This Turkey-Shaped Loaf of Bread Will Take Your Thanksgiving Menu Up a Notch

There’s no denying that some people have a set menu that they go by every year for Thanksgiving. Though there may be one or two items that find themselves on the chopping block on some occasions, main items like turkey and ham as well as popular side dishes such as mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and green beans are often permanent fixtures for holiday eating. And while keeping things simple and delicious with dinner rolls or cornbread is totally fine, if you want to add a little something extra to the spread this year, one TikToker has a treat for you.

If you’ve been looking for the ultimate way to wow your guests this Thanksgiving (or even for Christmas), this tutorial on how to make a “turkey” loaf from TikToker @cottageloaves just might do the trick. And what exactly is a turkey loaf, you ask? Well, a loaf of bread shaped like a turkey, of course!

Captioning the video with “Turkey” loaf! Dibs on the drumstick🍗 🥖 #Breadtok #VeganTurkey,” @cottageloaves — who mentions being a sourdough bread artist in the bio section — shows you how to make a sourdough turkey loaf that looks so realistic, it may fool everyone at this year’s gathering. Beginning by tapping the “belly” of the loaf, the bread connoisseur then creates both the arms and the legs of the breaded turkey before giving the “bird” a light sprinkle of a paprika and cocoa powder mixture on top.

Fans of the creation flooded the comments with positive feelings, and even gave a few suggestions on how to take the already impressive loaf to the next level. “Put some cheese and chives or potato bits and gravy inside that badboy…yeaaaaaaa” wrote one commenter, while another said, “I just love this. Makes me want to do a vegan Thanksgiving with this as the centerpiece. Just for fun. And enjoyment.”

And the one tip that the bread maker gives about making this faux turkey its best? Remembering to not flour your boule after cold proofing because you’ll need those pieces a little down the line. Though Cottage Loaves didn’t reveal the entire recipe on their TikTok, they did give include a few steps on how to nail it on their Instagram account. And, if you’re interested in making that specific sourdough recipe, you can check their IG highlights to nab that, too.

Don’t forget to join us for this year’s Thanksgiving Food Fest kicking off on November 7 for more Thanksgiving-inspired recipes to add to your holiday menu!