Reindeer Cookies

Ho, ho, ho it's finally time for Christmas treats. Will & I started off this festive holiday season with these reindeer cookies. At 3 1/2 Will already can name all 8 reindeer & knows every word to "Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer". Gotta love his holiday spirit! In honor of his reindeer obsession, I made heart shaped sugar cookies, buttercream icing, & chocolate dipped pretzels to make "Rudolf cookies, because they have a very shiny red nose." I had seen a recipe for reindeer cookies last year, but after I search the internet & couldn't find them, I just made my own. We didn't have M&Ms which would have been my first choice for eyes & nose, but chocolate chips & a little red icing worked better than a special trip to the store. Let the Christmas cookie baking begin!

Note: I made 1 recipe of frosting & made 1/2 of it vanilla & 1/2 chocolate by adding 1/4 cup of baking cocoa to the chocolate frosting. My little reindeer likes "va-nil-la" frosting! To assemble cookies, frost heart shaped cookies, add two chocolate chips for eyes, a blob of red frosting for the nose & place 2 chocolate dipped pretzels on each side of the "head" for the antlers. I made 20 reindeer cookies with a few leftover sugar cookies for little Audrey to enjoy. Store in the refrigerator.

Sugar Cookies:

1 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon

In a large bowl cream butter. Add egg & mix. Add sugar & beat well. Add remaining ingredients and mix. On a floured surface, roll out douag 1/2 -inch thick. Add flour if dough is too sticky. Cut dough into desired shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack & frost with your favorite buttercream or cream cheese frosting. Makes 2 to 3 dozen cookies.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

1 stick butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla

Beat butter until smooth. Beat in remaining ingredients until smooth, anout 2 minutes. Add additional milk a little at a time if thinner consistency is desired.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

Substitute 1/2 cup baking cocoa for 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar.


Kristin