This Thanksgiving, we’re bringing a twist to the table that’ll have you gobbling up more than just your standard turkey! While the classic bird definitely takes center stage, we’ve cooked up a sweet surprise that’s bound to steal the show – Turkey Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods. It’s a great way to use up any leftover candy corn from Halloween and make some cute little turkeys for the next big holiday.
These pretzel rods are the perfect way to mix a little mischief into your Thanksgiving menu. After all, who said turkeys can’t be sweet and salty at the same time?
Easy to make with your kids, this no-bake Thanksgiving dessert is fun for the whole family. It’s time to bring a whole new meaning to “stuffing” your face this holiday season.
How To Make Turkey Pretzels:
Turkey Tailfeathers
Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
Melt ½ lb of melting chocolate according to the package instructions.
Use the backside of a spoon to smear 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate in a circle on the wax paper.
Quickly arrange candy corn (8 candy corn pieces per chocolate circle) on top of the chocolate circle, leaving room for the pretzel rod.
Repeat until you have 12 candy corn feather sets for your 12 turkeys.
Turkey Bodies & Heads
Cut the yellow and white ends off 12 pieces of candy corn. Keep the orange candy corn pieces and set them aside. You will need one orange turkey beak for each pretzel turkey.
Melt another ½ lb of melting chocolate and transfer it to a heat-safe glass or tall mug.
Dip pretzel rods in the melted chocolate, covering half of the rod.
Use a butter knife to distress the chocolate so it looks rough and turkey-like.
Place two candy eyeballs and an orange candy corn turkey beak near the top of the pretzel to finish your turkey face.
Allow to dry on wax paper.
Repeat until you have finished preparing 12 pretzel turkey bodies.
Assemble Turkey Pretzel Rods
Spoon 1 teaspoon of the remaining melted chocolate into the center of each feather set.
Place a turkey body on top of the melted chocolate in the center of the tail feathers
Allow the chocolate turkey to dry completely then remove it from the wax paper.
Tips For Making Turkey Pretzel Rods
Melting Chocolate Tips
It’s easier to get a consistently melted batch of chocolate or chocolate candy melting wafers by using a double boiler on the stove. Using your microwave might cause your chocolate to dry and seize or burn.
If you’re using the microwave, try short 20 second blasts at a low temperature or 50% power until the chocolate is melted.
If your melting chocolate burns, start over with a new microwave safe container instead of trying to add more chocolate to the burnt batch.
If your melting chocolate is too thick, you can add a teaspoon of vegetable oil at a time to thin it out. Use something like sunflower oil or canola oil that has a mild flavor. Don’t use olive oil.
Prep Work
Make sure you have all your pieces and ingredients prepped before you begin melting your chocolate. It can cool off quickly so it helps to be well prepared.
Double Dipping
If you want thicker chocolate, you can dip your pretzel sticks twice in melted milk chocolate before you start decorating.
Variation Ideas
Get creative with different decorations like colorful sprinkles, or even crushed nuts for added texture and flavor. You can also use an orange Reese’s Pieces cut in half as the beak of your cute turkey pretzels. If you’re finding the chocolate back of your turkey pretzels is too thin for your liking, you can use large Reese’s Cups behind your candy corn to give it more support.
Not every pretzel rod will turn out perfectly, and that’s part of the charm. Each fun treat will have its own unique character, so don’t stress about perfection.
Storage Tips
Store your finished Thanksgiving turkey pretzels in an airtight container or in plastic bags to keep them fresh. They can be stored at room temperature for a few days before they will start tasting stale. You can also store them in an airtight container and put them in the fridge if you need them to stay fresh longer than 5 days.
Final Thoughts on Thanksgiving Pretzels
These Turkey Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods may not be the main course, but they’re certainly a dish worth celebrating – a feast for the eyes and the taste buds! If you love turkey-shaped treats, and you’re looking for more Thanksgiving recipes, you’ve got to check out my Turkey Cake next! For some more traditional ideas, check out these Thanksgiving Pie Recipes too!
Christmas is right around the corner, so check out these Christmas Tree Pretzel Rods too. If you decide to try out these fun Thanksgiving treats, remember that laughter and creativity are the secret ingredients that make any holiday celebration truly memorable. So, whether you’re an experienced chef or a rookie in the kitchen, give it a whirl and let your inner turkey artist soar.
Thanksgiving Turkey Pretzel Rods
Equipment
- Wax paper or parchment paper
- baking sheet to allow you to move your treats easily while they cool
- Microwave-safe bowl or double boiler
- Scissors
- Knife
- Tall glass or mug
- spoons
Ingredients
- 12 pretzel rods
- 2 lbs Melting Chocolate/Candy Melts
- 24 Candy Eyes
- Candy Corn
Instructions
Turkey Tailfeathers
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
- Melt ½ lb of melting chocolate according to the package instructions.
- Use the backside of a spoon to smear 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate in a circle on the wax paper.
- Quickly arrange candy corn (8 candy corn pieces per chocolate circle) on top of the chocolate circle, leaving room for the pretzel rod.
- Repeat until you have 12 candy corn feather sets for your 12 turkeys.
Turkey Bodies & Heads
- Cut the yellow and white ends off 12 pieces of candy corn. Keep the orange candy corn pieces and set them aside. You will need one orange turkey beak for each pretzel turkey.
- Melt another ½ lb of melting chocolate and transfer it to a heat-safe glass or tall mug.
- Dip pretzel rods in the melted chocolate, covering half of the rod.
- Use a butter knife to distress the chocolate so it looks rough and turkey-like.
- Place two candy eyeballs and an orange candy corn turkey beak near the top of the pretzel to finish your turkey face.
- Allow to dry on wax paper.
- Repeat until you have finished preparing 12 pretzel turkey bodies.
Assemble Turkey Pretzel Rods
- Spoon 1 teaspoon of the remaining melted chocolate into the center of each feather set.
- Place a turkey body on top of the melted chocolate in the center of the tail feathers
- Allow the chocolate turkey to dry completely then remove it from the wax paper.
