Reindeer Cookies
These Reindeer Cookies are always a big hit and are the perfect cookies for Santa or for all your little elves! Easy and delicious!
CHRISTMAS REINDEER COOKIES
These little Reindeer Cookies ended up being a huge hit at our work Christmas cookie exchange this year. They are easier to make than you might think too! Basically they are a moist peanut butter cookie that is shaped into a “reindeer head” then chocolate covered pretzels are added for the antlers, M&M’s for the noses and chocolate chips for the eyes! So much fun for kids and adults alike!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Absolutely! If you want to make this even easier, just purchase some peanut butter cookie dough. Or feel free to use your own favorite cookie dough recipe.
Yes, If you don’t want peanut butter cookies then you could use any of your favorite cookie doughs. I just think the color of the peanut butter dough looks best.
Just use mini pretzel twists. It will still look just as cute.
These can be stored in a covered container for up to 5 days on the countertop and up to 10 days if stored in the refrigerator. They can be frozen as well. Place in a freezer safe container or ziploc bag(separating the cookie layers with parchment paper) and they will keep for about 3 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- shortening (Crisco)
- light brown sugar
- peanut butter
- milk
- vanilla extract
- large egg
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- chocolate covered pretzel twists
- M&M’s
- chocolate chips
HOW TO MAKE REINDEER COOKIES:
Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Spray baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine shortening, brown sugar, peanut butter, milk and vanilla.
Beat at medium speed until smooth and well-blended. Add in egg and mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine flour with baking soda and salt. Using a fork, stir well.
Slowly begin adding the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Only adding a little at a time as you mix it to make sure flour doesn’t fly everywhere. Don’t overmix, just stir until combined.
Form dough into 1-inch balls. I like to use this little cookie scooper. It helps me get all the cookies the same size. Then I take each cookie dough ball and roll it around in my hands so that it’s a bit more uniform and smooth.
Then, to make the reindeer face, you are going to pinch the bottom half of the cookie.
Then smush it a bit with your hand.
Bake cookies (one sheet at a time) for about 8 minutes. While the cookies are baking, start getting all your embellishments organized. As soon as the cookies come out, you are going to be working kinda fast.
Once cookies are finished, while still warm, start adding the noses (red and/or brown) M&M’s. towards the bottom end of the cookie. Then add the eyes (chocolate chips) fairly close above the nose. Just make sure you put in the chocolate chips pointy side up. You could just use the brown M&M’s too. Finally, add the antlers (pretzels). This part can be just a bit tricky because those antlers are heavy. So it’s important that you don’t put them too far to the edge of the cookie. They need to be solidly on the cookie, near the eyes, and gently apply a bit of pressure for a few seconds to make sure they stay in place.
The cookies need time to cool completely before you move them. The chocolate will set up and then stick to the cookie. Then you’ll be able to move them and store them at that point.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally Published: December 2012
Updated and republished: December 2022
Reindeer Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup shortening (Crisco)
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- chocolate covered pretzel twists (for the antlers)
- M&M chocolate candy (for the noses, I like to use the red ones)
- chocolate chips (for the eyes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Spray baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray or cover with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 3/4 teaspoon baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a fork, stir well. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, combine 1/2 cup shortening (Crisco), 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed, 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 3 Tablespoons milk and 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed until smooth and well-blended.
- Add in 1 large egg and mix well.
- Slowly begin adding the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Only add a little at a time as you mix it to make sure flour doesn't fly everywhere. Don't overmix, just stir until combined (or you'll get tough cookies.)
- Form dough into 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. I find this easiest with a spring loaded cookie scoop. NOTE: Don't bake too many at a time so you can easily add the antlers, etc without them cooling too quickly.
- Then, to make the reindeer face, pinch the bottom half of the cookie with your fingers.
- Then smush each one down gently with your hand.
- Bake cookies (one sheet at a time) on the middle rack for about 8 minutes.
- While the cookies are baking, start getting all your embellishments organized. As soon as the cookies come out, you are going to be working kinda fast.
- Once cookies are finished, while still warm, start adding the noses (using the red M&M's). Then add the chocolate chip eyes fairly close to the nose. Just make sure you put them in pointy side up.
- Now add the antlers using the chocolate covered pretzel twists. This part can be a bit tricky because those antlers are heavy. So it's important that you don't put them too far to the edge of the cookie. They need to be solidly on the cookie, near the eyes, and gently apply a bit of pressure for a few seconds to make sure they stay in place.
- Allow cookies to finish cooling. Finish with the remaining cookies.
Video
Notes
- If you are using a stand mixer, you always have to remember to scrape down the sides of your bowl to make sure everything gets incorporated.
- The cookies need time to cool completely before you move them. The chocolate will set up and then stick to the cookie. Then you’ll be able to move them and store them at that point.
- You can use plain mini pretzel twists but you’ll need to melt a little chocolate to use to adhere them better to the cookie.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
The recipe is delicious and the cookies look adorable.I ended up putting my pretzels on before I bake them.It bakes into them a little bit.
For sharing the recipe.
I won most festive at our cookie exchange! These are delicious and easy to make. time consuming but easy. I used butter instead of Crisco. Came out perfect. Have everything ready and move fast. Thank you for this amazing recipe!!!
Can you freeze these cookies?
I used this recipe for a cookie exchange but placed whole large pretzels on baking sheet and put the cookies dough on the lower part of the pretzel then baked them. I used candy eyes as well. Turned out really cute.
These look so adorable. I’ve never made reindeer cookies putting the pieces on after they are baked so I want to try this method. I want to use the chocolate covered pretzels like you did. My kids are going to love these. I think we might need to make more than one batch!
What the heck? There’s Kroger, Walmart brands in addition to name brands. What difference does any of that make for this adorable recipe?
Are you advertising for Walmart? Their products are in your cookies?
Nope. It’s just what I use sometimes 🙂
I love these cookies. I volunteer at a school and bring treat every week, which is allowed. What is not allowed is ANY nut product. Any suggestions of what I can use instead of peanut butter? Thank you.
Hmmm…maybe a cinnamon cookie or chocolate?
If I didnt want to use peanut butter what would I have to adjust to make up for it and can I use butter instead of shortening?
Hi Rachael! I don’t have the answer to your questions – I’m sorry. This is the only way I have ever made them.
I make these using cut off cookies~sugar cookies with a green nose, peanutbutter cookies with a red nose. So easy this way & everyone loves them & wants to know the secret to making them. I've been making these for 20 yrs.
Anonymous- I don't see why not. You will have to adjust your cooking time a bit. Maybe try out a couple at first just to make sure you got the timing right. 🙂
Do you think you can make these smaller with mini m&m's, mini flips and less dough? I am creating little stocking stuffers for co-workers and have small cylinder tins about 2-3 inches tall and not too wide.
These are super cute cookies. I am sure kids as well as adults would enjoy these cookies.
These are so cute! I'm actually making these for my daughter's holiday party at school!
I love them and that is a great Christmas gift you could ever give.
These are SO adorable! My kids at school would love them. 🙂
cute
I made some like these a few weeks ago. I found it worked better to add the nose, eyes, and antlers before they were baked. I didn't use chocolate pretzels, just plain. They are really cute and the kids loved them.