These turkey Oreo balls are an easy kid-friendly Thanksgiving dessert that are so fun to make. Oreo truffles are dipped in chocolate then decorated with candy corn and candy eyes to turn them into festive turkeys!
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Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Dessert
These turkey Oreo balls are the perfect sweet treat to add to your Thanksgiving menu. Both kids and adults will go crazy over them! Plus, they are a great addition to the pie table for those that may not love pie.
Oreo balls are a great year-round dessert but during the holidays there are so many fun ways you can decorate them! This Thanksgiving turkey version is one of my favorite festive recipes along with strawberry turkeys, turkey veggie tray and turkey fruit tray.
Recipe Ingredients
Everyone will rave about these cute Thanksgiving turkey Oreo cookie balls that are chocolatey, bite-sized and decorated so cute!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Oreos: 1 package of Oreo cookies. No need to remove the middle filling, it helps add to the rich dessert.
- Cream cheese: Softened cream cheese is combined with the cookies to create a creamy and rich mixture.
- Chocolate melting wafers: I used a package of dark chocolate melting wafers to coat the Oreo balls/make the base of the turkey, but you can use semi-sweet.
- Candy corn: These are used to make the tail feathers. You can use M&M candies if preferred.
- Candy eyes: Mini candy eyes help create the cute turkey face.
- Reese’s pieces: These are used for the beak of the turkey. Make sure to use orange colored Reese’s pieces. Orange M&M’s work, too!
- Red decorator icing: Use red decorating icing to make the turkey’s wattle. You could always omit this step, but I think it makes them look extra cute and realistic.
How to Make Turkey Oreo Balls
This Thanksgiving Oreo cookie ball recipe is a fun and easy way for the kids to help in the kitchen and get creative turning the truffles into cute characters!
- Crush Oreos: In a food processor crush the Oreos into fine crumbs. You can also add Oreos to a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Base mixture: Mix crumbs together with the cream cheese to create the truffle filling.
- Scoop and roll into balls: Scoop out the mixture with a small cookie scoop, then roll them into a ball with your hands. Freeze until slightly hardened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Coat: Melt chocolate and then use a fork to coat the balls in the melted chocolate.
- Tail: While the chocolate is still wet, press 5 candy corns into the top of the Oreo ball (in a fanned manner).
- Beak: Grab an orange Reese’s Pieces candy and press it into the middle of the Oreo ball to make the beak.
- Eyes: Add some melted chocolate onto the back of the candy eyes, then adhere them above the beak.
- Wattle: Pipe some red decorating icing to the right of the beak, to make the turkey’s wattle.
Turkey Oreo Truffles Tips
- Quality chocolate. I love buying these Ghirardelli melting wafers from Amazon. The quality is great and they give a super smooth finish to chocolate covered Oreos.
- Move fast: In order to be able to decorate while the chocolate is still wet, you must move fast. Have all of your decorating accessories out and ready to go before you get started.
- Melted chocolate: If the chocolate hardens before you are finished, you can use melted chocolate to “glue” the remaining decorations on. Use a toothpick to adhere it onto the decoration, then press it onto the Oreo ball and hold it in place.
- Candy eye substitution: Instead of mini candy eyes, you can use white and black icing to make the turkey eyes. Just make sure it’s decorating icing, not the gel icing or cookie icing.
- Get creative. Decorating these Oreo truffle turkeys for Thanksgiving is such a fun activity and a chance to let creativity soar! You could just add sprinkles or even more candy.
5 star review
“Too stinkin’ adorable! These yummy oreo balls are so fun to make and to eat! It’s dessert and decoration all in one!”
-Wilhelmina
Recipe FAQs
I would! They will last up to 1 week when stored in a covered container in the fridge. They can stay out as long as they’re on display on your dessert table but transfer any uneaten truffles to the fridge.
Absolutely! They can be kept frozen for up to 2 months. You can make them ahead and bring them out just in time for the holidays.
Other festive Oreo desserts we love include these chocolate covered Christmas oreos, Oreo brownies and white chocolate covered Oreos!
More Oreo Ball Recipes
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Turkey Oreo Balls
Video
Ingredients
- 36 OREO cookies (see notes)
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese , softened
- 8 ounces dark chocolate melting wafers
- 80 mini candy eyes , plus more if needed
- 200 candy corn , plus more if needed
- 40 orange Reese's pieces , plus more if needed
- Red decorating icing
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a blender or food processor, pulse the Oreos (with filling) into fine cookie crumbs. You can also place the Oreos in a zip-top bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.
- In a large bowl, mix together the Oreo crumbs and cream cheese with an electric mixer. If it isn't coming together, get your hands in there and mix it up.
- Using a small cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the baking sheet. Roll into a ball with your hands. Freeze 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly firm. You don't want them too cold.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in-between each, until smooth. Get candy corn ready to press in. Use a fork to dip balls into the chocolate. Tap on the edge of the bowl to get the smooth finish. Use a toothpick to help slide the ball back onto the baking sheet.
- Before the chocolate hardens, immediately press 5 candy corn pieces into the ball in a fanned manner, making the turkey tail.
- For the beak, press the Reese’s Pieces candy into the ball. If the chocolate has hardened before you are able to get to this step, dip the candy slightly into the melted chocolate and hold it in place for about 20 seconds to adhere it.
- For the eyes, using a toothpick, put a tiny bit of melted chocolate on the back of the candy eyes and adhere them to the ball
- For the wattle, poke a small hole in the corner of a zip-top bag using a clean toothpick. Add the icing. Pipe onto the ball to make a turkey wattle.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- You can use different flavor of Oreos. The peppermint or golden Oreos also taste great. You can also use milk, dark, or white chocolate.
- If you run out of candy for decorating, simply dip the oreo balls in chocolate. You can always drizzle extra chocolate over top for a decorative touch.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Candy + Fudge, Chocolate, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Kid-Friendly, Mini, No-Bake, Thanksgiving
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
These are easy, fun to make with grandsons and very delicious! I used vanilla Oreo cookeis and they are tastee!!
So glad you enjoyed the turkey oreo balls!
These are easy and fun to make and EAT!
We made these last year and my daughter wants to make them again this year for Thanksgiving. It might just become a tradition. Thanks for the recipe.
These are adorable and taste delicious!
Glad you had fun with these. Thanks for sharing!
Delicious and so cute!
These are definitely fun to make! Happy Holidays to you!
These are so cute and adorable! My kids are going to have fun making these with me! So excited!
Too stinkin’ adorable! These yummy oreo balls are so fun to make and to eat! It’s dessert and decoration all in one!