How to Make Flying Reindeer Cookies

As I promised in my previous post, here's the continuation tutorial for the Flying Reindeer cookies to accompany the Santa Sleigh cookies.

Designing a reindeer cookie cutter was a bit of a challenge. Reindeer typically have thin antlers and skinny, long legs that could easily break as a cookie. My goal was to come up with a cookie cutter shape that was compact and solid, something that was sturdy enough to handle and possibly ship.

By attaching the antlers, the neck, and legs closely to the main body, I think I met that goal. I had to make its ba-donka-donk big and round to do it, but I think that only adds to its character. ;-P

Flying Reindeer Cookie Cutter

Recently added to the shop is this Flying Reindeer cookie cutter.

You can find its companion Santa Sleigh cookie cutter there, as well.

Template for the Flying Reindeer Cookies

To help with the decorating process, I made a PDF template of all the new Christmas designs, including the Flying Reindeer cookies.

You can download the new 2018 Christmas cookie templates HERE.

If you have a Kopykake or Pico projector, just print it out (or pull it up on your mobile device) and you are good to go. For those without a projector, follow the suggested steps below by tracing the design onto the cookie with an edible food marker.

The Decorating Process

For these Flying Reindeer Cookies, you will need the following suggested colors:

• Holiday Red royal icing. (I used Americolor Tulip Red.)
• Brown piping and flood icing (I used Rainbow Dust Chestnut.)
• Darker Brown icing. (I mixed Americolor Chocolate Brown with Super Black.)
• Yellow piping icing ( used Americolor Egg Yellow.)
• Black icing (I used Super Black.)

Step 1

For those without a projector, mark the guidelines where the main body should be, as shown. I made a template with template plastic from the PDF file above and used a food marker to draw the guideline on the cookie.

Step 2

Begin by outlining and flooding the main body section (minus the tail, the nose, and hooves) with the lighter brown icing. Let this icing set and crust for about 15 minutes.

Then add the nose and chest sleigh band with red icing, the tail with brown icing, the antlers with yellow icing, and the rear set of hooves with dark brown icing. Let this icing set up again for about an hour.

Step 3

Now it's time to add the finishing details. With the base layer dry for the most part, add the eye with black icing, the sleigh bells with yellow icing, and the remaining hooves with dark brown icing.

Finish off these flying reindeer cookies by adding the final outlines around the body and antlers for definition.

Video Tutorial

The steps above are demonstrated in the time-lapsed video below.

Here are the finished Santa Sleigh cookies, along side with the Flying Reindeer cookies.

If this sleigh and reindeer theme looks familiar, you might remember this Santa in Flight Platter idea from a few years ago.

I wanted to remake and simplify the past platter idea by offering a new gift box option that could work well as a pair or trio of cookies.

For more fun Christmas cookie ideas, you can check out my Christmas archive. It's full of festive designs from the past 7 years.

Happy Holidays, everyone!