Serve this adorable and easy Thanksgiving Brownies recipe at your Thanksgiving dinner. Kids and adults love this simple dessert because they're so much fun!
Use homemade or boxed brownies, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, candy corn, candy eyes, and Reese's pieces. You can use candy corn for Thanksgiving Candy Turkey Pretzel Bites too!
Here's a Thanksgiving dessert idea you can make ahead or have the kids help with (and there's no need to make a pie crust)!
Thanksgiving Brownies! They look like little turkeys and are the perfect alternative to pumpkin pie.
If you are a pumpkin pie fan, you can also serve these Pumpkin Pie Turkeys!
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Ingredient Notes
- Brownies - you can make a batch of homemade brownies or use a box mix. We love how easy and fudgy our brownie recipe is. You should definitely give it a try.
- Miniature Reese's Peanut Butter cups - you usually find these in the candy aisle at the grocery store.
- Reese's Pieces - ET isn't the only one who loves these peanut butter candies. The orange or the red pieces make the turkey's gobbler.
- Candy eyeballs - are usually found in the baking aisle in the grocery store, Target, or Walmart.
- Candy Corn - this seasonal treat is a classic, so remember to grab a bag after Halloween.
- Candy melts or chocolate chips - this melted chocolate (often called melting chocolate) will adhere the candies to the brownies.
Step-By-Step Instructions
This is such an easy recipe, especially after you bake your brownies.
PRO TIP: Open all the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and cut the Reese’s Pieces in half so they’re ready when you need them.
Erin
STEP 1 - BAKE BROWNIES
Either bake a homemade brownie recipe or grab your favorite boxed brownie mix at the store.
Here are the instructions for our easy brownie recipe. Just make sure to double the batch:
- PREP - Preheat the oven to 325º F (163 degrees C). Then, grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper. Next, set aside ⅔ of a cup of your chocolate morsels.
- MAKE CHOCOLATE BATTER - Heat dark chocolate morsels, granulated sugar, butter, and water in a small saucepan over low heat, constantly stirring, until chocolate and butter melt.
- MIX IN REMAINING INGREDIENTS - Pour batter into a large bowl and cool slightly. Now, stir in eggs, one at a time, with a whisk until blended. Stir in vanilla extract. Then, add the flour and salt; mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula. Stir in the remaining ⅓ cup chocolate morsels and nuts if using. Pour your dark chocolate brownie batter into the prepared baking pan.
- BAKE - Place in the center of the oven and bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly sticky (The key to fudgy brownies). Cool in pan on wire rack.
STEP 2 - CUT BROWNIES INTO CIRCLES
Once brownies are cooled to room temperature, cut them into 3-inch circles to make your turkey body. We like to use this biscuit cutter to make it easy.
STEP 3 - MELT CHOCOLATE
Melt the candy wafers (melting chocolate) according to package instructions. Place it in a plastic bag with the end cut off or in a pastry bag/piping bag.
STEP 4 - DECORATE
Next, place a small amount of chocolate on the bottom of the peanut butter cup and put it towards the bottom of the cut brownie.
Add a tiny bit of melted chocolate to the back of each candy eyeball and place them in the middle of the peanut butter cup.
Add some chocolate to the cut side of the Reese’s Pieces and place it vertically under the eyeballs to form the gobbler.
Finally, place some chocolate on one side of each piece of candy corn and place them in a fan-like shape behind the peanut butter cup.
NOTE: We used 5 pieces of candy corn per turkey.
Place on a serving tray or store until ready to use.
Thanksgiving Brownies Tips and Tricks
- Easy Clean-Up: Line your baking pan with parchment paper before you add the brownie batter so it doesn't stick.
- Candy Options: You can use halved M&M's instead of Reese’s Pieces.
- You can also divide your brownie batter into prepared muffin cups so they’re already in circles when it’s time to decorate.
- We were able to get 14 circles from the 9x13-inch dish. Depending on your spacing, you'll get 12-14.
