Easily decorate Thanksgiving Peanut Chews Candy Pops with turkey, pumpkin, or football designs. These sweet, chocolate-coated treats are attractive on a holiday platter and make thoughtful gifts or care package additions.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Both kids and adults will smile at these charming Thanksgiving treats.
- Peanut Chews Candy Pops are perfect for gifting, dessert platters, or care packages.
- Fully coated pops remain soft and fresh for up to a month, making them ideal for preparing ahead or shipping.
Thanksgiving Peanut Chews Candy Pops combine rich peanut flavor with a satisfying chewy-crunchy texture. The no-bake mixture is pressed into a mold and frozen until you’re ready to coat and decorate.
Candy melts, sprinkles, and candy eyes transform the chocolate-coated pops into turkeys, pumpkins, and footballs for festive seasonal fun.
Decorate a full batch (25 pops) or only a few. Uncoated pops can be stored frozen for a month or longer and decorated as needed.
Ingredients
- Make one batch (25) of peanut chews candy pops using the Peanut Chews Candy Pops recipe. Prepare the pops the same day you plan to decorate, or freeze them until ready.
- Candy and coating suggestions: dark melting chocolate (or dark candy melts), white melting chocolate (or white candy melts), orange candy melts, red and yellow candy melts, green candy melts, candy eyes, and fall-colored jimmies sprinkles.
Instructions
Overview of decorating steps. Follow the full peanut chews recipe to prepare 25 pops, then follow these decorating directions.
Turkey
- Melt dark chocolate or dark candy melts and dip six pops to fully coat. Place on wax-paper-lined baking sheet to set.
- Pipe a line of melted chocolate near the top of each pop to create feathers, then immediately sprinkle fall-colored jimmies over the piped area.
- Attach candy eyes using a small dot of melted chocolate as glue.
- Using orange candy melts, pipe small triangle beaks beneath the eyes. Use red candy melts to add a wattle beside the beak.
Pumpkin
- Melt orange candy melts and dip six pops to coat. Place on wax paper until firm.
- Pipe vertical lines with additional orange candy melt to mimic pumpkin ridges.
- Pipe small green leaves and vine accents at the top of each pumpkin pop.
Football
- Melt dark chocolate or dark candy melts and dip six pops. Allow to set on wax paper.
- Pipe white melting chocolate to create the horizontal stripes and stitching typical of a football.
Drizzle and Sprinkles
- Melt dark chocolate and dip seven pops. Place them on wax paper to firm.
- Drizzle orange and yellow candy melts diagonally across each pop and immediately sprinkle with fall-colored jimmies.
Storage
Store coated pops at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one month. Separate layers with wax paper to prevent sticking.
For best freshness, place each coated pop in an individual 3″ x 5″ bag before storing or gifting.
Tips
- If working with frozen peanut chews pops, let them warm at room temperature for about 10 minutes before dipping; coating can crack if the center is too cold.
- Melt coatings in a glass bowl for even heating. Transfer to a smaller dipping bowl or piping bag as needed.
- Microwave candy wafers at 50% power: heat 1 minute, stir, then continue in 15–30 second intervals at 50% power, stirring between intervals until smooth.
- If coating is too thick, add a tablespoon of confectionery shortening or 1–2 teaspoons of coconut oil or vegetable shortening to thin and smooth the mixture.
- Oil-based food coloring can tint white melting chocolate if you prefer not to use colored candy melts.
- To keep pops fresh when shipping or gifting, seal each in an individual 3″ x 5″ bag and pack in a snug, padded container. Avoid shipping during hot weather.
Frequently asked questions
To thin thick melting chocolate or candy melts, stir in about a tablespoon of confectionery shortening or 1–2 teaspoons of coconut oil until the coating reaches a smooth, dippable consistency.
Paramount crystals (confectioner’s crystals) are a confectionery shortening used to thin and stabilize coatings. They are sold by cake and candy supply retailers.
Peanut butter chews can be made with gluten-free ingredients, but always check individual ingredient labels. For example, some cereals like certain Rice Krispies are not gluten free.
Related recipes
Try other themed Peanut Chews Candy Pops for different occasions: Valentine’s Day pops decorated with love motifs, Easter pops shaped like chicks and bunnies, or holiday white chocolate bark and decorated sugar cookies for more festive treats.
Thanksgiving Peanut Chews Candy Pops
Ingredients
- 25 peanut chews candy pops (1 batch)
- 2 cups dark melting chocolate or dark candy melts
- 1/4 cup white melting chocolate or white candy melts
- 1 cup orange candy melts
- 2 tablespoons red candy melts
- 1/4 cup yellow candy melts
- 1/4 cup green candy melts
- 12 candy eyes
- 1/4 cup fall-colored jimmies sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare Peanut Chews Candy Pops following the base recipe. If frozen, bring pops to room temperature for about 10 minutes before dipping.
Turkeys
- Dip 6 pops in melted dark chocolate and let set on wax paper.
- Pipe a line of melted chocolate at the top for feathers and add sprinkles.
- Use a dot of melted chocolate to attach candy eyes. Pipe orange beaks beneath the eyes and add a red wattle beside each beak.
Pumpkins
- Dip 6 pops in melted orange candy melts and let set.
- Pipe vertical lines for pumpkin ridges and add green leaves and vines at the top.
Footballs
- Dip 6 pops in melted dark chocolate and let set.
- Pipe white stripes and center stitching to resemble a football.
Drizzle and Sprinkle
- Dip 7 pops in melted dark chocolate and let set.
- Drizzle orange and yellow candy melts diagonally and top with fall jimmies sprinkles. Allow to firm completely before storing.
- Store coated pops in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month, separating layers with wax paper.
Notes
- Allow frozen pops to warm slightly (about 10 minutes) before dipping to avoid cracking.
- Melt coatings in a glass bowl for best results, and use piping bags or zip-top bags for decorating.
- Microwave candy melts at 50% power in short intervals, stirring between each, until smooth.
- Thin thick coatings with a small amount of confectionery shortening or coconut oil.
- Packing tips: do not ship in hot weather; seal individual pops in 3″ x 5″ bags and pack snugly with padding.