Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies

5 from 1 vote

Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies are the ultimate festive treat that will captivate everyone's heart and taste buds. Don't just make cookies; create memories that will last a lifetime with this special holiday cookie recipe.

Prep Time1 30

Cook Time10

Total Time1 40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 263kcal

Author: Maggie Unzueta

Equipment

toothpicks

Ingredients

For the cookies

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter softened
¼ cup brown sugar packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup honey
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For decoration:

¼ cup dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips to melt
Red candies such as red M&M's or red cinnamon candies

Instructions

For the Cookies:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the honey, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix well until the ingredients are fully combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until a dough forms.
(If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a workable consistency).
Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disk.
Wrap the dough disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until firm.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disk to approximately ¼ inch thickness.
Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes and transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
Gather any scraps and reroll the dough to cut out more cookies.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

To Decorate:

Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or using a double boiler. Stir it until it becomes smooth and melted.
If using a microwave, heat it in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted.
Dip a the tip of one toothpick into the melted chocolate and carefully draw the melted chocolate horn shapes in the cookie.
Start by creating a small dot of chocolate, then pull it outwards and upwards to form the horn shape. Repeat this process for the other horn.
Allow the chocolate horns to slightly harden.
You can place the cookies in the refrigerator for a few minutes to speed up the process.
Once the chocolate horns are set, it's time to add the red nose. Add some chocolate to make the eyes and nose.
Take a red candy (such as an M&M or cinnamon candy) and place it in the center of the cookie, just below the reindeer's eyes. Gently press it into the cookie to ensure it sticks.
If needed, you can use a toothpick to help position or adjust the red candy nose.
Then dip the toothpick in chocolate and draw the mouth.
Allow the cookies to fully set and the decorations to harden. This may take some time, depending on the temperature of your room.
Placing them in the refrigerator can help speed up the process.
Once the decorations are fully set and hardened, your reindeer cookies are ready to be enjoyed!

Notes

You can make more or less cookies, depending on how you cut the cookies. Bigger cookie cutters will make more; smaller cookie cutters will make less.

For a softer cookie, remove from the oven 1 minute early. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then place on the cooling rack to cool completely.

Nutrition