Easy Turkey Ice Cream Bowls for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is full of delicious food, but let's be real - not every kid wants a slice of pumpkin pie!

If you're looking for a fun Thanksgiving dessert for kids who would rather have ice cream than pie, these adorable turkey ice cream bowls are the perfect solution.

They're so cute, SO easy to make, and a guaranteed hit with the kids!

I also love this idea for the days before or after Thanksgiving, when you've got cousins, grandkids, or friends hanging out together and want something fun to do.

Set out some ice cream, whipped cream, and candy, and let everyone create their own little turkey!

The best part? You can completely customize these with whatever ice cream flavors and candies your kids actually like.

Because Thanksgiving magic doesn't have to be complicated!

Turkey Ice Cream Bowls

These cute little turkey desserts are perfect for Thanksgiving because they're:

• Super easy to make: No baking, cooking, or complicated decorating required.
• Kid-friendly: Kids will love decorating their own ice cream turkeys.
• Totally customizable: Use your favorite ice cream flavors, candies, and sprinkles.
• Perfect for Thanksgiving gatherings: A fun alternative to traditional Thanksgiving pies.
• A fun activity AND dessert: Let the kids make their own before digging in!

Plus, they're just ridiculously cute.

Supplies Needed for Turkey Ice Cream

You'll need:

• Small bowl for each person (or waffle bowls if you're feeling fancy!)
• Chocolate ice cream
• Canned whipped cream
• Candy eyeballs
• Orange or yellow M&M's
• Red M&M's
• Sprinkles or other small candies for decorating

A note on ice cream: I used chocolate ice cream because the brown color makes it look like a turkey, but you can absolutely use whatever flavor your kids prefer.

You could even set out a few different flavors and let everyone pick their favorite!

Step 1: Scoop the Ice Cream

Start with a small bowl for each person.

Add one scoop of chocolate ice cream to the bottom of the bowl.

Then, add a second scoop, stacking it slightly diagonally on top of the first.

The bottom scoop will be the turkey's body, and the top scoop will be its head.

Don't worry about getting it perfectly positioned. As long as you've got two scoops stacked together, you're good!

Step 2: Add the Whipped Cream Feathers

Grab a can of whipped cream and spray it around the back edge of the ice cream (opposite the "head" scoop) in a semicircle.

This creates the turkey's big, fluffy tail feathers!

I recommend using the whipped cream that comes in a spray can because it's so easy to control and makes the feathers look extra cute.

Step 3: Give Your Turkey a Face

Now it's time to bring your turkey to life!

Press two candy eyeballs onto the top scoop of ice cream.

Next, take an orange or yellow M&M and press it sideways into the ice cream to create the turkey's beak.

Then add a red M&M sideways, just beside and slightly below the beak.

This is the turkey's little red wattle - you know, that dangly red thing turkeys have hanging from their faces!

SO cute.

Step 4: Decorate the Feathers

Now for the fun part!

Add colorful sprinkles or small candies to the whipped cream feathers.

You can keep it simple or let the kids go wild decorating their turkeys.

This is a great opportunity to use up whatever sprinkles and candies you already have in your pantry.

No need to buy a bunch of special supplies!

Step 5: Dig In!

That's it!

Your adorable little Thanksgiving turkey ice cream bowls are ready to eat.

Serve immediately before the ice cream melts and the whipped cream starts to lose its shape.

Enjoy!

Tips for Making Turkey Ice Cream With Kids

Let the kids decorate their own. You can scoop the ice cream and add the whipped cream, then let the kids take over with the candy faces and decorations.

Use whatever candy you have. Don't have M&M's? Use other small colorful candies. The whole point is to have fun with it!

Try waffle bowls. If you want to make these feel a little extra special, serve them in edible waffle bowls instead of regular bowls.

Prepare your toppings first. Have all the candies and sprinkles ready before scooping the ice cream so you can assemble everything quickly.

Serve right away. These are definitely a make-and-eat-immediately kind of treat!

A Fun Thanksgiving Dessert for Kids Who Don't Like Pie

I love a traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but sometimes kids just want ice cream.

And honestly? Why not?!

These turkey ice cream bowls are such a fun way to make an ordinary dessert feel festive without adding a bunch of extra work to your Thanksgiving plans.

They're perfect for Thanksgiving dinner, a Friendsgiving celebration, or just a fun afternoon activity when you've got a house full of kids over Thanksgiving break.

You could even set up a little turkey ice cream decorating station with bowls of different candies and sprinkles so everyone can create their own turkey.

It's easy, it's adorable, and it's the kind of simple holiday fun kids absolutely love.

Looking for another fun and easy Thanksgiving dessert? Check out my Thanksgiving cookie cake recipe - it's another festive treat that's sure to be a hit with the kids!

Happy Thanksgiving!