Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies For Christmas

Looking for an easy cookie to make for Christmas? Try out these gingerbread reindeer cookies for Santa this year.

What is cuter than reindeer cookies for Christmas? Literally nothing – they’re so darling! As soon as I got to my parent’s house this year, my mom showed me how to make gingerbread reindeer Christmas cookies. The best part? These sugar cookies are SO easy and no fancy reindeer cookie cutter is required — you just need a gingerbread man cookie cutter!

Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies

First things first, whip up some sugar cookie dough. It’s really important you have a solid sugar cookie recipe that doesn’t spread. You want the cookies to maintain their shape after baking. The recipe my family has used for years is a great place to start, and in this particular instance my mom used a chocolate sugar cookie recipe.

If you don’t want to mess with sugar cookie recipes at all, gingerbread would work really well. Fitting, because the cookie cutter you need to use is a gingerbread man shape. 

Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies

Once your cookies are baked and cooled, you’ll need to whip up a batch of crusting buttercream. My mom loves the American crusting buttercream from The Hutch Oven. Now, it’s time to decorate!

Rudolph Cookies

To decorate these cookies you will need:

gingerbread men cookies

buttercream icing, portioned

food coloring gel

two icing bags

icing tip 12 and icing tip 5

white sugar crystal sprinkles

cinnamon dots

 

Reindeer Cookies

Prep Work For Decorating Reindeer Christmas Cookies

1. Divide your buttercream icing into two bowls. 

2. Dye one bowl tan and one bowl dark brown/black.

3. Put the tan icing into the icing bag with tip 12.

4. Put the dark brown/black icing into the icing bag with tip 5.

5. On a plate, pour the white sugar sprinkles.

How To Decorate Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies

1. Flip the gingerbread men shaped cookies upside down.

2. Frost an oval shape on the “body” of the gingerbread cookie and two ovals where the arms would be.

3. Dip the cookie frosting side down in sugar sprinkles.

As a note, my mom does them a couple different ways. For non-sparkly ears, just don’t make the two ear ovals.

4. Using the dark brown/black icing, draw on two dots for eyes, antlers, and a dot for the nose.

5. Place a cinnamon candy on the nose dot (the extra icing helps it stick!).

6. Store in a cool, dry place and enjoy!

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy DIY Pom Pom Christmas Tree or my Pallet Christmas Card Display.