Who doesn’t love the food we serve this time of year? Thanksgiving is literally a day devoted to eating well! But if you ask me, the only thing more fun than those traditional dishes is serving up quirky, easy themed eats. This year, I am bringing this adorable 3 ingredient turkey bread to the table.
This appetizer is a triple threat. It is fun, easy, and tasty. It is essentially a garlicky, cheese-filled baked bread that guests can slice or pull apart. This dish is perfect for a midday snack on Thanksgiving. I find my family gets a bit peckish smelling all of the food cooking before Thanksgiving dinner is served, and this is something that is easy to whip up while they wait. It also looks beautiful on the table for your traditional Thanksgiving spread if you prefer to serve it then!
Why You'll Love this Turkey Bread
- Gobbled Up – Cheese bread is always a crowd pleaser, no matter the age or background of your guests. This dish is also vegetarian, so if you are expecting any guests who will be skipping the main dish, you could plate your turkey bread similarly to your turkey for a fun nod to your vegetarian eaters.
- Easier Than Pie – Your ingredients list is short and affordable, and your prep time is only about 15 minutes. People will be impressed with your presentation, but this dish will truthfully be one of the easiest ones you prepare this season!
Ingredients For Turkey Shaped Bread
- Pizza Dough – You should use a 16 oz can of pre-made, refrigerated pizza dough. It will have a firm enough texture to hold shape, while still soft and light enough to make a nice base for your cheese bread!
- Mozzarella (optional) – I recommend using real, fresh mozzarella. With an ingredients list as short as this one, you will do best to opt for quality picks. You only need ¼ cup of the cheese, so it will be easiest if you purchase mozzarella pearls or ciliegine. This way, you can avoid overstuffing the bread, and also encourage your cheese to melt more evenly.
- Butter – You will need a little butter to brush on top of your bread, both for flavoring, and to get a good brown on top.
- Garlic Salt (Optional) – You can skip this ingredient if you wish, but it is so much tastier if you include it!
How to Make Turkey Bread
- Preheat oven to 400F and grease or line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Start with a liberally greased surface and roll the pizza dough into a big ball, saving ¼ of the dough for later.
- Cut away the bottom right and left sections of the dough at a 45-degree angle, leaving the bottom in a triangular shape. This will be the main body of the turkey.
- Insert the mozzarella into the underside of the main body of the dough and pinch a seam to enclose. Lay body seam side down. Be careful to not overstuff with mozzarella.
- Roll the two smaller sections into two drumstick shapes and adhere to the main body where they were cut from.
- Cut the set aside dough from step 2 into thirds. Then shape 2 of those sections into wing shapes and adhere to the main body above the drumsticks.
- Take the remaining third and roll into a skinny log shape and wrap around the bottom of the drumsticks to truss the bird. An advanced option is to weave the skinny log into a braid.
- Melt together the butter and garlic salt and generously brush atop the dough.
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet (seam side down) and bake for 25 – 27 minutes.
Step by Step Instructions
To begin, preheat your oven to 400F. Grease your baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper to avoid breaking your turkey upon removal. Next, prepare your workstation. You will need a flat surface to shape your pizza dough. You should grease it thoroughly before you begin. Then, remove ¼ of your pizza dough and set it aside for later. Roll the rest into a large ball.
Now it is time to form the body. Cut the bottom of your dough ball on the left, using a 45-degree angle. Repeat on the bottom right section as well. This should leave you with a round top, and a triangular bottom for your turkey’s body.
Flip the “body” over and stuff it with your ¼ cup of mozzarella. Pinch the dough closed, creating a seam. Place the seam side down on your baking sheet.
Now you need the two sides of the dough that you cut in step 3. Roll each of them into drumstick shapes to form the turkey legs. Gently press them back onto the turkey from where they were originally cut.
Finally, you need the dough you set aside in step 2. Cut it into thirds, and set one chunk aside. Shape the other two pieces into wings, and attach them to the top of the body, above where the drumsticks are positioned.
Use your final remaining piece of dough to “truss your turkey.” To do this, roll the dough into a thin log and wrap it around the bottom of the drumsticks. If you feel confident in handling the dough, you can make it look a bit fancier by dividing the dough into three strands and braiding it before using it to truss your turkey.
Melt your butter and mix in your garlic salt. Brush the top of your bread liberally with your garlic butter
Bake for 25-27 minutes, until your dough is cooked through, and the top of your bread is golden brown. Enjoy!
Cook's Tips
- You can keep leftover turkey bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Serve your turkey bread with dipping sauce for extra fun. Marinara is a classic choice, or you can offer festive options, like a cranberry jalapeno dip, melted cinnamon honey butter, pumpkin hummus, spinach dip, or garlic dip.
- To avoid the dough sticking to your hands, you can grease them with a little bit of coconut oil before you begin.
FAQ
Bread dough and pizza dough are extremely similar. The main difference is in how they are prepared. The canned pizza dough will act the same as bread dough when rolled into a thicker shape, like the turkey we build for our turkey bread.
You can freeze uncooked pizza dough for 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using
Yes and no. If you wish to make your own pizza dough from scratch, you may make it the day prior and refrigerate it. Allow it to rise in the refrigerator rather than on the counter. As for shaping and stuffing your turkey, this step should not be done in advance.
You will need to bake your turkey pizza bread at 400F.
Looking for more delicious easy dough recipes? Try These:
If you have tried this 3 Ingredient Turkey Bread recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! For more inspiration follow us on Instagram or like us on Facebook to find more easy meals.
3 Ingredient Turkey Bread
Ingredients
- 16 oz Ready-to-Bake Pizza Dough fresh
- ¼ cup mozzarella balls
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp garlic salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and grease or line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Start with a liberally greased surface and roll the pizza dough into a big ball, saving ¼ of the dough for later.
- Cut away the bottom right and left sections of the dough at a 45-degree angle, leaving the bottom in a triangular shape. This will be the main body of the turkey.
- Insert the mozzarella into the underside of the main body of the dough and pinch a seam to enclose. Lay body seam side down. Be careful to not overstuff with mozzarella.
- Roll the two smaller sections into two drumstick shapes and adhere to the main body where they were cut from.
- Cut the set aside dough from step 2 into thirds. Then shape 2 of those sections into wing shapes and adhere to the main body above the drumsticks.
- Take the remaining third and roll into a skinny log shape and wrap around the bottom of the drumsticks to truss the bird. An advanced option is to weave the skinny log into a braid.
- Melt together the butter and garlic salt and generously brush atop the dough.
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet (seam side down) and bake for 25 – 27 minutes.
Notes
Serve your turkey bread with dipping sauce for extra fun. Marinara is a classic choice, or you can offer festive options, like a cranberry jalapeno dip, melted cinnamon honey butter, pumpkin hummus, spinach dip, or garlic dip.
To avoid the dough sticking to your hands, you can grease them with a little bit of coconut oil before you begin.
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