Cinnamon roll turkeys are perfect for Thanksgiving breakfast
Why is it that breakfast is often overlooked on Thanksgiving?
It is because Thanksgiving dinner is usually so large that people tend to skip breakfast?
If so, it doesn’t make sense to me because Easter dinner and Christmas dinner are big meals too, but people consistently do Easter brunch and Christmas breakfast. I’m starting to feel sad for Thanksgiving. Shouldn’t it have it’s own fun themed breakfasts like all the other holidays?
RELATED POST: 15 Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Breakfast Ideas
As a breakfast lover, I can’t stand by and watch Thanksgiving get the short end of the breakfast stick. I’ve started a new family tradition to have cinnamon roll turkeys for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning. This is a traditions that we love and cherish.
What’s not to love about them?
Bacon? Check!
Carbs? Check!
Sugar? Check.
Can you imagine me talking in my best Joey Tribbiane from Friends voice? Please tell me you know which Friends episode I’m talking about!
I started making these cinnamon roll turkeys in 2016 and it’s become a fun Thanksgiving morning tradition that the kids looks forward to every year. Now that the kids are older I let them assemble their own turkeys. It’s so much fun!
How to make cinnamon roll turkeys for Thanksgiving Breakfast
Start by preparing the cinnamon rolls according to the package.
Or you can make your own cinnamon rolls. I’ve had great luck making cinnamon rolls with my sourdough discard. I’m a big fan of this sourdough cinnamon roll recipe by The Clever Carrot. I also have her sourdough cookbook!
Of course, no one is judging if you go with the ready made stuff! I love the Pillsbury Grand Cinnabon rolls.
If you do go with ready made rolls, make sure to get the ones that actually roll. Some are more like biscuits and that makes it difficult to stick the bacon into the rolls.
Next, fry up some delicious bacon. You can’t go wrong when bacon is involved. You’ll need 2 pieces of bacon per cinnamon roll. I did the package of 5 cinnamon rolls so I cooked 12 pieces of bacon. You know I just had to cook 2 extra pieces for snacking. The best part of cooking is eating along the way!
After the cinnamon rolls are iced, you stick the bacon in the back and decorate the face of the turkey with candy eyes, candy corn, and cinnamon candies. The icing keeps all the candies in place. I’m telling you, this is so easy, it’s ridiculous.
Ingredients
- 1 can (17.5 oz) Pillsbury™ Grands!™ refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
- 10 slices bacon
- 5 candy corns
- 5 red mini candy-coated chocolate candies
- 10 candy eyeballs
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
- Set icing aside. Separate dough into 5 rolls; place about 3 inches apart on cookie sheet. Unroll each roll about 1 inch; tuck dough into roll to create neck of turkey.
- Bake 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towel-lined plate. Cut bacon slices in half. Tuck 4 halves of bacon into back of each cinnamon roll so they stick up and look like tail feathers.
- Drizzle tops of rolls with icing. Decorate turkeys with candy eyeballs, candy corn and candy-coated chocolate candies.

Want more Thanksgiving Posts?
Check out these fun posts too:
- 15 Thanksgiving Breakfast Recipes
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili with Butternut Squash
- Cinnamon Spiced Play Dough
- Cinnamon Sugar Rim for Pumpkin Beer
- 7 Easy Side Dishes for a Thanksgiving Potluck
Like this post? Follow Eat, Drink, and Save Money on Social Media
Don’t forget to follow me on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) to see more of what I’m up to in real life. If you like this post, you’ll love my social media accounts too! Want to know another way you can see more of what I love? Follow me on Pinterest. I’d also love for you to pin this post to Pinterest if you liked it!
I usually make something special.
I do not make anything special
We don’t make anything special yet..maybe once I have kids we will. Mark likes to skip all meals leading up to appetizers!
We don’t do anything special for Thanksgiving breakfast.
WE always have a breakfast casserole and the Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. I have never thought to do it this way. These are so cute! My family will love them!
These are adorable!!!! I’m am totally making these for Thanksgiving breakfast! #MMBH
Oh my goodness! What a cute idea for Thanksgiving breakfast! Love it! #SmallVictories
These are awesome! Cinnamon Rolls and bacon are a win win for me! Thanks for sharing these at the #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup!
Bacon is always a win!
I make apple crisp!
I usually try to make some sort of a dish….something to fill everyone up since we do not eat until around 2pm.
MY kids want this now. Love it. Thanks for sharing with #SmallVictories.
Thanks for checking it out! I hope you enjoy it!
YOu are my featured blogger this week. Love this.
I’m so excited! Thanks!