Adorable Thanksgiving Fruit Turkey Everyone Will Gobble Up
Looking for a fun way to brighten your Thanksgiving table? This Thanksgiving fruit turkey combines juicy pears, sweet strawberries, crisp cantaloupe, and plump grapes into a colorful, kid-friendly Thanksgiving fruit platter. Follow along to see how you can create this easy and healthy treat that will impress guests and bring smiles to everyone at your feast.
When I first spotted this recipe, I just couldn’t resist. My kids would have loved this playful fruit turkey when they were little, and I can already imagine the fun my grandchild will have helping me make it. It’s the perfect mix of healthy and whimsical—just right for creating new Thanksgiving memories together.
Ingredients for Thanksgiving Fruit Turkey
- Pear – Acts as the turkey’s body and holds the skewers upright.
- Fruit (strawberries, cantaloupe, grapes) – Creates colorful “feathers,” adds sweetness, and provides a small cantaloupe triangle for the nose and grapes for the feet.
- Candy eyes – Give the turkey a playful face.
- Wooden ball cocktail picks and toothpicks – Secure the fruit skewers and attach the nose and feet.
Step-by-step Instructions
Wash and dry the fruit. Set out a large round plate, food picks, and three toothpicks that have been snapped in half.
Slice a pear in half lengthwise. Place one half cut-side down on the plate to be the turkey body.
Cut the cantaloupe into bite-sized cubes and a tiny triangle for the beak. Halve the strawberries. Keep grapes whole.
Thread picks in this playful order: strawberry half, cantaloupe cube, grape. Keep going until you have a colorful bunch of “feathers.”
Starting at the top of the pear, gently press the loaded picks into the flesh to fan out the tail. Wiggle them a bit so they sit snug.
Make the feet: push a half-toothpick into two grapes, then attach them at the base of the pear. Tiny turkey toes!
Add the beak: stick a half-toothpick in the pear’s center and press on the cantaloupe triangle.
Finish the face with two candy eyes above the beak. A dab of peanut butter or cream cheese helps them stick if needed.
Serve right away or chill until mealtime. Then let everyone pluck a feather and snack happily.
Tips For Making a Thanksgiving Fruit Turkey
- Choose firm fruit so the pieces hold well on the picks and last longer without getting mushy.
- Use sturdy food picks—wooden ones tend to work best for balancing heavier fruit.
- Chill all the fruit and pear ahead of time; cold fruit tends to stay crisp and keeps the turkey looking fresh.
- Assemble the turkey shortly before serving to prevent any of the skewered fruit from leaking juice or becoming soggy.
- Use a small dab of something sticky, such as peanut butter, soft cream cheese, or edible glaze, to help attach the eyes or nose securely.
Variations To Try
- Swap or add fruits like kiwi, pineapple, or berry medleys for a variety of colors and flavors.
- Replace candy eyes with edible options, such as chocolate chips or raisins, for a more natural look.
- Use flavored fruit dips, such as honey yogurt or whipped cream with cinnamon, as spreads around the plate for an extra sweet touch.
- Turn it into a veggie version by mixing in colorful vegetables like cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, or bell pepper slices.
- Make mini versions using smaller pears or even apples for individual servings—fun for kids.
This playful Thanksgiving fruit turkey is sure to be the star of your holiday table. Print the recipe and give it a try—you’ll love how simple and fun it is to create. Don’t forget to pin this post so you can easily find it again next Thanksgiving!
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Thanksgiving Fruit Turkey
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep the fruit: halve the pear; cube the cantaloupe and cut a tiny triangle for the beak; halve the strawberries; leave grapes whole.
- Thread each food pick with a strawberry half, a cantaloupe cube, and a grape.
- Place one pear half, cut-side down, on a plate and press the loaded picks into the top to create the colorful “feathers.”
- For the feet, insert a half-toothpick into two grapes and attach them at the base of the pear.
- Add the beak by inserting a half-toothpick into the pear’s center and pressing on the cantaloupe triangle.
- Finish the face by placing two candy eyes above the beak, using a dab of peanut butter if needed to help them stick.
Notes
- Use sturdy food picks
- Chill all the fruit ahead of time
- Assemble the turkey shortly before serving