These easy Reindeer Cookies with pretzel antlers are fun, festive, and delicious, made with a homemade peanut butter cookie. You can make them ahead of time and they’re freezer friendly.

Why I love these cookies:

  • Festive – These peanut butter cookies for Christmas are fun to eat and are so fun for the kids to help with too.
  • Make Ahead – The cookie dough can be made ahead up to 3 days in advance. The cookies also freeze great, ready to place on Santa’s plate on Christmas Eve!
  • Crowd Favorite – These reindeer pretzel cookies taste delicious and are great to take to a cookie exchange, holiday party, or on plates to friends.

How to make Reindeer Cookies:

Make Cookie Dough: Cream together butter, shortening, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, mixing after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix gently to combine. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.

Bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop dough into large balls and roll them into an oval shape. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes until set and no longer glossy looking. Remove from oven.
Add Reindeer Face: Press pretzels into the top of the cookie, for the ears. Press a rolo candy into the center, for the nose. Add two candy eyes, or chocolate chips for the eyes.
Enjoy: Place a dot of frosting in the center of the rolo to secure an m&m candy on top, for the nose. Allow to cool on baking sheet then transfer to cooling rack.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: The cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in advance. Store baked cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

To Freeze: Baked and cooled cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening*
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar , packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs , large
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 36 mini pretzel twists
  • 18 rolo candies
  • 18 red m&m candies
  • 36 candy eyes , or mini chocolate chips
  • 1 small tube decorating frosting

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl, cream together butter, shortening, peanut butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Add eggs, mixing after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • Stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix gently to combine. Don’t over-mix. The dough will be very soft. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Scoop dough into large balls and roll them into an oval shape. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes, until set and no longer glossy looking.
  • Remove from oven. Press pretzels into the top of the cookie, for the ears. Press a rolo into the center, for the nose. Add two candy eyes, or chocolate chips for the eyes. Place a dot of frosting in the center of the rolo to secure a red m&m candy on top, for the nose. Allow to cool on baking sheet. then transfer to cooling rack.

Notes

Shortening: I like the way the shortening helps these cookies bake taller, and adds softness to the texture, but you can substitute butter if you want.
Make Ahead Instructions: The cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in advance. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Freezing Instructions: Baked and cooled cookies can be frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 248kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 5gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 284mgPotassium: 96mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 112IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg