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Fun Turkey Hand Cookies Easy Kids Treat

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These fun turkey hand sugar cookies are a kid-friendly Thanksgiving treat that transforms a simple sugar cookie into a personalized turkey using hand tracings, candy corn feathers, and easy decorations. Perfect for classroom parties or family gatherings, they’re simple enough for little hands to help with and guaranteed to bring smiles.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Candy corn (for feathers)
  • Candy eyes
  • Orange candy melts or orange frosting (for beak)
  • Red candy melts or red frosting (for wattle)
  • Brown frosting or melted chocolate (for turkey body)

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup of softened butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides halfway through.
  2. Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, then beat until just combined. Do not overmix.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Gradually add to the wet mixture on low speed until the dough just comes together.
  4. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Trace each person’s hand onto a piece of parchment paper using a pencil and cut out the tracing.
  7. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out one disk of chilled dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Place the parchment hand tracing on top and cut around it with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
  8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are just barely golden. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Once cookies are completely cool, spread a thin layer of brown frosting over the palm area of each cookie.
  10. Place candy corn feathers along the fingers, pointing outward (3-4 pieces per finger). Press gently into frosting.
  11. Add two candy eyes near the top of the palm. Pipe a small orange triangle for the beak and a tiny red squiggle for the wattle just below it.
  12. Let frosting set for about 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Chill the cut cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking to help them hold their shape. Use a bench scraper for transferring fragile hand-shaped cookies. Let kids decorate on a lazy Susan to contain mess. Make frosting ahead of time (up to 3 days) to save stress. Buy two bags of candy corn—you’ll use 15-20 pieces per cookie.

Nutrition

Keywords: turkey cookies, hand cookies, Thanksgiving cookies, kids baking, sugar cookies, candy corn, holiday treats

Find it online: https://tablemira.com/fun-turkey-hand-cookies-easy-kids-treat/