These Reindeer Shortbread Caramels bring a festive touch to your holiday dessert table. Each treat features a buttery shortbread base, a gooey caramel layer, and a smooth, rich chocolate topping. With a few simple decorations, these bars transform into playful reindeer, making them a fun and delicious treat that both kids and adults will love.
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Ingredients
These festive Christmas shortbread bars are crafted in three irresistible layers:
- A crispy, vanilla-infused shortbread base
- A luscious layer of gooey caramel
- A rich chocolate topping adorned with holiday decorations
Shortbread layer ingredients
- All-purpose flour - sift if necessary to remove any lumps
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Butter - use unsalted, softened butter
- Vanilla bean paste - or pure vanilla extract
- Egg yolk
See recipe card for quantities.
Caramel layer ingredients
- Brown sugar - use light or dark brown sugar
- Unsalted butter - cut into cubes
- Corn syrup - use light or dark corn syrup
- Vanilla bean paste - or pure vanilla extract
- Sweetened condensed milk - often found in your grocer's baking aisle
See recipe card for quantities.
Topping and decoration ingredients
- Chocolate - use bittersweet chocolate for the top layer and use milk chocolate for the decorative reindeer antlers
- Unsalted butter
- Heavy cream
- Googly eyes - use edible eyes
- M&Ms - use red M&Ms for the reindeer noses
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Shortbread layer instructions
The first step in creating these reindeer shortbread caramels is to prepare the shortbread base. This layer provides a crisp, tender foundation for the gooey caramel and rich chocolate topping to come.
1 - Cut two strips of aluminum foil or parchment paper, each measuring 9" x 14". Place them in the pan, allowing the strips to extend over the sides. This will create 'handles' that make it easy to lift the bars out of the pan once they’re set.
2 - Using a stand or hand-mixer, combine butter, salt and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 2 minutes). Add egg yolk and vanilla bean paste and mix until well combined.
3 - Add flour to mixing bowl and mix until just combined. The dough will have a slightly crumbly texture, which is perfect for the shortbread base.
4 - Pour dough into prepared pan and lightly flatten using your palms. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20-22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from oven and set pan on a wire rack to cool completely before adding the caramel layer.
Caramel layer instructions
Next, prepare the caramel layer for the Christmas shortbread bars. Please use caution as the caramel will be heated to 225°F (107°C), which can cause serious burns if it comes into contact with your skin. Make sure to handle the hot caramel carefully throughout the process.
- Place sweetened condensed milk, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla bean paste in a 3-quart heavy duty saucepan.
- Begin heating over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the ingredients are well combined.
- Increase the heat to medium and continue to stir the mixture constantly until it reaches 225°F (107°C).
- This will take about 4-5 minutes. Be patient and resist the urge to raise the heat, as doing so could cause the caramel to heat too quickly and scorch at the bottom of the saucepan.
- Remove saucepan from heat source and carefully pour caramel over shortbread base.
- Smooth with an offset spatula.
- Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes or until caramel has set.
Chocolate topping and decoration instuctions
1 - Place bittersweet chocolate chips and butter in a heatproof bowl. In a separate saucepan, bring the cream to a low boil, then pour it over the chocolate and butter. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to soften, then stir until smooth. If the chocolate doesn't fully melt, heat the mixture in the microwave at 50% power for 20 seconds, until it becomes smooth (stirring between each heating).
2 - Pour chocolate topping over the caramel layer, then use an offset spatula to smooth the top evenly. Place the pan in your refrigerator for 30 minutes, or until chocolate has fully set.
3 - To make the decorative reindeer antlers, melt milk chocolate by placing it in a heatproof bowl. Heat in the microwave at 50% power in 20-second intervals, stirring well between each interval until the chocolate is fully melted. Transfer the melted milk chocolate into a pastry bag. Pipe 36 pairs of antlers (approximately ¾" each), plus a few extra in case of breakage, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in refrigerator to set.
4 - Carefully remove the shortbread caramels from the pan by gently pulling upward on foil or parchment paper that extends over the sides. Remove foil or parchment and place slab on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut slab into 1 ½" squares.
5 - To decorate: on each piece place one M&M for the nose, two googly eyes and set of chocolate antlers.
6 - Enjoy!
