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Transform a simple sugar cookie into a reindeer cookie with 3 easy steps! These festive Christmas Cookies make a fun and delicious treat.
This recipe for Reindeer Cookies starts with the very best Cut-Out Sugar Cookie recipe. Add some chocolate frosting and a few pieces of candy morsels and you have an adorable cookie perfect for Santa--just don't forget to give him a glass of Homemade Hot Chocolate as well.
One of my favorite traditions during the holidays is baking Christmas cookies with my family.
While I love baking cookies, when it comes to decorating, I want my cookies to be adorable, but I do not want to spend hours decorating.
These Reindeer Cookies are the perfect compromise. They are perfectly festive and cute, yet only require a few simple steps.
What you Need
- Sugar Cookie Dough: I use my recipe for Cut Out Sugar Cookies because they hold their shape perfectly and taste delicious. But you can certainly use store-bought dough if desired.
- Gingerbread Man Cookie Cutter: Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut the sugar cookie dough. When turned upside-down, a gingerbread man turns into a reindeer easily.
- Chocolate Icing: Instead of simply dying sugar cookie icing brown, add cocoa powder to the frosting for a delicious chocolate twist.
- Melted Chocolate: Melted chocolate is the perfect option for piping the antlers on the reindeer. Use any type of chocolate chips or chunks for melting.
- For the Eyes: Use candy eyes or white chocolate chips for the reindeer eyes.
- For the Nose: Use M&Ms for the nose. Brown for regular Reindeer and red for Rudolph.
How to Make Reindeer Cookies
- Prepare Sugar Cookie Dough if making your own homemade dough.
- Roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness and then use the gingerbread man cutter to cut the dough.
- Bake as directed and then let cool fully before decorating.
- Once the cookies are cooled, pipe the chocolate frosting into a circle on each of the heads.
- Add a candy morsel for the nose.
- For the antlers, place chocolate into a small heat-safe bowl and melt in the microwave for 30-second intervals until melted, stirring between intervals.
- Place melted chocolate into a sandwich bag and snip off a VERY tiny corner.
- Carefully pipe out the antlers (onto the gingerbread men's legs).
- Add 2 white chocolate chips for the eyes.
- If using white chocolate chips instead of candy eyes, dip a toothpick into the leftover melted chocolate and dollop on the morsels to create pupils for the eyes.
- Let your reindeer cookies set for 30-60 minutes and then carefully place the cookies in a single layer into an airtight container to store in the refrigerator.
Tips for Reindeer Cookies
- Storing: Because of the cream cheese frosting, it is best to store these cookies in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Money-Saving Tip: Instead of using a piping bag, use a large Ziploc bag and snip off a tiny corner. Not only do you not need fancy tools, but you can also simply toss the baggie into the trash when you are done, making clean-up a breeze!
- For the Nose: In place of candy-coated chocolate morsels, use chocolate chips, skittles, or gumdrops.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
- Homemade Tagalong Cookies
- Neiman Marcus Cookies
These Reindeer Cookies are a tradition at my house and I hope that they become a loved part of your holiday celebration as well. I would love for you to leave a comment and review below if you have given these cookies a try!
Reindeer Sugar Cookies
With 3 easy steps and a delicious chocolate frosting, you can transform ordinary sugar cookies into a Reindeer Cookies.
Ingredients
- ½ recipe Sugar Cookie Dough
For the Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
For the Decorations
- 72 white chocolate chips, or candy eyes
- 36 red or brown chocolate candies
- 1 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate, or chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Sugar Cookies
- Prepare sugar cookie dough according to the recipe (or use your favorite store bought sugar cookie dough.) Roll out dough to ¼ inch thick and using a gingerbread man cookie cutter, cut out the dough.
- Bake at 400℉ (200℃) for 6-7 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to a cooling rack after 2 minutes of resting on cookie sheet, to cool completely.
- Once cookies have cooled completely decorate as Reindeer.
For the Frosting
- Combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until completely smooth. Mix in the cocoa powder. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until thoroughly combined. Add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time to thin if necessary to create a smooth icing that can be spread easily on the cookies.
For Melted Chocolate (For Antlers and Eyes)
- Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals in mircrowave, stirring between each interval, until smooth and completely melted. Place melted chocolate into piping bag or sandwich bag to use for antlers on reindeer.
To Assemble Reindeer
- Pipe out a circle on the gingerbread's head with the chocolate icing (think of the gingerbread men's arms and legs as the antlers of the reindeer.)
- Add a red or brown candy for the nose.
- Add 2 white chocolate chips for the eyes.
- Pipe on melted chocolate for the antlers. Use a toothpick to add a touch of melted chocolate for pupils for the eyes.
- Let cookies harden for 30 minutes before transfering to an airtight container and storing in refrigerator.
Notes
- Storing: Because of the cream cheese frosting, it is best to store these cookies in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Money-Saving Tip: Instead of using a piping bag, use a large Ziploc bag, and snip off a tiny corner. Not only do you not need fancy tools, but you can also simply toss the baggie into the trash when you are done, making clean up a breeze!
- For the Nose: In place of candy-coated chocolate morsels, use chocolate chips, skittles, or gumdrops.
Nutrition
Calories: 51kcalCarbohydrates: 7gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 17mgPotassium: 19mgSugar: 7gVitamin A: 60IUCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @amindfullmom or tag #amindfullmom!
This post was originally published in November 2016 but has been updated in December 2020 with new tips.
Absolutely adorable and tasty!
Aren't they fun?! Glad you enjoyed Gina!
These were really too cute. I brought them to school for my daughter's holiday party and everyone loved them. Thanks!
Oh how fun! So glad your daughter and her class enjoyed!
These are so precious. We love anything Christmasy around here and this is a recipe my girls will cherish forever! So festive 🙂
Oh this just made my day Kelly! I am so glad this will be memory at your house, it is certainly one at ours.
Great. Just great: if I make gingerbread men I could have two kind of cookies ! You made my day ! Thank you and have a nice day !
YAY!! I love when I can brighten someone's day!
These are just so fun! Such a creative idea!
Thanks Megan!
Those reindeer are SO cute!
Thanks Sharon!
These are so adorable! Great job, Kristen!
Thanks Lauren 🙂