- Finding candy corn at the end of November can sometimes be a challenge. Plan ahead and grab a bag around Halloween.
Storing
If they didn't get gobbled up at your Thanksgiving table, store your Cute Turkey Brownies in an airtight container on the counter for about a week.
As for freezing, we recommend freezing just the brownies in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper in between, thawing, and then decorating them when you’re ready to serve.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can prepare brownies a day or two in advance. Just store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
Whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a scoop of pumpkin pie spice ice cream are great accompaniments to Thanksgiving Brownies.
Absolutely! Nuts (like pecans or walnuts) and chocolate chips are common additions to festive brownie recipes for added texture and flavor.
Yes, there are many gluten-free and vegan brownie recipes available. Make them according to the instructions and then decorate them.
More Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas
- Pumpkin Dump Cake - a simple recipe ANYONE can make. It's literally 'dump and bake.'
- Pumpkin Trifle - the perfect Thanksgiving dessert since it feeds a crowd and is so easy to make. Layers of spice cake, pumpkin cheesecake, and whipped cream make a beautiful and delicious addition to your Thanksgiving party.
- Pumpkin Cookies - a soft cookie recipe with white chocolate chips is hard to resist!!
- Candy Pretzel Turkey Bites - another cute dessert that kids love.
Gobble gobble! Love these Turkey Brownies for your Thanksgiving dessert table? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down.
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Printable Recipe
Thanksgiving Brownie Recipe
Equipment
- 3-inch biscuit cutter
- plastic baggie
Ingredients
Brownie Recipe (or use a boxed mix and follow instructions)
- 20 ounces dark chocolate chips (divided)
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- ⅔ cup butter (cut into pieces)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Turkey Brownie Decorating
- 14 miniature peanut butter cups
- 7 Reese's Pieces candy (cut in half)
- 28 candy eyeballs
- 70 pieces candy corn (5 per turkey)
- ⅓ cup candy melts (or chocolate chips)
Instructions
Homemade Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 325º F (163 degrees C). Then, grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper. Next, set aside ⅔ of a cup of your chocolate morsels.
- Heat dark chocolate morsels, granulated sugar, butter, and water in a small saucepan over low heat, constantly stirring, until chocolate and butter melt.
- Pour batter into a large bowl and cool slightly. Now, stir in eggs, one at a time, with a whisk until blended. Stir in vanilla extract. Then, add the flour and salt; mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula. Stir in the remaining ⅓ cup chocolate morsels and nuts if using. Pour your dark chocolate brownie batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Place in the center of the oven and bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly sticky (The key to fudgy brownies). Cool in pan on wire rack.
Decorating Turkey Brownies
- Once brownies are cooled to room temperature, cut them into 3-inch circles to make your turkey body. We like to use this biscuit cutter to make it easy.
- Melt the candy wafers (melting chocolate) according to package instructions. Place it in a plastic bag or with the end cut off or in a pastry bag/piping bag.
- Place a small amount of chocolate on the bottom of the peanut butter cup and put it towards the bottom of the cut brownie. Add a tiny bit of melted chocolate to the back of each candy eyeball and place them in the middle of the peanut butter cup. Add some chocolate to the cut side of the Reese’s Pieces and place it vertically under the eyeballs to form the gobbler. Finally, place some chocolate on one side of each piece of candy corn and place them in a fan-like shape behind the peanut butter cup.
Notes
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper before you add the brownie batter so it doesn't stick.
- You can also divide your brownie batter into prepared muffin cups, so they're already in circles when it's time to decorate.
- You can use halved M&M's instead of Reese's Pieces.
Journa Liz Ramirez
These cute brownies are so much fun! The recipe is very simple and quick. I would be doing this on repeat!
Erin Henry
Us too! This recipe just makes us smile!
Caroline Y
We made these for a project at my son's school and everyone loved them. So easy to make too!
Erin Henry
What a great idea! This is such a fun idea for school classrooms!
Julia
Super simple recipe to follow! Excited to giv this a try! Thank you for posting!
Erin Henry
It's a keeper for sure!