Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen
Watch how to make this recipe.
Thanksgiving "Turkey Drumstick" Cupcakes
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- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 2 hr
- Active: 1 hr 40 min
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 12 servings
- Calories
- 565
- Total Fat
- 33 g
- Saturated Fat
- 20 g
- Carbohydrates
- 62 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 43 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 93 mg
- Sodium
- 252 mg
These Thanksgiving cupcakes take inspiration from turkey dinner but deliver only sweet flavors. Brown butter adds nutty richness and cozy fall flavor to the tender vanilla cupcakes. They’re topped with an easy, fluffy vanilla buttercream that’s easy to pipe on top for a classic look. The finishing touch is a sweet mini turkey drumstick made with a whole strawberry coated in white chocolate and finished with a pretzel stick bone. It’s a clever dessert that brings a little artistic whimsy to the holiday table.
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 2 hr
- Active: 1 hr 40 min
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 12 servings
- Calories
- 565
- Total Fat
- 33 g
- Saturated Fat
- 20 g
- Carbohydrates
- 62 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 43 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 93 mg
- Sodium
- 252 mg
Ingredients
Brown Butter Cupcakes:
Vanilla Buttercream:
Decorations:
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Directions
Special equipment:
12 paper cupcake liners; a piping bag fitted with a large round tip; a disposable piping bag- For the brown butter cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Immediately transfer it to a medium bowl and let cool slightly. Whisk in the granulated sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Add the brown butter mixture and whisk until just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each three-quarters full.
- Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove the cupcakes and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, for the vanilla buttercream: Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add the milk, vanilla and salt. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust the consistency with more milk if needed so the mixture is spreadable. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or, if using a disposable bag, you can also just snip the end of the bag instead of using a tip). Set aside.
- For the decorations: Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the white chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Transfer 2 tablespoons to a small disposable piping bag and set the bag aside.
- Dip the 12 halved pretzel sticks into the melted chocolate in the bowl to coat. Let any excess chocolate drip back into the bowl, then place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet. Cut a small hole at the tip of the piping bag with the melted white chocolate and pipe 2 small balls at one end of the sticks to resemble drumstick bones. Refrigerate until set and firm, at least 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, hull the strawberries by cutting around the stems with a paring knife. Place the strawberries on a cutting board with the pointy tips facing up. Insert the spare whole pretzel stick vertically into the tip of a strawberry to create a 1/2-inch-deep hole. Gently wiggle and twist the pretzel stick to make the hole a little wider in order to fit a chocolate-covered pretzel. Repeat with the remaining strawberries. Pat the strawberries with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Put the graham cracker crumbs in a medium bowl. Dip the strawberries one at a time into the white chocolate until coated, letting any excess drip back into the bowl, then dip into the crumbs to coat completely. Place the strawberries on a plate with the tips facing up.
- Insert a pretzel drumstick bone into the tip of each coated strawberry. Pipe a little white chocolate where the pretzel joins with the strawberry and pat on more crumbs to cover. Refrigerate the turkey drumsticks until firmly set, at least 20 minutes.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate the edges with the sprinkles. Top each cupcake with a turkey drumstick just before serving.
Cook’s Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
