Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies decorated as Christmas reindeer with pretzel antlers, candy eyes and a red candy nose. The decorations go on while the cookies are still warm so they stay put.
Servings 30 cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter regular, not natural
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 190 g, spooned and leveled
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
For the Decorations
- 30 mini pretzel twists snapped in half, plus a few extra
- 60 candy eyes or mini chocolate chips
- 30 red M&Ms or red cinnamon candies for noses
- 2 tablespoons chocolate chips melted, optional, for glue
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Beat the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and slightly lighter in color.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined, scraping down the bowl.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the peanut butter mixture on low speed and mix just until no dry streaks remain.
Chill and Shape
- Cover and chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F, line two baking sheets with parchment and snap the pretzels in half.
- Scoop the dough into 1-tablespoon balls, roll smooth and place 2 inches apart, about 12 per sheet. Press each lightly into a slightly oval shape about ½ inch thick.
Bake
- Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just set and the tops are puffed and lightly cracked.
Decorate
- Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 1 to 2 minutes. Press two pretzel halves into the top edge of each cookie as antlers, two candy eyes below them and one red candy near the bottom as the nose.
- If any cookie has firmed up, attach decorations with a dab of melted chocolate.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Peanut butter: Use a regular stabilized creamy peanut butter. Natural peanut butter makes the cookies spread.
- Timing: Decorate 1 to 2 minutes after baking. If a tray firms up, return it to the warm oven for 30 seconds.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 5 days.
- Make ahead: Freeze dough balls up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.