The Ultimate Christmas Reindeer Cookie Cake: A Festive Chocolate Chip Delight

Get ready to spread holiday cheer with this incredible **Christmas Reindeer Cookie Cake**! Made from a delightfully chewy, oversized chocolate chip cookie, this festive dessert is beautifully decorated with simple candies to create an adorable herd of reindeer. It’s an easy, impressive, and utterly delicious holiday cookie cake that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser and earn Rudolph’s stamp of approval!

This edible reindeer cookie craft is not just a treat for the taste buds, but also a joy to create. Infused with the spirit of the holiday season, this giant cookie cake is ideal for any festive gathering, from family dinners to school parties. Adorned with eight charming reindeer on top, this magnificent cookie cake would undoubtedly receive Santa’s enthusiastic approval! It offers a fun, whimsical touch to your holiday dessert table and is surprisingly simple to assemble, making it a perfect baking project for families.

What Exactly is a Reindeer Cookie Cake?

A Reindeer Cookie Cake takes the beloved concept of a giant chocolate chip cookie and transforms it into a festive masterpiece that serves as a delightful centerpiece. Instead of traditional cake layers, the base is a single, large-format cookie baked to perfection – crispy on the edges and wonderfully soft and chewy in the center. This oversized chocolate chip cookie provides a comforting and familiar flavor that everyone loves. Once cooled, it’s beautifully decorated like a cake, typically using a creamy, homemade buttercream frosting that adds a luxurious texture and sweet flavor.

The magic truly happens with the adorable reindeer toppings, bringing these sweet treats to life. Mini pretzels are cleverly used for the reindeer’s distinctive antlers, while edible candy eyes provide a playful gaze. Finally, M&M’s are perfectly placed for their iconic noses – typically brown for most reindeer, with one special red M&M reserved for the one and only Rudolph! This unique decoration allows you to slice and serve individual “reindeer” portions, making it a highly interactive and engaging dessert that guests of all ages will adore. It’s a creative twist on a classic, combining the ease of baking a cookie with the showstopper appeal of a beautifully decorated holiday cake.

Essential Ingredients for Your Festive Reindeer Cookie Cake

Crafting this delightful Reindeer Cookie Cake requires a few simple ingredients, most of which you likely already have in your pantry. The quality and proper preparation of these ingredients play a crucial role in achieving that perfect balance of flavor and texture, ensuring your Christmas cookie cake is truly unforgettable. Getting your ingredients ready beforehand will make the baking process smooth and enjoyable.

For the Irresistible Chocolate Chip Cookie Base:

• Unsalted Butter: You’ll need 1 cup (two sticks) of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. Softened butter is key for a smooth, well-combined dough that incorporates air effectively and bakes evenly, resulting in a tender cookie.
• Brown Sugar: ¾ cup of packed light brown sugar. This ingredient adds a wonderful depth of molasses flavor and contributes significantly to the cookie’s signature chewy texture. Ensure it’s packed firmly in the measuring cup.
• Granulated Sugar: Another ¾ cup of granulated white sugar. This helps to sweeten the cookie, provides that slightly crisp edge, and balances the chewiness, keeping the interior soft and delicious.
• Large Eggs: Two large eggs are essential binders, helping to hold the cookie dough together, adding richness, and contributing moisture for a tender texture. For best results, ensure they are at room temperature.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract elevate all the other flavors, making the cookie taste exceptionally delicious and aromatic. Investing in good quality vanilla truly makes a difference in baked goods.
• All-Purpose Flour: 2 ⅔ cups of all-purpose flour. This forms the primary structure of your cookie dough. Measure it correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off with a straight edge to avoid over-flouring.
• Baking Soda: 1 teaspoon of baking soda. This is the leavening agent that reacts with the acidic brown sugar to help your cookie cake puff up nicely and develop a soft, tender crumb.
• Kosher Salt: ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. This isn’t just for seasoning; it significantly enhances all the sweet flavors in the cookie, balancing them out and preventing the dessert from being overly sweet.
• Chocolate Chips: A generous 2 cups of your favorite semi-sweet chocolate chips are folded in, melting into luscious pockets of chocolate throughout the cookie cake. You can also experiment with milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips for a different flavor profile.

