Description
These adorable reindeer cookies are made with simple ingredients and decorated to resemble festive reindeer faces. Perfect for holiday parties, cookie swaps, or baking with kids!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (310 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
For Decoration:
- Mini pretzels (for antlers)
- Mini chocolate chips (for eyes)
- Red or brown candy-coated chocolates (like M&M’s, for noses)
Instructions
Make the Cookies:
- Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream Butter and Sugar:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla:
- Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Shape the Cookies:
- Roll tablespoon-sized portions of dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten each ball with your fingers to create a base for the decorations.
Decorate the Reindeer Faces:
- Add Antlers and Features:
- Press two mini pretzels into the top of each cookie for antlers. Add two mini chocolate chips for eyes and a red or brown candy for the nose.
Bake and Cool:
- Bake:
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool:
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use food coloring to tint some of the dough brown for added reindeer detail if desired.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For extra sparkle, dust the cookies lightly with powdered sugar or edible glitter.