Reindeer Chow Christmas Treat Recipe
This tasty and colorful Reindeer Chow is a Christmas explosion of sweet flavors! If you love Festive Christmas Desserts, then you have to make this bowl of deliciousness. Along with this recipe, I have Creative Christmas Ideas to bring joy and cheer this holiday season!
This Reindeer food is perfect to serve for every Christmas celebration or to make as a DIY Christmas gift.
When you can’t decide which of your favorite Christmas desserts to make, bake them all and put them into a big bowl. Every bite is a sugar rush and it really does taste as good as it looks.
What Is Reindeer Chow
Reindeer chow is a bowl of Christmas-themed desserts. The recipe at the bottom of this post includes directions for the vanilla and cinnamon granola and the homemade chocolate-glazed gingerbread cookies. It’s the perfect edible Reindeer food!
Snack on it or serve on top of vanilla ice cream – so good! I also makes for a great homemade Christmas gift…just package in a pretty gift box or airtight jar.
You can easily customize this reindeer chow with different types of candy and desserts. Add Reese’s pieces, or peppermint Oreos with it.
My reindeer chow includes gingerbread cookies, granola, M&Ms and white chocolate-covered pretzels.
More Reindeer Food Ideas:
- Reindeer Snack Mix
- Magic Reindeer Food and Printable
- Animal Safe Reindeer Food Recipe
- Reindeer Donuts
- Candy Candy Reindeer
How To Make Reindeer Chow
You’ll have to make homemade granola and chocolate-glazed gingerbread cookies to make this delicious Christmas dessert.
The entire dessert takes about an hour to make, from start to finish.
Make Homemade Granola
The first step is to make homemade granola. Sweeten it naturally with honey and brown sugar. Then, flavor it with cinnamon.
You could replace it with pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice. I used crushed pecans in the granola, but could also add crushed walnuts and slivered almonds.
Pour the oat mixture on the prepared baking pan. Evenly spread the mixture on the baking pan.
How To Make Gingerbread Cookies From Scratch
This is the best part of the reindeer chow! Mix all the ingredients for the cookies and then place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.
Before you bake the cookies, roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut out the cookies with your favorite cookie cutters.
Bake the cookies and then let them cool completely before you cover them with the chocolate coating.
How To Decorate The Pretzels
This part is optional, but it really dresses up the reindeer chow. Drizzle the white chocolate-covered pretzels with melted red and green chocolate. I show you how to make drizzle chocolate and make DIY Custom Chocolate Pretzels.
Mix all the ingredients together in a very large bowl.
Can Pre-Made Granola Be Used?
Yes, you can save yourself a lot of time and use pre-made granola. I prefer to make my own because I love having control over every ingredient and how sweet and salty it tastes.
If you are going to use pre-made granola, I suggest using a cinnamon-flavored variety so it tastes delicious with the gingerbread cookies. Granola with chocolate chunks will also taste perfect with the cookies too.
How To Store Reindeer Chow
This is a fantastic recipe to give away as Christmas party treats or homemade Christmas gifts. It also makes a festive hostess gift too.
Store leftover reindeer chow in an airtight container at room temperature. It will stay fresh for about two weeks. Make sure you keep it away from any ovens or room rooms because the chocolate could melt.
Reindeer Chow
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Stand Mixer
- Rectangle Cookie Cutters
- Microwavable Bowl
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Homemade Granola
- 1/3 cup Honey
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
- 5 cups Oats
- 2 cups Crushed Pecans
- 1 cup Dried Cranberries
Gingerbread Cookies
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Cake Flour
- 3/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tbsp Ground Ginger
- 2 tsp Allspice
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup Molasses
- 1 Egg room temperature
- 2 tbsp Whole Milk
Chocolate Coating For Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Melting Wafers
- Christmas Sprinkles
White Chocolate Pretzels
- 2 cups White Chocolate Coated Pretzels
- 1 cup Red Melted Chocolate
- 1 cup Green Melting Chocolate
Extras
- Red and White M&Ms
Instructions
Granola
- Preheat the oven 325 degrees
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl add the honey, oil, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine.
- Add the oats, cranberries, and pecans.
- Mix to combine.
- Pour the oat mixture on the prepared baking pan.
- Evenly spread the mixture on the baking pan.
- Bake for 16 minutes.
- Set to the side.
- Allow to cool to room temp.
- Break the granola up into large chunks.
Gingerbread Cookies
- In a bowl of a stand mixer add the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, all spice, ginger, and salt.
- Whisk to combine.
- Add the butter to the flour mixture, and use a pastry blender to blend the mixture until combined. Place the bowl back on the mixer.
- Gradually add the molasses, egg, and milk, mix on medium speed until combined
- Scrape the sides and mix again until a dough ball forms.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and form the dough into a ball.
- Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Place the dough ball on a lightly floured counter.
- Roll out the dough to 1⁄2 inch thick.
- Using a 3.5″ x 2.5 rectangle cookie cutter, cut your cookies and place on a silicone or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Place the baked cookies on a cookie rack to cool to room temperature.
Chocolate coating for cookies
- In a medium sized microwaveable bowl add your Dark chocolate melting wafers. Cook in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Stir the chocolate wafers.
- The chocolate isn’t melted, cook again for 30 seconds until melted.
- Stir again.
- Once the chocolate is melted, dip one side of the cookie into the chocolate and place back on the cooling rack.
- Sprinkle each cookie with Christmas sprinkles immediately after coating it in chocolate.
- Set to the side to harden.
Pretzels
- Place the pretzels on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- In a small bowl add the red chocolate wafers.
- Microwave the chocolate for 30 seconds, stir.
- Repeat until the chocolate is fully melted.
- Stir the chocolate again.
- Using a spoon, drizzle the red chocolate over the pretzels.
- Repeat the same process with the green chocolate as the red chocolate. Set the pretzels to the side to dry.
Putting it together
- In a large add the granola, pretzels and M&M’s. Toss to combine.
- Add the cookies when serving.
More Holiday Ideas
If you enjoyed this festive reindeer snack mix, here are some more holiday dessert ideas you should make next! They are some of my favorites.
Susan B
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