Fruit Turkey (Thanksgiving Fruit Tray)

This fruit turkey is a colorful Thanksgiving fruit platter made with fresh fruit arranged into a turkey shape. It takes about 20 minutes to put together, and you can prepare most of the fruit a day ahead.

It’s a fun way to add fresh fruit to the Thanksgiving table, and you can choose eyes, a beak and feet that suit gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan or paleo diets.

Ingredients

Wash the fruit and pat it dry before assembling the turkey to prevent slipping and sogginess.

• Green pear – slice it in half lengthwise to make the turkey’s body. Wait until you’re ready to assemble the platter to cut it.
• Fresh clementine – separate it into segments for the innermost feathers. I wouldn’t use canned segments here; they make the platter messy.
• Strawberries – remove the stems and cut the strawberries in half. Keep the cut sides flat so they sit neatly against the other fruit.
• Kiwi – slice it into rounds about 1/4″ (6 mm) thick for the green feather layer.
• Red apples – cut them into thick slices for the outer feathers. You can use pineapple slices instead for a tropical version. If you need to cut the apples ahead of time, toss the slices with a little lemon juice to slow browning.
• Blackberries – I prefer their dark color here, but blueberries are another option.
• Green grapes – use them for the layer closer to the body, or swap them for red grapes.
• Eyes – use candy eyeballs or one of the alternatives below. If you need the platter to be gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan or paleo, choose eyes and an attachment method that suit your diet.
• Carrot or cheddar – cut small pieces to make the turkey’s beak and feet. Use carrot for a vegan, dairy-free or paleo version.

How to Make It

You can arrange the turkey on a cutting board or a large serving platter, but I found it a little challenging to get the shape right without a round surface as a guide. My photographer found the white marble lazy susan shown in the photos at World Market, and it’s the perfect size for this Thanksgiving fruit tray.

It’s 12″ (30.5 cm) across, and the fruit amounts in the recipe fit it perfectly, with the apple slices hanging slightly over the edge. You’ll need more fruit if you’re making a larger turkey.

Start with the apple slices around the outer edge, leaving a little space between them. Arrange the kiwi inside the apples, then add the strawberry halves along the border between the apples and kiwi. Work inward with the blackberries, grapes and clementine segments.

Finish by placing the pear half in the center and adding the eyes, beak and feet. The full assembly instructions are in the recipe card below.

Alternatives to Candy Eyeballs

If you don’t want to use candy eyeballs, there are several other options. Just make sure the eyes and anything you use to attach them suit your dietary needs.

• Mini chocolate chips – press the pointed ends directly into the pear. This is one of the easiest options because you don’t need anything else to attach them.
• Raisins or currants – press them into the pear or attach them with a little honey, syrup or frosting. You can also use toothpicks.
• Blueberries – these work well if you want larger eyes. You’ll need toothpicks to attach them to the pear.
• White chocolate chips and mini chocolate chips – place a mini chocolate chip on top of a white chocolate chip for a layered effect. Attach them using one of the icing or syrup options in the Tips for Success box below.
• Pear or apple pieces – carve two small circles from a pear or apple and add a raisin or chocolate chip to each one for the pupils. These are a little trickier to attach, so I’d use toothpicks.

Make Ahead & Storage

Make ahead – you can wash, peel and cut most of the fruit up to one day ahead. Store it in airtight containers in the refrigerator, and wait to cut the apples and pear until you’re ready to assemble the turkey.

If you’re short on time, pre-sliced fruit from the grocery store is another option, though it costs more.

Prevent browning – lemon juice helps slow the browning of cut apples and other fruits, keeping them looking fresh for longer. If you’re cutting the apples ahead of time, toss the slices in a bowl with a small amount of lemon juice.

If you’re preparing the platter just before serving and eating it right away, you can skip the lemon juice. But if the fruit will be sitting out during a meal, I’d use it to help keep the apples from browning. Wait until you’re ready to assemble the turkey to cut the pear.

Leftovers – keep the platter refrigerated until serving. Refrigerate cut fruit within 2 hours of setting it out (1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F/32 °C), and discard any fruit that’s been left out longer.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can use the extra fruit to make a Fruit Cocktail, blend it into smoothies, or add it to yogurt or oatmeal like my PB2 Overnight Oats.

You can also freeze leftover fruit for later use in smoothies or baking.