Skip to content 
The holiday season brings joy, laughter, and, of course, delicious treats! These Easy Rudolph Brownies offer the perfect blend of festive cheer and simple baking. They are a delightful way to celebrate with family or prepare a charming dessert for any holiday gathering. Get ready to create some magical edible reindeers that will surely bring smiles to everyone’s faces.
Why You’ll Love These Easy Rudolph Brownies
These delightful brownies are a holiday favorite for many excellent reasons. You will adore how simple they are to prepare and decorate, making them accessible for bakers of all skill levels. They offer a fantastic opportunity for children to get involved in the kitchen, turning baking into a fun, kid-friendly activity. You can customize them with various candies, letting your creativity shine. Plus, the foundation of rich, chocolatey goodness ensures a truly delicious experience. These adorable Easy Rudolph Brownies are guaranteed to bring smiles and holiday cheer to everyone who sees and tastes them.
Ingredients
To whip up these festive Easy Rudolph Brownies, gather these basic items. You will need one box of your favorite brownie mix, plus the ingredients required on its packaging (typically oil, eggs, and water). For the distinctive antlers, grab a bag of mini pretzel twists. Bright red M&M’s or similar red candies will create Rudolph’s iconic nose. Finally, you will need white chocolate chips or candy melts for the eyes, and dark chocolate chips or candy melts for the pupils.
Notes & Substitutions
- Brownies: Feel free to use your cherished homemade brownie recipe instead of a boxed mix if you prefer.
- Antlers: If mini pretzels are unavailable, mini candy canes make a charming and equally festive antler substitute.
- Noses: Get creative with the red noses! Skittles, small gumdrops, or even a dot of red frosting work perfectly.
- Eyes: Store-bought edible candy eyes are super convenient. Otherwise, you can easily pipe your own white and dark chocolate eyes.
- Adhesive: Melted chocolate acts as a great “glue,” but a small dab of frosting or icing also works well to secure candies.
Equipment
You won’t need many specialized tools to make your Easy Rudolph Brownies. A 9×13 inch baking pan is ideal for a standard batch of brownies. You will also need a few mixing bowls for preparing the brownie batter and melting chocolates. A spatula or spoon helps with mixing. A sharp knife or pastry cutter ensures clean, precise cuts. Parchment paper is optional but makes lifting and cutting the cooled brownies much easier. Finally, a microwave-safe bowl or a double boiler is essential for melting your chocolates. Toothpicks or a small piping bag will help you create the adorable eyes.
Instructions
Creating these delightful Easy Rudolph Brownies is a straightforward and fun process. Start by preparing your boxed brownie mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter into your prepared 9×13 inch baking pan. Bake the brownies following the instructions on the mix, ensuring they are fully cooked through. Once baked, let the brownies cool completely in the pan; this is a very important step for neat cutting.
Once your brownies are at room temperature, chill them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This slight chilling helps create cleaner cuts. Use a sharp knife to cut the cooled brownies into rectangular shapes, forming the bodies of your reindeer. For the eyes, melt the white chocolate chips or candy melts gently in a microwave-safe bowl or over a double boiler. Use a toothpick, a small spoon, or a piping bag with a tiny hole to create two white chocolate “eye” dots on each brownie. Next, melt the dark chocolate chips or candy melts. Dot tiny pupils onto the center of each white chocolate eye.
To add the antlers, gently insert two mini pretzel twists into the top corners of each brownie, positioning them above the eyes. You can use a tiny dab of melted chocolate to secure them if needed. Finally, place a red M&M or your chosen red candy below the eyes, centered, to create Rudolph’s iconic shiny nose. Allow all the chocolate decorations to set fully at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a few minutes. This ensures your festive Easy Rudolph Brownies are sturdy and ready to enjoy.
