Santa will love these easy-to-make decorated Cream Cheese Reindeer Sugar Cookies. So cute & great for cookie exchanges too!
Cream Cheese Reindeer Sugar Cookies
If you have a cookie exchange coming up during the holiday season, I have such a cute cookie for you to make. This is a cookie that not only will look super cute in presentation but will taste great too.
Cream Cheese Reindeer Sugar Cookies are simply adorable and will win over all ages. With the iconic red nose of everyone’s favorite reindeer Rudolph, they are instantly recognizable and loved.
Did you happen to see our other cream cheese sugar cookie that we debuted this holiday season? Be sure to check out our Cream Cheese Christmas Tree Cookies, which are eye-catching and just as tasty.
Both of these cream cheese-based sugar cookie recipes begin with an easy-to-make 100% homemade tender cream cheese sugar cookie. This semi-homemade part is the frosting, we’re using a store-bought can of frosting and tweaking it so that it pours nicely and gives the effect of “royal icing”.
Now let’s say you are a kitchen rockstar and absolutely love making or using traditional royal icing, by all means, do it. This recipe is for the rest of us who don’t have a tremendous amount of time but want to wow our family and friends.
What ingredients will you need to create these reindeer cookies?
- Sugar
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Egg
- Almond & vanilla extracts
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Frosting
- Decoration: eyeball candy, red candies, chocolate covered pretzels
Some tips that will help you along the way:
- Read the recipe card below thoroughly, as there is a chilling time required for the dough.
- Refrigerating the dough overnight is preferred, but 8 hours will do if you are hurried.
- A 3″ biscuit cutter was used.
- Be sure to flour your rolling surface & rolling pin prior to rolling out the dough.
- The “royal icing” for this recipe comes from a store-bought frosting. Directions are found below in the recipe card.
- Be sure to add the decor to the cookies will the frosting is still wet.
- Allow the frosting to harden before storing the cookies in an air tight container.
Simple steps to guide you through the process (complete instructions found in the recipe card below):
Cream together butter and cream cheese using an electric mixer. Add in the sugar, egg, and extracts, mix to combine.
Whisk together dry ingredients.
Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into the cream cheese mixture. Mix to combine.
Refrigerate dough overnight. Flour the surface you will be rolling dough onto. Roll dough to 1/2″ thickness.
Use cookie cutters or a 3″ biscuit cutter, transfer shapes onto a prepared pan.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Cool thoroughly prior to decorating. Frost and decorate. Allow frosting to harden prior to storing.
Other amazing holiday cookies to try:
- Cream Cheese Christmas Tree Cookies
- Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Twix Cookies
- Almond Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Eggnog Frosted Chai Spiced Cookies
How about a delicious beverage to go alongside?
- Eggnog Latte
- White Chocolate Peppermint Martini
- Naughty Rudolph Cocktail
- Eggnog Amaretto Cocktail
- Gingerbread White Hot Chocolate
Cream Cheese Reindeer Sugar Cookies
Santa will love these easy-to-make decorated Cream Cheese Reindeer Sugar Cookies. So cute & great for cookie exchanges too!
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3.5 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking salt
Frosting & decorations
- 16 ounce container chocolate frosting
- Flipz chocolate covered pretzels
- Red Skittles candies or red M&M's
- Candy eyes
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer beat the butter and cream cheese until thoroughly mixed and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Gradually add in the sugar, mixing until combined.
- Add in the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Beat again until smooth and creamy.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the flour to the creamed butter mixture 1/2 a cup at a time until all incorporated.
- Shape the dough into a rectangle and wrap securely in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate overnight or a minimum of 8 hours.
- When ready to bake preheat the oven to 375° F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Flour a surface for rolling the dough. Roll the dough in 1/2 inch thickness.
- Cut with a cookie cutter or 3" biscuit cutter and transfer to prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 8-10 minutes or until the edges are set. Remove from oven and allow to sit on baking sheet 2-3 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely prior to decorating.
Notes
Making "Royal icing" from canned frosting:
- Open a can of frosting and completely remove foil lining,
- Place in microwave and heat for 3 seconds. Stir well, repeat in 15-second intervals if needed.
- Allow the icing to cool slightly before frosting the cookies.
To frost cookies:
- Apply the frosting as desired to completely cool cookies.
- While the frosting is still wet add desired sprinkles, candy, and decorations.
- Allow icing to cool completely dry before storing in an airtight container.
