Thanksgiving Cupcakes For Kids

This is a really simple, easy and fun treat to make with your kids for Thanksgiving. These cute turkey cookie cupcakes will have people gobbling them up! Gobble gobble. Heh heh.

What you’ll need:

Pumpkin cupcakes (from Very Best Baking):

1 package (18.25 oz.) spice cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
3 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Paper-line or grease 24 muffin cups.

Blend cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water in large mixer bowl until moistened. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Using a cookie scoop makes for easy scooping and level cupcakes.

Bake for 18 to 23 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Cranberry Buttercream (Kristin's Recipe):

2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
Tip – if you forgot to pull the butter out of the fridge in advance, just fill a bowl with warm water and float the stick of butter in the water for about 5 mins. Shake off before unwrapping.
1.5 lbs of powdered sugar
1.5 tsp of vanilla extract
1 tsp of lemon juice
scant ¼ cup of milk
1 tbsp cranberry apple butter (I bought mine at Trader Joes)

*Alternatively, if you don’t want to make your buttercream from scratch or don’t have time, you could buy a container of white, buttercream or cream cheese frosting and just mix it with your beaters until fluffy and add the cranberry apple butter to taste.

*1 package of Pillsbury Ready Bake cookies, Thanksgiving turkeys baked and cooled as directed.
*Sprinkles or decorating sugar in fall colors


Let’s get started:

Once the cupcakes have cooled, frost with the buttercream. I used a 1M tip in these pictures but you can use whatever you want. A butter knife will do just nicely. Make sure you put a mound on though because you want it to come over the sides a bit when you top it with the cookie.

Place one cookie on top of the buttercream frosted cupcake. Push down a bit so some of the buttercream starts to show on the sides.

*Pour some of your decorations in a bowl. With the cupcake in one hand and the bowl in the other or on the counter, roll the edges of the cupcake in the decorations. Here I am using some fall sparkling sugar I bought at Home Goods.

*Turn the cupcake in the sugar making sure not to press too hard but getting enough coverage.

*That’s it! You’re done! Aren’t they cute? So easy to make. A great activity for kids to do on Thanksgiving too. Just have all the cupcakes and cookies baked and the frosting and decorations ready.
*You can also do this for other holidays. Pillsbury sells these pre-cut sugar cookies in all types of decorations for the holidays. I’ve seen Christmas, Halloween, Easter and Valentines Day. These would also make a great treat to deliver to your kids school right before Thanksgiving break.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you make some, please let us know!

My friend, Kristin, from Meringue Bake Shop wanted to share this with my reader's. She loves to try out new things. I love her cupcakes. It's a win win situation!