Thanksgiving treats: Pilgrim hat cookies, acorn candy cookies, caramel pretzels, chocolate caramel turkey legs, and turkey caramel pretzels—all made with 5 ingredients or less.
See our complete Thanksgiving menu here and try some other fun treats like these Nutter Butter Turkey Cookies or these turkey-decorated Thanksgiving muffins.
Five of our favorite Thanksgiving Goodies
So just in case you too have a very bossy (albeit cute) toddler and the sweetest little two-month-old, or things are just absolutely crazy and you need a quick treat, I’ve got the perfect collection of last-minute treats you need for this Thanksgiving.
The great thing about these little treats is that they can double as a table decoration! Scatter a few treats around the table and voilá! — edible table decor (AKA my favorite type of decor)!
For a quick overview of making these Thanksgiving treats, be sure to check out the quick video tutorial in this post. Enjoy!
Thanksgiving Treat #1: Pilgrim Hat Cookies
Ingredients:
- 32 Miniature Reese’s Cups
- 32 Fudge-striped shortbread cookies
- 1 cup frosting– vanilla or cream cheese
- 5-6 drops food coloring —red, orange, or yellow
- 32 M&M’s
How to:
- Unwrap the Reese’s Cups.
- In a small bowl, stir together the frosting and food coloring (whatever color you’d like). Transfer frosting to a plastic bag (or piping bag fitted with a tip) and cut off the top corner of the bag with scissors. Pipe around the hole on the shortbread cookies. Position the unwrapped Reese’s cup on the frosting and press down so the frosting comes out forming a circle of frosting around the chocolate.
- Pipe some frosting on the back of an M&M and secure in the center front of the Reese’s cup.
- Repeat with the rest of the cookies.
Thanksgiving Treat #2: Acorn Candy Cookies
Ingredients:
- 25 chocolate kisses
- 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips or peanut butter or chocolate frosting
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil, optional
- 25 miniature vanilla wafer cookies (such as Nilla Wafers)
- 25 miniature chocolate chips
How to:
- Unwrap the kisses and set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk chocolate chips and optional coconut oil (coconut oil will make the chocolate smoother and easier to dip). Microwave for 15 seconds, remove and stir for 15 seconds. Repeat until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Dip the kisses in the melted chocolate and press to the bottom of the vanilla wafer cookies.
- Dip the miniature chocolate chips in the melted chocolate and press in the center of the other side of the vanilla wafer cookie.
- Let harden at room temperature.
Thanksgiving Treat #3: Caramel Thanksgiving Pretzels
Ingredients:
- 25 pretzel twists or snaps
- 25 chocolate-covered caramels (such as Rolos)
- 25 M&M’s
How to:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a tray with parchment paper and place the pretzels on the tray.
- Unwrap the Rolos and place on top of the pretzels.
- Bake for 2-3 minutes or until the chocolate is soft but not melted
- Press the M&M’s into the center of the Rolos RIGHT out of the oven.
Thanksgiving Treat #4: Chocolate Caramel Turkey Legs
Ingredients:
- 20 pretzel sticks
- 20 soft caramels (such as Werther’s soft caramels)
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- Optional: 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
How to:
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Unwrap the caramels and warm them with your hands or in the microwave for 5 seconds.
- Gently shape the caramel around the lower half of each pretzel to resemble a turkey leg.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and optional vegetable oil (oil will make the chocolate smoother and easier to dip). Microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 15 seconds, until melted.
- Dip 3/4ths of each caramel in the chocolate. Set aside on the prepared sheet pan to harden.
Thanksgiving Treat #5: Turkey Caramel Pretzels
Ingredients:
- 20 pretzels
- 2o chocolate-covered caramels (such as Rolos)
- 1 bag candy corn
How to:
-
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
-
Spread the pretzels in an even layer on the tray.
-
Place a Rolo on the bottom third of each of the pretzels.
-
Bake for 3-4 minutes or until the chocolate is soft enough to press down.
-
Press in three candy corns for feathers at the top of the Rolo.
