How fun are these for kids or grands?! Reindeer Cinnamon Rolls are my favorite kind of holiday kitchen magic: a can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls, a tub of chocolate frosting, and a handful of pantry candy, and suddenly there’s a whole herd of red-nosed reindeer on the breakfast table!
Here’s the real secret, though. These aren’t just cute. They’re strategic. Christmas morning is chaos. Somebody needs coffee, somebody can’t find the tape, and the eggs aren’t going to scramble themselves. Hand the littles a plate of frosted rolls, a pile of pretzels, and a bowl of candy eyes, and you’ve bought yourself a happy, busy crew while you get the rest of the spread set up and ready to go. Everybody wins.
No fancy bakery skills required. If you can open a can and spread frosting with a butter knife, you can make reindeer. That’s Sparkle Without the Splurge at its finest.
Why You’ll Love These Reindeer Cinnamon Rolls
- Starts with a can. Refrigerated cinnamon rolls do all the heavy lifting.
- Kids can decorate. Antlers, eyes, and noses are the perfect jobs for little hands.
- Budget-friendly. Five simple ingredients, most of which you may already have in the pantry.
- About 15 minutes of hands-on time. The rest is just baking and cooling.
- Big holiday impact. They look like you tried a lot harder than you did, and we love that.
Recipe at a Glance
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10–12 minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 can refrigerated cinnamon rolls (8 count)
- Chocolate frosting
- Pretzel twists (16 for antlers)
- Red M&Ms (8 for noses)
- Candy eyes (16)
Tools You’ll Need
- Baking sheet
- Butter knife or small offset spatula
How to Make Reindeer Cinnamon Rolls
Bake the cinnamon rolls. Arrange them on a baking sheet and bake according to the package directions.
Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Don’t rush this part, or the frosting will melt and slide right off your reindeer.
Frost the tops of the cinnamon rolls with chocolate frosting.
Add two pretzel twists at the top of each roll for antlers. Cover the bottoms of the pretzels with a little more frosting so they stay put.
Place a red M&M at the bottom center for the nose.
Finish with two candy eyes just above the nose. Now you’ve got Rudolph and his whole crew!
Tara’s Tips
- Save the icing packet. The icing that comes in the can isn’t needed here. Drizzle it over a second batch, or let the kids use it as “snow” on their plates.
- Pick sturdy pretzels. Look for whole, unbroken pretzel twists. Snap one in half if you want smaller antlers.
- Stock up on candy eyes. A big jar lasts through every holiday treat all year long.
- Make it a decorating station. Set out the toppings in a muffin tin so little ones can grab and go.
- Use a small offset spatula. It makes frosting so much easier for kid hands and grown-up hands alike.
- Out of red M&Ms? A red gumdrop, a cinnamon candy, or a maraschino cherry half all work for the nose.
Serving Ideas
Set these on a Christmas breakfast spread with scrambled eggs, bacon, and a bowl of fresh fruit to balance out the sugar. They also go great with a few more kid-friendly Christmas breakfast ideas:
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Chocolate Bark – The Cutest No-Bake Holiday Treat!
- Christmas Tree Sandwiches – The Cutest Holiday Snack You’ll Ever Stack!
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Sandwiches: A Festive Lunch Idea for Little Elves
- Snowman Cupcakes: The Cutest Christmas Treat You’ll Ever Make!
Storage Notes
These are best the day they’re made. If you have leftovers, cover loosely and keep at room temperature for up to one day. The pretzels will soften the longer they sit, so add antlers right before serving if you’re making them ahead.
Reindeer Cinnamon Rolls
Pop a can of cinnamon rolls and turn breakfast into a whole herd of reindeer!
Ingredients
- Refrigerated cinnamon rolls
- Chocolate frosting
- Pretzel twists
- Red M&Ms
- Candy eyes
Instructions
- Arrange the cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet and bake according to package directions. Allow to cool completely.
- Frost the cinnamon rolls.
- Add two pretzels at the top for the antlers. Cover the bottoms of the pretzels with more frosting.
- Add a M&M at the bottom center.
- Add two candy eyes.
A Little Christmas Magic
The best Christmas memories usually aren’t the expensive ones. They’re the sticky-fingered ones, the “look, mine has crooked antlers!” ones, the moments when the littles are giggling at the kitchen table while you finally get to pour that second cup of coffee. These Reindeer Cinnamon Rolls are a small, sweet way to make that happen.
Merry Christmas from my kitchen to yours!
