PB Reindeer Cookies

If you couldn’t tell, these were inspired by Pinterest and are a hit at Christmas, especially with the little kids…and with my Aunt who loves chocolate pretzels, but not peanut butter cookies.  By the end of our family Christmas party, all of the reindeer were without antlers.  

---

Ingredients

1/2  cup granulated sugar
1/2  cup packed brown sugar
1/2  cup peanut butter (I use creamy) 
1/4  cup shortening (I use Crisco) 
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Mini brown M&M's
Regular red M&M's
Mini chocolate covered pretzels

---

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Mix sugars, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg in mixing bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.  You can freeze to speed along this process, if in a time crunch

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake about 7 minutes.  Usually I’d do about 8-10 minutes for regular peanut butter cookies, but take them out before they turn light golden brown to make them easier to decorate.  Plus, they will continue to cook on the pan. 

IMMEDIATELY insert M&M’s and chocolate pretzels – they harden fast so it’s a race against the clock.   

(I also put thumbprints around the nose area to try and make them have longer faces - yes, OCD)

Remove from the pan and cool completely.