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The only thing better than a Nutter Butter cookie is one dipped in chocolate, right?! These Reindeer Cookies will be an instant Christmas hit with the kids! Simple to make with a Nutter Butter peanut butter cookie, one side dipped in chocolate, and then decorated with eyes and a red nose to complete the reindeer face.
Reindeer Cookies Made With Nutter Butter Cookies and Pretzels
Nutter Butter peanut butter cookies are well-loved by everyone in my family! So when I saw these cute Santa Cookies and today’s recipe for Reindeer Cookies (using the iconic cookies) I knew I had to share the easy recipe with everyone.
You can hardly call this a recipe! That’s how easy they are to make. The base is a nutter butter peanut butter cookie, the top of it get’s dipped in chocolate to create the ‘reindeer body’, and then you decorate with edible eyeballs, red m&m’s, and mini pretzel twists for the eyes, red nose, and antlers.
They’re the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit and to get the kids inside the kitchen helping.
Ingredients Needed
- Mini Pretzels : These are the perfect size to create the reindeer’s antlers.
- Small Edible Eyeballs : These can be found in most baking aisles or cake decorating section at your local supermarket. You can also have good luck finding them inside a craft store in the cake decorating aisle.
- Red M&M’s : Just the red ones! Redness reindeer are an American icon during the holidays. Let the kids pick through the M&M packs to find all the red!
- Nutter Butter Cookies : Peanut butter and chocolate are match made in heaven! Using this cookie gives us the shape we want for the reindeer head and pairs perfectly with the chocolate coating.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips : I love to use semi-sweet chocolate chips to balance out the sweetness, but you could also use milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips if that’s what you prefer. Using chips is preferred because they melt so easily and quickly when combined with the coconut oil.
- Coconut Oil : Because chocolate can become matte and dull when it dries, we add some coconut oil to make it shiny and glossy. It also makes the chocolate really smooth and more easily dippable.
How To Make Chocolate Covered Reindeer Cookies (Printable Recipe Card Below)
Using a cutting board and a sharp knife, break 32 mini pretzels in half so you end up with two smaller antlers. You can either use a sharp knife to do this OR snap the edges (one hand on each side of the pretzel) to break it in half. I recommend having some extra pretzels just in case one pretzel does not break cleanly in half.
Make an assembly line of all the ingredients; nutter butter cookies, edible eyeballs, antlers, and red M&M’s. Prepare a baking sheet, or clean countertop, by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside for later.
Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips and coconut oil into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir it well until it’s completely smooth and melted. If needed, heat in additional 15-second increments, stirring well after each heating, until it’s completely smooth and melted with no chunks.
Working with one cookie at a time, grab a nutter butter cookie and dip one side of it into the melted chocolate. Smooth out the chocolate with an icing spatula and place it (non chocolate side down) onto the prepared parchment paper. Repeat until all the cookies are dipped.
Quickly, but carefully, add the antlers to the top of each chocolate dipped cookie. Then add two edible eyeballs and a red M&M’s to each cookie to create the reindeer’s face.
Let the cookies set and harden, at room temperature, for 1 hour before serving.
To ensure that the chocolate coating does not dry before you have the chance to decorate the reindeer, there are a couple of options. First, you can dip one cookie at a time and then immediately add the decorations. Second, you could melt some additional chocolate or use some chocolate cookie icing to ‘glue’ the decorations onto the chocolate dipped cookie to make sure they adhere.
How To Store Leftover Reindeer Cookies
Place any leftover cookies inside an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 5 days.
Can I Make Any Substitutions?
- Chocolate Chips : Use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or try using peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or white chocolate chips for a change.
- Almond Bark, Melting Wafers, or Candy Melts : These are all suitable substitutes for the chocolate chips. They all melt very easily and nicely in the microwave so follow the package directions when melting. Still add the coconut oil as that makes the chocolate silky, shiny, and smooth.
- Can’t Find Edible Eyeballs? : If you’re having trouble finding the eyeballs, or just want to use something different, here are a few options. Use brown mini M&M’s, use brown or black cookie icing to dot the eyes onto each reindeer, or any other small round shaped chocolate or candy. I do recommend using the eyeballs for the best looking reindeer.
Easy Reindeer Cookies
Ingredients
- 32 mini pretzel twists
- 1 package (16 oz) Family-Size Nutter Butter Cookies
- 64 edible small eyeballs
- 32 red M&M's
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate OR milk chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Using a cutting board and a sharp knife, break 32 mini pretzels in half so you end up with two smaller antlers. You can either use a sharp knife to do this OR snap the edges (one hand on each side of the pretzel) to break it in half.* I recommend having some extra pretzels just in case one pretzel does not break cleanly in half.32 mini pretzel twists
- Make an assembly line of all the ingredients; nutter butter cookies, edible eyeballs, antlers, and red M&M's. Prepare a baking sheet, or clean countertop, by lining it with parchment paper.1 package (16 oz) Family-Size Nutter Butter Cookies, 64 edible small eyeballs, 32 red M&M's
- Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips and coconut oil into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir it well until it's completely smooth and melted. * If needed, heat in additional 15-second increments, stirring well after each heating, until it's completely smooth and melted with no chunks.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate OR milk chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- Working with one cookie at a time, grab a nutter butter cookie and dip one side of it into the melted chocolate. Smooth out the chocolate with an icing spatula (if needed) and place it chocolate side up, onto the prepared parchment paper. Repeat until all the cookies are dipped.
- Quickly, but carefully, add the antlers to the top of each chocolate dipped cookie. Then add two edible eyeballs and a red M&M's to each cookie to create the reindeer's face.
- Let the cookies set and harden, at room temperature, for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- Tip : If you’re worried about the chocolate setting before you have time to add the decorations, you can always add the decorations one cookie at a time after you dip each one.Â
- Chocolate Chips : Use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or try using peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or white chocolate chips for a change.
- Almond Bark, Melting Wafers, or Candy Melts : These are all suitable substitutes for the chocolate chips. They all melt very easily and nicely in the microwave so follow the package directions when melting. Still add the coconut oil as that makes the chocolate silky, shiny, and smooth.
- Can’t Find Edible Eyeballs? : If you’re having trouble finding the eyeballs, or just want to use something different, here are a few options. Use brown mini M&M’s, use brown or black cookie icing to dot the eyes onto each reindeer, or any other small round shaped chocolate or candy. I do recommend using the eyeballs for the best looking reindeer.
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Nutrition
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