Reindeer Cookies

5 from 2 votes

Cute Reindeer Cookies are as delicious as they are adorable with an easy-to-make dough loaded with holiday flavor! Perfect for a Christmas party, holiday gift-giving, or baking with kids.

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Chill Time3

Total Time3 23

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Reindeer Cookies

Servings:

Calories: 188kcal

Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

FOR THE REINDEER COOKIES:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon cloves
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
½ cup unsulphured molasses (such as Brer Rabbit or Grandma's Molasses)
1 large egg

FOR THE ICING:

1 ½ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon meringue powder
3 tablespoons warm water

DECORATING:

M&Ms for nose
Candy eye decals or chocolate chips for nose
Sprinkles for antlers (if desired)

Instructions

TO MAKE THE COOKIES:

Add the flour, baking soda, sea salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves to a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside until ready to use.
Add the butter, brown sugar, molasses, and egg to a large mixing bowl. Using a handheld mixer, mix on medium-high speed until the mixture is well-combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients mixing on low. Do not overmix.
Have ready a floured work surface and turn out the dough onto it. With floured hands, divide the dough into 2 and form it into 4 equal portions shaped like disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to two days.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and have ready 2 baking sheets lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Working with 1 unwrapped disk at a time, dust your work surface, as well as the top of the disk, and roll out so that the dough is just under a ½" thick. Cut out your cookies using 3-5" cooking cutters.
Place your cookies 2" apart on the baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Once the cookies have cooled completely, you can begin decorating them with icing and sprinkles, or as desired.

TO MAKE THE ICING:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, water, and extract.
Begin mixing on low until powdered sugar has absorbed the liquid ingredients, then increase speed to high. Alternatively, use a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer. Mix for 2-3 minutes or until the icing has thickened.
To ensure the icing is the right consistency, test it by allowing icing to drip from the paddle attachment or beaters. It should take about 30 seconds before the fallen icing loses its shape and melds into the rest of the icing.
Add the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip and twist to close.

DECORATE THE COOKINGS:

Place the cookies on a sheet of wax paper or a large work surface. Turn them upside down and pipe on the antlers by making a V-shape with little hooks coming off on the legs of the gingerbread men. Then on the head, add two dots for the eyes, a dot for the nose, and a little curve for the mouth.
Use either chocolate chips or candy eye decals for the eyes and M&Ms for the nose. Place each item directly onto the royal icing dots, and set aside to set for at about 45 minutes to an hour. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Nutrition