Reindeer Bark Recipe: a unique Christmas Dessert for kids

The holidays are a magical time of year—filled with cheerful music, cozy nights, and sweet treats that bring everyone together. One of the best ways to celebrate is by making something fun and festive in the kitchen, and this Reindeer Bark recipe checks all the boxes. It’s quick, easy, and adorable! Whether you’re a teacher planning a classroom activity, a homeschooling parent looking for a hands-on holiday lesson, or a mom wanting to make something special with the kids, this recipe is guaranteed to become a new favorite.

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A simple and cute christmas treat

This treat is as simple as it is cute. Using just a few basic ingredients—chocolate, pretzels, candy eyes, and M&Ms—you can create a whole herd of delicious reindeer. It’s a great no-bake recipe that little ones can help with, and older kids can take the lead on assembling. Plus, it’s perfect for gifting. You can wrap the finished pieces in clear treat bags, tie them with ribbon, and add them to stockings, classroom parties, or cookie exchanges.

chocolate bark decorated to look like a reindeer

If you love incorporating learning into fun activities, this recipe doubles as a mini science and math lesson. Kids can practice sequencing by following each step, counting while adding eyes and noses, and observing how chocolate changes from solid to liquid and back again. It’s a sneaky way to make learning delicious!

what you’ll need To Make Reindeer Bark

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Setting Time: 1 hour
Makes: 18 pieces

chocolate candy eyes red mm's and pretzels in bowls

Ingredients
24 oz. chocolate almond bark
36 candy eyeballs
18 pretzels (split in half for antlers—have extra in case some break)
18 red M&Ms

How To Make Reindeer Bark

Step 1: Melt the Chocolate

Place the chocolate almond bark in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat it in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Be sure not to overheat it—if the chocolate gets too hot, it can seize up and lose its shine. You want it smooth, glossy, and easy to spoon. This is a great step for older kids to help with while younger ones prepare the pretzels and candy eyes.

Step 2: Prepare Your Workspace

putting melted chocolate on parchment paper with a spoon

Lay a large sheet of parchment paper on a sturdy cutting board or a baking sheet. This is where your reindeer bark will be shaped and cooled. The parchment prevents sticking and makes cleanup simple. If you’re doing this project with multiple kids, you can divide the parchment into sections so everyone has their own space to work. This helps prevent too many little hands from reaching into the same bowl of melted chocolate!

Step 3: Make the Reindeer Heads

Spoon a spoonful of melted chocolate onto the parchment and use the back of the spoon to spread it into a rough circle about two inches wide. These don’t need to be perfect—each reindeer will have its own personality. Keep spooning and spreading until you’ve made about 18 chocolate circles. Let this first layer of chocolate sit for about 15 minutes so it begins to firm up slightly.

Step 4: Build the Second Layer and Decorate

Once the first layer is slightly set, spoon a small second layer of melted chocolate on top of each circle. This gives the reindeer a nice thick base to hold the decorations. While the chocolate is still warm, it’s time to bring your reindeer to life. Add two candy eyes near the top for the face. Press a red M&M in the center for Rudolph’s famous nose. Then gently press two pretzel halves into the top of the chocolate for antlers. Each piece becomes its own adorable little reindeer—some with silly expressions, some with wide eyes, and some looking off to the side!

Step 5: Let the Reindeer Set
Once all your reindeer are decorated, let them sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes or until completely firm. If you’re in a hurry, you can place the tray in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes to speed things up. When the chocolate is solid, carefully peel each reindeer off the parchment paper. You can arrange them on a plate for serving or store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

This recipe makes about 18 pieces of Reindeer Bark, which is perfect for sharing. The combination of creamy chocolate, crunchy pretzels, and sweet candy eyes is irresistible. Kids love seeing their reindeer come together—and then disappear just as quickly when it’s time to eat them!

Fun Christmas Variations To Try

If you’d like to make your bark extra festive, try adding a drizzle of melted white chocolate over the top before the pieces set. You can even sprinkle crushed candy canes or colored sugar sprinkles for extra sparkle. Another fun twist is using different candy colors for the noses so you have a whole team of reindeer, not just Rudolph leading the pack.

Connect it to learning

For homeschoolers or teachers, this project can easily tie into lessons about reindeer, the Arctic, or holiday traditions around the world. You can read a short story about Santa’s reindeer or discuss how reindeer survive in cold climates. Follow the craft with a read-aloud of Olive, the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh or The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett to add a literacy connection. Kids will love seeing their snack match the theme of the story.

Reindeer Bark is also great for classroom or co-op holiday parties. You can pre-melt the chocolate and let students decorate their own reindeer as a creative snack station. Just make sure to have extra pretzels on hand since they tend to break when being split for antlers. If you’re working with younger kids, you can even make a large batch of chocolate circles ahead of time and let them simply add the candy pieces for decorating fun.

For moms and caregivers, this treat is the perfect weekend or snow-day activity. It’s simple enough to make with preschoolers but fun enough for older kids to enjoy too. Set out a variety of candies and let everyone design their own reindeer faces. Some kids might want to make their reindeer look silly, while others go for classic Rudolph style—it’s all part of the fun! Once finished, the reindeer make great edible gifts for family, friends, or neighbors. Just package a few in cellophane bags tied with red or gold ribbon, and you have a festive, homemade treat to share.

A christmas dessert that your kids will never forget

This Reindeer Bark recipe isn’t just a dessert—it’s a holiday memory in the making. Kids will remember the laughter, the chocolatey fingers, and the excitement of seeing their reindeer come to life. It’s a hands-on project that blends creativity, cooking, and holiday cheer into one sweet experience.

So this season, melt some chocolate, grab a few pretzels, and make a batch of reindeer together. Whether you’re sharing them at a classroom party, gifting them to loved ones, or enjoying them as a family treat after reading The Night Before Christmas, Reindeer Bark is sure to make everyone’s spirits bright.

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