Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

These are a favorite at Christmas parties every year.  I found them originally on Pinterest, and have been tweaking them every year to improve the process.  Here are the basic steps:

Make the peanut butter cookie dough.  I suggest using this recipe. When the dough is done, scoop the dough out on to a cookie sheet in balls of equal size.  I used a 1.5 Tablespoon OXO cookie scoop.  After you’ve dished out all the dough, roll each one into a ball,then shape the snout with your thumb and forefinger.  See image below.

Decorate with red M&Ms and eyes. For the eyeballs,you can use plain chocolate chips, eyeball candies, or white chocolate chips with a spot of melted chocolate for the pupil. (Place the melted chocolate pupil *after* you bake the cookies)

Bake the cookies.  After baking, place the antlers while the cookies are still on the sheet.  Do not transfer the cookies yet.  Let them set for a bit before moving to a cooling rack.

If this is your first time baking them, I suggest making just 1 cookie at first.  Get the process down, and then do the full batch once you know the plan.

Here is the site I originally found this on:
http://buddingbaketress.blogspot.com/2010/12/peanut-butter-reindeer-cookies.html