Cooking Turkey Legs In The Oven

These Maple Butter Roasted Turkey legs are SO easy to make, but no one would ever know by tasting them! Impress your friends and family for dinner by whipping up a batch of these mouthwatering turkey legs. They're savory, sweet, and oh-so delicious to eat.

Four roasted turkey legs are on a white plate.

If you're looking for a fun way to shake up Thanksgiving dinner, look no further! While this turkey drumstick recipe is certainly different than your average Thanksgiving bird, it's still rich with classic fall flavor. I also recommend making them for potlucks and parties – this dish is the ultimate crowd pleaser!

This recipe is definitely kid friendly, too. If your little one doesn't like to eat meat off the bone, that's okay! This tender turkey is cooked to perfection and falls right off the bone. So whether you're making a batch of these bad boys for Thanksgiving or just a weeknight dinner, they're sure to be a huge hit.

In fact, I made them for a little football party recently and received a crazy amount of compliments! I had no idea that turkey legs would elevate the party more than chicken wings ever did.

Four uncooked turkey legs are placed on a baking sheet.

Maple Butter Roasted Turkey Legs

If you've ever been to a theme park or county fair, chances are, you've indulged in a turkey leg! However, you've probably never made them at home with ingredients like melted butter and sweet, sticky maple syrup.

I've always thought turkey legs were good, but they were never what I reached for first at the dinner table. I knew so many people loved them, though, so I eventually became determined to make the perfect turkey drumstick recipe. And trust me – I really think I have! Savory and sweet is probably the best flavor combination of all time, and it's fully mastered in this quick and easy recipe.

A brown mixture of maple syrup and butter is being poured onto an uncooked turkey leg.

How To Make Them

The simplicity of this recipe is almost unbelievable! That's why I recommend making these for big events – it takes a lot of stress off your shoulders. There's nothing more anxiety inducing than having to get yourself, the kids, and a huge entreé prepared in a short amount of time.

So fret not, friends! With just 4 simple ingredients and a few easy to follow steps, you're going to have the most scrumptious turkey legs ever!

Preheat the oven to 400.

Then, you'll need to prepare the turkey legs… make sure they're dry by patting them down gently with a paper towel. Do NOT skip this step! If the meat is damp, your dry rub won't be so dry. Then, arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. This will help make cleanup a total breeze!

Rub the dry rub all over the turkey legs. Be sure to get under the skin too, that way you can really infuse the flavor into the meat.

Whisk the butter and maple syrup to combine. These ingredients should be fully incorporated, giving the mixture a beautiful golden brown color.

Brush the syrup and butter mixture over the turkey legs, coating them completely. Make sure all legs are evenly coated, so they're all equally delicious.

Four roasted turkey legs are on a baking sheet.

Roast the turkey legs in the oven for 20 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to 300 degrees and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the turkey legs register 165 on an instant read thermometer. That's another huge bonus of this recipe – for such tender meat, the cook time is so short!

Remove from the oven and allow the dish to rest for approximately 10 minutes before serving. It'll be tempting to dive right in, since the smell of butter, maple syrup and turkey is downright intoxicating! You definitely want to wait though, that way no one burns their mouth.

On a white plate are several ready to eat turkey legs.

What To Serve Them With

When it comes to fall favorites, there are so many incredible side dish options! You could go for the tried and true green bean casserole, or southern candied yams if you're feeling more decadent.

Or you can keep things super simple and make these Smashed Red Potatoes! No matter what you go with, serving maple butter turkey legs as your main course is sure to steal the spotlight.

For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Instagram and Facebook to see what else we're sharing!

Four roasted turkey legs are on a white plate.

Get the Recipe: Maple Butter Roasted Turkey Legs

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Skip the whole turkey and make these easy Turkey Legs, instead. Drenched in a sweet maple butter and roasted to perfection, the best part of the turkey is now available for everyone at the table.

▢ 4 bone-in skin-on medium turkey drumsticks, about 10 oz each
▢ 1/4 cup Poultry Seasoning, BBQ Dry Rub
▢ 1/4 cup melted butter
▢ 3 tablespoons maple syrup

▢
roasting pan

Preheat oven to 400˚F.
Pat the turkey legs dry with a paper towel and arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. (This will help make cleanup a breeze.)
Rub the dry rub all over the turkey legs being sure to get under the skin to help infuse the flavor.
Whisk the butter and maple syrup to combine.
Brush the butter mixture over the turkey legs to coat completely.
Roast the turkey legs in the oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and continue roasting for an additional 15 minutes or until the turkey legs register 165˚F on an instant read thermometer.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

For best results, allow the drumsticks to come to room temperature before cooking.

Turkey legs can be coated with the rub up to 24 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

Calories: 1131 kcal , Carbohydrates: 13 g , Protein: 133 g , Fat: 57 g , Saturated Fat: 21 g , Cholesterol: 511 mg , Sodium: 605 mg , Potassium: 1913 mg , Fiber: 1 g , Sugar: 9 g , Vitamin A: 490 IU , Vitamin C: 1 mg , Calcium: 178 mg , Iron: 13 mg