12 Days of Christmas Cookies – Peanut Butter Reindeer

by Elizabeth on December 14, 2010 · 3 comments

in Christmas, christmas cookies, desserts, recipes, watch me bake

Anyone who’s known me for any length of time knows that I am not crafty. Sure I cook and bake, and I occasionally get creative in what I put in a dish, but when it comes to making something look good, I fail miserably.

I can barely sew (just hems and repairing rips…I can’t sew buttons back on!), I’ve failed at every scrapbooking project I’ve ever attempted, my dad had to do all of my drawing for school projects, and even my baking crafty projects only turn out okay. Please don’t ask me to decorate your cake or your cookies. I guarantee I will mess them up.

I’m okay with that, though, because pretty much everything I make tastes good enough to make up for its lack of presentation.

(And that will do it for my ego-boosting session of the day. Ahem.)

So when I saw these cookies in the Betty Crocker holiday cookie magazine, I was tempted to ignore them. After all, I’m a big, fat, failure when it comes to cute decorating. But they were just so cute, that I had to try my hand at them.

And all though they don’t look quite as cute as the ones in the magazine, they taste really good. And cookies that taste good are all that really matter, right?

This recipe is very easy. It starts with a peanut butter cookie mix and the reindeers are super easy to shape. I think this would be a great recipe to make with kids! If you don’t do peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies would be an appropriate substitute (you may need to chill the dough before shaping). You could also use mini M&Ms instead of chocolate chips for the eyes and nose. A red hot would make an excellent Rudolph nose if you wanted to have a red-nose reindeer leading your herd.

Peanut Butter Reindeeradapted from Betty Crocker

1 package of peanut butter cookie mix, mixed according to the package directions (sugar mix may be substituted)

2 tablespoons sugar

72 chocolate chips

24 pretzel sticks

Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking sheets with parchment or greased aluminum foil.

Roll cookie dough into 24 evenly sized balls (about 1¼ inch) and space evenly on cookie sheets. Dip a glass into a small bowl of sugar and use the glass to lightly press the cookies down. You want them about ½ inch thick. Use your fingers to shape one end of the cookie into a point. (The top will remain round and the middle and bottom will graduate to a point.)

Break 1 pretzel stick into four even pieces. Put two pieces on either side of head to form antlers. Use three chocolate chips (or M&Ms or red hots, your choice) to make the eyes and nose. Repeat with remaining pretzel sticks and chocolate chips.

Bake for 9-11 minutes until the edges are just brown. Cool for 2 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Aren’t these adorable?!

 This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday.

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Cate December 14, 2010 at 2:47 pm

Those are so cute!

Don't feel bad about your lack of crafty skills…that's not my forte either! This is actually the first year where I've done crafts that actually look nice.

My dad did drawings for me when I was in school, too. I distinctly remember having to make a flip book of the food chain…my dad drew the pictures and I colored them in. I can't even draw nice stick people.

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2 therese December 14, 2010 at 5:58 pm

Ha. I love these. They're so simple that I think everyone would enjoy it! 😀

I need to get a little more festivity in my life..so I'm thinking of bringing things along to a party on Friday! woo!

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3 Sherry @ Lamp Unto My Feet December 14, 2010 at 10:42 pm

THose are too cute! 🙂

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