Chocolate Reindeer Cookies | Christmas

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. NOTE: For this recipe, I used my Large Bonmat on the top of a Large Perforated Baking Sheet. Set aside.
• NOTE: This cookie dough requires at least 3 hours of chilling, but I prefer to chill the dough overnight. The colder the dough, the thicker the cookies.

CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH PREPARATION

• In a mixing bowl, using a hand-held mixer, cream the softened butter together with the granulated sugar and light brown sugar, until fluffy and light in color, about 2-3 minutes on medium high speed,.
  4 oz butter, 3.53 oz granulated sugar, 3.53 oz light brown sugar
  

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• Add in the egg and the vanilla bean paste, beat on high until just combined.
  1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  

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• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and sea salt together until combined.

  With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour into the wet ingredients. Beat on low until combined.

  NOTE: The cookie dough will be quite thick.

  Switch to high speed and beat in the milk, then the chocolate chips.

  The cookie dough will be sticky and tacky. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours (best overnight) and up to 2 days.

  NOTE: Chilling is mandatory for this sticky cookie dough.
  4.41 oz all-purpose flour, 1.95 oz unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder, 1/8 tsp sea salt, 7.95 oz dark chocolate chips
  

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BAKE!

• Preheat oven to 350℉/180℃.
• Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

  NOTE: If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This makes the chilled cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.
• Scoop and roll dough, using a heaping 1 1/2 Tablespoons (about 1.25-1.40 oz | 35-40 g) in size, into balls. To ensure a thicker cookie, make the balls taller than they are wide (almost like a cylinder or column). Arrange 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

  NOTE: The cookie dough is certainly sticky, so wipe your hands clean after every few balls of dough you shape.
  

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• Bake for 10 minutes at 350F/180C. (Every oven heats differently, monitor your cookies from 8 minutes). It is ready when they don't look quite done and lightly golden brown around the edge, the top staying soft.

  Once your Chocolate Cookies are out of the oven, let them cool down completely on your baking sheet as they will be very soft out of the oven and will deflate slightly once cooled.
  

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CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM PREPARATION

• With a hand-held mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, sea salt, and vanilla bean paste. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute.

  NOTE: Add 1/4 cup more powdered sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or another Tablespoon of heavy cream if frosting is too thick. Taste. Beat in another pinch of salt if desired.

  Use immediately or cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

  NOTE: After refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed.
  4 oz butter, 7.40 oz powdered sugar, 0.71 oz unsweetened cocoa powder, 0.71 oz heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, 1/16 tsp sea salt
  

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ASSEMBLY

• When ready to serve, pipe the chocolate buttercream on top of the cookies in a swirl, starting from the middle and moving outwards.

  Use an offset spatula to flatten the surface. For each cookie: Add 2 pretzels for the set of ears, 2 googley eyes and 1 red chocolate coated candy. Enjoy & Happy Holidays!

  NOTE: The chocolate cookies are best when stored in a metal tin box up to 3 days. Assemble the chocolate buttercream at the last minute so the cookies do not get soggy.
  24 Pretzels, 12 red chocolate candies, 24 Googley eyes
  

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