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These easy reindeer brownies are made with a few simple ingredients and are decorated like reindeer for a fun and festive Christmas treat the kids will love! This version is also a gluten-free Christmas brownie recipe you can bring to any holiday party that will be a hit!
You are going to love these adorable Rudolf reindeer brownies that are almost too cute to eat! They make the best easy Christmas treat idea that is so fun for kids and adults. These brownies are cakey and slightly fudgy as well as gluten-free. They are the perfect addition to bring to any holiday party!
You may also love these festive Christmas tree brownies that are also great for the holidays!
It is so fun to decorate any regular brownies and turn them into Christmas brownies this time of year. My kids loved these reindeer brownies and they even wanted to make them for Santa!
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They would be great paired with hot chocolate or sugar cookies for a complete holiday spread!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It is an easy but still very delicious brownie recipe.
- They are gluten-free!
- They make a fun Chrismas Brownies treat that is so festive and cute!
- Kids and adults will love them!
Ingredients and Substitutions For Reindeer Brownies
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour – you could also use regular all-purpose flour.
- Cocoa powder – unsweetened cocoa powder. To give the brownies a nice rich, chocolatey flavor.
- Baking powder –helps give the brownies texture and lift.
- Salt – used to enhance all of the flavors.
- Oil – a neutral oil like avocado oil, or you can use melted butter.
- Coconut sugar + maple syrup – used to sweeten the brownies.
- Vanilla extract – add some great flavor. The pure vanilla extract works best in this recipe.
- 2 large eggs – to help bind all of the ingredients together.
- Chocolate chips – I used mini dark chocolate chips but any type will work.
- For decorating the brownies – chocolate frosting, mini pretzels, candy googly eyes, and red/green M&M’s for turning these into reindeer brownies.
Expert tip: I easily found candy eyeballs at my local grocery store in the baking aisle. You can also find them on Amazon or at any craft store like Michaels.
*Get the complete list of ingredients and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Reindeer Brownies
Turning any brownies into reindeer brownies can easily be done using any brownie recipe, even store-bought. This brownie recipe is so great because the brownies come out wonderfully fudgy with a nice cakey texture with just a few simple ingredients. Plus, they are gluten-free!
Step one: Mix dry ingredients, then in a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients. Combine and mix into a thick batter.
Step two: Stir in the chocolate chips.
Step three: Pour the brownie batter into a prepared 9-inch round pan or an 8×8 prepared pan. Bake the brownies at 350°F until the brownies are all cooked through. This should take around 20-25 minutes. Per the recipe card below.
Step four: Let the brownies cool, then cut them into even-sized triangles.
Step five: Finally, spread the chocolate frosting on them, and add the pretzels, eyes, and nose as I did below to make the reindeer face.
Step six: Serve immediately and enjoy! So cute!
Tips for making these reindeer brownies
- You can use a 9-inch cake pan or an 8×8 baking dish to make the brownies. Cut them into squares or triangles. Either way, they will turn out super cute and festive.
- Line the pan – you want to line and butter the pan before adding the brownie batter so you can easily remove them from the pan after they cool.
- Fudgy brownies. For more fudgy brownies you can use melted butter in place of the oil.
- Let the brownies cool before you decorate them. I recommend letting them cool for at least 30 minutes or the frosting and decorations may melt. They are also much easier to cut once they have cooled.
- Skip the frosting. You can skip frosting the brownies and just add a dab of frosting to the back of the eyes, nose, and pretzels to allow it to stick to the brownies.
- Making them ahead of time. If you are making these brownies ahead of time you can bake and cut them and then doctorate them right before you are ready to enjoy them.
FAQs
Once you have cooked and cooled the brownies, you can layer them in between parchment paper in an airtight container and keep them either at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Then decorate them when you are ready to enjoy them!
Yes! These brownies freeze very well! To freeze them, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, place them into a freezer-friendly container, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight then decorate and enjoy!
Yes, these brownies are gluten-free, and refined sugar-free (except for the decorations), making them healthier brownies that everyone will love!
These cute Rudolf the reindeer brownies are such a fun holiday dessert that everyone will enjoy! Kids love decorating them just as much as adults do! They would even be great topped with a healthy cream cheese frosting if you prefer.
More Delicious Brownie Recipes To Try
Other Holiday Desserts!
- Vegan Hot Chocolate
- Double Chocolate Air Fryer Cookies
- No Bake Monster Cookie Bites
- Gluten Free Buckeye Balls
- Healthy Puppy Chow
Did you try this festive reindeer brownies recipe? If you did, then please leave a comment and rating below. I would love to hear from you!
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Christmas Reindeer Brownies – gluten-free
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 brownies 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Cute and festive chocolate reindeer brownies that kids and adults will love! These wonderful Christmas brownies are made with all real ingredients, are gluten-free, and are mostly refined sugar-free. They make the best holiday dessert to bring to parties.
Ingredients
For the brownies
- ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour – you can also use regular all-purpose flour.
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder – unsweetened
- ½ teaspoon baking powder – only use ¼ teaspoon if you are using regular flour.
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup neutral oil ( such as avocado oil or grapeseed oil) or melted butter.
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup chocolate chips – optional
For decorating
- 1 cup chocolate frosting
- 16 mini pretzels
- 16 googly eyes – or candy eyeballs
- 8 red M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch cake pan, or 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking. You can also line it with parchment paper cut to fit the pan you are using. This also makes it easier to remove the brownies from the pan later.
- In a medium-sized bowl mix the flour with the cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the oil, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Then mix in the eggs.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well to combine. Then fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. Until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out mostly clean with only a few wet crumbs on it. Place the brownies, in the pan onto a cooling rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Then cut the brownies into 8 even size triangles. You can also cut them smaller but you will need more decorating supplies. I found it easier to turn the brownies onto a cutting board to cut them but you can also cut them right in the pan and lift them out.
- Frost each brownie with some of the chocolate frosting, then add 2 pretzels for antlers, 2 googly eyes, and a red M&M for the nose to each brownie to turn them into reindeer. Enjoy!
Notes
- To make these brownies fudgier, use butter instead of oil.
- You can leave out frosting the brownies and just add a dab of frosting on the back of each of the decorations to make them stick to the brownies if you prefer.
- You can find edible googly eyes on Amazon, or at most craft stores. M&M’S and pretzels can easily be found at most grocery stores.
- You can store these brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 3 days. Then decorate when you are ready to enjoy them.
- To freeze brownies: freeze them undecorated and wrapped in plastic wrap in a freezer-friendly container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight and decorate when you are ready to serve them.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Healthy Desserts
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Adorable and gluten free!
Thank you!