These Turkey Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting are made with chocolate fudge cake mix, creamy chocolate peanut butter frosting, Reese’s Pieces, Nutter Butter Bites, candy eyes, and red decorating icing.

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It’s perfect for Thanksgiving dinner, Friendsgiving parties, school celebrations, or a fall baking day with the kids. You can make them ahead of time and also a great addition to a Thanksgiving dessert table.

And for more turkey-themed treat recipes, the recipes below are worth trying:

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Turkey Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting Process Ingredients

13.25 oz box Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge cake mix, plus ingredients needed to make specified on box
9 oz bag Reese’s Pieces
24 pieces Nutter Butter Bites
48 candy eyes
Red decorating icing

Chocolate peanut butter frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

How to Make Turkey Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

Turkey Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting Process Photo

Step 1: Preheat oven and line cupcake tins with cupcake liners. Prepare and bake the cupcakes according to box instructions. Allow to cool completely before decorating.

Step 2: Once cupcakes have cooled, prepare the frosting. In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and creamy peanut butter. Beat with an electric hand mixer until creamy.

Step 3: Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder about ½ cup at a time and blend until well combined.

Step 4: Add the vanilla extract and milk. Beat on high-speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Step 5: Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Gently knead it to get rid of air pockets.

Step 6: Pipe the cupcakes with the prepared frosting.

Step 7: Place a Nutter Butter Bite on top of each frosted cupcake, towards the front.

Step 8: Arrange the Reese’s Pieces behind it in 3 rows. One row of yellow, then brown, then orange. Just gently press the Reese’s Pieces into the frosting upright.

Step 9: Dab the backs of two candy eyes with a little frosting and place them on the top half of the Nutter Butter Bites.

Cut 12 yellow or orange colored Reese’s Pieces in half for the beaks.

Step 10: Dab the backs of the cut part of the Reese’s Pieces with frosting and then attach it onto the Nutter Butter Bites right under the eyes.

Step 12: Use the red decorating icing to make the gobble by piping a little on just one side of the beak.

Important Recipe Notes

Let the cupcakes cool before adding the chocolate peanut butter frosting. If they are still warm, the frosting may melt and make decorating harder.
Use room-temperature butter: Softened butter makes the frosting easier to mix and helps create a smooth, creamy texture.
Mix in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder a little at a time to keep the frosting smooth and avoid a big cloud of powder.
Arrange the turkey feathers carefully: Press the Reese’s Pieces gently into the frosting in three rows of yellow, brown, and orange candies.
Secure the candy eyes and beak: Use a little frosting to attach them, or use melted chocolate or candy melts if you want them to stick more firmly.
If you cannot find the bite-sized cookies, cut full-size Nutter Butter cookies in half. Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups can also work.
If you do not have red decorating icing, use a small piece of red gummy candy, Twizzler, or Airheads candy.
You can use your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe, another boxed cake mix flavor, or homemade frosting to make these turkey cupcakes your own.

Prep Time:30

Cook Time:15

Total Time:45

Ingredients

13.25 oz box Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge cake mix plus ingredients needed to make specified on box
9 oz bag Reese’s Pieces
24 pieces Nutter Butter Bites
48 candy eyes
Red decorating icing

Chocolate peanut butter frosting

1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Preheat oven and line cupcake tins with cupcake liners. Prepare and bake the cupcakes according to box instructions. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
Once cupcakes have cooled, prepare the frosting. In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and creamy peanut butter. Beat with an electric hand mixer until creamy.
Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder about ½ cup at a time and blend until well combined.
Add the vanilla extract and milk. Beat on high-speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Gently knead it to get rid of air pockets.
Pipe the cupcakes with the prepared frosting.
Place a Nutter Butter Bite on top of each frosted cupcake, towards the front.
Arrange the Reese’s Pieces behind it in 3 rows. One row of yellow, then brown, then orange. Just gently press the Reese’s Pieces into the frosting upright.
Dab the backs of two candy eyes with a little frosting and place them on the top half of the Nutter Butter Bites.
Cut 12 yellow or orange colored Reese’s Pieces in half for the beaks.
Dab the backs of the cut part of the Reese’s Pieces with frosting and then attach it onto the Nutter Butter Bites right under the eyes.
Use the red decorating icing to make the gobble by piping a little on just one side of the beak.