Reindeer Christmas Cookies

Reindeer Christmas Cookies: soft, fudgy chocolate cookies topped with pretzel antlers and red noses. Cute, easy, and made for cookie boxes.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings Cookies

Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (1–2 minutes).
Mix in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
Add to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
Roll dough into 1-tablespoon balls and place on the baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie.
Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the tops look set but still soft.
Immediately press two mini pretzels at the top for antlers, two candy eyes in the center, and a red M&M at the bottom for the nose. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

Cocoa matters: Use unsweetened cocoa powder (not hot chocolate mix). Hot cocoa mix adds sugar and milk powder and throws off the dough.

Measure flour the right way: Spoon and level. Packing flour can make the cookies dry and stop them from spreading.

Cool pan = consistent cookies: Always scoop onto a completely cool baking sheet (a warm pan can cause extra spread).

Use whole mini pretzels for fuller antlers, or snap them in half for a smaller, cleaner look.

Decorations tip: If your pretzels/eyes/noses don’t stick, use a tiny dab of melted chocolate as edible glue.

Storage: Keep airtight at room temp for 4–5 days; let cookies cool fully before sealing so pretzels stay crisp.

Freezer friendly: Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months (freeze in a single layer first, then store with parchment between layers).