You will love these Simple Christmas Reindeer Brownies with Pretzels. A holiday baking day with the kids is such a fun tradition. To make the brownie reindeer, cut the brownies into triangles, add candy eyes, an m&m for the nose, and pretzels for the antlers. Kids will have so much fun making these Rudolph brownies!

Here’s another holiday twist on one of my kids’ favorite sweet treats (brownies)! How cute are these Reindeer Brownies? They are so simple and quick to make. They are a festive hit at any holiday gathering. All you need is a brownie mix to get started. With this time of year being so full, I love Christmas recipes that don’t take a lot of time in the kitchen.

Fun with Kids

Are you headed to a Christmas party with both adults and kids? You could try something new to give the kids something fun to do without making a huge mess. Instead of bringing a platter of reindeer brownies, you could bring them already cut along with the decorations ready to go: so they can decorate their own. This holiday treats serve double duty as a delicious dessert and a fun holiday food craft.

REINDEER BROWNIES INGREDIENTs

Milk Chocolate Brownie Mix – Any style of brownie mix will work. Choose your favorite! I love a traditional milk chocolate brownie.

Ingredients from the back of the box – will vary depending on the brownie mix, but it’s usually water, oil, and eggs.

Tiny Twists Pretzels are perfect for antlers and add a complimentary salty taste to the sweet brownie.

Red or Brown M & Ms – They make the perfect reindeer nose

Candy Eyes – I love how cute the candy eyes are on the brownies. You can find these at Walmart, Amazon, or Hobby Lobby. I was worried these might be hard to find, but they weren’t! Walmart, Amazon, and Hobby Lobby all carry these.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – These work as the glue for antlers and candy eyes.

How to make Christmas Brownies

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray cooking spray onto your 9×13 baking pan. Grab a large bowl (I prefer glass) and pour the contents of the boxed brownie mix. Add in the ingredients listed on the box: vegetable oil, eggs, and water. Mix it with a whisk or a hand mixer. Once it’s well combined, pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, and bake for 25-30 mins.

NOTE: Put a toothpick into the brownies and pull it out. If it comes out clean, you know they’re done. If a brownie is stuck on the toothpick, bake it a bit longer in one-minute increments.

Step 2: Once the brownies have completely cooled, you’ll want to cut the brownies in half, lengthwise, creating two rows. Cut diagonal lines into each half, making triangles. Remove the triangular brownies from the baking dish and place them onto a cutting board, large platter, or somewhere convenient for you to decorate.

You’ll have some extra brownie chunks left after you cut the triangles; those are yours to enjoy!

Step 3: Place the chocolate chips into a medium bowl (a glass bowl is best, especially going into the microwave). Microwave the chocolate chips in 15-20 second increments and stir in between increments. Microwave, stir, and repeat until the chocolate is creamy and smooth. Slow and steady is important when melting chocolate.

Using a spatula, put all the melted chocolate into a sandwich-sized ziplock bag. Snip off the tip of one corner of the plastic bag. Make sure the zip lock bag is completely sealed, and squeeze a dollop onto the point of the brownie. Place a brown or red M&M onto the chocolate. The chocolate is essentially the glue to secure the decorations into place.

NOTE: You could also melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. Bring water in a small pot/saucepan to a simmer/low boil. Place a glass bowl containing the chocolate chips over the top of the water, making sure there isn’t actual contact. The hot water underneath will melt the chocolate chips. Stir continuously until the chocolate chips are fully melted and the consistency is smooth.

Step 4

Next, apply melted chocolate to the remaining corners and “glue” the mini pretzels to the brownie. The mini pretzels make perfect reindeer antlers. Place two more dollops of melted chocolate in the center of the brownie and place the candy eyes.

How to cut Rudolph brownies

Let the brownies cool completely before slicing them. Use any knife except a serrated knife. You’ll end up with rough, crumby edges. If you have a plastic knife, I have found it works best for clean lines. Spray both sides of the blade lightly with cooking spray. In one motion, cut the width of the brownie to cut it in half. Wipe off the blade, spray the blade, and cut, repeating the wiping and spraying process until you’ve cut the entire brownie. You will cut the entire brownie in half lengthwise. Then, divide the halves into rectangles.

