Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
These Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies are made with a soft and classic peanut butter cookie base, then decorated with pretzels, candy eyes, and red M&M noses to look like little reindeer. It’s a cute Christmas cookies that is fun to make with the kids.
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Perfect for Christmas baking, holiday cookie exchanges, and school parties. They’re also a fun Christmas treat for kids (and even adults).
And for more reindeer-themed recipes, the recipes below are worth trying:
- Reindeer Rolo Pretzels
- Reindeer Chocolate Covered Oreos
- No-Bake Reindeer Mini Donuts
- Cinnamon Roll Reindeer
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 48 mini pretzels (for reindeer antlers)
- 24 red M&M candies (for noses)
- 48 candy eyeballs
How to Make Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together your flour and baking powder, then set aside.
Step 2: n a larger mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Grab your hand mixer and beat them together for 1-2 minutes until everything’s light and fluffy.
Step 3: Next, add the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and egg to the bowl. Mix until just combined—you don’t want to overdo it here!
Step 4: Slowly fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones. Stir just until your cookie dough is fully combined.
Step 5: Use a 1 1/2 inch cookie scoop (or a tablespoon) to scoop out your dough and place the balls on your lined baking sheet. Space them 2-3 inches apart so they have room to spread out while baking.
Use a fork to gently press a criss-cross pattern into the top of each cookie.
Step 6: Bake for 10 minutes, just until the edges are lightly golden but still soft in the center.
While the cookies are still warm, press pretzel pieces into the tops for antlers, add a red M&M for the nose, and place two candy eyes just above it.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Important Recipe Notes
- Use softened butter: Let the butter soften at room temperature before mixing so it blends easily with the sugars.
- Don’t overmix the dough: Once you add the flour, mix just until everything comes together. Overmixing can make the cookies too firm.
- Keep the cookies soft: Bake just until the edges are lightly golden. The centers should still look soft when you take them out of the oven.
- Add the decorations while warm: Press the pretzels, candy eyes, and red M&M noses into the cookies while they’re still warm so they stick better.
- Give the cookies space: Leave about 2–3 inches between each dough ball on the baking sheet since the cookies will spread as they bake.
- Let them cool completely: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack. This helps them set without breaking.
Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 48 mini pretzels for reindeer antlers
- 24 red M&M candies for noses
- 48 candy eyeballs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together your flour and baking powder, then set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Grab your hand mixer and beat them together for 1-2 minutes until everything’s light and fluffy.
- Next, add the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and egg to the bowl. Mix until just combined—you don’t want to overdo it here!
- Slowly fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones. Stir just until your cookie dough is fully combined.
- Use a 1 1/2 inch cookie scoop (or a tablespoon) to scoop out your dough and place the balls on your lined baking sheet. Space them 2-3 inches apart so they have room to spread out while baking.Use a fork to gently press a criss-cross pattern into the top of each cookie.
- Bake for 10 minutes, just until the edges are lightly golden but still soft in the center.While the cookies are still warm, press pretzel pieces into the tops for antlers, add a red M&M for the nose, and place two candy eyes just above it.Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
