Reindeer Food Ideas for Kids

Bring a little Christmas fun into the kitchen with these reindeer food ideas for kids. Make reindeer fruit snacks, cupcakes, cookies, pancakes and cake pops using simple foods and a few easy decorating tricks.

These ideas work for a Christmas theme dinner, holiday party, classroom cooking activity or a fun December afternoon in the kitchen.

Easy Reindeer Food Formula

Start with a round or oval food for the face, add pretzels or fruit for antlers, edible eyes and a bright red nose. The same idea works with fruit, cupcakes, cookies, pancakes and cake pops.

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On This Page:

Reindeer Fruit Snack
Reindeer Cupcakes
Reindeer Cookies
Nutter Butter Reindeer
Reindeer Pancakes
Reindeer Cake Pops
Christmas Printables & Activities
More Christmas Cooking
Reindeer Food Questions

Easy Reindeer Snacks & Treats

Start with these simple reindeer designs. Kids can use fruit for a healthier snack or decorate cupcakes for a Christmas dessert.

Reindeer Fruit Snack

Arrange orange pieces to create the reindeer's face, then cut apple pieces into antlers and other features. Add fruit or other edible decorations for the eyes and a bright red nose.

Christmas cupcake decorated as a reindeer

Reindeer Cupcakes

Frost cooled cupcakes, then add pretzels for antlers, edible eyes and a red candy nose. Let kids give each reindeer a different expression.

Decorating Tip: Set out the toppings in small bowls and let kids assemble their own reindeer. An adult can prepare any fruit that needs to be cut first.

Chocolate Reindeer Cookies

Turn homemade chocolate cookies into Christmas reindeer with pretzel antlers, candy eyes and bright red noses.

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Pretzel twists, for antlers
Candy eyes
Red candies, for noses
Frosting, if needed for attaching decorations

Directions

Preheat the oven according to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet.
Cream the butter, brown sugar and sugar together.
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until creamy.
Stir in the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and flour until combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Roll the dough into balls and arrange them on the baking sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are set.
While the cookies are still warm, carefully add pretzel pieces for antlers.
Allow the cookies to cool, then add candy eyes and a red candy nose. Use a small dab of frosting to hold the decorations in place if needed.

Try Different Cookie Bases: The reindeer decorating idea also works with peanut butter or sugar cookies. Use pretzel twists for antlers, candy or chocolate pieces for eyes and a red candy for the nose.

Kid Cooking Tip: Kids can measure ingredients, roll cookie dough and decorate cooled cookies. An adult should handle the oven and hot baking sheets.

Nutter Butter Reindeer Cookies

For an easy no-bake version, turn peanut-shaped sandwich cookies into little reindeer faces.

Nutter Butter cookies decorated as Christmas reindeer

You Will Need:

Nutter Butter cookies
Chocolate frosting or chocolate-hazelnut spread
Pretzel pieces for antlers
Red candies for noses
Candy eyes or small candies for eyes

How to Make Them:

Spread chocolate frosting over each cookie and place it on waxed or parchment paper. While the topping is still soft, add the eyes, red nose and pretzel antlers. Allow the cookies to set before serving.

Allergy Note: Nutter Butter cookies contain peanuts. For a peanut-free variation, use another oval sandwich cookie that works with your family's allergy needs.

Christmas Eve Reindeer Activity: For a non-food holiday activity, let kids decorate a small paper bag with antlers, eyes and a red nose, then use it to hold a Christmas note, small craft or other surprise for Christmas Eve.

Reindeer Pancakes

Turn a stack of pancakes into a Christmas breakfast by arranging pancakes and fruit into a reindeer face.

Build a Reindeer Pancake: Use a large pancake for the face and smaller pancake pieces or fruit for the ears. Add banana slices and berries or other fruit for the eyes, pretzels or bacon for antlers and a strawberry or raspberry for Rudolph's red nose.

Easy Pancake Recipes for Kids

Reindeer Cake Pops

Chocolate-covered cake pops make a natural base for little reindeer heads. The decorating is the fun part, so kids can help turn each one into a different reindeer.

Christmas cake pops decorated as reindeer

Turn Cake Pops into Reindeer: Shape the cake-pop mixture into slightly oval heads before chilling and dipping. After dipping in chocolate, add pretzel pieces for antlers, candy eyes and a red candy nose while the coating is still soft.

How to Make Cake Pops

Christmas Printables, Games & Cooking Activities

Keep the Christmas fun going beyond the reindeer treats with printable recipes, games, crafts and hands-on holiday activities for kids.

Christmas crafts and edible holiday projects for kids

Christmas Theme Crafts

Try Christmas-themed projects with both edible activities and crafts made just for decorating.

Christmas printable games, coloring pages and cooking activities for kids

Christmas Fun, Games & Cooking Bundle

Extend the holiday theme with printable games, coloring activities and Christmas cooking fun for kids.

More Christmas Cooking Fun

Continue the holiday fun with more Christmas recipes, edible projects and winter theme ideas for kids.

Snowman Food Fun
Create snowman snacks, treats and winter food ideas for another fun holiday theme.

Christmas Cooking with Kids
Find more holiday recipes and kitchen activities to make together throughout December.

Gingerbread Houses
Build and decorate an edible gingerbread house for another hands-on Christmas cooking project.

Theme Dinner Ideas
Choose another playful family dinner theme with matching foods and activities.

Reindeer Food Questions

What foods can I turn into reindeer?

Cookies, cupcakes, pancakes, fruit and cake pops all make easy reindeer shapes. Start with a round or oval food for the face, then add edible antlers, eyes and a red nose.

What can I use for reindeer antlers?

Pretzel twists and pretzel pieces are easy choices for cookies, cupcakes and cake pops. Fruit, bacon or other foods can also be arranged as antlers depending on the recipe.

What can I use for Rudolph's red nose?

Try a red candy on cookies and cupcakes or use strawberries, raspberries or another red fruit for pancakes and fruit snacks.

How can kids help make reindeer treats?

Kids can arrange fruit, add pretzel antlers, place candy eyes and noses, roll cookie dough and decorate cooled cookies, cupcakes and cake pops. Adults can handle knives, ovens and hot baking sheets.

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