Create these decadently rich and creamy Mini Chocolate Cheesecake Turkeys. They will be a great addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table and will make your guests gobble for more.
I had so much fun recently making Chocolate Turkey Truffles and Cheesecake Ghosts that I morphed the two ideas into these Mini Chocolate Cheesecake Turkeys for Thanksgiving.
I took concepts from both recipes and combined them to make one adorable and decadent chocolate Thanksgiving dessert. Each tiny little cheesecake is so lusciously rich that a little goes a long way. They are the perfect size sweet treat to serve after a huge holiday meal.
It’s easy to see the resemblance in these holiday desserts. I tried to keep these cheesecakes simple, as I know how crazy it is getting a Thanksgiving day meal prepared.
Each miniature chocolate cheesecake is decorated with a graham cracker tail feather, two candy eyes, an orange candy-coated sunflower seed beak, and a red sunflower seed waddle.
To make my cheesecakes extra special I used Eggland’s Best Eggs.
I can always count on EB eggs to be really fresh and flavorful.
I love cracking open an egg and seeing a vibrantly colored yolk and clear egg white, which is what I find inside Eggland’s Best Eggs.
Cheesecake made with really fresh ingredients will keep well in the freezer for several months or in the refrigerator for 5 days. So you have plenty of time before Thanksgiving to get some of these made. Just thaw the cheesecakes in the refrigerator the day before you want to serve them, and decorate them that day.
I actually did an experiment and decorated these and kept them refrigerated for 4 hours. They looked perfect when they came out.
So, you can get these ready ahead of time and set them out for dessert.
Mini Chocolate Cheesecake Turkeys
Ingredients: (makes 24 turkeys)
butter, to coat the inside of your molds
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
16 ounces cream cheese, softened (do not use low fat or no-fat cream cheese)
2/3 cup sugar
2 large Eggland’s Best Eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
48 candy eyes
24 orange candy-coated sunflower seeds
24 red candy-coated sunflower seeds
12-16 whole graham cracker rectangles
Supplies:
3 Wilton Brownie Pop Silicone Molds
1 fluted biscuit cutter
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter the cavities in your molds.
Heat heavy whipping cream and chocolate on high in the microwave for 20 second intervals, stirring after each, until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add Eggland’s Best Eggs, one at a time until well incorporated.
Add the vanilla then pour in the chocolate and beat just until combined.
Set the silicone molds on a baking sheet. Pour the chocolate cheesecake filling into the molds.
Bake for 22 minutes, then turn the oven off, open the oven door, and allow the cheesecake to remain in the oven for 10 minutes or until they look set.
Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
Pop them in the freezer for at least 4 hours. I tried to remove one too soon and tore it apart. I stuck it back in and removed it later when they were frozen solid.
Once removed, put them on small individual serving dishes and allow them to thaw. I used plastic appetizer plates that I got at a party supply store.
Once the cheesecakes thaw they will be hard to move. If you can’t find small plates, you can place each cake on a small round cookie or cut rounds from graham crackers.
At this point, you can store the cheesecakes in the refrigerator for up to five days or put back in the freezer.
To make the turkey’s feathers, use a fluted biscuit cutter and simply press down onto the graham cracker and they will cut. Cut out about 3/4 of the circle.
When you are ready to decorate, press one tail feather onto the back of each cheesecake then add two candy eyes, one orange sunflower seed beak, and one red sunflower seed waddle. Do not decorate frozen cheesecakes.
You can decorate your cheesecake turkeys up to a few hours before serving. Keep refrigerated. Set them out at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving to intensify the chocolate flavor.
I was compensated by Eggland’s Best for creating this post.
Items used to make this project that are available on Amazon.com (commission earned for sales)
Mini chocolate cheesecakes are decorated to look like Turkeys using graham crackers, orange candy-coated sunflower seeds, and candy eyes.
- butter, to coat the inside of your molds
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened (do not use low fat or no-fat cream cheese)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 large Eggland's Best Eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 48 candy eyes
- 24 orange candy-coated sunflower seeds
- 24 red candy-coated sunflower seeds
- 12-16 whole graham cracker rectangles
-
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter the cavities in your molds.
-
Heat heavy whipping cream and chocolate on high in the microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted.
-
Set aside to cool slightly.
-
Beat cream cheese until smooth.
-
Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
-
Add Eggland's Best Eggs, one at a time until well incorporated.
-
Add the vanilla then pour in the chocolate and beat just until combined.
-
Set the silicone molds on a baking sheet. Pour the chocolate cheesecake filling into the molds.
-
Bake for 22 minutes, then turn the oven off, open the oven door, and allow the cheesecake to remain in the oven for 10 minutes or until they look set.
-
Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
-
Pop them in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
-
Once frozen, un-mold them by pulling back on the silicone mold and pushing the cheesecake out.
-
Put them on small individual serving dishes and allow them to thaw.
