Made with just 6 simple ingredients, these Reindeer Ritz Cracker Cookies are quick and easy to assemble without any oven, plus super adorable! Such a fun little Christmas treat to add to your holiday party or classroom celebration.
These cookies are fun to serve at a party along with some reindeer chow snack mix!
Fun and Easy Christmas Cookies
If you’re looking for something fun and easy to make for your next Christmas party, look no further than these Reindeer Ritz Cracker Cookies – a fun holiday spin based off of our popular ritz cracker cookies! This no-bake treat is made with ritz crackers, coated in chocolate candy melts, and decorated with pretzel twists, candy eyes, and M&Ms for the cute face. Why we love them:
- Fantastic taste and texture. These holiday cookies are sweet, salty, crunchy, and amazing.
- Simple recipe to make with young kids. They’re kid-friendly and don’t require any difficult kitchen skills. So have your kids or grandkids help you make them!
- No bake. No need to turn the oven on, because they’re no bake cookies.
- Vary the size. Make the stacks shorter by using only 2 crackers, instead of the 3 (which will also result in a total of 30 cookies, instead of 20.)
Ingredients Needed
All you need are 6 ingredients!
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for all the measurements and details.)
- Ritz Crackers – Plain and salted. Avoid the flavored varieties.
- Nut butter – This is spread on the crackers for the filling. I used creamy peanut butter, but there are many different possibilities (see note below.)
- Candy Melts – Brown/chocolate candy melts coat the cookies. Avoid regular chocolate chips (see tip below.)
- Mini Pretzel Twists – These are split in half to make the reindeer antlers.
- Candy Eyes – You’ll need candy eyeballs for the eyes. I found mine at my local grocery store with all the sprinkles.
- M&Ms – A red M&M for the nose.
TIP! Candy Melts vs. White Chocolate Chips
How to Make Ritz Cracker Cookies
Here’s how to make this easy Christmas treat. Absolutely no baking required!
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for details and measurements, and don’t miss the video below.)
- Spread the filling on the crackers. Spread a generous teaspoon (or more!) of peanut butter onto 40 of the crackers; sandwich those together with peanut butter side facing UP. Then top with the final 20 plain crackers, to form a cookie stack.
- Melt the chocolate. Melt the candy melts in the microwave according to package directions until melted and smooth.
- Coat the cookie stacks. Place formed cookie stacks on a fork and dip in the melted chocolate to coat; gently tap fork on the edge of the bowl to allow any excess chocolate to drip off. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Add the “antlers” to the cookie. Carefully break a pretzel twist in half and place the bottom half on the chocolate as antlers.
- Add the “face”. Add the two eyes and M&M for the nose. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Let set. Allow the reindeer cookies to set for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations
Ritz Cracker Cookies are easily customizable to your preferred taste.
- Use different fillings. Peanut butter, almond butter, Nutella, marshmallow fluff, or Biscoff cookie butter can all be used. NOTE: because almond butter, cashew butter, and sunflower butter all have a looser consistency than peanut butter or cookie butter, I would recommend placing in the refrigerator after step #2 for about 25 minutes, before dipping them in the chocolate. This will help them firm up a bit.
- Vary the height. I make the cookie stacks with 3 crackers, but you can easily make them shorter by using only 2 crackers (which will also result in a total of 30 cookies, instead of 20.)
Video: Reindeer Ritz Cracker Cookies
Proper Storage
Reindeer Ritz Cracker Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep them away from sun, heat, moisture, and humidity.
More No Bake Christmas Desserts:
- Christmas Chex Mix
- Haystack Cookies
- Crockpot Candy
- Polar Bear Paws
- Old Fashioned Potato Candy
- Rocky Road Avalanche Bars
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Reindeer Ritz Cracker Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (see note)
- 60 Ritz crackers (2 sleeves)
- 3 cups chocolate candy melts
- 20 mini pretzel twists , split in half (for the antlers)
- 20 red M&Ms (for the nose)
- 40 candy eyes
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread a generous teaspoon (or more!) of peanut butter onto 40 of the crackers; sandwich those together with peanut butter side facing UP. Then top with the final 20 plain crackers, to form a cookie stack.
- Melt the candy melts according to package directions until melted and smooth.
- Place formed cookie stacks on a fork and dip in the melted chocolate to coat; gently tap fork on the edge of the bowl to allow any excess chocolate to drip off.
- Transfer back to the prepared baking sheet and decorate (before the chocolate coating hardens) with the candy eyes, m&m nose, and pretzels for antlers.
- Allow to harden and full set at room temperature or place baking sheet in the freezer to set faster (about 10 to 15 minutes.)
- Serve and enjoy!
Just made these and the two crackers was much easier for me to cover in chocolate. Haven’t tasted one yet. Can you freeze these? Very cute!