Easy, Adorable Chocolate Reindeer Cookies (Cake Mix Recipe)

Introduction

Oh, friend, there’s just something magical about the smell of cookies baking during the holidays, isn’t there? It instantly transports me back to cozy kitchens, maybe a little dusting of flour on my nose, and that feeling of creating something sweet and special to share. If you’re like me and love that feeling but maybe don’t have hours to spend on elaborate baking projects, then you are going to ADORE this recipe. These Chocolate Reindeer Cookies are ridiculously easy thanks to a secret shortcut (shhh, it’s cake mix!), quick to whip up, and turn out looking absolutely adorable. Get ready to become the star of every cookie exchange or holiday gathering without breaking a sweat!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fast: Seriously, you can have these mixed up and in the oven in minutes. Perfect for when the baking urge strikes suddenly!
• Easy: With just three main ingredients for the cookie base, it doesn’t get much simpler. This is a fantastic recipe for baking with kids!
• Giftable: Packaged up in a cute tin or bag, these make the sweetest homemade holiday gift. Everyone loves a edible present!
• Crowd-Pleasing: Who can resist a soft, chocolatey cookie that looks like a reindeer? They disappear fast, trust me.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to gather for these festive treats. Most of these are likely already in your pantry!

• 1 box (around 15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix: This is our magic ingredient! Any standard chocolate cake mix will work beautifully.
• 2 large eggs: Just two! Make sure they are at room temperature if you can – they mix in a little easier that way.
• ½ cup shortening: This helps create that wonderfully soft, tender texture in the cookies.
• Chocolate ganache: You can buy pre-made or whip up a simple batch. This acts as our edible “glue” for decorating!
• Candy for decoration: Now for the fun part! Think small red candies for noses (like M&Ms, mini chocolate-covered candies, or red hots), and maybe mini pretzels or small candies for antlers. Candy eyes are a must for maximum cuteness!

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get baking! Follow these simple steps and you’ll have a batch of cute reindeer cookies in no time.

1. First things first, let’s get your oven ready. Preheat it to a cozy 350°F (175°C). Grab your baking sheets – you’ll need a couple – and line them with parchment paper. This makes cleanup a breeze and prevents sticking!
2. Get out a large mixing bowl. Toss in the star of the show, the chocolate cake mix, along with your two eggs and the shortening.
3. Now, mix everything together. You can use an electric mixer (start on low so the cake mix doesn’t fly everywhere!) or a sturdy spoon and some elbow grease. Keep mixing until everything is combined and you have a thick, soft dough. It might seem a little crumbly at first, but keep going, it will come together into a beautiful chocolate dough.
4. Time to shape the cookies! Roll the dough into small balls, about 1-inch in diameter. Place these little spheres onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple of inches between them so they have room to spread slightly.
5. Pop the baking sheets into your preheated oven. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. You want the edges to look set and maybe just slightly cracked, but the centers should still look a little soft. Don’t overbake them, or they’ll lose that lovely tender texture!
6. Once they’re out of the oven, let the cookies hang out on the hot baking sheets for just a few minutes (2-3 is usually plenty). This helps them firm up slightly before you move them.
7. Carefully transfer the slightly cooled cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Resist the urge to decorate until they are fully cool, or your ganache will melt everywhere!
8. Now for the best part – decorating! Once the cookies are completely cool, spoon or pipe a little chocolate ganache onto the back of your candies. Use the ganache to “glue” two pretzels or small candies at the top for antlers, add two candy eyes below, and then place a red candy just below the eyes for that iconic Rudolph nose. Get creative!

Substitutions & Additions

Want to play around with the recipe? Here are a few ideas:

• Shortening Swap: While shortening gives a classic soft cake-mix cookie texture, you can use ½ cup softened unsalted butter instead. The texture might be slightly different, perhaps a bit chewier, but still delicious!
• Cake Mix Flavors: Want to try different reindeer? Use a different flavor! Red velvet mix would make fun red-hued cookies. Vanilla or even spice cake mix could work too.
• Ganache Alternative: If you don’t have ganache or want something simpler, melted chocolate chips (white, milk, or dark) or even store-bought chocolate frosting can work as the edible glue for decorations.
• Antler Fun: Don’t have mini pretzels? Use pieces of licorice, small breadstick pieces, or pipe chocolate antlers directly onto the cookie after it cools.
• Nose Options: Besides red candies, you could use brown candies for regular reindeer noses, or even pipe a little red frosting dot.

Tips for Success

Making these cookies is pretty straightforward, but here are a few pointers to make sure yours turn out perfectly:

• Don’t Overmix: Once the dough comes together, stop mixing. Overmixing can lead to tougher cookies.
• Uniform Balls: Try to make your cookie balls roughly the same size so they bake evenly.
• Watch the Bake Time: Ovens vary! Start checking around 8 minutes. The cookies should look set on the edges but not deeply browned. They’ll continue to set slightly as they cool on the hot sheet.
• Cool Completely: Be patient! Decorating warm cookies is a messy business. Make sure they are totally cool to the touch before you start adding the ganache and candy.
• Prep Ahead: You can make the cookie dough ahead of time. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes to soften slightly before rolling.

How to Store It

Once baked and decorated, these cookies store beautifully.

Store the cooled and decorated cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. If you need to stack them, place a sheet of parchment or wax paper between the layers to prevent the decorations from sticking together.

FAQs

Got questions? Let’s tackle a couple of common ones:

Can I use butter instead of shortening?

Yes, you can substitute ½ cup softened butter for the shortening. The texture might be slightly different, perhaps a bit more like a traditional cookie, but it will still work!

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can prepare the dough, cover it well, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days before rolling and baking.

Roughly how many cookies does this make?

Using a 1-inch ball size, you can expect to get somewhere between 24-30 cookies from one batch, depending on how big you roll them.

What are the best candies for decorating?

Mini pretzels or small candy sticks work well for antlers. Small red candies like M&M’s, Skittles, or red hot candies are perfect for noses. Don’t forget those adorable candy eyes!

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