Easy Reindeer Sugar Cookies (2024)

October 27, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Desserts· Holiday Recipes· Meal Types· Recipes

These festive reindeer cookies start with a classic sugar cookie base and are decorated with melted chocolate to create a sweet little reindeer face.

Rudolph Cookies

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is trying out new Christmas cookies.

If you’re looking for a fun and easy recipe to add to the cookie tray this year, these reindeer sugar cookies are perfect!

We started with a classic sugar cookie as the canvas and use melted chocolate to decorate them with a sweet little reindeer face. And of course, a red candy nose!

The finished cookies are absolutely adorable and sure to be a hit with both the kids and grown-ups! They also make a wonderful homemade gift idea for friends, family, teachers, or neighbors.

Be sure to leave a few out for Santa on Christmas Eve too!

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 TB vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• Mini red M&M’s or Red Hots candies

Helpful Kitchen Tools

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• Stand Mixer
• Large Cookie Sheet
• Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat
• Mixing Bowls

Instructions

To make our homemade sugar cookies, you’ll need to allow about an hour for the dough to chill. Doing so ensures that the cookies will allow you to slice the dough easily and ensure that the cookies keep their shape during baking.

To Make The Cookie Dough:

1. Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer.
2. Mix in the egg and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
3. Add baking powder. Gradually add the flour, mixing on low speed, until all the dry ingredients are completely incorporated into the wet ingredients and you have a cohesive dough.
4. Place the dough on a long piece of plastic wrap and form the dough into a log about 2 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap the dough tightly and chill in the fridge for at least thirty minutes to an hour.

To Make The Cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and cut into 1/2-inch wide slices.
3. Place the cookies on the prepared pan and bake for about 8 minutes, until the edges start to just turn golden brown.
4. Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

To Decorate The Cookies:

1. Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between, until melted and smooth.
2. Scoop the melted chocolate into a piping bag with a narrow tip.
3. Use the melted chocolate to draw the reindeer antlers, two eyes, and one small dot for the nose on the top of each cookie.
4. Place one red M&M or a cinnamon candy on top of the wet chocolate nose and allow to set.

Prep Tips

• Dough – We used a homemade sugar cookie dough. However, you can also use pre-made cookie dough as a time saver. If you’re using store bought dough, I highly recommend chilling the cookies for 5-10 minutes in the freezer before baking them so they don’t spread out too much in the oven. I find that store-bought sugar cookies spread more during baking than homemade dough. Another time saver would be to simply decorate already baked store-bought cookies such as Nutter Butter cookies.
• Flavor – If you have another favorite cookie recipe, you can use this decorating idea with that recipe of course. Peanut butter cookies would taste fabulous too and still be light enough for the chocolate antlers to stand out.
• Storage – Your cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Be sure to keep away from any heat or light sources so the chocolate decorations don’t melt.
• Candy – You can use any type of small red candy for Rudolph’s nose, such as M&Ms, Sixlets, or Red Hots. You could also use candy eyes instead of chocolate for the eyeballs.
• Antlers – I love the look of the chocolate antlers and they’re not too difficult to draw (because there is no one “right” way to make them). If you don’t want to melt chocolate, frosting or decorating icing would work perfectly too. If you don’t want to draw anything, you could alternatively use pretzels for the antlers, or mini pretzel twists broken in half.

More Reindeer Themed Recipes To Try

• Reindeer Rice Krispie Treats
• Rudolph Cupcakes
• Reindeer Celery Snacks
• Reese Cup Rudolph Treats

Rudolph Sugar Cookies Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)

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