It’s not the holidays if you can’t start baking. Your first stop on the baking schedule should be these Reindeer Cookies. So easy to make, with just a few ingredients, everyone in your family can be enjoying these cookies!
Reindeer Cookies are made around the holidays as a special treat. These cookies are great for classroom parties or for bringing along with you to a gathering.
These cookies are perfect for someone who is just getting started with baking. You can also get the kids involved in making these cookies!
Pretzel Reindeer Cookie
These Pretzel Reindeer Cookies are so easy to make. They are so simple that even the kids can help you decorate these reindeer cookies. I love Reindeer cookies that are made with pretzels. The pretzels add the perfect amount of salty taste to your sweet cookies.
If you love delicious Christmas Cookies like this one, then you may also enjoy these Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies.
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Recipe Features
Kids love these – Reindeer Cookies are one dessert that you will LOVE making for the kids. They also love helping.
Simple ingredients – This is one recipe that you don’t need fancy ingredients for. Keep it simple
Fun to eat – Not all Christmas desserts are fun for kids to eat, but kids LOVE these!
Ingredients
Are you ready to make these Chocolate Pretzel Cookies? Gather up the ingredients needed and get to baking this sweet Christmas Cookie recipe.
- sugar
- unsalted butter, room temperature
- cream cheese, room temperature
- egg room temperature
- almond extract
- vanilla extract
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- chocolate frosting
- Chocolate covered pretzel twists
- Red candies – Like M&M’s or Skittles
- Candy eyes
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Are you ready to make these reindeer cookies? Follow the steps below and you have some festive and fun holiday cookies without much work at all.
Beat the butter and cream cheese at medium speed until mixed and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Beat again until smooth and creamy, about 5 additional minutes.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, about ½ cup at a time, just until mixed.
Shape the dough into a rectangle and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare two or three large rimmed, baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out the cookie dough to ½ inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or just until the edges are set and the cookies are puffed. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets.
Once the cookies are cooled completely place the wire cooling rack containing the cookies over a baking sheet. Then, open a can of frosting and remove the foil label completely. Place in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Stir well. Repeat in 15-second increments if needed. Continue heating until the frosting is pourable.
Pour the melted chocolate frosting slowly over the cooled cookies. While the frosting is still wet press on two pretzels at the top. Then two candy eyes and one red M&M for the nose. Allow the frosting to harden and then store cookies in an airtight container.
Hint: Let the kids put the antlers on the reindeer. Because this is the most fun part for a kid!
Substitutions
If you don’t have everything you need on hand, then you might want to consider some of these substitutions.
- Dark chocolate – if you don’t like using milk chocolate, try using dark chocolate to make this recipe.
- Reindeer face – you can always pipe frosting onto the cookie for the reindeer face.
- Lactose intolerant– feel free to use dairy-free chocolate for this recipe!
Sometimes changing things up in a recipe can be a good thing for your family!
Variations
Changing up a recipe can be a lot of fun. Here are some variations that you can make to this recipe!
- White chocolate pretzels – instead of using chocolate pretzels for this recipe, change things up and use white.
- Add sprinkles – if you don’t want to add eyes and a nose, then just add sprinkles to the mix.
- Kid-friendly – this is one of the easiest recipes kids can make, so maybe let them try and make it on their own.
If you don’t have an agreement or don’t like the way something is, you can always change it up! Use what you have on hand and do the best you can!
Equipment
- Round cookie or biscuit cutter
- mixing bowl
- mixer
- spoon
- baking sheets
- wire cooling rack
Storage
When it comes to cookies with chocolate, you have to store them in a cool dark place. You’ll want to make sure the cookies are in a sealed container.
Tips
These cookies are freezable and you can store them in the fridge. I like to store them in the fridge so they last a little longer. You will want to let them sit out to get to room temperature because the cold air will make them a harder texture until they unthaw.
FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
The best thing about baking Christmas cookies is that you can freeze almost all of them. This means that you get to enjoy Christmas cookies year-round! I would recommend freezing these cookies without the pretzels as the pretzels will get soggy in the freezer.
Yes! Make these cookies up to 24 hours ahead of time so that they are ready for your holiday party.
You can use any type of red candy, but I think that M&M’s or even Skittles work best. I personally think that M&M’s taste is best.
More Recipes
If you enjoy Christmas baking, then these recipes are for you!
Recipe Name
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Reindeer Cookies
Equipment
- Round cookie or biscuit cutter
- Chocolate frosting
- Chocolate covered pretzel twists (pictured: Flipz)
- Red candies (pictured: Skittles)
- Candy eyes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 egg room temperature
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Decoration Ingredients
- 1 can chocolate frosting
- 48 candy eyes
- 48 chocolate covered pretzels
- 48 red M&M's
Instructions
- Beat the butter and cream cheese at medium speed until mixed and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Beat again until smooth and creamy, about 5 additional minutes.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, about ½ cup at a time, just until mixed.
- Shape the dough into a rectangle and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven 375 degrees. Prepare two or three large rimmed, baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out the cookie dough to ½ inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or just until the edges are set and the cookies are puffed.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets. Decorate as desired.
- To make easy royal icing from store bought:
- Open a can of frosting and remove the foil label completely.
- Place in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Stir well. Repeat in 15 second increments if needed.
- Allow the icing to cool slightly before frosting the cookies.
- For piping a line around a cookie, leave the icing slightly thick so it pours from the spoon in steady plops. For an icing loose enough to flood the cookie, heat the icing until it is even and pourable.
Royal Icing Directions
- Open a can of frosting and remove the foil label completely.
- Place in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Stir well. Repeat in 15 second increments if needed.
- Heat the icing until it is pourable
- Place cookies on a wire cooling rack onto of a baking shset. Slowly pour the melted frosting over the cookies allowing the rest of pour off.
Decorating Instructions
- To decorate:
- Apply frosting as desired to completely cooled cookies.
- While the frosting is still wet, apply the two pretzels, candy eyes and red candy nose.
- Allow icing to completely dry before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
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