-
At this point, you can store the cheesecakes in the refrigerator for up to five days or put them back in the freezer.
-
To make the turkey's feathers, use a fluted biscuit cutter and simply press down onto the graham cracker and they will cut. Cut out about 3/4 of the circle.
-
When you are ready to decorate, press one tail feather onto the back of each cheesecake then add two candy eyes, one orange sunflower seed beak, and one red sunflower seed waddle. Do not decorate frozen cheesecakes.
-
You can decorate your cheesecake turkeys a few hours before serving.
-
Keep refrigerated.
-
Set them out at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving to intensify the chocolate flavor.
More Turkey Treats from Hungry Happenings
Chocolate Rice Krispies Treat Turkey Pops
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge or Caramel
Chocolate Turkey Box filled with small chocolate turkeys
Pie Crust Turkey decoration for Thanksgiving
Be sure to check out all of my amazing Thanksgiving Recipes
I don't really like cheesecake but i make it for my family. I think they all seem to like Chocolate and Raspberry though.
Good Luck to all
I love blackberry cheesecake, it's so good and pretty too!
strawberry
spgoddess55(at)msn(dot)com
I actually like plain cheesecake the best. But honestly, I've never met a cheesecake I didn't like.
Of course you made adorable, yummy cheesecake turkeys with graham cracker feathers. And I LOVE chocolate cheesecake, big surprise huh?
I love plain cheesecake with a praline topping
I love NewYork cheesecake with cherry topping
I like plain cheesecake, original is the best.
I like chocolate flavored cheesecake.
My favorite cheesecake flavor is the original.
heather hgtempaddy@hotmail.com
I would have to say blueberry cheesecake because it's very yummy.
I'm a fan of all kinds of cheesecake:@) Your turkeys are so cute:@)
I like strawberry cheesecake.
I LOVE cheesecake, plain, strawberry, caramel, not so much chocolate.
Honestly? I bake a LOT of cheesecakes, used to do it as a living. I prefer a plain cheesecake – NY style is my fave – that's not too sweet. I might add a bit of fruit sauce, but that's how I roll. 😀 Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂 Be BLESSED!
pumpkin cheesecake! YUM!
your recipe is too cute! thank you for the cool idea & for the chance to win!
Joey J.
Go9sh, I like Any flavored cheesecake. Guess I will go with the Brownie Swirl or the Black Forest Cheesecake or the Boston Cream………all depending what day of the week it is. :}
white chocolate macadamia, cherry, blueberry…more! lol 🙂
I love cheesecake, and love making it for special occasions. I don't have any one favorite, I love them all. But during the holiday season, I love peppermint cheesecake. Those are adorable turkeys!!!
I just like plain cheesecake
The most adorable cheesecake I've ever seen! I'd them all, whatever flavor they were made.
plain cheese cake is awesome by itself
I love classic plain cheesecake but with a side of vanilla icecream to break up the sweetness.
Samantha
from Karen-
pumpkin cheesecake
vanilla bean
I like plain cheesecake cause then I can jazz it up with all kind of different toppings–like cherries, blueberries, strawberries, chocolate.
Pumpkin Cheesecake….yummy!!!
My favorite cheesecake flavor is butterscotch. 🙂
Lemon and vanilla cheesecake
My favorite cheesecake is pumpkin!
I love peanut butter cheesecake!
I like raspberry cheesecake.
Lori N.
I haven't been exposed to too many options, so my opinion is incomplete, but I love it with strawberries on top.
Chocolate salted caramel.
I like chocolate cheesecake.
Allison K.
I like strawberry cheesecake.
Thanks for the nice giveaway!
chocolate caramel cheesecake yum!
Vanilla cheesecake.
Caramel cheesecake is a big favorite of mine! 🙂
I love NY cheesecake.
My favorite is new york cheesecake!
I like salted caramel cheesecake
My favorite is regular old plain cheesecake. I know, not fancy – but if it's so thick it makes your mouth stick together? I'm in!
I like cheesecake with chocolate or caramel the best!
My very favorite cheesecake is New York Style with fresh strawberries in a sugar syrup.
i love chocolate…livivua
I like strawberry
I like Pecan Pie cheesecake!
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
My favorite is the chocolate cheesecake flavor – shaunie on rafflecopter
Yum! Chocolate cheesecake. I've never made one, but you make it look delicious AND cute!
I love Turtle Cheesecake!
My favorite is any kind of cheesecake that has chocolate and peanut butter in it.
Oh my favorite is plain cheesecake with strawberries on top!
I like turtle cheesecake
I love all of the turkey ideas they are soooooo cute
My favorite is cherry cheesecake.
strawberry cheesecake is my favorite
Leidy R rafflecopter
I LOVE STRAWBERRY!!!!
Vanilla bean. I love to eat cheesecake just by itself (sometimes with fresh fruit)
I prefer plain cheesecake (don't know what flavor you'd call it) with strawberries or cherries on top.