Peanut Butter Cup Reindeer Cookies

When I saw these cookies at Bake at 350, I knew I wanted to make them. And when I made them with a friend prior to Thanksgiving, I knew I wanted to recreate them because they were so delicious. (Any time you get to eat a whole peanut butter cup and a cookie in one treat, it's a good thing. Add in some peanut butter frosting, and you're on your way to bliss.)

We repurposed these for Christmas. We made a much smaller batch of frosting and made a few Christmas owls with scarves, hats, ears and beaks. Since my sacrilegious friend does not like frosting, we came up with this variation to make reindeer. They turned out adorable, despite the fact many have goofy eyes.

Peanut Butter Cup Reindeer Cookies
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup smooth peanut butter
Toppings
30 full-size peanut butter cups
60 white chocolate chips
1/4 cup chocolate chips, melted 
30 to 60 pretzels
30 red M & M candies

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together.  Set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the shortening, butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined.  Add in the peanut butter, and mix until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture.

Scoop the dough using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop onto the prepared sheets.  Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.

Bake for 13 minutes, or until the cookies are golden and baked through.  Let them rest on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  The cookies will look poofy out of the oven and deflate as they cool.

To assemble cookies, press a peanut butter cup onto the cookie after they have cooled slightly. (You want the peanut butter cup to melt enough to adhere to the cookie but not become a giant melted blob of deliciousness.) Or, you can use the melted chocolate chips to adhere the peanut butter cup. Press 2 white chocolate chips into each peanut butter cup for eyes. Use melted chocolate or an edible food marker to make the pupils. Use either whole pretzels or break pretzels apart for antlers, whichever look you prefer. Use the melted chocolate to stick an M & M nose on each reindeer. Makes 30 delicious reindeer!