These festive Reindeer Cookies will be the star of your Christmas dessert table this holiday season! Whether you’re making Rudolph or the whole herd, these eye-catching chocolate Christmas cookies always steal the show! They also earn major bonus points for being crazy easy to make!
Reindeer Cookies
Trust me, these merry little reindeer cookies should get bonus points for being one of the easiest Christmas dessert recipes you’ll ever make!
With just a few simple ingredients that include a genius cake mix shortcut, your chocolate cookies come together in a snap. Then, all that’s left to do is to dress them up as the sweetest little treats everyone will adore!
Dorothy writes: "I LOVE these adorable festive treats"
Just be careful and don’t even think about looking away… because these little cuties are known to magically fly away when you’re not looking!
I chalk up the mysterious vanishing acts to those hungry little cookie monsters lurking all about your home. With a cookie so wildly delicious on the loose, there’s just no telling how many cookies will vanish without a trace!
Of course the most important thing to remember whenever baking cookies at Christmastime… is that you ALWAYS want bake as many Christmas cookies for decorating as possible! That’s why you definitely want to make these adorable Gingerbread Cookies, these cute Christmas Cookies Snowman, and these perfectly soft Sugar Cookies for Cutouts, too!
So are you ready to get baking?
Here’s what you’ll need to make your very own adorable Christmas reindeer cookies with pretzel antlers…
How Do You Make a Reindeer Face on a Cookie?
Decorating reindeer cookies is SO much easier than you think thanks to Pretzels for Ears, Candy Eyeballs, Mini Nilla Wafers for snouts, and Cinnamon Candies for Rudolph’s Red Nose!
Ingredients
It takes just a few simple ingredients to make the BEST pretzel reindeer cookies…
- Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
- Eggs
- Butter (or Canola or Vegetable Oil)
- Chocolate Frosting (store bought or upgrade your cookies with this Chocolate Frosting Using Cocoa Powder)
- Mini Nilla Wafers
- Candy Eyeballs
- Tiny Pretzel Twists
- Cinnamon Imperials Candies
Trust me, if you want a stress-free Christmas, Easy Christmas Recipes like this are a great place to start!
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Pin ItHow to Make Reindeer Cookies
Believe me, reindeer cookies recipes don’t get any easier than this!
Here’s what you’ll do…
1. Mix together your Cake Mix, Butter & Eggs, until well combined.
2. Next, place your dough in the refrigerator to chill.
3. Once chilled, remove your cookie dough from the fridge and form your dough into cookie balls.
4. Bake your cookies in the oven per the instructions on the recipe card before.
5. Allow your cookies to cool before decorating.
6. Then frost your adorable reindeer cookies with some decadent Chocolate Frosting.
7. Next, decorate with Nilla Wafers for the snouts and Pretzels for the ears.
8. Finish decorating with Cinnamon Candies for noses and cute Candy Eyes.
Serve, Enjoy & DEVOUR!
Of course with Cake Mix Cookies Recipes, one batch is rarely enough. So repeat these steps as necessary… until every last cookie monster craving in your home has been satisfied! 🙂
Scroll down for the printable recipe card with detailed, step-by-step instructions.
Make Ahead Tips
These chocolate cake mix cookies are really easy to prep ahead of time!
Your cookie dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days prior to baking.
Storage Tips
After your cute little cookies have baked and cooled, they will last well at room temperature, stored covered in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
Reindeer Cookies Reviews
Here’s What Your Frugal Friends Are Saying About This Easy Christmas Reindeer Cookies Recipe…
Kim writes: “Perfect for holiday parties”
Janie writes: “Love these”
Debora writes: “Beautiful and delicious”
Dorothy writes: “I LOVE these adorable festive treats”
Marcellina writes: “perfect to get the kids involved with festive baking”
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Did You Enjoy This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Leave a comment & review below!
Reindeer Cookies
Ingredients
- 13.25 ounces Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, (if using a 15.25 oz. box, increase butter to 1/2 cup)
- 1/3 cup Melted Butter , (Vegetable or Canola Oil can be substituted)
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 cups Chocolate Frosting
- 15+ Mini Nilla Wafers
- 30+ Candy Eyeballs
- 30+ Tiny Pretzel Twists
- 15+ Cinnamon Imperials Candies
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.
- Combine Cake Mix, Melted Butter (or oil), and Eggs in large mixing bowl, and mix with hand mixer or stand mixer until well combined.
- Cover dough and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.
- After dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Form dough into balls, a little larger than your typical cookie… I usually use 2 tbsp. – 2.5 tbsp. of dough per each dough ball.
- Bake on center oven rack for 7 – 13 minutes, or until done. (Note: Bake on the shorter end of the time range for non-stick cookie sheets & longer end of the time range for aluminum cookie sheets.)
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes.
- Transfer cookies to wire racks to finish cooling. (Allow cookies to cool COMPLETELY before decorating. I usually let them sit out at least 30 minutes before I start frosting.)
- Once cookies have cooled completely, apply a smooth layer of chocolate frosting to your cookie.
- Then gently press 1 nilla wafer onto the cookie for the snout, add 2 eyes, and 2 pretzels for ears.
- Now take your cinnamon candy, and add just a little bit of chocolate frosting to the back, and place down onto the nilla wafer for Rudolph's red nose. (The frosting will act like glue and help the nose stay in place.)
- Then repeat the frosting and decorating process until all cookies are finished. Aren't they SO cute?!? ENJOY!
Notes
- Butter: When it comes to cake mix cookies, salted or unsalted butter can be used, as the cake mix will have a little salt in it. However, I’ve found that salted butter will result in superior flavor.
- Make Ahead Tips: These cookies are really easy to prep ahead of time! Your cookie dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days prior to baking.
- Storage Tips: After your cute little Christmas cookies have baked and cooled, they will last well at room temperature, stored covered in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
- FAQ’s: For answers to Frequently Asked Questions or tips for common substitutions and variations, please refer to the detailed information above this recipe card.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I am soo in love with your Rudolph Reindeer Cookies, dear Heidi! < 3 < 3 < 3
All the best and happy weekend
Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2021/11/italien-reisebericht-ein-paar-kleine.html
You’re so sweet… thank you, Traude! I’m so glad you love the cookies, and hope you have a wonderful weekend as well!
This is such a cute little hack but turns out so cool, I got to try this for the holidays <3
Thanks for the idea!
You’re very welcome! They really are such a cinch to make! 🙂
Oh these rudolph reindeer cookies are so adorable! My boys would love to make these!
Thanks, Michelle! And yes… they really are a perfect little treat for the kids to decorate.
You always have the best recipes, Heidi! These are so cute and I already know the littles are going to love them. Can’t wait to try these! Hugs, CoCo
You’re so kind… thank you, CoCo! Have a lovely weekend!