Sugar Cookies for Thanksgiving

We don’t usually expect to see sugar cookies in the dining table during Thanksgiving. Although these mini cookies made of butter and sugar are usually prepared as traditional holiday sweet treats, we often see them during Christmas holidays, Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve. But that is exactly what makes them unique during Thanksgiving. Because you’re not expecting them to be served in a thanksgiving meal, the element of surprise is just so overwhelming, especially when they come in creative frostings and icing to really look like Thanksgiving or Fall cookies. You can serve them as desserts after your bulky turkey meal, or as a light snack along with their usual match, a glass of warm milk. In this blog, we’re going to learn some sugar cookie recipe intended for Thanksgiving. It is no other than the Thanksgiving turkey sugar cookies made from the basic ingredients plus an orange twist. They’re decorated nicely with colorful frosting and miniature candies to fit the celebration. Check out this blog and add this recipe on your Thanksgiving recipe list. 

 

Double Orange Cookies Turned Into Thanksgiving Turkey Cookies. 

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 You’re probably wondering why they’re called Thanksgiving “Turkey” sugar cookies. Simply because after these cookies come out fresh from the oven, they would be decorated nicely with creamy frosting, candy corn, icing and miniature candies to look like the traditional thanksgiving turkey. How cute is that? 

These cookies would certainly look animated, colorful and beautiful with their Turkey design! Another exciting thing about these cookies is they come with a unique orange twist since they’re made with not just the basic ingredients but also with some grated orange peel and orange concentrate, which would be the highlight ingredients of this recipe. 

These cookies are one of the best when it comes to flavors. They are sweet, buttery with some tangy orange flavors. That’s why they’re also referred as double orange cookies. Learn how to make these sugar cookies plus how to decorate and turn them into the perfect Thanksgiving cookies.




Ingredients:
  • 1 12 cups sugar
  •  1 cup softened butter
  • 1 cup sour cream
  •  2 eggs
  • 6 ounces orange juice concentrate (thawed divided)
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  •  1 tsp baking powder
  •   1 tsp baking soda
  • 12 tsp salt
  •  2 tbsps grated orange (peel)
For preliminary frosting: 
  •  3 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 1 tbsp softened butter
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  •  1 tbsp orange peel (grated)
  •  1 tbsp orange juice concentrate (reserved)
  • 2 tbsps milk

How to Make

In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Crack the egg, stir in sour cream and beat mixture very well. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually pour flour mixture into the creamed mixture.

Set aside 1 tablespoon of orange juice concentrate for the frosting. Add the remaining 6 ounces of orange concentrate into the mixture. Stir well to combine. Stir in orange peel.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare baking sheets by greasing them lightly with cooking spray

Scoop portions of the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls and drop onto prepared greased baking sheets. Bake cookies in preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until edges start to appear brown. Cool freshly baked cookies in baking sheet for a few minutes than transfer into wire racks to cool completely.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together cream cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, confectioner’s sugar, orange peel, reserved orange concentrate and 2 tablespoons of milk. Stir until mixture/frosting is smooth. Slather a small amount of frosting over each cookie.


If you're looking for another sugar cookie recipe for Thanksgiving that will really bring the autumn breeze into your kitchen, try this Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Recipe. These cookies will remind you of fresh pumpkins, the falling leaves and of Thanksgiving. 


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Decorating Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

  •  1 container (16 oz) chocolate creamy frosting
  •  Candy corn
  • Orange decorating icing
  • Black decorating gel
  • Miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits
  • M&M’s chocolate candies

Preparing the Frosting

After baking the cookies and cooling them completely, for about 10 minutes. Spoon the creamy chocolate frosting into 1-quart Ziploc® Brand storage bag and seal the bag. Cut off the tiny bottom edge of the bag. 

On the surface of each cookie, pipe frosting, lining halfway through the outer edges of each cookie. Assemble candy corn as feathers over the frosting.

Pipe orange icing on each cookie to draw the turkey face and feet. Use orange icing to stick baking bits into the turkey face for eyes. Pipe black gel on baking bits or use m&m’s chocolate candies to form the eyes.  


 
In this video, chocolate oreo cookies are decorated with candy corn, small peanut butter cups, malt balls, melted white chocolate, half colored orange, and milk chocolate, turning them into turkey sugar cookies just like what we did in the previous recipe. The difference is, they're modified a little bit and with so much decoration compared to the previous recipe, these sugar cookies look more attractive and stylish. Decorating these cookies can be a fun activity for you and your kids. Your kids will enjoy the colors and of course, the taste of these chocolate sugar cookies. You can proudly serve these as Thanksgiving sweet treats. Many people will love their creative design!