How To Make 3D Turkey Cookies

I use a cookie recipe similar to the NFSC on this site (it’s just a smaller batch size). The icing I use is similar to Toba’s Glace: 3 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 T. skim milk, 3T. corn syrup, 15 drops brite white food color. Mix the milk and syrup into the powdered sugar until fully combined. Add the brite white and mix well. Divide and color. Keep the unused icing covered.

Concerning the cookies:

The tail is made by using a sunflower cookie cutter (approx. 3.25″ across) and trimming off the bottom portion so it will sit straight on the base cookie. The base cookie is a 3″ round. The head is peanut shaped. If you have my cutter kit, this is one of the mini-cutters. If you don’t have the kit, cut a piece of dough that is about 5/8″x1.5″ and press into the peanut shape.

Directions:

1. Using a #4 tip, outline the tail cookie in brown icing and immediately fill in with more icing in a zig zag pattern. (See photo) Smooth the icing with an offset spatula and move immediately to the next step.

2. Using a #4 or #5 tip, pipe a thick band of red icing onto the tail, then a band of orange icing, and then a band of yellow icing. (See photo). Move immediately to the next step.

3. Drag a toothpick thru the icing, starting at a point on the top of the cookie (one of the points) and pulling down to the bottom. Repeat for each pointed end of the cookie, cleaning the toothpick after each drag. Now drag the toothpick in the opposite direction (moving from inside the band to the outside of the cookie) between each of the previous drags. (See photos). I know this is confusing…that’s why a picture is worth a thousand words!

4. Ice the head of the turkey in brown (I use a #2 tip for this) and let dry.

5. Smooth brown icing onto a large marshmallow and set it aside to dry on some waxed paper. (If you don’t want to mess with icing a marshmallow, you could use a chocolate covered caramel or mini-reese’s for the “body”).

6. Once the head has set, add two dots of white icing for the eyes, a yellow beak, and a red wattle. (I use a #1 tip for these details. Make sure your icing isn’t too thin). Add a dot of black to each of the eyes.

7. Once all the pieces have dried, assemble the 3D cookie using melted chocolate CandyMelts as your “glue”. (If you prefer, royal icing can be ued).