Reindeer Cookies

Top view of a few reindeer cookie over a white background.

These kid-friendly reindeer cookies are flavored with vanilla, cocoa powder, and decorated with crispy pretzel antlers. They are so delicious and easy to make in your food processor with step-by-step photos, and no kneading required.

Recipe yields about 22 cookies (the number might vary depending on the cookie cutter size).

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Chilling time2 20

Total Time3

Course: cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Reindeer cookies

Servings: servings

Calories: 119kcal

Author: Katia

Equipment

Food processor
Cookie cutters (Ø 2 ¼ inches/6 cm) and (Ø 2 ¾ inches/7 cm)
Baking sheets
Parchment paper or silicon mat

Ingredients

Vanilla cookies

2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
¼ teaspoon fine salt
¾ cup (100 grams) powdered sugar (aka icing sugar)
1 large egg, cold and lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (or ½ lemon zest)

Chocolate cookies

1 ¾ cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
¼ teaspoon fine salt
¾ cup (100 grams) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
¼ cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons chopped nuts (optional)
1 large egg, cold and lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (or ½ orange zest)

Decorations

mini pretzels
chocolate chips, coloured buttons or m&m

Instructions

Prep the butter: for both cookie doughs, measure and cut the butter into 1-inch/2 cm cubes. Place the diced butter in two separate containers and keep refrigerated until very cold about 20 minutes.
Make the vanilla cookie dough: Add the flour, cold-fridge butter, salt to a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles "sand". It takes a few seconds. Add the sugar and repeat just until combined.
Add the beaten egg, vanilla extract or lemon zest (or both), and pulse just to bring the dough together. It takes a few seconds, make sure you don't overwork the ingredients.
Carefully remove the blades, transfer the cookie dough onto cling film, wrap and flatten the dough using your hands, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Make the chocolate cookie dough: No need to wash the food processor bowl in between, just add the flour, cold-fridge butter, salt to the food processor bowl and repeat: pulse until the mixture resembles "sand", next add the sugar, cocoa powder (if using nuts add them now), and pulse just until combined.
Add the beaten egg, vanilla extract or orange zest (or both), and pulse just to bring the dough together. Make sure you don't overwork the ingredients.
Carefully remove the blades, transfer the cookie dough onto cling film, wrap and flatten the dough using your hands, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
After the chilling time, take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter to soften slightly. You don't want it at room temp, so try to roll it out after 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.
Rolling out: Lightly sprinkle work surface and dough with flour. Roll out the chilled vanilla dough (⅕ inch/ ½ cm thick), using a round cookie cutter cut about 24 cookies. Roll out chilled the chocolate dough (⅕ inch/ ½ cm thick) and using a smaller cookie cutter, cut the same amount of cookies.
Place the vanilla cookies on the baking sheets, add the chocolate cookies on top of the vanilla cookies. Partially overlap them just to make a sort of reindeer's muzzles. Decorate with coloured or chocolate buttons to create eyes, nose, and finish with pretzel antlers. Place the tray in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃ (conventional oven) and once it reaches the temperature, place one of the baking sheet in the middle rack and bake for about 13-15 minutes. The vanilla cookies should be golden pale. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and bake the second batch.
Transfer the reindeer cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool at room temp. Enjoy!

Notes

Measure the flour correctly: a kitchen scale is always the best option, however, if you use US cups just make sure you use the spoon & level method. Don’t scoop the flour out of the bag with your measuring cup because you could end up with more flour than you need. Use a spoon to transfer the flour from the bag into the measuring cup instead, and use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup.

Storage tips: They keep well for up to a 6 days stored in airtight container or metal tin.

Nutrition facts: Please note that the nutrition values are based on an online nutrition calculator. It’s an estimate only and it should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. The nutrition value is for 1 cookie (nuts not included in the calorie count).

Nutrition