These Rolo pretzel turkeys are an easy no-bake dessert that will bring some festive fun to your Thanksgiving celebrations. With just a few simple ingredients, like pretzels and candy corn, you can create adorable edible turkeys that make the perfect holiday treat.
More Thanksgiving Treats for you to try: Oreo Cookie Turkeys, Pilgrim Hat Cookies, Teepee Cake Cones
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and you know what that means—family, food, and a whole lot of fun! Whether you’re gathering with loved ones or enjoying a cozy solo celebration, I’ve got the cutest and easiest project for you: Rolo Pretzel Turkeys!
These delightful edible crafts are not just for the kiddos; they’re perfect for Thanksgiving lovers of ALL ages and skill levels! Imagine creating these adorable turkeys that can serve as charming table decorations or snack-time treats while you await the feast!
Ingredients
- 24 mini pretzel twists
- 24 Rolos, unwrapped
- 72 candy corn pieces
- 48 candy eyeballs
- Orange and yellow mini M&Ms
Red decorative icing
How to Make No Bake Rolo Pretzel Turkeys
First things first, preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C). While that’s warming up, grab two baking trays and line them with parchment paper. This makes cleanup easy and prevents the chocolate from sticking. It’s best to work in small batches here, so you have enough time to assemble your turkeys before the chocolate sets.
Prepare the pretzels – place 6-12 pretzel twists onto your parchment-lined trays. Make sure each pretzel is turned upside down. This way, they’ll have a sturdy base for the chocolate and candy decorations to rest on.
Take some unwrapped Rolos and set one on top of each pretzel, aiming to place it near the bottom. This gives you enough space at the back of the pretzel to support the candy corn feathers later on.
To soften the chocolate, pop the tray into the oven for about 1 minute. The goal here is to soften the chocolate slightly—not fully melt it. You just want the outer layer to soften enough to attach the candy decorations without losing shape.
To attach the candy corn feathers, quickly but carefully remove the trays from the oven. Right away, insert 3 candy corn pieces into the top of each Rolo, creating the turkey’s “feathers.” Be gentle as you press the candy in to avoid moving the Rolo off the pretzel.
To add the eyes place two candy eyeballs toward the top of each Rolo. This gives your turkey its cute little face!
Now, grab some M&Ms and press one lightly beneath the eyes to serve as the turkey’s beak. Make sure it’s standing up and secure in the softened chocolate.
To finish your turkey, pipe a bit of red decorative icing on one side of the M&M beak. This will create the turkey’s wattle (also known as a snood).
Let your turkeys sit for about 20 minutes at room temperature until everything has set and the chocolate is firm again. If you’re in a rush, you can pop the tray into the fridge for 5-10 minutes to speed up the process.
Repeat the process with the remaining Rolos and pretzels until you’ve made enough treats. Keep your finished turkeys in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Enjoy these fun, festive treats with friends and family!
Tips & Tricks for best Chocolate Pretzel Turkeys
- Half, double, or triple the recipe as needed depending on how much you’d like to make. I recommend working in small batches at a time. If the chocolate hardens back up too quickly (depending on temperature in home), then it will make inserting the candy corn pieces difficult
- Pretzel twists come in different sizes. If yours are too small and don’t have a lot of space in the back of the Rolo to help hold the candy corn pieces up, you can cut the white tips of the candy corn off and stick it onto the Rolo. You may have to hold it in place for 5-10 seconds to help it stay in place.
You can use melted red candy wafers or use red cookie icing or red frosting placed in a piping bag to make the turkey’s wattle or snood. If using red candy melts, be sure to allow it to cool a bit before snipping a small piece of the tip and piping. Otherwise it will spill out too quickly and make it difficult to decorate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use something other than candy corn for the feathers?
Yes! If you’re not a fan of candy corn, feel free to use M&Ms, chocolate-covered sunflower seeds, or even small pretzel sticks as a substitute. The goal is to have something colorful and fun.
How long do these pretzel turkeys last?
Stored in an airtight container, pretzel turkeys can last for up to a week. Just make sure they’re kept in a cool, dry place to prevent the chocolate from melting or the pretzels from getting stale.
Do I need a piping bag to add the beak and wattle?
Not at all! While a piping bag offers more precision, a toothpick works just as well for fine detailing like the beak and wattle. You can even use a small ziplock bag with a corner snipped off as a DIY piping tool.
More Thanksgiving Treat Ideas
Rolo Pretzel Turkeys Recipe
Easy Thanksgiving treats, these Rolo Pretzel turkeys are the perfect blend of salty and sweet, and they’re incredibly customizable. This makes them ideal for Thanksgiving celebrations where you can tailor them to your tastes without worrying about making a big mess.
24
rolo turkeys15
minutes2
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
24 mini 24 pretzel twists
24 24 Rolos, unwrapped
72 72 candy corn pieces
48 48 candy eyeballs
Orange and yellow mini M&Ms
Red decorative icing
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 275 F and line two baking trays with parchment paper. I recommend working in small batches so that you are able to finish assembling the turkeys before the chocolate sets.
- Place 6-12 pretzel twists onto the parchment paper, turned upside down.
- Add unwrapped Rolos onto each pretzel. I like to place it towards the bottom so that there’s enough room in the back to help hold the candy corn pieces up while it sets.
- Bake for about 1 minute, only to soften the outer chocolate. You don’t want to do it too long because it will melt the Rolo too much, making it difficult to attach the candy corns and decorate without distorting the shape.
- Remove from the oven and then immediately insert 3 candy corn pieces into the tops of each Rolo for the turkey’s feathers. You will want to do this carefully as to not shift the chocolate off of the pretzel.
- Once the feathers are on, top each Rolo with two candy eyeballs towards the top half.
- Then add an M&M underneath the eyes for the beak. Lightly press it in so it stays standing up.
- Pipe the red decorative icing towards one side of the beaks for the wattle or snood.
- Allow to set completely before serving, about 20 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate it for 5-10 minutes to speed up the process.
- Repeat with the remaining Rolos and pretzels. You can keep the assembled turkeys in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Half, double, or triple the recipe as needed depending on how much you’d like to make. I recommend working in small batches at a time. If the chocolate hardens back up too quickly (depending on temperature in home), then it will make inserting the candy corn pieces difficult.
- Pretzel twists come in different sizes. If yours are too small and don’t have a lot of space in the back of the Rolo to help hold the candy corn pieces up, you can cut the white tips of the candy corn off and stick it onto the Rolo. You may have to hold it in place for 5-10 seconds to help it stay in place.
- You can use melted red candy wafers or use red cookie icing or red frosting placed in a piping bag to make the turkey’s wattle or snood. If using red candy melts, be sure to allow it to cool a bit before snipping a small piece of the tip and piping. Otherwise it will spill out too quickly and make it difficult to decorate.