These chocolate reindeer cookies are the perfect festive treat for Christmas. They are easy to make and fun to decorate with kids.
Cute Reindeer Cookies
These cookies are perfect for making with kids! The chocolate cake mix base comes together with just a few simple ingredients, and the decadent ganache frosting takes only a few minutes to make. The best part? You don’t need a mixer for any step of the process, making cleanup just as easy as the baking.
The candy decorations make assembling the reindeer faces simple and fun, so even little hands can get involved. If you’re looking for more holiday treats, my Reindeer Cupcakes feature similar cute decorations, and my Peanut Butter Cup Reindeer Cookies are another festive favorite to add to your baking list.
Ingredients
- Chocolate cake mix – Forms the base of these soft and chewy cookies.
- Vegetable or canola oil – Adds moisture to the dough and keeps the cookies tender.
- Eggs – Provide structure and help bind the ingredients together.
- Heavy Cream – Used to make the ganache smooth and creamy.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Melted with heavy cream to create a rich and decadent ganache frosting.
- Vanilla wafer cookies – Used for the muzzle, adding a light, crunchy base for the nose.
- Red chocolate candies – Perfect for Rudolph’s signature red nose. I used M&Ms.
- Candy eyes – Give the reindeer their cute, festive faces.
- Chocolate-covered pretzel twists – Create the reindeer’s antlers.
Making the Fun Reindeer Cookies
- Prep – Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the dough – In a large bowl, stir together the chocolate cake mix, oil, and eggs until a thick dough forms.
- Scoop and bake – Scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the lined baking tray about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Make the ganache – Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate chips and microwave for 45 seconds. Let the bowl rest for 1 minute, then whisk the chocolate and cream together until smooth and glossy. Set the ganache aside for 5-10 minutes to cool and thicken slightly.
- Assemble the Reindeer Face – Spread a heaped spoonful of ganache over the top of the cookies. Press a Nilla Wafer Cookie near the bottom of each cookie to form the muzzle. Add two candy eyes above the muzzle and press whole chocolate-covered pretzel twists into the top edges of the cookie for antlers. Place a small amount of ganache on the back of the red chocolate candy and place it in the center of the wafer for the nose.
- Let Set – Allow the ganache and decorations to set before serving the cute cookies.
Variations and Substitutions
Chocolate buttercream – Swap the ganache for chocolate buttercream. You can use the frosting from my Black Cat Cookies made with regular unsweetened cocoa powder.
Store-bought frosting – For an even quicker decorating option, use a tub of store-bought chocolate frosting instead of making ganache.
Plain pretzel antlers – Replace the chocolate-coated pretzels with plain mini pretzel twists for a slightly less sweet variation.
Mini vanilla wafers – Use mini Vanilla Wafers instead of regular-sized ones to create a smaller muzzle for the reindeer.
Alternative red noses – Try a different red candy like Dots, cinnamon candies, or even a dollop of red frosting for the reindeer’s nose.
Sugar cookie base – Use a sugar cookie base instead of the chocolate cake mix cookies for a lighter cookie option with the same festive look.
Tips for Success
- Cool the cookies completely – Ensure the cookies are fully cooled before adding the ganache or frosting to prevent it from melting and running.
- Thicken the ganache – Allow the ganache to cool for 5-10 minutes after whisking so it thickens and is easier to spread without sliding off the cookies.
- Use a cookie scoop – A cookie scoop ensures the dough balls are uniform in size, which helps the cookies bake evenly and makes decorating easier.
- Gently press decorations into ganache – To ensure the face decorations stay in place, press them gently into the ganache while it’s still soft.
- Plan for decorating time – Decorating with kids? Lay out all the candy decorations and pretzels ahead of time for a smoother process.
Storing the Cookies
Store the cookies in an airtight container in a single layer or with parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent the cookies from sticking for 4-5 days.
The undecorated cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. However, I do not recommend freezing the decorated cookies, as the vanilla wafers and pretzels may become stale, and the candy eyes will likely bleed once thawed.
Want to be the first to know when the next easy recipe is published? Sign up for our newsletter updates below.
Looking for more cookies for the holiday season?
Check out these chocolate cookies.
Did you love these adorable chocolate reindeer cookies? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Chocolate Reindeer Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box chocolate cake mix
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 18 vanilla wafer cookies
- 36 candy eyes
- 18 red chocolate candies
- 36 chocolate-covered pretzel twists
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the chocolate cake mix, oil, and eggs until a thick dough forms.
- Scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are set. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate chips and microwave for 45 seconds. Let the bowl rest for 1 minute, then whisk the chocolate and cream together until smooth and glossy. Set the ganache aside for 5-10 minutes to cool and thicken slightly.
- Spread a heaped spoonful of ganache over each cooled cookie. Press a Vanilla Wafer Cookie near the bottom of each cookie to form the muzzle. Add two candy eyes above the muzzle and press whole chocolate-covered pretzel twists into the top edges of the cookie for antlers. Place a small amount of ganache on the back of the red chocolate candy and place it in the center of the wafer for the nose.
- Allow the ganache and decorations to set before serving.
Notes
- Store the cookies in an airtight container in a single layer or with parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent the cookies from sticking for 4-5 days.
- The undecorated cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. However, I do not recommend freezing the decorated cookies, as the vanilla wafers and pretzels may become stale, and the candy eyes will likely bleed once thawed.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated based on automated calculations and should be considered as an approximation. These estimates are provided as a courtesy. Please use your own brand’s nutritional values to verify accuracy.