Thanksgiving just got cuter (and tastier)! These adorable Nutter Butter Turkeys are no-bake, easy to make, and use peanut butter cookies and candy corn for a fun, festive treat that’s almost too cute to eat!
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Recipe at a Glance
Prep: 20 min | Cook/Bake: 0 min | Difficulty: Easy
What it is: A fun, no-bake dessert made with Nutter Butter cookies, candy corn, and more to create adorable turkey-shaped cookies perfect for Thanksgiving.
Why you’ll love it: They’re easy enough for kids to help make, come together quickly, and look amazing on your holiday dessert table.
How to make it: Add melted white chocolate on top of the round cookie, then decorate with candy corn feathers, candy eyes, and a candy “beak.” Allow them to set before serving.
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Table of Contents
- Recipe at a Glance
- Thanksgiving Printables Your Family Will Love
- Recommended Kitchen Tools
- My Kitchen Tools Essentials
- Main Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions and Variations
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Insider Tips from My Kitchen to Yours
- Storage Tips
- Recipe FAQ's
- More Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes You'll Love!
- LOVE this recipe? SAVE it for Later!
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
Thanksgiving Printables Your Family Will Love
Quick to print and beautiful to display—these cards help you decorate in minutes!
Leftover Labels $2.99
Vintage Gratitude Cards $3.99Scripture Gratitude Cards $3.99
Recommended Kitchen Tools
For a full list of kitchen tools used in this recipe, be sure to check the recipe card below. You can also browse my Favorite Kitchen Tools by clicking the photo below.
Check out my list...
My Kitchen Tools Essentials
Tools that will make your time easier and faster in the kitchen!
Brach's Candy Corn (66 oz.)
Wilton Candy Melts - White 340gFestival Candy Eyes Treat Toppers, 2.9 OunceREESE'S PIECES Peanut Butter in a Crunchy Shell, Halloween Candy Bag, 9.9 oz
Main Ingredients Needed
Below is a quick preview of the ingredients you’ll need. For exact amounts, check the recipe card below. You can also use the "Shopping List button" to create a printable shopping list, or the "Get Ingredients button" in the recipe card to order groceries online.
Substitutions and Variations
Try a different cookie base: Use Oreos or Golden Oreos in place of the round cookies.
Switch up the coating: Substitute white candy melts with chocolate, vanilla almond bark or even melted chocolate chips.
Change the wattle color: Use red candy melts instead of red icing for the turkey’s wattle.
Give the feathers a twist: Swap traditional candy corn for "harvest corn" to create a different look.
Adjust the candy melt texture: If the melted coating is too thick, stir in a tiny amount of shortening or paramount crystals to thin it out. (Avoid adding water.)
Step-by-Step Instructions
This section includes step-by-step photos and instructions to guide you through the recipe. For the complete printable version, scroll down to the recipe card below.
Step 1: Melt the candy melts in 30 second increments in the microwave. Stir in between each until smooth.
Step 2: Separate the round cookies and place on parchment paper.
Step 3: Add melted white chocolate on top of the round cookie.
Step 4: Place the peanut shaped Nutter Butter on the bottom half of the round cookie. Refer to the photo.
Step 5: Cover the top part of the round cookie with 5 pieces of candy corn. This will be the the tail feathers.
Step 7: Cut an orange Reese's Pieces in half. Use a dab of white chocolate to stick the beak on right below the eyes.
Step 6: Dab white chocolate on the tops of the Nutter Butters. Then place the candy eyes.
Step 8: Pipe the red cookie icing onto the side of the beak to create the turkey's wattle. Allow to set before serving.
Insider Tips from My Kitchen to Yours
✔️ DO assemble the cookies on parchment paper, work in small batches, and press the candy corn feathers in right after dipping so they stick before the chocolate sets.
❌ DO NOT move or stack the cookies until the chocolate is fully set, and avoid freezing them as moisture can cause the decorations to crack or bleed.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate: Store the turkey treats in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 weeks or in the refrigerator for 1 month.
Freezer: These Nutter Butter Turkey Cookies aren’t ideal for freezing once decorated. The candy corn, icing, and chocolate details can crack or discolor after being frozen and thawed. For best results, assemble them a day or two before serving and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Recipe FAQ's
To view the answers, simply click on the down arrow (⬇) next to each question. If you have any other questions not answered here, please leave a comment!
While you can, chocolate chips don't melt as smoothly and may require shortening or paramount crystals to thin them out.
Absolutely! Get creative with sprinkles, different colored candy melts, or even edible glitter.
More Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes You'll Love!
Check out my recipe for Turkey Desserts for Thanksgiving. Or you might like this Easy Cookie Recipe for Easy Thanksgiving Cookies decorated like Pilgrim Hats.
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📖 Recipe Card
Nutter Butter Turkeys
Video
Ingredients
- 24 regular peanut shaped Nutter Butter cookies
- 12 large round Nutter Butter cookies
- ½ cup white candy melts, more as needed
- 120 candy corn pieces
- 48 candy eyeballs
- 12 orange Reese's Pieces, cut in half
- red cookie icing
Equipment
Method
- Melt the white candy wafers in 30-second increments until smooth. Stir at each interval to ensure even heating. Set aside and allow to cool down a bit.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Separate the round Nutter Butter cookies and place on top. (You can scrape off the peanut butter filling or keep it on.)
- Smear a little white chocolate melts onto the round cookie and then place a peanut shaped Nutter Butter on the lower half. Be sure to work quickly before the white chocolate sets. I recommend to work in small batches at a time.
- Add 5 candy corn pieces on top for the feathers and keep them close together. Gently press it down into the white melts to help them stick. The round peanut butter cookie in the back will help to hold the candy corn pieces up and keep it level.
- Use the back of a skewer or use the small tip of a chopstick to dip into the white chocolate then dab a little onto the tops of the Nutter Butters for the turkey's eyes. Immediately add two eyeballs and gently press down to help it stick in place.
- Dip the skewer into the white melts again and then dab a little underneath the eyes. Place a Reese’s Pieces half for the beak, gently pressing down to help it stick.
- Pipe the red cookie icing on one side of the beak for the wattle.
- Allow to set completely before serving, about 15-20 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate for 5-10 minutes to speed up the process. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- If you can’t find the round Nutter Butter cookies, you can use another round sandwich cookie such as Oreos or Golden Oreos or different brand of round peanut butter cookie sandwiches. I have seen Walmart have a Great Value option of it.
- Instead of white candy melts, you can use white chocolate chips or any other color candy melts or type of chocolate desired.
- Instead of red cookie icing to make the wattle, you can melt red candy wafers. Be sure to let it cool a bit before piping so it does not spill out too quickly.
Cheryl says
I need to make a large quantity of these for the nursing homes I volunteer at. Has anybody tried to freeze these?
Lois says
Thanks so much for making these for the nursing home volunteers! What a thoughtful idea! 😊
About freezing: I don’t recommend it because the cookie base and candy corn decorations may not hold up well. The cookies can get soft when defrosted, and the candy corn might change color or texture.
You can make them a few days ahead of time, though! Just store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, layering them between sheets of wax paper to keep them fresh and prevent smudging.
Hope that helps, and thank you again for spreading some sweetness with these! I’d love to see a photo of how they turn out. What a fun project to share with the residents!
Janet says
These are so cute. I think I'll make some for the neighborhood kids.
Lois says
Thank you! I hope the kids love the treats!
Joanne says
These are adorable!