Dessert

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies Recipe

ByMaya Arden December 26, 2025December 26, 2025

Introduction

Celebrate the holiday season with these fun and festive Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies. Soft, flavorful, and decorated with pretzels and candy, they’re perfect for sharing with family and friends.

A collection of reindeer-shaped cookies are placed on a red and blue plaid cloth inside a white metal tray. Each cookie has a light brown, cracked texture forming the reindeer's face, adorned with two white candy eyes topped with black dots for pupils, a small red candy for the nose, and two small pretzels on top for antlers. The cookies are arranged in a loose cluster, with some extra pretzels scattered around the tray and on the white marbled surface below. To the left of the tray, there is a glass of milk visible, with two red and white striped straws next to it. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
72 small pretzel twists

36 red M&Ms
72 candy eyes

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, sugar, peanut butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt together until smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Stir in the flour and baking soda until fully combined.
Step 4: Divide the dough into 36 pieces and roll each into a ball.

Step 5: Slightly flatten each ball and shape it into a rounded triangle.
Step 6: Place the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Step 7: Press 2 mini pretzels into the two top corners of each triangle to create antlers.

Step 8: Press a red M&M onto each cookie for the nose.
Step 9: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown.
Step 10: Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to racks to cool.

Step 11: Once cool, dip the bottom of each candy eye into a little peanut butter and place it on the reindeer’s face.
Step 12: Serve and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

For extra flavor, chill the dough for 30 minutes before shaping and baking.

Substitute almond or sunflower butter for peanut butter if you have allergies.
Use colored candy eyes or different colored M&Ms to customize your reindeer.

Storage

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep candy decorations intact, avoid stacking. Reheat gently in a low oven if desired, but the cookies are best enjoyed fresh.