Looking for the cutest way to serve pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving? These Pumpkin Pie Turkeys are literally the most adorable thing I've made in ages!
I stumbled on this idea last November when Emily's class needed treats for their Thanksgiving party. She wanted something "cute but not too babyish" (because apparently 12-year-olds have very strong opinions about these things). We made these together, and honestly? They were such a hit that three other moms asked for the recipe before pickup time ended.
The best part is how ridiculously simple they are. You're basically turning regular pumpkin pie into cute little turkey faces using candy you probably already have from Halloween. No baking skills required - just a steady hand and about 15 minutes. Plus, kids can totally help with this one, which means less work for you!
If you're looking for more fun Thanksgiving treats the whole family will love, check out my easy Thanksgiving turkey cookies - they're just as adorable and simple to make!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
- Ingredients You'll Need For Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
- How To Make Pumpkin Pie Turkeys Step By Step
- Storage Tips For Your Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
- Pro Tips And Variations For Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
- Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
- Recipes You May Like
- Why These Pumpkin Pie Turkeys Work Every Time
- Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
- Super quick to make - Ready in just 15 minutes from start to finish
- Kid-friendly project - Little ones can help decorate their own turkeys
- Uses simple ingredients - Just pumpkin pie and candy you can find anywhere
- Perfect portion control - Individual servings mean no messy pie slicing
- Store-bought pie works great - No need to bake from scratch if you don't want to
- Adorable presentation - Guests always smile when they see these on the dessert table
Ingredients You'll Need For Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
Here's what you need to make these cute Pumpkin Pie Turkeys:
- 1 (9-inch) pumpkin pie - Store-bought or homemade both work perfectly
- ¼ cup chocolate chips - For "gluing" everything together
- 4 mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - These become the turkey bodies
- 8 candy eyeballs - Find these in the baking aisle
- 2 orange Reese's Pieces - You'll cut these in half for the beaks
- 20 pieces candy corn - For those colorful tail feathers
Equipment
- 1.5-inch round biscuit cutter
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Small spoon for chocolate
How To Make Pumpkin Pie Turkeys Step By Step
Making these Pumpkin Pie Turkeys is seriously easier than you think! Here's exactly how I do it:
Cutting The Pie Circles
- Take your pumpkin pie (I usually buy mine from Costco because who has time during the holidays?) and use a 1.5-inch biscuit cutter to punch out circles from the pie.
- Try to get as many circles as you can from the pie - I usually get about 12-15 depending on how carefully I space them. The leftover pie? That's your "quality control" snack!
Preparing The Chocolate
- Put your chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat them for about 30 seconds. Stir, and if they're not melted enough, pop them back in for another 10-15 seconds.
- While the chocolate's cooling slightly, unwrap all your mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. This goes faster if you have a helper (Emily loves this part).
Assembling The Turkey Bodies
- Using a small spoon, put a dab of melted chocolate on the flat side of a Reese's cup, then stick it onto the lower half of a pie circle with the narrow side pointing down. This becomes the turkey's body.
- Let that set for just a minute so it doesn't slide around when you add the face.
Adding The Turkey Faces
- Dip the back of two candy eyeballs in chocolate and place them on the Reese's cup. I always make mine slightly googly because it's cuter that way!
- Take one orange Reese's Piece and carefully cut it in half (a sharp knife works best). Use chocolate to attach half of it lengthwise under the eyes - this is your beak.
Creating The Tail Feathers
- Now for the fun part - arrange 5 pieces of candy corn at the top of the pie circle in a fan shape, with the narrow points facing down toward the turkey body.
- Use tiny dabs of chocolate to secure each candy corn piece. Don't worry if it's not perfect - slightly messy tail feathers actually look more realistic!
Final Setting
- Pop your finished turkeys in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes to let all that chocolate harden up.
- Serve them on a platter and watch everyone's faces light up!
The whole process took me about 20 minutes the first time I made these (including stopping to take photos for Emily to send her friends). Now I can knock out a dozen in 15 minutes flat.
Storage Tips For Your Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
These Pumpkin Pie Turkeys keep really well, which is great for party planning!
