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 degrees 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.