If you guys are anything like me the holidays are one of the busiest times of the year. There is so much to do and so many places to go. Thankfully, I still find times to bake something fun like these cute reindeer-themed holiday brownies. I used a boxed brownie mix to cut down on time but you can find super tasty brownie recipes to whip up your own. There are so many great deals on baking mixes this time of year though. I always take that extra helping hand to cut down on baking time. That way I have more mom available to go around for things like games and movies by the fireplace.
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How to Make a Reindeer Holiday Brownie
If you go with a boxed brownie mix you will want to follow the instructions on your box. This is especially true when it comes to baking times. Some mixes take a little longer in the oven than others. It is important to remember that individual oven times also vary. It is a good idea to go with the lowest time and check from there. Your brownies are ready when you are able to insert a toothpick into the center of the pan and it comes out clean. I recommend using wax paper to line your pan. This way you can remove the brownies from the pan easier to cut the large squares needed to hold your reindeer.
1 batch brownie mix (unless you are using your own recipe)
1 package white candy melts (or chocolate of your choice)
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
10-15 large pretzel twists
1 pkg holiday M&M candies
1 pkg candy eyeballs
1 C white frosting ( you can buy premade or use my favorite buttercream recipe to make your own)
Prepare your brownies either by package directions or by the recipe you are using. Let brownies cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool on wax paper until no longer warm. This usually takes about 30 minutes. If you need to speed things up you can put them in the refrigerator.
Melt candy melts in a double boiler or microwave while your brownies are cooling. Add about 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil to melted chocolate to thin it. This will help your chocolate flow easier when you are making the reindeer heads. Using a piping bag and a wide tip make a round or oval shape of chocolate on wax paper. You can take one of two directions here. You can make your heads a little thicker and add your antlers directly to the chocolate. You can also make thinner heads and add your antlers into the brownies above the head. Since these brownies are already rich I decided to make thinner heads and add the antlers later.
Place a red M&M candy into each of your reindeer heads. Add two eyes (or three, or four if you prefer mutant reindeer. No judgment here!) Let your reindeer set for at least an hour. You can place them in the freezer to speed this up. Just make sure they are completely hardened before removing them from the wax paper.
To make the antlers for my reindeer holiday brownie recipe I cut the loop off of each side of a pretzel twist. You want to leave a little bit of the inside of the loop left but you don’t want it to close completely. This gives it an antler look. You should be able to get two antlers from one pretzel. I did go through a few pretzels before I got it down though lol. They like to crumble under a knife so be sure to be delicate when you are cutting them.
Cut the brownies into large squares. You can use one of your reindeer heads as a guide. Remove your brownie squares from the wax paper and place it on a baking sheet to decorate. This helps to keep your sprinkles contained a little better. Mix icing with green coloring until you have the tone you want. Add a thin layer of icing to the top of each brownie.
Place a reindeer head in the center of each brownie. Scatter sprinkles around the reindeer’s head. Add in an antler on each side of the head to give your brownie a 3D effect. You can tilt them or just put them straight up. I found they looked a little better with a slight tilt to them.
Be sure to leave a comment and let us know if you decided to make this reindeer holiday brownie recipe! What color did you make your reindeer? Did you add any special touches? We would love to hear from you!