More Thanksgiving Desserts
- The best-ever Pumpkin Scones
- Simple Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Frozen No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 7 Layer Pumpkin Bars gooey pumpkin dessert bars
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with cinnamon-cream cheese frosting
Thanksgiving Treats
Thanksgiving treats made easy: Pilgrim hat cookies, acorn candy cookies, caramel pretzels, chocolate caramel turkey legs, and turkey caramel pretzels—each with 5 ingredients or less!
Equipment
- Sheet pan
Ingredients
Pilgrim Hat Cookies
- 32 Miniature Reese’s Cups
- 32 fudge-striped shortbread cookies
- 1 cup frosting vanilla or cream cheese
- 5 to 6 drops food coloring red, orange, or yellow
- 32 M&M’s
Acorn Candy Cookies
- 25 chocolate kisses
- 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips or peanut butter or chocolate frosting
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil optional
- 25 miniature vanilla wafer cookies I use Nilla Wafers
- 25 miniature chocolate chips
Caramel Thanksgiving Pretzels
- 25 twist pretzels or snap pretzels
- 25 Rolos
- 25 M&M’s
Chocolate Caramel Turkey Legs
- 20 pretzel sticks
- 20 soft caramels I use Werther’s soft caramels
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil optional
Turkey Caramel Pretzels
- 20 pretzel twists
- 20 Rolos
- 1 bag candy corn
Instructions
- Pilgrim Hat Cookies: Unwrap the Reese’s Cups. In a small bowl, stir together the frosting and food coloring (whatever color you’d like). Transfer frosting to a resealable plastic bag (or piping bag fitted with a tip) and cut off a tip of the bag with scissors. Pipe around the hole on the shortbread cookies. Position the unwrapped Reese’s cup on the frosting and press down so the frosting comes out, forming a circle of frosting around the chocolate. Pipe some frosting on the back of an M&M and secure in the center front of the Reese’s cup. Repeat with the rest of the cookies.
- Acorn Candy Cookies: Unwrap the chocolate kisses and set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk chocolate chips and optional coconut oil. Microwave for 15 seconds, remove, and stir for 15 seconds. Repeat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip the kisses in the melted chocolate and press to the bottom of the vanilla wafer cookies. Dip the mini chocolate chips in the melted chocolate and press in the center of the other side of the vanilla wafer cookie. Let harden at room temperature.
- Caramel Thanksgiving Pretzels: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a tray with parchment paper and place the pretzels on the tray. Unwrap the Rolos and place on top of the pretzels. Bake for 2–3 minutes or until the chocolates are soft but not melted. Press the M&M’s into the center of the Rolos right out of the oven.
- Chocolate Caramel Turkey Legs: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Unwrap the caramels and warm with your hands or in the microwave for 5 seconds. Gently shape the caramel around the lower half of each pretzel to resemble a turkey leg. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and optional vegetable oil. Microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring between each burst for 15 seconds, until melted. Dip 3/4 of the caramel in the chocolate. Set aside on the prepared sheet pan to harden.
- Turkey Caramel Pretzels: Preheat oven to 300°F. Spread the pretzels in an even layer on a tray. Place a Rolo on the bottom third of each of the pretzels. Bake for 3–4 minutes or until the chocolate is soft enough to press down. Press in three candy corns for feathers at the top of the Rolo.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Note: Calories in the
Pilgram Hat Cookies: 125 calories,
Acorn Candy Cookies: 89 calories,
Caramel Thanksgiving Pretzels: 75 calories,
Chocolate Caramel Turkey Legs: 84 calories,
Turkey Caramel Pretzel: 74 calories
Storage: These treats are best eaten the same day they are made!
Nutrition
Serving: 1Pilgram Hat | Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1.1g | Fat: 5.1g | Cholesterol: 0.6mg | Sodium: 86.7mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 14.6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can’t find the Carmel apple cheese treat.
Hey Linda! Here’s the link: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/caramel-apple-cheesecake/
These are just too cute Chelsea! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!