For the Dreamy Homemade Buttercream Frosting:

• Unsalted Butter: ½ cup (one stick) of softened unsalted butter. Again, room temperature is critical for achieving a light, fluffy, and smooth frosting texture that pipes beautifully.
• Powdered Sugar: 4 cups of powdered sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar). This provides the sweetness and structure for a light and airy buttercream, dissolving easily for a silky smooth finish.
• Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for that classic, comforting flavor in your frosting.
• Milk or Coffee Creamer (optional): A splash (start with ½-1 teaspoon) of milk or coffee creamer, if needed, to achieve the perfect consistency for piping your frosting smoothly.

For the Adorable Reindeer Toppings:

• Mini Pretzels: You’ll need 16 mini pretzels to serve as the charming, crunchy antlers for eight reindeer. Broken pretzels can be repurposed for other snacks!
• Candy Eyes: 16 edible candy eyes bring your reindeer to life with a playful, expressive gaze. These are readily available in most baking aisles during the holidays.
• M&M’s: 7 brown M&M’s for the noses of Santa’s faithful reindeer, and 1 vibrant red M&M for the star of the show, Rudolph, with his famous glowing nose!
• Sprinkles (optional): Add a touch of extra festive sparkle around the edges or over the frosting for an even more celebratory look.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Your Reindeer Cookie Cake

Creating this festive Reindeer Cookie Cake is a straightforward and enjoyable process, perfect for a cozy afternoon of holiday baking. Follow these simple, detailed steps to ensure a perfectly baked and beautifully decorated holiday treat that will impress everyone.

Step 1: Essential Preparation (The Foundation for Success)

1. Preheat Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Allowing the oven to reach and stabilize at the correct temperature is crucial for even baking and proper cookie development.
2. Prepare Pan: Lightly spray both the bottom and the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with a non-stick cooking spray. This crucial step prevents the large cookie from sticking to the pan and allows for effortless removal of your finished cookie cake, ensuring it maintains its perfect round shape. Set the prepared pan aside.

Step 2: Crafting the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

1. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, using either a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Cream them together on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This process incorporates air into the butter, which will result in a tender and soft cookie.
2. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the two large eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed to ensure all ingredients are evenly mixed. Stir in the pure vanilla extract, mixing until just combined. The vanilla adds a rich aroma and deepens the overall flavor profile of your cookie base.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Whisking ensures these dry ingredients are evenly distributed, so your cookie bakes uniformly.
4. Integrate Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough once the flour is added, as this can overdevelop the gluten, resulting in a tough, dense cookie cake. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of flour are visible.
5. Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula. Distribute them evenly throughout the dough, ensuring every slice will have plenty of chocolatey goodness.

Step 3: Baking Your Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

1. Press Dough into Pan: Transfer the prepared cookie dough into the greased 9-inch springform pan. Press the dough down evenly into the pan, creating a smooth and uniform layer. Ensure the dough extends to the edges of the pan so your cookie cake bakes into a perfect circle.
2. Bake to Perfection: Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. The cookie cake is ready when the edges are golden brown and the center is just set, looking slightly less glossy and still a bit soft. Avoid overbaking if you prefer a delightfully soft and chewy texture; a slightly underbaked center is often ideal for cookie cakes.
3. Cooling Process: Once baked, remove the cookie cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. This crucial resting period allows the cookie to set further and prevents it from crumbling when you handle it.
4. Transfer and Final Cool: After 15 minutes, carefully remove the springform pan rim. Transfer the cookie cake onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. It’s absolutely crucial that the cookie cake is fully cooled before you begin frosting it, otherwise, your beautiful buttercream will melt and slide off.