Equipment
Use the following equipment to make the Reindeer Shortbread Caramels:
- 9" x 9" square baking pan
- Stand or hand-mixer
- Candy Thermometer
- 3-quart heavy duty saucepan
- Heat-proof spatula
- Offset metal spatula
- Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
- Pastry bag
Storage
Place the Reindeer Shortbread Caramels in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place away from heat sources for up to 4 days. If your room is warm, store in your refrigerator.
I do not recommend freezing the bars once they are decorated. However, you can freeze them before decorating by wrapping them tightly in plastic. Store them frozen for up to 2 months.
More Christmas dessert recipes
For more inspiration for your Christmas dessert table, take a look at these recipes:
I hope you enjoy this festive shortbread caramels as much as my family and friends have!
📋 Recipe
Shortbread Caramel Reindeer Bars
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or hand mixer
- Square Cake Pan 9" x 9"
- Heat-proof spatula
- Offset metal spatula
- Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
- Pastry bag
Ingredients
Shortbread layer
- 2 Cups All-purpose flour
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter softened
- ½ Cup Granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 Large Egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Caramel layer
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 Cup Brown sugar light or dark
- 1 Can Sweetened condensed milk 14 ounce can
- ¼ Cup Corn Syrup light or dark
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or vanilla extract
Chocolate layer
- 1 Tablespoon Unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ Cups Chocolate chips bittersweet
- ⅓ Cup Heavy cream
Decorations
- 36 Red M&Ms for reindeer noses
- ¼ Cup Milk chocolate chips melted to make antlers
- 72 Edible googly eyes
Instructions
Prepare Pan
- Cut two strips of aluminum foil or parchment paper, each measuring 9" x 14". Place them in the pan, allowing the strips to extend over the sides. This will create 'handles' that make it easy to lift the bars out of the pan once they’re set.
Shortbread
- Using a stand or hand-mixer, combine butter, salt and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 2 minutes).1 Cup Unsalted butter, ½ Cup Granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Add egg yolk and vanilla bean paste and mix until well combined.1 Large Egg yolk, 1 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste
- Add flour to the mixing bowl and mix until just combined. The dough will have a slightly crumbly texture, which is perfect for the shortbread base.2 Cups All-purpose flour
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20-22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before adding the caramel layer.
Caramel
- Next, prepare the caramel layer. Please use caution as the caramel will be heated to 225°F (107°C), which can cause serious burns if it comes into contact with your skin
- Place sweetened condensed milk, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla bean paste in a 3-quart heavy duty saucepan.½ Cup Unsalted Butter, 1 Cup Brown sugar, 1 Can Sweetened condensed milk, ¼ Cup Corn Syrup, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
- Begin heating over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the ingredients are well combined.
- Increase the heat to medium and continue to stir the mixture constantly until it reaches 225°F (107°C). This will take about 4-5 minutes. Be patient and resist the urge to raise the heat, as doing so could cause the caramel to heat too quickly and scorch at the bottom of the saucepan.
- Remove saucepan from heat source and carefully pour caramel over shortbread base. Smooth with an offset spatula.
- Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes or until caramel has set.
Chocolate Topping
- Place the bittersweet chocolate chips and butter in a heatproof bowl. In a separate saucepan, bring the cream to a low boil, then pour it over the chocolate and butter.1 Tablespoon Unsalted butter, 1 ½ Cups Chocolate chips, ⅓ Cup Heavy cream
- Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to soften, then stir until smooth. If the chocolate doesn't fully melt, heat the mixture in the microwave at 50% power for 20 seconds, until it becomes smooth (stirring between each heating).
- Pour chocolate topping over the caramel layer, then use an offset spatula to smooth the top evenly. Place the pan in your refrigerator for 30 minutes, or until the chocolate has fully set.
Decorating
- To make the decorative reindeer antlers, melt the milk chocolate by placing it in a heatproof bowl. Heat in the microwave at 50% power in 20-second intervals, stirring well between each interval until the chocolate is fully melted.¼ Cup Milk chocolate chips
- Transfer the melted milk chocolate into a pastry bag. Pipe 36 pairs of antlers (approximately ¾" each), plus a few extra in case of breakage, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in refrigerator to set.
- Carefully remove the shortbread caramels from the pan by gently pulling upward on the foil or parchment paper that extends over the sides.
- Remove foil or parchment and place slab on a cutting board.
- Using a sharp knife, cut slab into 1 ½" squares.
- To decorate: on each piece place one M&M for the nose, two googly eyes and a set of chocolate antlers.36 Red M&Ms, 72 Edible googly eyes
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