Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Reindeer

Chocolate peanut butter Ritz crackers hold a permanent spot on my holiday baking list. I love how they’re the perfect combination of salty, sweet and crunchy. These cute little reindeer snacks are the same holiday favorite, but with a fun little twist.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Reindeer

Here’s what you’ll need:

Ritz crackers – however many you want to make. I used two sleeves (makes approx. 28)
Peanut butter
1 pound coating chocolate
Pretzels
Candy eyes
Mini M&Ms – pick out the red ones
Parchment paper

Step 1 – Make the chocolate covered peanut butter Ritz

If you’ve never made these before, it’s super simple. All you do is put peanut butter between two Ritz crackers, then dip in coating chocolate and let dry on parchment paper. If you want to stop there, that’s ok too. They’re delicious on their own!

Set aside a few spoonfuls of melted coating chocolate in a small bowl. We’ll use this in a minute.

Step 2 – Put your antlers on as you’re dipping your crackers

Take your pretzels and break them apart into shapes that resemble antlers. These don’t have to be perfect, they just need to have some curve to them. As you’re dipping your crackers, add your pretzels for antlers. Don’t wait until you’re done dipping to do this because by the time you get done, the first ones that you dipped will be dry, so put your antlers on as you go.

I did not put these on right away, and I think they would have done better if I had put the pretzels on before the coating chocolate had dried. I ended up having to dip the tip of the pretzel in chocolate and stick them on, but I think they would have stayed on better, and looked better if I’d stuck them on before the main coat of chocolate had dried.

Step 3 – Make decorative lines (optional)

If you want to make the little lines on top, make sure you set a few spoonfuls of coating chocolate aside in a separate bowl before you start dipping your Ritz crackers (sometimes the crackers like to break in the chocolate. so this ensures that you have good, smooth chocolate to use at the end). After you’ve dipped your crackers and they’re done drying (they don’t take long to dry), reheat your little bowl of chocolate for about 20 seconds and stir. Pour into plastic baggie, and cut the tip off of one corner, just a tiny bit. Squeeze the chocolate out in a back and forth motion over the crackers. This does not have to be neat.

Step 4 – Add eyes and red nose

As you’re doing your lines, add your eyes and Rudolph’s red nose. If you don’t want to do the decorative lines, or if it dries before you get to put them on, just put a little dab of chocolate on the back of the eyes and nose, and stick on.