Step 4: Preparing the Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

1. Whip the Butter: While the cookie cake cools, prepare your simple homemade buttercream frosting. In a medium mixing bowl, whip the softened butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until it is light, pale, and fluffy, typically about 2-3 minutes. This aerates the butter, creating a lighter frosting.
2. Add Vanilla and Powdered Sugar: Add the vanilla extract and gradually incorporate the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed until all ingredients are well combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is smooth, light, and wonderfully fluffy.
3. Adjust Consistency (if needed): If the buttercream appears too thick for piping or spreading smoothly, add a very small splash of milk or coffee creamer (start with ½ teaspoon and add more if necessary) and beat again until the desired smooth, pipeable consistency is achieved. Be cautious not to add too much liquid, as it can make the frosting too thin.

Step 5: Decorate and Serve Your Masterpiece!

1. Ensure Complete Cooling: Once your chocolate chip cookie cake has cooled completely (this step cannot be rushed!), you can begin the most fun part: decorating! A cool surface ensures your frosting and decorations stay in place.
2. Slice the Cake: Using a sharp knife, slice the cooled cookie cake into 8 individual pieces. You can pre-slice it now to ensure each person gets a reindeer, or you can decorate the whole cake and then slice it just before serving.
3. Pipe the Frosting: Transfer the prepared buttercream frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (or your favorite decorative tip). Carefully pipe decorative frosting around the entire edge of the cooled cookie cake. You can also pipe a small dollop in the center of each slice if desired, creating a “bed” for your reindeer.
4. Add Antlers: Now for the adorable reindeer features! For each slice (or designated reindeer position on the cake), gently insert two mini pretzels at the top to form the antlers. Ensure they are secure but don’t press too hard.
5. Place Eyes and Noses: Use a tiny dab of frosting on the back of each candy eye to adhere them securely in place just below the pretzels. Finally, attach an M&M for the nose. Use brown M&M’s for the majority of your reindeer, and don’t forget the special red M&M for Rudolph’s glowing nose! A small touch of frosting will help them stick firmly.
6. Optional Sprinkles: Add sprinkles around the frosting border or scattered lightly over the cake for an extra festive touch, if desired, to make it even more celebratory.
7. Serve & Enjoy: Serve your magnificent Reindeer Cookie Cake immediately and watch the faces of your family and friends light up with festive delight! This showstopper is as fun to look at as it is to eat.

Reindeer Cookie Cake Recipe Card

This easy, festive Christmas Reindeer Cookie Cake is made with a rich chocolate chip cookie dough base and charmingly decorated with simple candies to resemble Santa’s reindeer! It’s Rudolph approved and perfect for holiday celebrations!

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Course: Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Reindeer Cookie Cake, Christmas Cookie Cake, Holiday Cookie

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 1107kcal

Author: Jessica & Nellie

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter softened
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ⅔ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Toppings (for Buttercream Frosting & Decoration)

• ½ cup butter softened, 1 stick
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 16 mini pretzels
• 16 candy eyes
• 7 brown m&ms
• 1 red m&m
• Sprinkles if desired

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer beat softened butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
4. Next add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low until just combined.
5. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Press cookie dough into an even layer in the prepared pan.
7. Bake until the cookie is golden, about 35 to 40 minutes. You want the cookie to just be set in the middle. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes then remove the rim and transfer cake to a cooling rack to cool completely.
8. Make your buttercream by whipping the butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add in your vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until fluffy. If the buttercream is too thick add a splash of milk or coffee creamer.
9. Once the cookie cake is completely cooled you can decorate. Slice the cake into 8 pieces.
10. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fit with a large star tip. Pipe frosting around the edge of the cooled cookie cake.
11. Stick 2 pretzels into each slice as antlers. Using a touch of frosting place the eyes and nose on each cookie wedge. Serve & enjoy!

