Get ready to spread some holiday cheer with these adorable reindeer cookies! These cute and creative treats are perfect for the whole family to enjoy. With their festive red noses and fun, pretzel antler designs, they’re sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face. Whether you’re packing them up in a festive cookie box for a cookie exchange or serving them at your holiday party, these reindeer cookies are the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season! They are also fun to decorate, adaptable and allergy-friendly. These cookies are just as delicious as they are cute! If you love reindeer treats, you will also love these reindeer pancakes, reindeer celery sticks and reindeer Rice Krispie treats!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
These reindeer cookies are perfect for the holidays!
They are so festive and cute.
This recipe is great for festive cookie boxes or cookie exchanges.
They are so fun to decorate!
These cookies are allergy-friendly and adaptable.
This recipe is super kid-friendly!
These cookies are just as delicious as they are cute!
Equipment Needed
All you need to make these cute reindeer cookies is a bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a mixing spoon, baking sheet and a knife.
Ingredients Needed
Oil: I used avocado oil in this recipe! It helps keep these cookies moist and tender.
Milk: I used almond milk in this recipe to keep these cookies dairy free!
Honey: Honey helps make these reindeer cookies soft and chewy.
Vanilla: Vanilla adds a delicious warm flavor to these cookies.
Coconut Sugar: I love using coconut sugar because it has a lower glycemic index.
Flour: I used gluten free flour in these cookies because I am gluten free! My favorite one is Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Flour.
Cacao Powder or Cocoa Powder: Cacao powder brings a rich, intense chocolate flavor to cookies. It also adds a deep, dark color and can contribute to a slightly denser texture.
Baking powder: Baking powder is a leavening agent that causes baked goods to rise. It reacts with moisture and heat to produce carbon dioxide gas, which creates bubbles in the batter, making the cookies light and fluffy.
Baking soda: Baking soda is a leavening agent that reacts with acidic ingredients in a recipe, such as buttermilk, molasses, or honey, to produce carbon dioxide gas. This gas creates bubbles in the batter, causing it to rise and resulting in a lighter, airier texture.
Salt: Salt is a crucial ingredient in baking, even though it may not seem like it. It enhances the flavor of the other ingredients in the cookie dough, making the sweetness more pronounced.
Chocolate Chips: Chocolate chips add a delightful burst of flavor and texture to cookies. They melt into gooey pockets of chocolate, creating a decadent contrast to the chewy cookie dough.
Chocolate Frosting: I used chocolate frosting to make the faces of these reindeers.
Pretzels: I used pretzels to make the antlers for these reindeer cookies.
Red Candies: I used red candies for the noses of these reindeer cookies. I used Giggles for the nose!
Eyes: For the eyes of these reindeer cookies, I used mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips. I stuck the mini chocolate chips on with frosting.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2: Combine almond milk, oil, honey, vanilla and coconut sugar in a bowl.
Step 3: Add in remaining dry ingredients and fold in chocolate chips.
Step 4: Place batter in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 5: Scoop cookie dough onto cookie sheets. Make sure to give the cookies plenty of room to spread out.
Step 6: Bake for 20-22 minutes.
Step 7: Let cool before frosting and adding reindeer faces. Enjoy!
Storage
Store these reindeer cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 5 days.
Variations
Cookie: I used double chocolate chip cookies for the base of these reindeers. I also made them gluten free and dairy free. You can use any cookie recipe you love for these reindeer!
Frosting: I used store bought chocolate frosting to make the reindeer faces. You can also skip the frosting or use homemade frosting.
Antlers: I used pretzels to make the antlers. You can also use mini candy canes or cinnamon sticks.
Nose: Feel free to use any red candy for the nose!
Eyes: I used mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips for the eyes. You can also use eye candies or another candy!
How To Serve
These reindeer cookies are perfect for your holiday table! Serve them at Christmas or bring them to your cookie exchange. You can also put them in a cookie box! These also make great gifts and can be packaged individually.
Recipe FAQ
Can you make these cookies ahead of time?
Yes, feel free to make these cookies a few days ahead of time. I would recommend decorating them the day of so they look fresh.
Can you use a different cookie base?
Yes! Any type of cookie can be used for the base.
Can these cookies be made gluten free?
These cookies are gluten free as written! If you don’t need gluten free cookies, you can use a different cookie recipe you love.
Can these cookies be made dairy free?
These cookies are dairy free as written! If you don’t need dairy free cookies, you can use a different cookie recipe you love.
How can you decorate these reindeer cookies?
I used mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips for the eyes. I used red candies for the nose and pretzels for the antlers.
How long does it take to decorate these reindeer cookies?
It only takes a few minutes to decorate these reindeer cookies! It is also a fun project for children to do!
How can you make your cookies perfectly round?
My trick to making my cookies perfectly round is using a large glass or mug and placing them around the cookies while they are still soft. Spin the glass around while bumping gently into the sides of the cookies to make the cookies perfectly round.
Do you have to chill the dough?
Yes, this is an essential step of the recipe. It makes the cookie dough easier to handle.
Can I freeze this cookie dough?
Yes, feel free to freeze this cookie dough and bake it up later!
Related Recipes
Be sure to try these holiday cookies recipe next:
Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookies
Gluten Free Chocolate Mint Cookies
If you make these reindeer cookies and love them, I would really appreciate a 5 star review! I also love seeing your creations so please tag me on Instagram or TikTok.
The Cutest Reindeer Cookies
Equipment
- 1 bowl
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 spoon
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 cups gluten free flour
- 1/3 cup cacao powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- dash salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine almond milk, oil, honey, vanilla and coconut sugar in a bowl.
- Add in remaining dry ingredients and fold in chocolate chips.
- Place batter in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Scoop cookie dough onto cookie sheets. Make sure to give the cookies plenty of room to spread out.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes.
- Let cool before frosting and adding reindeer faces. Enjoy!
How much coconut sugar do you use? It’s not listed in the ingredient list