Reindeer Cookies

Yesterday during the mountains of snow we made reindeer cookies! (Peanut butter cookies that look like reindeer!) They are so cute and fun to do with you little kitchen helpers! Melody is my little kitchen helper and she was the one to put on the eyes and noses for the reindeer. I took a recipe I found years ago in Taste of Home magazine and changed it to make it work for us.

The cast of characters are:

Peanut butter cookie dough (recipe to follow)
red and green m&m's
mini pretzels

The amount depends on how many cookies you want to make! I doubled the recipe for my peanut butter cookie dough and I got about 30 cookies or so...hard to know because they were being eaten as they were made!! Below you will see me slicing up the cookie dough. I had made it the night before so I would have more time but I think it would work better if made maybe 20 minutes ahead and only slightly chilled...mine was chilled for about 10 hours! Just make the dough..roll it into about a 2 inch circle/roll and wrap in plastic wrap and chill just a little! Then take it out and let it warm for about 5 minutes. Slice about 1/3 of an inch each slice..more if you want. Once the slices are made place on a cookie sheet and using thumb and forefinger, make a slight indentation one-third of the way down the sides of each slice. (This makes the shape of the reindeer's face.)

This is what it looks like shaped into the face.

Then add two pretzels to make the antlers.

Add two green m&m's for eyes.

Add one red m&m for nose. (Thinking Rudolph here people!)

This is a full pan of pre-cooked cookies. None will be exactly the same shape as you have to pinch it and smoosh it a bit to make it look smooth...easy really but I prefer my reindeer to not have cracks in their faces. Now place them in a 350* oven for about 9-11 minutes until light golden brown. I put mine in for 9 minutes and they came out perfectly. I also used a the oven temperature for the reindeer cookie recipe and not for the peanut butter cookies..so make sure you watch the temps when making them just as regular cookies. Remove to wire racks to cool. Me, I just let them cool on the pan in between and then placed them in a container to store.

Here they are after coming out of the oven. MMMMMM YUMMY!!

They are done and placed on a plate for show. I store them in a plastic container (Ziplock/Glad) and they last for as long as they can with five people in the house!!

Peanut Butter Cookies

From: Betty Crocker's Cooky Book - Copyright 1963
This was what my father always used to make peanut butter cookies!

I usually double this recipe!

1/2 cup shortening (half butter or margarine)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 1/4 cups Flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix shortening, peanut butter, sugars, and egg thoroughly. Blend all dry ingredients; stir into shortening mixture.

Heat oven to 375*. Roll dough into 1 1/4" balls. Place 3" apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten crisscross style with fork dipped in flour. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen 2 1/2" cookies.