Tips for making these easy holiday Brownies

If you prefer chewier brownies, remove them from the oven a minute or two before they are done.

The key to melting chocolate chips is slow and steady. Chocolate chips can seize quickly if they overheat or they come in contact with any cold water. You’ll know it has burned because it becomes hard to stir and has a grainy texture.

Sometimes you can salvage the melted chips if they aren’t too burnt by adding coconut oil or melted butter. If not, you’ll need to start over. Always melt slowly in 15-20 sec increments.

Tip: I used to always throw away chocolate if it burned, but I recently tried salvaging it. Surprisingly it worked. Don’t miss these tips on how to fix overheated or burnt chocolate.

BROWNIE CHRISTMAS REINDEER VARIATIONS

Make them extra chocolatey by adding a handful of chocolate chips to the brownie batter.
Add in chopped nuts: walnut, pecans, hazelnuts, etc.
For a richer alternative, use milk instead of water.
Add a dash of vanilla to the brownie batter for more flavor.
Instead of M&Ms, you could use skittles or red hot candies.
Switch up the flavor of the brownie mix. Try dark chocolate, double chocolate, or chocolate chunk!
Sift some powdered sugar onto the serving plate to look like snow!
Use mini candy canes for candy cane antlers.

CAN THESE BE MADE AHEAD?

Absolutely! However, the only part that I’d prepare ahead of time would be the brownies. Wait to cut them until you are ready to decorate so they don’t dry out. Keeping them in an airtight container will help keep them moist.

Storing reindeer brownies with pretzels

Store brownies at room temperature by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap or foil. You can also place them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for 3-4 days on the counter or a week in the freeze. Brownies can be made ahead and frozen. In the freezer, they will keep for three months.

More Christmas Dessert Recipes:

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Simple Christmas Reindeer Brownies (from a mix)

You will love these Simple Christmas Reindeer Brownies from a mix. A holiday baking day with the kids is such a fun tradition. To make the brownie reindeer, cut the brownies into triangles, add candy eyes, an m&m for the nose, and pretzels for the antlers. Kids will have so much fun making these Rudolph brownies!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Decorating20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, casual

Servings: reindeer brownies

Calories: 449kcal

Ingredients

1 box of milk chocolate brownie mix + ingredients from the back of the box water, oil, eggs
20 tiny twists pretzels
10 red or brown M&M's
20 candy eyes
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray, and set aside.
Prepare the brownie mix, according to the box directions.
Pour the batter into a greased baking pan. Follow the baking recommendations on the back of the box.
Remove the brownies from the oven to cool.
To make the brownie triangle for the brownie base, start by cutting the pan of brownies in half length-wise. Then, cut the halves into triangles to make rectangles. If you have any scrap brownie bites left over, you can enjoy them while decorating.
Remove the brownie triangles from the baking pan and place them on a flat surface to decorate. I typically use a drying rack or cutting board.
Start by melting the chocolate chips by microwaving them in 15-20 second increments, stirring well in between increments.
Add the melted chocolate to a smaller sandwich-sized ziplock bag, and snip off the tip of one of the corners.
Use the melted chocolate to attach your reindeer’s pretzel antlers, eyes, and nose.

Notes

BROWNIE CHRISTMAS reindeer VARIATIONS

Make them extra chocolatey by adding a handful of chocolate chips to the brownie batter.
Add in chopped nuts: walnut, pecans, hazelnuts, etc.
For a richer alternative, use milk instead of water.
Add a dash of vanilla to the brownie batter for more flavor.
Instead of M&Ms, you could use skittles or red hot candies.
Switch up the flavor of the brownie mix. Try dark chocolate, double chocolate, or chocolate chunk!
Sift some powdered sugar onto the serving plate to look like snow!
Use mini candy canes for candy cane antlers.

Nutrition