Notes & Expert Tips

Recipe yields 8 large slices of cookie cake. Dough can be separated in half, yielding smaller cookies. Just remember to bake each halved cookie round for only 25 minutes as it’s much smaller.

• Room Temperature Ingredients: For the best results in both cookie dough and frosting, ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This helps them combine smoothly and evenly, leading to a superior texture.
• Do Not Overmix: Overmixing the dough after adding flour can develop too much gluten, resulting in a tough cookie. Mix until just combined for a tender and chewy result.
• Perfectly Baked: The center of the cookie cake should look slightly underdone when removed from the oven; it will continue to cook as it cools, leading to a perfectly chewy texture without drying out.
• Cool Completely: Resist the urge to frost a warm cookie cake! Warmth will melt your beautiful buttercream, causing it to slide off and ruin your decoration. Patience is key for decoration success.
• Pretzel Preservation: If you plan to store the cookie cake for more than a few hours, it’s best to add the pretzels and M&M’s just before serving each slice. Pretzels can soften quickly in the refrigerator, losing their satisfying crunch.

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Calories: 1107kcal | Carbohydrates: 165g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 669mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 127g | Vitamin A: 1226IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 3mg

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Storing Your Reindeer Cookie Cake: Tips for Optimal Freshness

Once you’ve gone to the effort of creating this festive masterpiece, you’ll want to ensure it stays fresh and delicious for as long as possible. Proper storage is key, especially given the various components of this delightful dessert. The way you store it can significantly impact its taste and texture over time.

If you keep these cookie wedges well-covered, preferably in an airtight container, and refrigerated, they can technically last up to a week and still be safe to eat. However, for the absolute best quality and enjoyment, we highly recommend consuming this festive Reindeer Cookie Cake within a day or two of baking. The main reason for this recommendation lies with the decoration, particularly the pretzels. While crucial for forming the adorable reindeer antlers, pretzels tend to absorb moisture from the air, especially in the humid environment of a refrigerator. This causes them to lose their satisfying crunch and become stale and chewy over time, diminishing the overall experience.

To maintain optimal freshness, especially for the pretzels, consider adding the pretzel antlers and M&M noses just before serving each slice or just before presenting the entire cake. This simple tip will ensure every bite is as delicious and texturally pleasing as possible, preserving the crispness of the pretzels and the melt-in-your-mouth quality of the cookie and frosting. You can store the undecorated cookie cake and frosting separately, then assemble them right before your holiday gathering.

Santa’s Reindeer: A Fun Detail for Your Christmas Cookie Cake

Did you know Santa traditionally has eight reindeer, not including the famous Rudolph? The classic song ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ tells the tale of how Rudolph joined Santa’s team later. This Reindeer Cookie Cake design, featuring seven brown-nosed reindeer and one red-nosed Rudolph, perfectly captures the magical and popular spirit of the season! While the original Clement Clarke Moore poem ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ (better known as ‘’Twas the Night Before Christmas’) indeed features eight reindeer (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen), Rudolph’s bright nose has become an iconic part of Christmas folklore, guiding the sleigh through foggy nights. So, including him makes for a more iconic and recognizable holiday treat for most modern families.

If you’re a stickler for traditional accuracy before Rudolph’s big moment, you might technically be “missing someone” if you consider only the original eight. However, you have creative freedom! To make your cookie cake truly traditional with only the “original 8” reindeer, you could simply omit the red M&M nose entirely and use eight brown M&M’s instead. Or, if you’d like to include all nine of Santa’s famous sleigh-pullers (the original eight plus Rudolph), you could bake a slightly larger cookie or arrange your reindeer decorations a little more closely together to fit all nine charming reindeer on top. Whichever way you choose to decorate, it’s a delightful conversation starter and adds an extra layer of personalized holiday fun and storytelling to your dessert. This simple detail allows for customization and celebrates the rich history of Christmas traditions.

More Festive Cookie Recipes to Get You in the Christmas Spirit!

