Chocolate covered strawberries are a classic treat, but with a fun turkey twist they become the perfect festive dessert for Thanksgiving. These chocolate turkey strawberries are surprisingly easy to make, and are sure to delight guests of all ages. In this simple, step-by-step guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know to make these adorable edible turkeys.
Overview
Turkey chocolate covered strawberries are made by
- Attaching pretzel “legs” and marshmallow “thighs” to fresh strawberries using melted chocolate
- Dipping the assembled strawberries completely in chocolate
- Adding “feet” by dipping the ends of the pretzels in white chocolate
The result is a sweet and salty snack in the shape of a turkey, perfect for serving on a Thanksgiving dessert table. Kids will love assembling the turkeys, and the turkeys will love gobbling them up!
Ingredients
To make about 12 turkey chocolate covered strawberries you will need
- 12 large fresh strawberries
- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil, divided
- 12 pretzel sticks
- 24 miniature marshmallows
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
Equipment Needed
You’ll also need a few basic kitchen tools:
- Microwave-safe bowls for melting chocolate
- Toothpicks or skewers for dipping strawberries
- Waxed paper or parchment paper for drying
- Scissors for snipping marshmallows
- Small spatula for stirring chocolate
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps to make picture perfect turkey chocolate covered strawberries:
Step 1: Prepare the Pretzel Legs
First, assemble the legs and thighs for your turkeys:
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Use scissors to snip one corner off each marshmallow to create a flat side.
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Break pretzel sticks in half.
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Attach marshmallows to the broken end of the pretzels by pressing the flat side of the marshmallow onto the stick.
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Make two of these leg assemblies per strawberry, for a total of 24 legs.
Step 2: Attach Legs to Strawberries
Next, attach the pretzel legs:
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Melt 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips with 1 tsp coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl, heating in 30 second intervals and stirring until smooth.
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Dip the end of the marshmallow on each leg into the melted chocolate.
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Quickly stick one leg on each side of a chilled strawberry, holding for a few seconds until it adheres.
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Let set completely on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Step 3: Dip Strawberries in Chocolate
Now coat the assembled strawberries:
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Insert a toothpick into the top of each strawberry.
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Dip the strawberry into the melted chocolate, spooning chocolate over any uncoated areas.
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Shake gently to remove excess.
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Place on parchment paper and let chocolate harden completely before removing toothpicks.
Step 4: Add White Chocolate Feet
Finally, dip the ends of the pretzels in white chocolate:
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Melt 1/4 cup white chocolate chips with 1 tsp coconut oil until smooth.
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Once chocolate on strawberries has hardened, dip the ends of the pretzel legs into the melted white chocolate.
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Let set on parchment paper until hardened.
And your turkey chocolate covered strawberries are ready to serve!
Tips and Tricks
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Chill strawberries before assembling for best results.
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Hold legs in place for a few seconds until chocolate adheres.
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Add crushed nuts, sprinkles, or coconut to chocolate for texture.
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Drizzle with caramel before dipping in chocolate for extra flavor.
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Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment.
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Let sit at room temperature 10 minutes before serving if chilled.
Fun Variations
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Use different dippers like oreos, graham crackers, or banana slices.
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Shape melted chocolate into feathers to decorate the turkeys.
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Add chocolate chip or candy corn eyes and an orange candy corn beak.
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Make them stuffed turkeys by cutting a hole in the strawberry before dipping.
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Turn them into turduckens with chocolate dipped apple and banana slices.
Perfect for Thanksgiving
Chocolate covered strawberry turkeys make the ideal fun and festive Thanksgiving dessert. Kids will have a blast helping assemble them, and they can be made up to 3 days in advance, making them the perfect tasty turkey to complete your dessert table. Surprise your guests this Thanksgiving with these sweet chocolate turkeys!
STEP 2: Add the instant pudding mix to a large bowl along with the milk and whisk until there are no clumps. No need for any fancy equipment here — manually whisking gets the job done!
