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Rudolph Reindeer Christmas Cookies.
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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!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings 24
Calories 167kcal
Author Brandie Skibinski

Ingredients

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.
    flour in a bowl.
  • 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.
    peanut butter, brown sugar and shortening in a mixing bowl.
  • Add in 1 large egg and mix well.
    egg added to peanut butter mixture in mixing bowl.
  • 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.)
    flour being added to peanut butter mixture in bowl.
  • 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.
    rolls of peanut butter cookie dough on a baking sheet.
  • Then, to make the reindeer face, pinch the bottom half of the cookie with your fingers.
    a hand pinching the bottom of the rolls of cookie dough to make a reindeer face shape.
  • Then smush each one down gently with your hand.
    gently pushing down on the cookies.
  • Bake cookies (one sheet at a time) on the middle rack for about 8 minutes.
    fully baked peanut butter cookies n a baking tray.
  • 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.
    chocolate covered pretzels added to the tops of the cookies to make the antlers.
  • Allow cookies to finish cooling. Finish with the remaining cookies.
    three Reindeer cookies shown on a round white plate with a red and white striped dish towel in the background.

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

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Sodium: 156mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g
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