Store them in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge. They'll stay fresh for up to 3 days - though honestly, they've never lasted that long at my house!
If you're making them for a party, assemble them up to 24 hours ahead. Just keep them refrigerated until about 30 minutes before serving (they taste better when they're not super cold).
Don't freeze these - the candy doesn't hold up well when thawed, and the pie filling can get watery. Trust me, I learned this the hard way last year when I got too ambitious with my make-ahead plans!
Pro Tips And Variations For Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
After making these a bunch of times, I've picked up some tricks:
Getting clean pie cuts: Dip your biscuit cutter in hot water and wipe it between cuts. This keeps the edges super clean and makes prettier turkeys.
Chocolate too thick? Add a tiny bit of coconut oil (like ½ teaspoon) to thin it out. Makes it easier to work with.
Can't find candy eyeballs? Use mini chocolate chips instead - just place them with the pointed end facing forward. Works perfectly!
Want different colors? Switch up the Reese's Pieces colors for the beaks. Yellow or red looks cool too.
Making these nut-free? Replace the Reese's cups with Rolos or chocolate coins. Still adorable, and safe for kids with allergies.
Need more servings? This recipe easily doubles or triples. I made 30 for Emily's school party and it took me about 45 minutes total.
One thing I learned - let the chocolate set properly before moving them! I tried to plate them too fast once and ended up with a pile of candy and pumpkin pie instead of cute turkeys. Not my finest moment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
Yes! Assemble them up to 24 hours ahead and store covered in the refrigerator until serving.
A 1.5-inch round biscuit cutter is ideal for creating perfectly proportioned turkey bodies from the pumpkin pie.
Absolutely! Store-bought pumpkin pie works perfectly and makes this dessert even easier to prepare.
Use small cookies like Nilla Wafers, frosted animal crackers, or even orange/yellow M&Ms arranged in a fan shape for the tail feathers.
Recipes You May Like
If these Pumpkin Pie Turkeys made you smile, you'll probably love these other fun Thanksgiving treats too:
- Nutter Butter Turkey Cookies - Another super simple turkey dessert that kids go crazy for
- Rice Krispie Treat Turkey - Perfect if you want something that doesn't require any baking
- Thanksgiving Oreo Turkey Cookies - These use Oreos instead of pumpkin pie and they're just as adorable
Why These Pumpkin Pie Turkeys Work Every Time
Listen, I'm not usually one for fussy desserts. But these Pumpkin Pie Turkeys hit that sweet spot between impressive-looking and actually doable.
The combination of creamy pumpkin pie, chocolate peanut butter cups, and colorful candy just works. Plus, turning a regular pie into individual servings means no awkward slicing at the dinner table. Everyone gets their own perfect portion.
What I really love is how customizable they are. Emily makes hers with chocolate chips for eyes (she thinks it looks funnier). My friend Sarah skips the Reese's cups and uses chocolate kisses instead. There's no wrong way to do it!
These have become our Thanksgiving tradition. Even when I'm rushing around trying to get everything done, I make time for these because they bring so much joy to the dessert table. Watching people discover them for the first time never gets old.
Give them a try this Thanksgiving! Pin this recipe so you have it when you need it, and let me know how yours turn out. Do your turkeys end up with googly eyes like mine, or do you go for the serious turkey look?
Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
Equipment
- Biscuit Cutter
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pumpkin pie
- ¼ cup chocolate chips melted
- 4 mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- 8 candy eyeballs
- 2 orange Reese's Pieces halved
- 20 candy corn
Instructions
- Using a 1.5-inch biscuit cutter, cut out circles in pumpkin pie.
- Melt chocolate chip in the microwave for approximately 30 seconds or until soft. Unwrap Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
- Using melted chocolate, attach a Peanut Butter Cup to pumpkin pie narrow side down on the lower half of the circle.
- On top of the Peanut Butter Cup, attach two candy eyeballs with melted chocolate. Then take half a Reese's Pieces and attach it longways under the eyes with chocolate to make the beak.
- Place 5 pieces of candy corn at the top of the circle to form tail feathers, narrow side pointing down. Let the chocolate harden in the refrigerator for 5 minutes and serve!
