These Turkey Cake Pops Will Be the Highlight of Your Thanksgiving Table

From Good Housekeeping

Turkey recipes may be the center of your Thanksgiving feast every year, but why not make it the star of Thanksgiving dessert table, too? These turkey cake pops are the cutest-ever sweet treats and they're the best way to end the best meal of the year. Our recipe calls for chocolate cake as base of these festive sweets, but if you're looking to fill your feast with pumpkin recipes, bake up a pumpkin cake mix to create easy spice cake pops. Then to decorate, use store-bought ingredients, like M&Ms, candy corn, ginger snap cookies and Twizzlers, to give a little personality to these adorable Thanksgiving cake pops. Plus this kitchen project lends itself to plenty of creativity: use any chocolate you have on hand, any cake mix you enjoy, even swap out the colors and candies if you want to make a different type of creature cake pop. Get your kids involved by letting them dip and decorate the cake balls and turkey faces any way they please!

In four easy steps, you can make the easiest-ever turkey cake pops to serve after Thanksgiving dinner. Or if you're interested in making homemade Thanksgiving gifts this year to give as a host present or to let your family and friends know how grateful you are for their friendship. Who knows, they may even outshine the regular bird this Thanksgiving.

Here's What You'll Need:

• 1 8-in chocolate cake

• 1 cup frosting

• 2 cups milk chocolate chips

• Lollipop sticks

• Ginger snap cookies (we used Anna’s Swedish Ginger Thins)

• Florist's Foam

• Candy corn

• Melted chocolate

• Candy eyeballs

• M&M’s

• Twizzlers

• Melted chocolate

Step 1: Make the Cake Pop Filling

Place the cake in a stand mixer and mix with a paddle attachment mix to break into small pieces.

Add frosting and continue mixing until combined.

Roll the mixture into 1" balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Step 2: Coat Cake Pops in Chocolate

In a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, melt the chocolate on medium, stirring every 20 seconds, until smooth (about 60 seconds total). Dip each lollipop stick into the melted chocolate, then into each cookie ball; return to the pan and refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes (this holds the stick in place).

Remelt the chocolate if necessary. Working with 1 cookie pop at a time (keep the rest in the fridge), dip the cake balls into the melted chocolate, swirling to coat and tapping off any excess; then press the chocolate-covered cake balls onto a gingersnap cookie; place in the floral foam so they can set upright. Repeat with the remaining cookie balls, remelting the chocolate as necessary. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Prepare Tail Feathers

Using melted chocolate as glue, stick candy corns halfway around the perimeter of a gingersnap cookie. Set aside to dry.

Step 4: Decorate The Faces

For the eyes: Using a lollipop stick or toothpick, place a tiny bit of chocolate on the back of each candy eye ball and stick onto the cake balls.

For the nose: Cut M & M’s in half, dip the cut side in melted chocolate and place just under the eyes.

For the wattle: Cut a small pieces of licorice in a L shape and stick one on a side of the nose.

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