STEP 6: Transfer your tray to the fridge to set. This took about two hours for me since the shot wasn’t very big, so it may vary depending on how large your strawberries are. Just make sure that the gelatine is completely solidified before moving on to the next step.
How to Make Chocolate Covered Strawberry Turkeys!
FAQ
How to get chocolate to stick to strawberries?
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Dry the strawberries thoroughly:This is the most important step; even a little moisture can cause the chocolate to slide off.
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Melt chocolate properly:Use a double boiler or microwave in short intervals, stirring well to avoid burning.
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Room temperature strawberries:Some recommend using strawberries at room temperature to minimize condensation on the berries.
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Hold by the stem:Grip the strawberry by its stem while dipping to avoid getting your fingers in the chocolate.
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Let excess drip off:After dipping, gently twist the strawberry to let excess chocolate fall back into the bowl.
What is the mistake when making chocolate-covered strawberries?
A huge mistake people make is washing their berries right before dipping them in chocolate. The chocolate then can’t adhere to the skin of the strawberries because there is still moisture on them from the water! Your berries need to be dry when you dip them. So wash them and give them plenty of time to dry out!
Should strawberries be cold before dipping in chocolate?
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Room temperature is best:Always let your strawberries reach room temperature before dipping them in chocolate.
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Moisture is a concern:Make sure to thoroughly dry the strawberries with a paper towel to prevent excess moisture from interfering with the chocolate coating.
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Why room temperature matters:When cold strawberries come in contact with melted chocolate, the rapid temperature change can cause the chocolate to set too quickly, leading to an uneven coating or a poor finish.
What type of chocolate is best for chocolate-covered strawberries?
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Quality matters:Opt for high-quality chocolate, either baking chocolate or couverture chocolate, to ensure smooth melting and a nice, shiny coating.
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Cocoa percentage:Semi-sweet chocolate provides a good balance of sweetness and cocoa flavor, but you can choose dark chocolate for a more intense cocoa taste.
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Milk chocolate option:If you prefer a milder flavor, you can also use milk chocolate.
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Avoid cheap chocolate chips:While convenient, lower quality chocolate chips may not melt as smoothly and could affect the final texture.
How do you make a chocolate covered strawberry Turkey?
Coat the strawberries in caramel and allow it to harden before dipping in chocolate for an even more tasty turkey! Mix rice krispie cereal or crushed nuts into the chocolate before dipping for more texture. These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Turkeys are fresh strawberries with pretzel legs dipped in chocolate bark.
How do you make chocolate covered strawberries for Thanksgiving?
Mix rice krispie cereal or crushed nuts into the chocolate before dipping for more texture. These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Turkeys are fresh strawberries with pretzel legs dipped in chocolate bark. Such a fun and easy Thanksgiving dessert that the kids will love! Rinse and pat your Strawberries dry and set aside.
How far in advance can you make chocolate-covered strawberry turkeys?
You can make chocolate-covered strawberry turkeys up to 2 days in advance. Simply store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Not only are these perfect for snacking on throughout Thanksgiving (and the few days before and after…), but they also make really cute hostess gifts!
How do you make a chocolate covered Turkey?
Use sprinkles, nuts or coconut to resemble feathers. Draw on chocolate beaks with a piping bag. And that’s it – your chocolate covered strawberry turkeys are ready to gobble up! Use lollipop sticks for easier dipping if strawberries don’t have stems. Refrigerate dipped berries if not eating right away to prevent chocolate from melting.
How do you harden a strawberry Turkey?
Once the strawberry turkey legs are set, poke a fork into the top of the strawberry then dip the whole strawberry, up to the stem in chocolate, shake off excess and place back on parchment paper. Repeat this for all your strawberry turkeys, then place your baking sheet into the fridge for 10 minutes to harden the chocolate.
How do you make Turkey feet with strawberries?
Pick up the strawberries by the stem and lightly dip the bottoms of each leg into the white chocolate park to make the turkey’s feet. Return each one to the baking sheet and then back to the fridge until set. These are just like any chocolate strawberries, they hold up nicely for a few days in the refrigerator.