Pro Tips for Perfect Rudolph Brownies
Achieving picture-perfect Easy Rudolph Brownies is simple with a few smart techniques. Always ensure your brownies are completely cooled before you begin decorating; warm brownies will melt the chocolate and crumble when cut. For techniques on how to properly melt chocolate without seizing, check out these tips from Allrecipes. Melt chocolate carefully in short bursts in the microwave or using a double boiler to avoid seizing or burning it. For the cleanest cuts, run your knife under warm water, wipe it clean, and then cut, repeating for each slice. Consider using a small piping bag with a tiny round tip for drawing the chocolate eyes and pupils with extra precision. Assemble your decorated brownies on a sheet of parchment paper for easy cleanup and transfer. If you are in a hurry, refrigerate the decorated brownies briefly to speed up the setting time for the chocolate.
Serving, Storage, and Variations
Serve your charming Easy Rudolph Brownies at room temperature to enjoy their soft, fudgy texture. Store any leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. They remain wonderfully fresh and delicious.
Holiday Party Prep: You can easily bake the brownies 1-2 days ahead of time and store them cooled and uncut. Decorate them closer to your event for the freshest appearance.
Variations:
- Decorate with different frosting colors instead of melted chocolate for the faces.
- Add a sprinkle of edible glitter or colorful sprinkles around the Rudolph faces for extra sparkle.
- Experiment with different brownie flavors, such as mint brownies, for a unique twist.
- Use other candies to create different animal faces, like white chocolate for snowmen or green candies for elves.
Nutrition Information
Please remember this nutrition information provides an estimate based on generic brownie mix and basic decorations. Exact values will vary depending on the specific brands of brownie mix, oils, and candies you use.
| Nutrient | Per Serving (Estimate) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 250-300 |
| Total Fat | 10-15g |
| Saturated Fat | 5-8g |
| Cholesterol | 20-30mg |
| Sodium | 150-200mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 35-45g |
| Sugars | 25-35g |
| Protein | 2-4g |
The addition of decorating candies like pretzels, M&M’s, and extra chocolate will increase the calorie, sugar, and fat content of each individual brownie.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use a homemade brownie recipe for these?
Absolutely! Feel free to use your favorite homemade brownie recipe if you prefer. Just ensure it bakes to a similar thick, fudgy consistency for easy cutting and decorating.
How do I keep the pretzels from falling off?
Use a small dab of melted chocolate as “glue” to secure the pretzels firmly to the top of the brownie. Make sure your brownies are firm and not overly crumbly, which helps the pretzels stay in place better.
Can these Easy Rudolph Brownies be made ahead of time?
Yes, you can certainly prepare these in advance. Bake your brownies 1-2 days before you plan to serve them, then decorate them closer to the serving time for the freshest look.
What if I can’t find red M&M’s for the nose?
No problem at all! You can use any small red candy you find, like Skittles, gumdrops, or even create a small dot with red frosting. Any festive red candy will work perfectly for Rudolph’s nose.
Conclusion
These Easy Rudolph Brownies are more than just a sweet treat; they are a delightful way to add festive cheer to your holiday season. Their simplicity in preparation and charming appearance make them a fantastic choice for busy parents and beginner bakers alike. Gathering to decorate these adorable reindeers creates cherished memories and brings families together. So, embrace the holiday spirit, whip up a batch, and share this wonderful, simple joy with everyone you love. Happy baking!
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- Mixing bowls
- Microwave-safe bowls
- spatula or spoon
- Parchment paper (optional)
- Sharp knife or pastry cutter
- Toothpicks or piping bags for eye details
Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix plus ingredients listed on box (eggs, oil, water)
- 1 bag mini pretzel twists
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or candy melts
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or candy melts
- 12 red M&M’s or other red candies
Instructions
- Prepare and bake the brownie mix according to package instructions in a 9×13-inch pan. Let cool completely.
- Chill the brownies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes for cleaner cutting. Cut into rectangles for reindeer bodies.
- Melt white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Use a toothpick or piping bag to place two white dots (eyes) on each brownie.
- Melt dark chocolate chips. Pipe small dots in the center of the white dots to form pupils.
- Insert two mini pretzels into the top corners of each brownie to form antlers. Use melted chocolate to secure if needed.
- Place a red M&M in the center below the eyes for Rudolph’s nose. Let chocolate set before serving.
