Chocolate Spritz Reindeer

Well, these cookies looked cute, but there were some issues with them that I wish would have been written in the directions.  I guess that is why it is sometimes better to find recipes online - better info than from a magazine. They make everything sound nice and simple.  I actually didn't make this batter.  DH did while I was out with the kids this morning, but he couldn't figure out how to get the cookie press to work, so I did the tedious part.  I took pictures of many of the reindeer I made.  The original recipe had you put these over a whole pretzel like the ones on the left hand side of the photo.  However I only had so many whole pretzels, so after that, I just used random parts to make lots of fun shaped antlers.  I really liked them with the broken pretzels - gave them personality.  The original recipe also had you use chocolate chips for the nose.  I have a few done like that in the photo, but I liked the mini m & m better, so I stuck with that for most of them.
As far as flavor, these are only OK.  However, they are super cute.

Tips:
Don't use the cookie press right over the pretzel (like the recipe told me to)  It will either break the pretzel or it won't stick to the pan and come off of the press.  I messed with the first dozen like that before I started making them in my hand.  That worked a lot better, but better still were the ones made with fragments of pretzels because I made the cookie right on the cookie sheet and then stuck the antlers in the top of the already pressed cookie.  I've written directions using pieces.  To use whole, just place the cookie over the top of the bottom curve of the pretzel.  The picture has both type - whole pretzel and pieces.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups flour
• 1 bag large pretzel twists
• 1 bag semi-sweet mini baking M & M's  (green and blue for eyes, brown or red for noses)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375.  In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in sugars and cocoa until well blended.  Beat in milk, vanilla and egg yolk.  On low speed, slowly beat in flour until well blended, scraping the bowl as necessary.
2. Fill heart template in cookie press; fill cookie press with dough.  Using cookie press, press 12 hearts onto a cookie sheet leaving plenty of room above them for antlers.  Press pretzel pieces into the top of the heart shape, trying to almost put them under the cookie.  Place green or blue M&M's for eyes and brown or red for a nose.  (I liked using the eyes to help shape the cookie and push it down on top of the pretzel that was under it.)
3. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cookes are firm, but not browned.  Remove from pans to cooling rack.