Pretzel Reindeer Bites

Name: Pretzel Reindeer Bites
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup pitted dates (soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften); 1 cup almonds (unsalted); 1 cup cashews (unsalted); 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; Pinch of salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil; 1-2 tablespoons water (or more if necessary); Pretzels for antlers ((can use gluten-free pretzels if necessary)); Pomegranate arils for nose; Candy eyeballs for eyes ((or sub in puffed brown rice cereal))

These Pretzel Reindeer Bites make a fun and healthy Christmas treat that’s low in sugar! Prep these cute reindeer in advance for an easy snack to serve to the kids or guests during the holiday season. {Vegetarian, dairy-free & gluten-free-friendly}

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If you’re looking for some easy and healthy Christmas treats, these Pretzel Reindeer Bites are super fun to make (and eat) and will totally get you in the holiday spirit!

The base of these reindeer treats are made with nuts, dates and cocoa powder, so they contain no added sugar.

Next, it’s the fun part — once you’ve rolled up the chocolate flavoured balls into little reindeer heads, you can accessorize them with eyes, a pomegranate nose and pretzel antlers for a tasty snack that the kids (and grown ups) will adore!

They’re almost too cute to eat!

As an added bonus, this easy reindeer snack is completely no bake, so it’s a great way to save on oven space, especially during that busy holiday season where the oven is in high demand.

Serve these cute little snack bites during your Christmas gatherings or save them for Santa and his reindeer on Christmas Eve. Either way, they’re sure to be a hit!

For more healthy Christmas treats, be sure to check out these Vegan Thumbprint Cookies and No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Cups!

reindeer bites on a white rectangle tray surrounded by Christmas decorations

Why we love these no-bake Christmas treats

They make such a cute little treat and edible craft to make with kids and they’re easy enough for them to assemble themselves! They can help assemble the mixture, roll the energy balls and place on the antlers, nose and eyes. Perfect way to keep them busy over the holidays ;)

These energy bites also contain no added sugar (other than the candy eyeballs, if you choose to use them). I highly recommend that you serve them to Santa this year. It’s no secret that he could use a little bit of help with his diet. I’m sure his blood sugar goes through the roof at this time of year, so do the guy a favour and give him some lower sugar treats. They’re also great for his reindeer too! ;)

They’re also perfectly portion-controlled and a good source of fibre, healthy fats and antioxidants, which we could all use a little more of during the holiday season. And did I mention that they’re super cute?!

Ingredient notes

ingredients for reindeer treats on a grey background with labels

Dates: Use pitted Medjool dates or regular baking dates. Be sure to soak them for several minutes if they seem too hard to blend.
Nuts: I typically use a combination of unsalted almonds and cashews for a nice nutty flavour. Use toasted to enhance the flavour even more.
Coconut oil: Is used to add some moisture to the mixture and helps the bites to harden slightly after refrigerating. Use unrefined coconut oil for a subtle coconut flavour or sub in refined if you don’t like that coconut taste.
Seasonings: Cinnamon and a pinch of salt are used to enhance the flavour of these bites.
Pretzels: Are used for the reindeer antlers. For more realistic antlers, break the round pretzels in half rather than using the straight stick-like pretzels.
Pomegranate: Pomegranate arils are used for the reindeer nose. You can also use goji berries or candy such as red smarties or m&ms if preferred.
Candy eyes: You can use candy eyeballs which you can find in the baking section of many grocery stores or get them here. If you want to avoid all added sugar, use puffed brown rice cereal or dark chocolate chips for the eyes instead.

How to make reindeer: Step by step instructions

Nuts and cocoa powder blended in food processor

date and nut mixture blended in a food processor

Combine the almonds, cashews, cocoa, cinnamon and salt in the food processor. Process until crumbly.
Add the soaked dates, vanilla and coconut oil. Process until mixture is combined. If mixture still seems dry, add one tablespoon of water at a time until mixture adheres together, but isn’t overly sticky. Place in the fridge for about 10 minutes to harden up slightly.
Meanwhile, break the pretzels into pieces that resemble antlers.
Once the energy ball mixture has firmed up a bit, remove from the fridge and form into approximately sixteen 1-1/2 inch balls. Place the balls on a large plate.
Carefully poke the pretzels into each side of the reindeers’ head. Next, stick on the candy eyes and gently place the pomegranate aril underneath for the nose.
Place balls in fridge to allow chocolate to harden. Serve immediately or store in fridge for later.

cute reindeer bites on a circular plate next to Christmas decorations

Recipe Notes:

If the energy ball mixture isn’t sticking together after processing it for several minutes, add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the mixture until it starts to adhere. It should be sticky enough to roll into balls.

Place the energy ball mixture in the fridge for several minutes to harden up slightly so that it won’t be as sticky (because sticky = messy!) before rolling into balls.

Have some extra pretzels on hand in case they don’t break quite right. The pretzel antlers don’t have to be perfect, since it gives each reindeer character, but you want to be able to break it in such a way that you can poke it into the reindeer head so that it resembles an antler. I usually break a pretzel and use each half as an antler. If one pretzel breaks in a weird place, just get another one and try again. This part can be a little tricky, but once you’ve done a few, you start to get the hang of it.

For the eyes, you can use candy eyeballs, or I’ve also had success using puffed brown rice cereal or dark chocolate chips for a healthier option.

Be careful when sticking the pomegranate arils on for the reindeer nose. If you squeeze it too hard, the aril may burst and the juice will squirt right back at you. If preferred, you can also use a goji berry or a red candy such as a smartie or m&m.

Recipe FAQs

How to store

You can store these bites in the fridge for up to one week in an air-tight container.

Can I freeze these bites?

Yes, they freeze really well! Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Just be sure to not overcrowd them in the container as the pretzel antlers may break.

Serving suggestions

Serve along with a hot drink like hot cocoa, apple spiced tea or this warm and comfy turmeric latte!

Recipe variations

Different base: Instead of the dates, you could also try subbing in raisins.
Different nuts: Use all almonds or all cashews, or try a different combo. Pecans or walnuts would work well too.
For no added sugar: Skip the candy eyeballs and instead use puffed brown rice cereal for the reindeer eyes.
To make gluten-free: Use gluten-free pretzels.

pretzel reindeer bites on a white tray next to Santa cutout and Christmas balls

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Course Appetizer, Snack