Muddy Reindeer Cookies (Chocolate-Dipped Gingerbread)

Muddy Reindeer (Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread)

Santa’s reindeer have quite a job to do on Christmas Eve. They have just one night to travel 75 million miles and carry a sleigh of toys that weighs over 300 tons (some years more or less depending on the naughty to nice children ratio). Wow!

That’s a lot of landing on sooty rooftops and traveling through inclement weather. No doubt the reindeer would become a little sullied from the journey. These cookies are my way of regarding Santa’s antlered helpers.

Muddy Reindeer (Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread)

Remember when I said I was SO into gingerbread this year? Yeah. I wasn’t kidding (see here and here). This vintage gingerbread recipe was new to  me and I’m so glad I decided to try it. It’s made differently than some of the contemporary gingerbread cookie recipes. Instead of creaming butter and sugar together (like most any cookie recipe) the butter is cut into the flour with a pastry blender (or a food processor) as you would to make pie crust. This makes for a truly delectable texture.

Muddy Reindeer (Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread)

These guys were “muddied” with melted semisweet chocolate. It gives the cookies just a little extra sweetness, and that makes them delicious with hot tea or strong coffee. You could also dip the cookies in white chocolate – I’m sure the reindeer encounter many snowy rooftops on their travels as well!

Muddy Reindeer (Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread)

You can find the reindeer cutter I used here but there are many other reindeer silhouettes (like this one) that would be cute, too.

If you’re like me, and crazy about gingerbread, then you can find links to some of my other ginger-spiced creations below.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Coffee Glaze

Gingerbread Pie

Bavarian Gingerbread house (Gingerbread House Dough Recipe)

Gingerbread Hobbit Hole

Designer-Worthy Gingerbread Houses for HGTV

Muddy Reindeer (Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread)

Heather Baird
This dough is made using a pastry blender or a food processor. The end result is a tender cookie that tastes great dipped in chocolate.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 2 dozen

Equipment

  • reindeer cookie cutter

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 1/4 cups/160 g all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, and cut into pieces
  • 1/2 cup/100 g granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 egg yolk beaten
  • 6 ounces chocolate finely and evenly chopped

Instructions
 

  • Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. In a large bowl, cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender (or you may use two forks or process in a food processor). When the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs, add the sugar, syrup and egg yolk, and mix or process to a firm dough. Knead lightly.
  • Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. Cut the rolled dough with a reindeer cookie cutter (or other preferred cutter). Transfer the shapes to the parchment lined baking sheets using a spatula, and then chill the shapes in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until firm.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until golden around the edges. The cookies should be fragrant and slightly puffed.
  • Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Line a work surface with a sheet of waxed paper or parchment paper.
  • Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat on the stove top, or heat at 30 second increments in the microwave until melted and smooth. Dip the reindeer’s feet/lower half of body into the chocolate and place on the paper. Let stand until the chocolate is set.
  • When the chocolate is well set, place the cookies in an air-tight container, or package them in cellophane bags tied with holiday ribbon for gift giving.
Keyword gingerbread dough, maple syrup, unsalted butter
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Follow:
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
11 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Rosa
Rosa
9 years ago

Son preciosas, me encantan y las fotos están muy bonitas.
Besos

lagalletarota.blogspot.com

Tertúlia da Susy
Tertúlia da Susy
9 years ago

Que delícia e que fofinhas!

Colette (Coco)
Colette (Coco)
9 years ago

Clever and yummy!

Unknown
Unknown
9 years ago

A dear (deer) treat indeed…We all are so spoiled with your stunning creations, thank you so much for sharing your talent with the world 🙂

Becky | The Cookie Rookie
Becky | The Cookie Rookie
9 years ago

This is just the cutest thing!!! Love this recipe!

Heather
Heather
9 years ago

Oh your cutter is SO. Cute. I want to try this recipe to experience the texture due to the cutting-in method!

Anonymous
Anonymous
9 years ago

Cute idea! Looks like Santa needs to train his reindeer like my sister trained her dog … to wipe their feet when they come in! That always cracked me up. If it was wet or muddy out, she'd wipe her paws on the mat. If it was very snowy out and she had clumps on her rather than just wet paws, she'd wipe her paws and wait for someone to come with a towel to dry her off. She was such a good girl! 🙁

Lorraine
Lorraine
9 years ago

I'm always looking for new gingerbread recipes, so thanks for this 🙂

Joy Marie Lee
Joy Marie Lee
8 years ago

So I made this…or shall I say tried making them…and the dough doesn't seem wet enough. I checked and double checked the recipe and It looks like I added everything in the right portions. Did u leave out anything? Maybe molasses?

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
8 years ago
Reply to  Joy Marie Lee

Hi! I'm sorry to hear you had trouble with the dough. All of the ingredients are there. This is a dry dough, it almost reminds me of a sable or short dough. The cookie's texture is delicate and soft. If the dough doesn't want to come together, you can add more maple syrup 1 tablespoon at a time until it's workable.
-h

JamJax
JamJax
8 years ago

Accidentally added a whole egg (dough stuck like crazy). Cut it into diamonds with a pizza cutter and baked it anyway 🙂 My husband says it's like spiced biscotti. New family favorite lol. Will try again with just the yolk. BTW how do you measure your flour: spoon or scoop and level?