This Maple Butter Glazed Turkey is the holiday recipe your family will request year after year. Coated in a luscious blend of creamy butter, pure maple syrup, and warm seasonings, this turkey roasts to perfection—crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and bursting with sweet-savory flavor. Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a special family dinner, this show-stopping turkey is surprisingly easy to prepare and guaranteed to impress. Discover step-by-step instructions, expert tips for flawless roasting, and the secret to getting that glossy maple butter finish that steals the spotlight.
Ingredients
- 16-18 lb Butterball Turkey (completely thawed)
- 2 medium bell pepper (green, yellow, red, or orange)
- 1 large carrot (sliced)
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 2 cups water
Dry Brine
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/4 cup garlic powder
- 1/4 cup onion powder
- 2 tbsp black pepper
Turkey Injection
- 1/2 bottle Tony Cachere's Injectable Creole Butter
Turkey Butter Compound
- 2 sticks butter (salted) (softened)
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp thyme (dried)
- 2 tsp rosemary (dried)
Maple Butter Glaze
- 2 sticks salted butter (softened)
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup (grade A or B)
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Dry Brine
- Remove all gizzards, necks, etc. from from the inside of the turkey and discard. Fully rinse the inside and outside of the turkey.
- Place turkey on a large cooking rack or cookie sheet. Fully pat dry.
- In a small bowl add dry brine ingredients, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Toss the seasoning all over the turkey, including underneath, ensuring all parts of the turkey have been seasoned.
- Place the turkey on the rack at the bottom of the refrigerator, uncovered for 24 hours.
Turkey Prep
- After 24 hours, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 325℉.
- Slice vegetables (bell peppers, carrot, celery, onion) and add to the bottom of a roasting pan with v cooking rack.
![roasting pan with v cooking rack]()
- Pour 1/2 of creole injection butter into a small bowl. Inject all sides of the turkey (breasts, wings, drumsticks, thighs).
- In a small bowl add 2 sticks of butter (softened), onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, thyme and rosemary. Mix with a whisk and slather butter compound all over turkey.
- Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 3 hours and 45 minutes, or until the turkey's internal temperature reaches 170℉ in the thigh. The timing will depend on the size of the turkey. Baste the turkey once per hour.
Maple Butter Glaze
- In a bowl combine, 2 sticks of butter (softened), maple syrup, dijon mustard, sage, thyme, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper (plus salt. and pepper to taste).
- Heat in a sauce pan for 5 minutes.
- Once the turkey is ready, baste and pour glaze on turkey. You can reserve some of the glaze for dipping.
- Slice the turkey after letting it rest for 20 minutes.