The holiday season is synonymous with baking, and if you loved making this Reindeer Cookie Cake, you’re in for an even bigger treat with these other delightful festive cookie recipes. Each one is designed to bring joy, warmth, and deliciousness to your Christmas celebrations, filling your home with wonderful aromas and happy memories:

• CHRISTMAS JELLO SUGAR COOKIES: Discover vibrant, colorful, and incredibly fun sugar cookies infused with a delightful jello twist for a unique flavor and festive look.
• SPICED REINDEER COOKIES: Explore another charming take on reindeer-themed cookies, but this time with warm, aromatic spices like cinnamon and nutmeg for a truly cozy holiday feel.
• HOLIDAY SPICED SNICKERDOODLES: Enjoy classic Snickerdoodles infused with extra festive spices, creating an unforgettable and comforting taste that perfectly complements a cup of hot cocoa.
• CHRISTMAS LIGHTS CUT OUT COOKIES: Bake adorable and intricately decorated cookies shaped like festive Christmas lights, perfect for brightening up any holiday platter.
• CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE BARS: Get all the joy and sweetness of sugar cookies in an easy-to-make, shareable bar format, ideal for feeding a crowd with minimal effort.
• SANTA’S WHISKERS COOKIES: Create sweet, buttery cookies rolled in vibrant red and green sprinkles and shredded coconut, resembling Santa’s iconic white beard.
• HOLIDAY STAR COOKIES: Bake simple yet elegant star-shaped cookies that can be adorned with sprinkles, icing, or edible glitter, perfect for any holiday spread.
• STACKED CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIES: Construct a visually stunning and impressive dessert made from layered cookies, artfully stacked to form a festive Christmas tree centerpiece.
• CHRISTMAS CUT OUT COOKIES: Master the quintessential holiday cookie with this versatile recipe, perfect for decorating with family members of all ages.
• SPICED CHRISTMAS SHORTBREAD COOKIES: Indulge in rich, buttery, and crumbly shortbread cookies with a delicate hint of festive spices, a true classic.
• CHRISTMAS SPRINKLE COOKIES: Delight in fun, colorful cookies bursting with festive sprinkles, adding a playful pop of color and texture to your holiday treats.
• GRINCH THUMBPRINT COOKIES: Bake a playful, green-hued cookie inspired by the Grinch, featuring a sweet red jam or frosting center, perfect for fans of the classic story.
• BEST CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPES: Dive into a curated collection of top-tier holiday cookie recipes, offering something special for every taste and preference.
• CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE: Rely on this classic, foolproof recipe for perfectly soft and delicious sugar cookies that hold their shape beautifully for decorating.
• MINT CHRISTMAS COOKIES: Enjoy refreshing mint-flavored cookies, often dipped in chocolate or drizzled with mint icing, providing a cool and delightful addition to your holiday platter.

Making holiday treats like this Reindeer Cookie Cake is truly more than just baking; it’s about creating cherished family memories and fostering traditions. Just as birthdays were always a grand celebration in our home, instilling that sense of magic and specialness for each child, holiday baking carries the same profound joy and anticipation. There’s something uniquely heartwarming about gathering in the kitchen, the air filled with the sweet scent of baking cookies, and the laughter of loved ones. Seeing the smiles and excitement on children’s faces as they help decorate, or as they eagerly anticipate enjoying a slice of this fun, whimsical dessert, truly makes the effort worthwhile. It’s these moments of shared joy, delicious creations, and festive collaboration that become the heartwarming traditions we look forward to year after year, forming the very fabric of our holiday celebrations. These are the memories that truly make the season bright.

This **Reindeer Cookie Cake** stands out as a magnificent, delightful dessert, perfect for sharing with all your friends and family during the festive season. With its rich, chewy chocolate chip cookie base and charming adornment of eight tiny reindeer, this holiday cookie truly elevates the dessert table and captures the joyous spirit of Christmas. It’s not just a cookie; it’s a celebration in itself, promising smiles, laughter, and delicious memories for everyone!