Making Edible Reindeer and Other Holiday Treats with Your Kids

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

04 Dec 2008 09:44 AM

Cooking with young children may take twice as long, but it has the potential to be ten times as fun if you are working with kid-friendly recipes.

The following holiday-themed recipes are among my 4-year-old's favorites. Not only does she delight in getting to add ingredients, mix, scoop and stir, but the Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies also allow her to exercise her creativity in the decorating process.

As for the Candy Cane Ice Cream Sandwiches, well, one look at the ingredients and you'll see why this is a holiday classic in our home.

PEANUT BUTTER REINDEER

Ingredients:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 large bag (96) small round pretzel twists

1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips (96)

48 red cinnamon candies or red mini M&Ms

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In large bowl, beat peanut butter, butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Stir in flour and baking powder.

For each cookie, shape 1-inch ball of dough into triangle shape about 1 1/2 inches long.

On ungreased cookie sheet, place 2 pretzel twists about 1-inch apart to look like antlers, press top of dough triangle gently into pretzels. Repeat with remaining dough and pretzels.

Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until edges just begin to brown.

Immediately add 2 chocolate chips for eyes and 1 cinnamon candy for nose onto each cookie.

Let stand 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.

Allow to cool completely before serving.

CANDY CANE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

Ingredients:

Chocolate cookies

Peppermint ice cream, softened a bit

Crushed candy canes

Directions:

Top half of cookies with ice cream.

Place another cookie on top to form ice cream sandwich.

Roll in crushed candy canes.

Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.

Related Articles:

Have Yourself a Minty Little Christmas

Mint Chocolate Treats

All About Chocolate

How to Have a Chocolate Covered Christmas

Homemade Fortune Cookies

Rocky Road Mud Cookies

Have a Merry Choco-Christmas

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes for Kids

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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