Easy Reindeer Sugar Cookies
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Reindeer Sugar Cookies. Cookie decorating is a joy with these holiday favorites! All you need is a batch of baked cookies, chocolate frosting, pretzels, vanilla wafers, and M&M’s to recreate these adorable little deer!
Looking for more easy holiday ideas? Try these Christmas Tree Rice Krispies, Christmas Tree Cakes Recipe or Brownie Santa Hats!
This recipe was originally published December 8, 2014. It has since been updated to include fresh photos and helpful tips.
Recipe Features
- Quick and Easy: This recipe is so quick to make and looks adorably delicious on your baking tray.
- Holiday Favorite: Perfect DIY for adults and kids!
- Semi-Homemade Cookie: While we use homemade sugar cookies, you could easily replicate this look with a store bought cookie!
These adorable reindeer decorated cookies are about to become your holiday go-to. Why? Because they are super quick and easy to make and look adorable on a cookie tray. The best part is you literally cannot mess these up. Perfect for beginner bakers, little kid helpers, or anyone that feels like cookie decorating is above their talent.
Little imperfections add character and make them even cuter. So I am not kidding when I say this is a no-fuss no-fail holiday cookie recipe.
Ingredients to make Reindeer Sugar Cookies:
I really love to keep things simple. Especially around the holidays when your schedule is already packed to the brim. The last thing you want to do is waste valuable memory making time. Which means the list for these cookies is short and you can even make some of the items ahead of time!
- Sugar Cookies– Homemade or store bought! Did you know you can actually make and freeze sugar cookies in advance? You can store cookies for up to SIX MONTHS in the freezer!
- Chocolate Frosting– Again, homemade or store bought will work here. For the ease- we go for the canned frosting. It’s especially convenient if you are planning on this being a family project.
- Mini Pretzels- Whole or broken in half to more of an antler shape.
- M&M Candies- Brown or red only.
- Vanilla Wafer Cookies- Make sure they are the mini’s
- Candy Eyes- No eyes? No problem! Just grab a tube of black food gel and pipe two tiny dots in place of the eyes
How to Make Christmas Reindeer Cookies
- Place a sugar cookie onto a clean work surface.
- Spread a generous amount of chocolate frosting onto the top of the cookie, about 1 heaping tablespoon. Try to keep the surface flat, but lines are ok and add character.
- Place a dot of chocolate frosting onto the “m” side of either a red or brown m&m candy.
- Secure the candy onto your vanilla wafer for the nose and place onto your freshly frosted sugar cookie.
- Add the eyes and pretzels for the finishing touch!
- You can either leave the pretzels whole or break them for a more authentic antler appearance.
Sugar cookie troubleshooting:
- Be sure to grab the mini vanilla wafers. The smaller size is perfect for little deer noses.
- Canned or homemade frosting will work with this recipe.
- Do not fret about getting perfect antlers. Break your pretzels in half and pair up similar looking styles.
Making your own sugar cookies? Awesome! Let’s break down some of the more common questions I get and how to solve potential issues.
Most commonly the cause of cookie spreading is butter that isn’t cool. When you start a cookie recipe with warm butter it tends to spread as it bakes. To combat this, you can start with butter that has set out for only 30 minutes or you can chill your dough before baking.
I am so guilty of this. Especially when I first started baking. Tough cookies can be a result of overmixing or over working your dough. Once the ingredients are just combined, you should really stop mixing. Essentially… Less mixing equals a more tender cookie
Here’s the skinny… Most cookie recipes will tell you to bake your cookie until it is golden brown. Sugar cookies are a class all on their own. You want to take them out of the oven as soon as they are set, and not too brown.
More Christmas Cookies
- Candy Cane Biscotti
- Christmas Grinch Cookies
- Melted Snowman Cookies
- Christmas Wreath Cookies
- White Chocolate Cranberry Bars
- Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
- Two Ingredient Fudge
- M&M Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe
- Gingerbread Biscotti
- White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzels
- Simple 2-Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
- Caramel Pecan Thumbprint Cookies
- Gingerbread Man Cookies
Still hungry? Follow One Sweet Appetite on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!
Reindeer Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 12 sugar cookies (baked)
- 1 cup of your favorite chocolate frosting (homemade or canned)
- 24 mini pretzels
- 12 mini vanilla wafers
- 12 M&M candies (in either red or brown color)
- edible eyes (found in most baking aisles or online)
Instructions
- Place a sugar cookie onto a clean work surface.
- Spread a generous amount of chocolate frosting onto the top of the cookie, about 1 heaping tablespoon. Try to keep the surface flat, but lines are ok and add character.
- Place a dot of chocolate frosting onto the “m” side of either a red or brown m&m candy.
- Secure the candy onto your vanilla wafer for the nose and place onto your freshly frosted sugar cookie.
- Add the eyes and pretzels for the finishing touch!
- You can either leave the pretzels whole or break them for a more authentic antler appearance.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
These cookies turned out so adorable!