Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
These Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies are soft, melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter cookies with a cute reindeer design that kids love. It’s a festive Christmas treat idea for holiday parties, classroom treats, bake sales, and even for gifting.
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Made with just simple ingredients, they make a great activity for holiday parties or family baking days. Save this recipe to add to your Christmas baking ideas.
You might also want to try my Christmas Wreath Sugar Cookies and Melted Snowman Sugar Cookies.
How to Make Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together your flour and baking powder, then set aside.
3. In a larger mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Grab your hand mixer and beat them together for 1-2 minutes until everything’s light and fluffy.
4. Next, add the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and egg to the bowl. Mix until just combined—you don’t want to overdo it here!
5. Slowly fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones. Stir just until your cookie dough is fully combined.
6. Use a 1 1/2 inch cookie scoop (or a tablespoon) to scoop out your dough and place the balls on your lined baking sheet. Space them 2-3 inches apart so they have room to spread out while baking.
7. Use a fork to gently press a criss-cross pattern into the top of each cookie.
8. Bake for 10 minutes, just until the edges are lightly golden but still soft in the center.
9. While the cookies are still warm, press pretzel pieces into the tops for antlers, add a red M&M for the nose, and place two candy eyes just above it.
10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve and Enjoy!
Important Recipe Notes
- Make sure your butter is softened so it mixes easily with the sugars and peanut butter.
- Fold the dry ingredients in just until combined to keep cookies soft and tender. Don’t overmix it.
- Place cookies 2–3 inches apart on the baking sheet to prevent them from spreading into each other.
- Let cookies cool slightly before pressing on candy eyes and M&Ms if you want them to hold their shape better.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 48 mini pretzels (for reindeer antlers)
- 24 red M&M candies (for noses)
- 48 candy eyeballs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together your flour and baking powder, then set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Grab your hand mixer and beat them together for 1-2 minutes until everything’s light and fluffy.
- Next, add the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and egg to the bowl. Mix until just combined—you don’t want to overdo it here!
- Slowly fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones. Stir just until your cookie dough is fully combined.
- Use a 1 1/2 inch cookie scoop (or a tablespoon) to scoop out your dough and place the balls on your lined baking sheet. Space them 2-3 inches apart so they have room to spread out while baking.
- Use a fork to gently press a criss-cross pattern into the top of each cookie.
- Bake for 10 minutes, just until the edges are lightly golden but still soft in the center.
- While the cookies are still warm, press pretzel pieces into the tops for antlers, add a red M&M for the nose, and place two candy eyes just above it.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
