Cozy Thanksgiving Turkey Cake Pops
These adorable turkey cake pops are the perfect little bite of sweetness that doesn’t weigh you down. Made with simple ingredients and ready in just 15 minutes of active work, they’re a crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving dessert that looks impressive but feels completely doable.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 40-45 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box yellow cake mix (or vanilla cake mix)
- Ingredients listed on cake mix box (eggs, oil, and milk instead of water)
- 1/2 cup milk (whole milk preferred)
- 1/3 cup cream cheese frosting (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 bag candy melts (chocolate or vanilla)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening
- Candy corn (5-6 per pop for feathers)
- Mini chocolate chips (for eyes)
- Orange sprinkles or small orange candies (for beak)
- Red M&M’s or red cinnamon candies (for wattle)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Prepare cake mix according to box directions, substituting water with an equal amount of milk. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- Crumble the cooled cake into fine crumbs in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in 1/3 cup cream cheese frosting until a dough-like consistency forms (like Play-Doh).
- Roll mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Melt candy melts with 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into melted coating, then insert halfway into a chilled cake ball. Return to refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
- Dip each cake pop completely into melted coating, tapping gently to remove excess. Insert into a Styrofoam block or stand.
- While coating is still wet, decorate: add candy corn feathers in a fan pattern at the back, mini chocolate chips for eyes, an orange sprinkle for beak, and a red M&M for wattle.
- Let set completely at room temperature for 15-20 minutes until coating is firm and shiny.
Notes
Don’t skip the chill time—warm cake balls will fall off sticks. Add coconut oil to candy melts for smooth coating. For best results, bake cake and shape balls the night before, then dip and decorate on serving day. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake pop
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 95
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Protein: 1
Keywords: Thanksgiving, turkey cake pops, easy dessert, holiday treats, cake pops, kids dessert, fall baking