece of candy corn with the bigger side in the cupcake to make the beak.
8. Once you have that in place take the red frosting to make a little line next to the candy corn to make the snood (yes that is actually the name!). 
9. Then, they are ready to serve or eat!  

Recipe Customizations

• To make this recipe quick and easy we have the original recipe using a container of frosting from the grocery store, but you can make your own if you have the time. Lauren’s latest has an easy chocolate frosting recipe you can make in place of the container of chocolate frosting. 
• You can also make your own chocolate cake mix if you are up to it! Simply scratch has an easy chocolate cake mix recipe that you can use in place of the box of cake mix. 

Storage Suggestions

To store cupcakes, make sure to let them completely cool. Unfrosted cupcakes are easier to store after baking, then frosted cupcakes.

• Container: Always store cupcakes in an airtight container to prevent the air from drying them out and contamination. We like to store cupcakes in this container.
• Counter: Unfrosted cupcakes can be store at room temperature (and out of sunlight) for one day.
• Refrigerator: You can keep cupcakes in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Before eating, allow them time to come back to room temperature before serving. If you ice them with the cream cheese frosting, we recommend refrigerating them.

Explore More Thanksgiving Desserts

Cap off a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with a a delicious dessert or sweet treat. Check out our comprehensive collection of Thanksgiving recipes here.

• Caramel Pecan Turtle Pumpkin Pie
• Chocolate Pecan Pie 
• Double Layer Pumpkin Pie
• Dutch Apple Pie
• Easy Pecan Pie 
• Homemade Fresh Pumpkin Pie
• Mini Pumpkin Pies
• No Bake Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
• Simple Pumpkin Pie
• Sweet Potato Pie

Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes Recipe

5 from 12 votes

Enjoy these festive and kid-friendly Thanksgiving turkey cupcakes filled with moist chocolate cake and frosting.

ServingServing: 24 cupcakes

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

• ▢ 15.25 ounces chocolate cake mix, prepared according to directions for 24 cupcakes
• ▢ 16 ounces chocolate frosting, (or your favorite homemade chocolate frosting)
• ▢ 1 ½ cups chocolate sprinkles
• ▢ 2 cups candy corn
• ▢ 48 Wilton candy eyeballs, (found at major grocery stores or HERE)
• ▢ red frosting

Equipment

• Cupcake Pan (Regular)
• Mixing Bowl (Large)
• Mixer (Hand)
• Mixing Bowl (Small)
• Spatula

Instructions

1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions to make 24 cupcakes.  
2. Bake and let cool completely.  
3. Frost each cupcake with chocolate frosting.  
4. Hold cupcake upside down and dip into chocolate sprinkles. 
5. Push 5 candy corn upside down into the top of your cupcake for feathers.  
6. Add two candy eyeballs and push a candy corn into the cupcake for a beak. 
7. Pipe on a little red frosting next to the candy corn beak and enjoy.

Notes

To make this recipe quick and easy we have the original recipe using a container of frosting from the grocery store, but you can make your own if you have the time!

Nutrition

Calories: 256 kcal · Carbohydrates: 50 g · Protein: 1 g · Fat: 7 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Sodium: 222 mg · Potassium: 96 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 41 g · Vitamin A: 1 IU · Calcium: 29 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Cuisine: American

Cost: $10

Author: Steph Loaiza

Course: Dessert

Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.