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image of a cute buttercream turkey cookie
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5 from 1 rating

Buttercream Turkey Cookies

These buttercream turkey cookies bake up soft and chewy and are topped with delicious homemade buttercream frosting.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Chill Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 47 minutes
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Servings: 40 cookies
Calories: 173kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Cookie Dough

  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 170g
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz) full-fat cream cheese, room temp 113g
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300g
  • 1 large egg, room temperature 56g
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
  • 1 tsp almond extract, optional 4g
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 375g
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch 8g
  • 1 tsp fine salt 6g
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder 2g

Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 454g or 1 lb. box
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 60g
  • red, orange, and brown gel food coloring

Cookie Decorations

Instructions

Cream Cheese Cookie Dough

  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 3/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup cream cheese on medium speed with a hand mixer or whisk attachment until smooth.
  • Next, add 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes, until the mixture becomes lighter in color.
  • Add 1 egg, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and 1 tsp almond extract (optional). Mix on medium speed until incorporated.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp fine salt, and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix on a low speed until it is JUST incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is properly mixed together.
  • At this point, the dough should still be pretty sticky. Divide the dough in half and wrap each portion of dough in a piece of plastic wrap. I like to flatten the dough out into a rectangle that's about 1/2 inch tall to make it easier to roll out once it's chilled.
  • Chill the dough in the fridge for an hour, in the freezer for 30 minutes, or in the fridge overnight. If you chill the dough overnight, let it sit out at room temperature for about 10 minutes before trying to roll it out. This will make it easier to roll out!
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C for about 30 minutes before you plan to roll out the dough, and line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside. NOTE: The cookies will spread less/keep their shape better if baked on parchment paper.
  • Take one piece of dough out of the fridge, leaving the other in there to continue to chill. Unwrap the cookie dough and lay the plastic wrap out flat on your counter. We will be rolling out the cookie dough on the plastic wrap to make cleanup a breeze and to make it easier to cut out the cookies. Dust the cookie dough and your rolling pin with flour.
  • Roll the chilled dough to be 1/3 inch thick and cut out shapes with a flour-dusted cookie cutter. Use a kitchen brush to brush any excess flour off the cookies and place them on the prepared baking sheets. The cookies don't spread much as they bake, so you can place them about 1 inch apart.
  • Chill the cut-out cookies one more time in the fridge for 15 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes to help them keep their shape as they bake.
  • Bake one sheet of cookies at a time. Bake for 13-16 minutes on the top rack of your oven (bake time will vary based on the size and shape of the cookies). Keep a close eye on the cookies and be sure to pull them out before the edges start to brown.
  • Let the baked cookies cool on the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. While the first batch bakes and cools, knead together the cookie dough scraps and rewrap them in plastic wrap. Pop them back in the fridge to chill.
  • Pull out the 2nd chilled portion of dough and repeat the steps above. Then repeat with the chilled dough scraps.

Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies

  • Beat 1 cup of butter on medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth.
  • Mix in 1 Tbsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed.
  • Gradually mix in 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. 
  • If the frosting seems too thick, add additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (a quarter of a cup at a time).
  • Divide the frosting into three equal portions. Color one portion orange, one red, and one brown using gel food coloring. NOTE: If you want to naturally color the brown frosting, mix in 1/2 cup (about 85g) of melted and cooled dark chocolate and an additional 1/4 cup (60g) of heavy cream.
  • Scoop about 3/4 of the brown frosting and about 5/6 of both the orange and red frosting into separate small piping bags. Seal the tops with rubber bands and cut a 1 cm opening at the tip of each bag.
  • Place the remaining brown, orange, and red frosting into three additional small piping bags. Seal the tops and cut a small, 1/4 cm opening at the tip of each bag. These will be used to pipe the turkeys' beaks, feet, wattles (the little red piece that hangs from their beaks), and wings.

Decorating These Turkey Cookies

  • Pipe alternating red and orange feathers around the top and sides of each cookie, leaving a small section at the bottom center open for the turkey's body.
  • Once all the feathers are piped, use the brown frosting to pipe two circles to create the turkey's body and head. Gently press two candy eyes into the frosting on the turkey's head, then use the orange frosting with the smaller opening to pipe the turkey's beak and feet.
  • The last step is to use the red frosting with the smaller opening to pipe a little wattle next to the beak, and use the brown frosting with the smaller opening to pipe the wings. Repeat with the remaining cookies, then enjoy! You can store frosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, up to 5 days in the fridge, or for up to a month in the freezer.

Video

Notes

This recipe can be used to make about 40 2-inch cookies. The yield and bake time will vary based on the size and shape of the cookie cutter(s) you use.
This recipe can be halved to make fewer cookies (use half a scrambled egg in the dough), but I don't recommend doubling it unless you have a commercial (8 qt.) stand mixer.

Making These Buttercream Turkey Cookies in Advance and Storage Tips

You can store frosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, up to 5 days in the fridge, or for up to a month in the freezer.
If you want to stack the cookies on top of one another, I recommend chilling the cookies thoroughly until the buttercream is firm to the touch and then adding a layer of parchment paper between them. The buttercream will crust, but it won't set hard like royal icing.
This cookie dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container. I like to move the cookie dough to the fridge the night before I plan to roll it out and bake the cookies.
Baked, unfrosted cookies can also be frozen! These cookies last for up to a month if frozen in an airtight container. I recommend waiting to decorate them until they’ve thawed to room temperature.
Move them to the fridge the day before you plan to eat them, then let them sit out at room temperature for a few hours before frosting them.

Tips for Making the Best Turkey Cookies

  • Really cream together the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar in the first step of this recipe. It helps incorporate air into the dough, which makes soft and chewy cookies.
  • Don’t overwork the cookie dough! It can overwork the gluten and result in tough, dense cookies.
  • Roll the cookie dough out to a consistent thickness of 1/3 inch. If some are thicker or thinner than others, they may over- or underbake in the oven.
  • Take the time to chill the cookie dough. It helps prevent your cookies from spreading while they bake and helps them bake up with a soft texture.
  • Don’t overbake your cookies. Err on the side of underbaking your cookies, and remember that the cookies continue to bake for a few minutes once they’re out of the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 279IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.4mg