Be the star of the dessert table by serving up a little a plate of these adorable reindeer cookies, inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction, which are just as cute as they are delicious. Just look at these little faces. Aren’t they sweet?!
These reindeer cookies are super simple to make using basic snack pieces on top of a sugar cookie base. You can use any favorite cookie recipe for the base — we used these sugar cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction. Then top each one with a few pretzels, Vanilla wafers and candy decorations, and you are set! Even the kids can help decorate.
Helpful tip: The amount of decorations you need will vary depending on how many cookies your recipe makes. This reindeer sugar cookies recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies, so assume you will need 24 Nilla wafers and M&Ms, and 48 eyes and pretzels.
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose. And if you ever saw it, you would even say… it’s delicious.
WANT MORE REINDEER FUN? SEE THIS! Reindeer candy bottles make sweet gifts
Reindeer sugar cookies
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 2 dozen
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Chocolate Frosting
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk. more if needed
- 2 cup powdered sugar, more if needed
Decorations
- Nilla Wafers
- Mini pretzels
- Holiday M&M's
- Candy eyes
Instructions
Bake the cookies
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together for 2 minutes on high speed until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
- On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Dough will be thick. Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour and up to 3 days.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside. Pour the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar into a bowl.
- Scoop and roll balls of dough, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each. Roll each ball into granulated sugar then place on the baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Using the back of measuring cup or drinking glass, gently press down on each.
- Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the edges. The baked cookies will look soft in the centers when you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting
- In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add cocoa powder, vanilla and milk and mix until incorporated. Slowly add in powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Add more milk to make thinner. Add more powdered sugar to make it thicker.
Decorate your Reindeer sugar cookies
- Frost your cookies with a large dollop of chocolate frosting. Place a Nilla wafer slightly off center and gently press into the frosting. This will be the "snout". Add two mini pretzels above for the "antlers". Use a little dab of frosting to affix the candy eyes and M&M nose.