Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies

I obviously did not come up with this idea myself, because THEY ARE SO CUTE. So cute you almost don't want to eat them, but then you do because the gingerbread is perfectly soft and spicy.  My sister got the idea from here (I commissioned her to do some serious Christmas cookie research, though it's an unpaid position), and then my genius baking partner Annie suggested we substitute the peanut butter cookie for gingerbread. I knew I was friends with her for a reason. These cookies were a very fun and delicious start to our favorite annual Christmas baking marathon (actually we typically bake/chat for longer than a marathon - the wine gives us stamina).  If anyone wants to hire us next year we'll do it.

I don't like crispy gingerbread, so I got a recipe off of Sweet Pea's Kitchen, but then I added an egg, vanilla, and another tablespoon of milk.  The dough wasn't quite coming together so it needed a pinch more liquid. They are very chewy and soft; no crispiness here.

Recipe

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly

3/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons milk

Read more at http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2010/12/thick-and-chewy-gingerbread-cookies/#LVwFCzYIHWQvTzpF.99

•  3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 3 tbsp milk
• Chocolate covered pretzels (about 50)
• Brown mini M&Ms (about 50)
• Red M&Ms (about 25)

Cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the egg and vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients together, then incorporate into the dough. Pour in the molasses and milk. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for an hour or so (or put in freezer for 20 min).  Preheat the oven to 350.  Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, then flatten and form into a reindeer head. Sorry, I didn't know any better than you do how to form a reindeer head. But I imagined it to look like an upside down triangle with rounded edges.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then bake for 9-11 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet. While the cookies are baking, separate out some brown mini M&Ms and red regular sized M&Ms. Get your chocolate covered pretzels ready.  Take the cookies out, then place two pretzels on each reindeer for ears, two mini M&Ms for eyes, and one red M&M for the nose.  Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

These cookies are basically a Christmas party in your mouth.

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly

3/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons milk

Read more at http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2010/12/thick-and-chewy-gingerbread-cookies/#LVwFCzYIHWQvTzpF.99

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly

3/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons milk

Read more at http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2010/12/thick-and-chewy-gingerbread-cookies/#LVwFCzYIHWQvTzpF.99