Growing up we always had an Family Home Evening before Thanksgiving where we made Thankful Turkeys. I think it’s a great way to talk about gratitude with kids and to really make it a focus this week. I want the same for your family, so I found the thankful turkey craft, a gratitude lesson and a super cute treat to make with your family.
To download the thankful turkeys craft click HERE
Have a great time together as a family talking about what you’re grateful for!
And for the treat…Thankful Turkey Cookies!
This idea (and picture) is from Pillsbury. Isn’t is so CUTE?! I love it! We made these last year and passed them to neighbors to tell them how much we appreciated them. If I were you, I’d hurry and get the candy corns because (trust me) they aren’t available near Thanksgiving. I learned that the hard way a few years ago when I had already promised my toddler we would make them (bad idea). Anyway, happy turkey cookie making!
Thankful Turkey Cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies (or your favorite sugar cookie recipe..don’t worry I’ve supplied one down below)
1 container (16 oz) chocolate creamy frosting (I would use vanilla and tint it orange with food coloring which would negate the decorating icing and gel)
Candy corn
Orange decorating icing
Black decorating gel
Miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits (or find some M&Ms in your kids Halloween candy)
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies as directed on roll. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
2. Spoon chocolate frosting into resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut small hole in bottom corner of bag. On each cookie, pipe frosting on outer edge of half of cookie. Arrange candy corn over frosting for feathers.
3. Pipe orange icing onto each cookie to resemble turkey face and feet. Use orange icing to attach baking bits to turkey face for eyes. Pipe black gel on baking bits for centers of eyes.
Sugar Cookie Recipe
This is my mother-in-law’s recipe (the real cookie queen)
¾ c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs (1/4 C. Dry Egg Powder + 1/2 C. Water)
½ tsp. lemon flavoring or vanilla
2 ½ c. flour (1 C. Whole Wheat Flour & 1 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Mix shortening, sugar, eggs and flavoring thoroughly.
Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together; blend in.
Chill for 1 hour.
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Roll dough 1/8” thick on lightly floured board. Cut with 3” cookie cutter.
Cook 6-8 minutes.
Too cute!!