Make festive Reindeer Cookies this holiday season with peanut butter cookies and fun candy decorations. Perfect for parties, cookie exchanges, or gifting!
Reindeer Cookies are a fun and festive twist on classic peanut butter cookies. Soft, chewy, and packed with rich peanut butter flavor, each cookie is decorated with chocolate, candy and pretzels to create an adorable reindeer face. They’re perfect for holiday cookie trays, parties, or baking with kids for a playful seasonal treat.
We love to make fun seasonal desserts including Nutter Butter Reindeer, Reindeer Brownies and Reindeer Pretzels for our annual Christmas party.
What's in this post: Reindeer Cookies
Why We Love This Recipe
- Festive and Fun – Cute reindeer faces make these cookies a cheerful addition to any holiday cookie tray.
- Soft and Chewy – Classic peanut butter cookies with the perfect tender texture.
- Kid-Friendly Baking – Easy and fun to decorate, making them a great activity for kids.
- Perfect for Gifting – Adorable cookies that look impressive in holiday tins or gift boxes.
- Customizable – Swap candies or chocolate accents to create your own unique festive designs.
Ingredients
- Light Brown Sugar – Adds sweetness and a slight caramel flavor to the cookies.
- Creamy Peanut Butter – Provides rich, classic peanut butter flavor and a soft, chewy texture.
- Vanilla Extract – Enhances the flavor and adds warmth to the cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour – Forms the structure of the cookies while keeping them tender.
- Mini Pretzel Twists – Used for the reindeer antlers, adding a salty crunch and fun shape.
- Candy Eyes – Creates the cute reindeer face for a playful, festive look.
- Red M&M – Adds the iconic red nose for each reindeer cookie.
Scroll to the very bottom and get the complete ingredient list in the recipe card.
Substitutions and Additions
- Chocolate Chip Eyes: Swap the candy eyes for mini chocolate chips for a simple, classic option.
- Gingerbread Cookies: Use Gingerbread Cookie dough instead of peanut butter for a spiced holiday twist.
- Red Hot Nose: Substitute red M&Ms with Red Hots or other small red candies for the reindeer nose.
- Sugar Cookie Base: Try Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe instead of peanut butter cookies for a milder, buttery flavor.
- Melted Chocolate Details: Use a small dot of melted chocolate to create the eyes or add extra facial details.
- Frosting Decorations: Decorate with chocolate frosting or colored frosting for added creativity and festive flair.
- Candy Mix-Ins: Add mini chocolate chips, crushed peppermint, or sprinkles to the dough for a fun twist.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1. After you preheat the oven, use a stand mixer to combine the butter, brown sugar, peanut butter, milk and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Mix at medium speed until combined. Then add the egg.
Step 2. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Then gradually add the flour, baking soda and salt to the wet ingredients.
Step 3. Continue to mix until all of the dry ingredients are added. Do not overmix.
Step 4. I like to use a cookie scoop to easily roll the batter into balls. Then shape the balls into triangle shapes and place them on a baking sheet.
Step 5. Bake the cookies and decorate the top of the cookie while still warm so the toppings will stick. Use the pretzels to form the antlers at the large size of the triangles and use the candy eyes and red M&Ms to make the reindeer faces.
Step 6. Allow the top of the peanut butter reindeer cookies to set. Then serve on a platter and enjoy.
Pro Tips
- Place decorations while warm: Add candy eyes, red M&Ms, and pretzel antlers shortly after baking so they stick properly.
- Even cookie size: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to make uniform cookies for consistent baking.
- Press gently: When adding decorations, press lightly to avoid cracking the cookies.
- Baking sheet prep: Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Cool completely: Let cookies cool fully on a wire rack before serving or storing to ensure decorations stay in place.
Storage
Room Temperature: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5–7 days. You do not need to place in the refrigerator.
Layering: Place parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent sticking or smudging the decorations.
Freezing: Freeze baked cookies in a sealed container for up to 1–2 months. Remove from freezer and thaw at room temperature before serving.
Avoid Humidity: Keep cookies in a cool, dry place to maintain their soft, chewy texture and prevent candy decorations from melting.
More Festive Christmas Cookies
- Snowman Cookies
- Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Easy Christmas Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Santa Cookies
- Lofthouse Cookies Recipe
Bake these adorable Reindeer Cookies for a fun and festive holiday treat on Christmas Eve for your holiday party! Don’t forget to leave a comment and share your favorite decorating ideas or variations.
Reindeer Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1/2 cup Butter softened
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Milk
- 1 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
For the Decorations:
- 48 Pretzel Twists
- 48 Candy Eyes
- 24 Red M&Ms
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer or stand up mixer to combine the butter, brown sugar, peanut butter, milk and vanilla extract. Mix at medium speed until combined.
- Then add in the egg and mix until the egg is incorporated in the batter.
- Reduce the mixer speed down to low and slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to over mix the batter.
- Use a cookie scoop to roll the batter into approximately 2 tablespoons size balls. Then form each of the balls into triangle shapes. Then place them on a baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes until the cookies are just set.
- Remove the cookies and decorate them quickly while the cookies are still warm.
- Use the pretzels to form the antlers at the large size of the triangles on the cookies and use the candy eyes and red M&Ms to make the reindeer faces on each of the cookies.
- Let the cookies sit for 5 minutes on the baking sheets.
- Carefully transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Then the cookies are ready to serve and enjoy!
