Fall into Bliss with Cindi Madsen & Reindeer Cookies

We are happy to welcome Cindi Madsen to the blog today with a tasty holiday treat you don’t want to miss!

Since the holidays are nearing, I thought it’d be fun to talk about what makes holiday cooking more fun. And a hot guy in the kitchen is always a bonus, right?

In An Officer and a Rebel, Kelsey wrecks her car in the snow and is rescued by her high school boyfriend’s older brother, who’s now a town cop. He offers to let her stay with him while the storm clears. As they’re talking that night, she mentions how she and her mom always make Christmas cookies, and she’s sad she’ll miss it. So the next day, Nate borrows a bag of chocolate chips, trying to make up for her missing out on her usual tradition. Better yet, he stays to help her measure out ingredients and taste test the dough, which of course requires close proximity and stolen glances.

There’s something about a cozy kitchen, the scent of baking food, and ten minutes to kill while you wait for those cookies to come out of the oven. I happen to recommend kissing to pass the time. It burns calories, you know, so then you can eat even more cookies! Total win. I found this recipe while looking at what new treat I wanted to make this year, and thought the cookies looked so adorable and yummy. I think I’m going to ask my own real-life hero to make them with me.

Reindeer Cookies

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

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. 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.

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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.