From Hazard in the Kitchen to Talented Chef: Thanksgiving Treat Edition
Holidays can be stressful if you are not a talented chef, so try these easy dessert recipes during your next festive gathering. These easy and delicious dessert recipes include Pretzel Turkey Bites, Turkey Leg Treats, and Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. They are quick and easy to make in under thirty minutes and require limited ingredients. These incredible holiday dessert recipes taste great and will dazzle on your holiday dessert table.
The Pretzel Turkey Bites are the perfect snack to have while awaiting your
Thanksgiving meal. They will liven up your Thanksgiving spread and put a
smile on your friends and families’ faces. These treats could be used as a
fun opportunity for children to show off their creative side while
assembling these easy to make creations.
There are a few things you can do to make assembling these pretzel
turkeys as easy as possible. First, be sure to watch the rolos while they are in the oven to make sure they do not become too melted. If you do not want to use the oven to melt the rolos, about 30 seconds in the microwave will do the trick. These treats can be made ahead of time, but be sure to store them in an airtight container until you are ready to debut your inventive turkey desserts. Lastly, if you cannot find candy eyeballs, icing can be used as an alternative.
Is the whoopie pie a cookie, pie, sandwich, or cake? No one knows but
they all agree on how delicious they taste. These whoopie pies are full of
pumpkin flavor...a perfect treat for Thanksgiving. These pumpkin-flavored
pies are soft and spicy with help from ingredients like ginger and
cinnamon. Skip the pumpkin spice latte at the Starbucks and get your fall
fix in cookie form instead.
Whoopie pies can become very rich, but using half shortening/half butter
in the cookie batter helps decrease the richness in the pie. Many people have suggested using cream cheese icing as the filling to save on time and energy. A glass of milk will pair nicely with this tasty dessert.
Turkey Leg treats are a twist on the classic Rice Krispies treats that are fun for
kids and adults. They are the perfect surprise treat for the vegetarian in your
family. This dessert combines rice krispie treats, chocolate, and pretzels to
make a flavorful treat that resembles the main food of the holidays, the turkey!
While assembling your Turkey Leg dessert, make sure to use the pretzel rods
rather than the pretzel sticks. The pretzel sticks are not strong enough to hold
the weight of the rice krispy treat. Spraying your hands with cooking spray will
help prevent the cereal from sticking to your hands when molding. Also, do not
try to shape the cereal mixture around the pretzel rod until it has cooled down.
Ingredients for Pretzel Turkey Bites
● Pretzel Twists
● Pieces of Candy Corn
● Rolos
● Reese’s Pieces
● Candy Eyeballs/ white and black icing
Directions:
1. First, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line a baking pan with parchment paper
2. Place pretzels with the salted side down with the double rounded end pointed toward
you.
3. Now, unwrap your Rolo candies and place them in the center towards the top of the
pretzel.
4. Place them in the oven until the chocolate softens, but isn’t totally melted for about 1
minute. (keep an eye on the rolos while in the oven)
5. Begin decorating by placing the candy eyeballs towards the middle, slightly towards the
top, of the Rolos candy. Take Reese’s Pieces, turn it sideways, and insert it below the
eyes.
6. Take three pieces of candy corn and insert them along the top of the Rolos for the
feathers.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Cookies
● 1 cup shortening
● 2 cups packed brown sugar
● 2 large eggs, room temp.
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● 3-1⁄2 cups all purpose flour
● 1-1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
● 1-1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
● 1 teaspoon salt
● 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
● 1 teaspoon ground ginger
● 1-1⁄2 cups canned pumpkin
Filling
● 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
● Dash salt
● 3⁄4 cup of 2% milk
● 1 cup shortening
● 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
● 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Cream shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7
minutes.
2. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
3. In another bowl, whisk the next 6 ingredients; beat into creamed mixture alternately with
pumpkin.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets; flatten slightly
with the back of a spoon. Bake for 10-11 minutes. Place on wire racks to cool.
5. For filling, combine flour and salt in a small saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk until
smooth; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
6. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until thickened for about 2 minutes. Refrigerate
covered, until completely cooled.
7. In another bowl, beat shortening, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add
chilled milk mixture; beat until light and fluffy for about 7 minutes. Spread on the bottoms
of half of the cookies; cover with remaining cookies. Store in the refrigerator
Ingredients for Cereal Turkey Legs
● Pretzel rods
● 1 bag white candy melts (or 1 cup vanilla baking chips)
● 1 bag mini marshmallows
● 8 cups of Cocoa Krispies cereal
● 1⁄4 cup butter
Directions:
1. Break a pretzel rod in half (use pretzel rods not sticks!)
2. Dip the end of the pretzel rod into melted white chocolate and then place two
marshmallows on the end of the white chocolate
3. Let them sit for about 5 mins
4. Dip the pretzels in the white chocolate again, covering 2⁄3 of the pretzel
5. In a saucepan, melt butter and marshmallows and stir until the mixture is smooth
6. Remove from heat and stir the mixture in cereal
7. Allow the cereal mixture to cool before trying to shape it around the pretzel rod
8. Place the new formed turkey drumstick on wax paper until it is fully cooled
9. Enjoy!