Adorable Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

Tonight is girls night at the Pickerington Wine Guy and we're having a cookie bake off! Each girl is to bake one dozen of creative Christmas cookies, we will all sample and choose a winner. The winner will get a bottle of wine! Sounds like a great idea to me :)

I chose to make Peanut Butter Reindeer cookies that I found on Pinterest. They are super adorable, and I figured it would be fun for my hubby and little boy to help me! I gathered my list of ingredients needed and headed to Target. I had a heck of a time finding the mini M&M's and mini chocolate covered pretzels the recipe suggested; so I opted for Peppermint chocolate covered pretzels for the antlers, chocolate covered cookie dough bites for the eyes and regular sized red M&M's for the nose. I got my recipe from a fellow blogger, Bakergirl. Very easy step by step instructions on how to make the dough and shape of the reindeer. I must tell you, though, my husband and I were working side by side and had to work very quickly once the cookies came out of the oven because they really begin to harden quickly. He put on the eyes and nose and I did the antlers. I would definitely suggest not using the regular sized pretzels like I did, there was very little room and they had a hard time standing up. We were still very pleased with them, they turned out adorable and oh so yummy!! These are definitely one we will be making again! Here's the recipe!

• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Chocolate-covered mini pretzels
• Mini brown M&Ms
• Regular-sized red M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add egg; beat until just blended.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

Form dough into 1-inch balls. To make reindeer-shaped cookies, pinch the bottom of the ball slightly to form a point, then gently flatten with your hand. Space cookies about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until set or just beginning to brown.

Remove from oven and immediately (and gently) press two mini pretzels into the tops of the cookies for the reindeer's antlers. Press two mini brown M&Ms in for the eyes and one red M&M for the nose (or any other color... some of mine ended up with green noses. They might be South Pole reindeer.).

Allow to cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack or paper towel to cool completely.

Makes about 40 reindeer cookies.