Reindeer Brownies
Reindeer Brownies
These Reindeer Brownies are an adorable and easy Christmas treat made with rich, fudgy chocolate brownies, mini pretzel antlers, candy eyes, and bright red candy noses. They look just like little Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer brownies!
I love how simple these are to decorate! Just bake a pan of brownies, cut them into squares, and add a few fun candy decorations to turn each brownie into a cute Christmas reindeer.
They’re perfect for Christmas parties, holiday dessert trays, classroom celebrations, or a fun afternoon of Christmas baking with kids.
Easy Christmas Reindeer Brownies
If you’re looking for an easy Christmas brownie decorating idea, these little reindeer are perfect!
The mini pretzels make the cutest antlers, while the candy eyes and bright red noses give each brownie its own little personality.
I especially love the combination of salty pretzels and rich chocolate brownies. It’s such a delicious sweet-and-salty treat.
You can make the brownies completely from scratch or use your favorite boxed brownie mix to save time.
Reindeer Brownies Recipe
Servings: 16 brownies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 25–30 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Decorating Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
For Decorating
- 32 mini pretzel twists
- 32 Wilton candy eyes
- 16 red candy-coated chocolates, such as red M&M’s
- 2 tablespoons melted chocolate or chocolate frosting, for attaching decorations
How to Make Reindeer Brownies
Step 1: Prepare the Brownie Batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8 × 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until combined.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
Stir in the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder until just combined.
Fold in the mini chocolate chips if you’re using them.
Step 2: Bake the Brownies
Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
Bake for approximately 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
Once cooled, lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper and cut into 16 squares.
Step 3: Add the Pretzel Antlers
Place the brownie squares on a flat surface or serving platter.
Add two mini pretzel twists toward the top of each brownie to create the reindeer antlers.
Use a tiny dot of melted chocolate or chocolate frosting underneath each pretzel to help hold it in place.
Position the pretzels so the rounded loops look like little antlers extending above the reindeer’s face.
Step 4: Add the Candy Eyes
Place two Wilton candy eyes underneath the pretzel antlers.
Use a small dot of melted chocolate or frosting to secure each eye to the brownie.
You can position the eyes close together or slightly apart to give each reindeer a different expression.
Step 5: Add the Red Nose
Place one red candy-coated chocolate underneath the eyes to create Rudolph’s bright red nose.
Secure it with a small dot of melted chocolate or frosting.
Repeat with the remaining brownies.
Step 6: Let the Decorations Set
Allow the decorated brownies to sit at room temperature until the melted chocolate or frosting has set enough to hold the decorations in place.
Arrange them on a Christmas serving platter and enjoy!
Tips for Making the Cutest Reindeer Brownies
Use mini pretzel twists. Their shape makes them perfect for creating little reindeer antlers without any complicated decorating.
Let the brownies cool completely. Warm brownies can cause the chocolate used to attach the decorations to melt or slide.
Use candy eyes. Wilton candy eyes make decorating incredibly easy and give each reindeer such a cute expression.
Choose bright red candies. Red M&M’s are perfect for creating Rudolph’s famous red nose.
Cut the brownies into even squares. This gives you plenty of room to arrange the pretzel antlers, candy eyes, and red nose.
Use boxed brownies for a shortcut. A boxed brownie mix works perfectly if you’re short on time.
Can I Use Boxed Brownie Mix?
Absolutely! These Reindeer Brownies are really all about the fun decorations, so you can use any brownie recipe you love.
Prepare your favorite boxed brownie mix according to the package directions and bake in the recommended pan.
Once the brownies have cooled completely, cut them into squares and decorate with mini pretzels, candy eyes, and red candies.
It’s a great shortcut when you’re making several different Christmas desserts.
Perfect for Christmas Parties
These little reindeer brownies would be adorable on a Christmas dessert table!
Arrange them on a large white serving platter alongside Christmas cookies, holiday fudge, truffles, and other festive treats.
You could also make several different Christmas brownie designs, including snowman brownies, Christmas tree brownies, and Christmas Lights Brownies, for a colorful holiday dessert assortment.
These are especially fun for kids because the decorating is so simple.
Can I Make Reindeer Brownies Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can bake the brownies a day ahead and store them in an airtight container.
For the best appearance, decorate the brownies the day you plan to serve them.
You can also set out the mini pretzels, candy eyes, and red candies ahead of time so everything is ready for decorating.
How to Store Reindeer Brownies
Store the decorated brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days.
Arrange them in a single layer whenever possible to protect the pretzel antlers and candy decorations.
For the freshest, crunchiest pretzels, these brownies are best enjoyed within a day or two of decorating.
Jennie’s Thoughts
I absolutely love how these little Reindeer Brownies turned out! I think the mini pretzel antlers are my favorite part because they’re such a simple way to turn an ordinary brownie into a cute Christmas reindeer.
I used Wilton candy eyes and bright red candies for the noses, and they instantly reminded me of Rudolph! I love how each reindeer has its own little expression, especially when the eyes are positioned slightly differently.
These are also one of those Christmas treats that look like you spent a lot of time decorating, but they’re actually so easy. Just a few pretzels, candy eyes, and red noses, and you have an entire platter of adorable Christmas brownies.
I also love the salty crunch of the pretzels with the rich, fudgy brownies. It’s such a delicious combination!
These would be perfect for a Christmas party, holiday baking day, or a big dessert tray filled with different Christmas brownie designs. They’re simple, festive, and just too cute!
