Reindeer Holiday Sandwiches with Peanut Butter
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.Holiday lunches become more exciting when I turn simple sandwich ingredients like peanut butter, fresh fruit, and whole wheat bread into these festive and playful reindeer sandwiches. They are soft, with a delicate sweetness and just the right mix of creamy and crunchy, thanks to the fruit and pretzels. I make these in just 5 minutes, but they always leave a lasting impression on my kids.
Festive sandwiches like these reindeer holiday sandwiches with peanut butter are one of my favorite ways to make my meals more engaging for my kids. And like my Halloween pumpkin quesadillas, I have passed this recipe on to many parents who are dealing with picky eaters. Try making these savory treats for your kids and get them excited about whole ingredients.
I first made these during a holiday break when I wanted to cheer my kids up, since they missed their school friends. This was also one of the ways I got them to eat things they ordinarily would not, similar to what I did with my funny face Halloween apples. Now that my kids are older, I do not need to resort to funny faces and festive characters to get them to eat their food. But recently, my eldest told me that just because they are older, it does not mean that they are too old for things like reindeer holiday sandwiches.
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
These reindeer holiday sandwiches with peanut butter are a basic idea that completely changes the way kids respond to their lunch. I use whole wheat bread for added fiber, pure peanut butter for healthy fats and protein, and fresh fruit for natural sweetness in place of sugar spreads. As a mom and nutritionist, this is the kind of recipe that gets me excited. I love that I can give my kids a balanced meal that tastes delicious while also getting a chance to flex my artistic muscles.
Turning a basic peanut butter sandwich into a reindeer holiday sandwich sounds impressive, and to be fair, it looks impressive too. But one of the reasons I love this recipe is that it is so easy. I spread the peanut butter evenly so it acts as both filling and a way to hold everything together. And to prevent the sandwich from becoming bulky, I always slice the fruit thinly. I also make sure to add the pretzels last, or just before serving, to keep them crunchy.
A few years ago, my youngest became infatuated by these sandwiches and had some variation of them nearly every day during Christmas break. When they returned to school, it was time to draw pictures and tell the story about what they did during their break. The teacher knows me and called me aside during pick up, unable to contain her laughter, and showed me what my youngest had written. It was something along the lines of this holiday, I ate reindeer every day. Ha! Be sure to make these for your kids as a fun treat, no matter what time of year it is.
🥘 Ingredients
For these reindeer holiday sandwiches, I use everyday ingredients and get creative. This is what I use:
Whole wheat bread: I use soft whole wheat or sprouted bread for added fiber and a sturdy base.
Peanut butter: I use natural peanut butter for a creamy texture and rich flavor. Be sure to check out my buying guide on the healthiest nut butters.
Fresh fruit: I like using sliced strawberries, apples, or a pear for natural sweetness and color.
Pretzels: These create the antlers and add a light crunch.
Chocolate chips: I use these for eyes.
Naturally colored candy: I add one piece of red candy for the nose to emulate Rudolph.
🔪 How To Make
I assemble these sandwiches step by step, keeping everything simple enough for the kids to help too. This is how I make them:
Cut shapes: First, I place the bread on a cutting board and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to create the base for each sandwich.
Add filling: Then I spread the peanut butter evenly over one side of each piece, and layer slices of fruit on half of them.
Sandwich together and add pretzels: I place the remaining bread pieces on top and press them together gently so everything sticks together. Then I insert a pretzel at the top edges to form antlers, adjusting them until secured.
Add features and serve: Finally, I add the eyes and nose, pressing them down lightly, and serve.
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for this reindeer holiday sandwich recipe is to slice the fruit very thin. This prevents the sandwich from slipping apart and makes it easier to eat.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Right cutter: I use a large enough cutter so the sandwich is still substantial enough.
- Keep off cuts: I keep all the off-cuts of bread. I like toasting them and blending them. These store really well and can be used whenever I need breadcrumbs.
- Gentle press: I press the sandwich together gently to keep the layers together, without squeezing out the filling.
- Add pretzels last: Pretzels can become soggy the longer they sit in the sandwich. If I have made these ahead of time, I add the pretzels right before serving or before packing up for lunch. This keeps them fresher for longer.
📖 Variations
I like switching these up depending on preferences or whether or not I want to dress the reindeer up for a different time of the year.
Nut-free option: I use 2 tablespoons of sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter for an allergy-friendly version. My kids enjoy this version too, and even use some pumpkin seeds to decorate the face.
Jam addition: Instead of using fresh fruit, I add a layer of my strawberry chia seed jam. This works well for Valentine’s Day reindeer. I like cutting tiny pieces of strawberries into heart shapes and placing them on the cheeks. My husband loved finding this in his packed lunch on Valentine’s Day.
Simple version: I skip the candy and use 2 raisins for the eyes and 1 dried cranberry for the nose. This is a great alternative, especially if you serve them frequently. Even my picky eaters enjoyed it.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Since these reindeer holiday sandwiches are Christmas-themed, I like serving them with other equally festive treats. If you are laying them out as part of a spread, serve them alongside a more sophisticated puff pastry Christmas tree, with some Christmas Rice Krispie treats. And if these do not get your guests in the Christmas spirit, a glass of my vegan eggnog might do the trick.
When my kids are home in the lead-up to Christmas, I like serving a different treat each day to keep the merriment strong. For breakfast, I will serve my Santa pancakes, and I will always have a few Christmas muffins and strawberry Santa hats around for a snack. These reindeer sandwiches are a daily occurrence, just with different toppings.
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Refrigeration: I store assembled sandwiches in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing these sandwiches, and the texture of the bread and fruit will change.
Reheating: These are best served fresh or at room temperature.
❓Recipe FAQs
Which fruit works best inside these sandwiches?
I like using fruits that hold their structure, such as apples, pears, or strawberries. Softer fruits like bananas can brown quickly and turn the bread soggy, leading to a messy sandwich. I would only use them if I am serving these sandwiches immediately.
What type of bread works best for shaping?
I prefer soft whole wheat or sandwich bread that is not too dense. If the bread is too firm, it can tear apart when using a cutter. A slightly softer texture, with a thick slice, allows for clean shapes, easy assembly, and better structure.
Why do my sandwich toppings fall off when serving?
I have seen this happen when the toppings are added without anything to secure them in place. I like using a bit of peanut butter or honey as a natural adhesive and pressing the eyes and nose gently into place.
Love this healthy holiday recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating 🌟 in the recipe below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page!
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food, and if you have any questions, I’m here to help!
Reindeer Holiday Sandwiches
Holiday lunches become more exciting when I turn simple sandwich ingredients like peanut butter, fresh fruit, and whole wheat bread into these festive and playful reindeer sandwiches. They are soft, with a delicate sweetness and just the right mix of creamy and crunchy, thanks to the fruit and pretzels. I make these in just 5 minutes, but they always leave a lasting impression on my kids.
Servings: 3
Calories: 288kcal
Ingredients
- 6 slices sprouted wheat bread or whole wheat bread
- 3 tbsp peanut butter (more if needed)
- 6 tbsp fresh fruit of choice (I used 6 strawberries)
- 6 mini pretzels
- 6 mini chocolate chips
- 3 red M&M-style candies
Instructions
- Place bread on a cutting board and cut out six heart shapes. Set aside.
- Spread peanut butter on your bread, place fresh fruit on top of 3 of the heart slices.
- Place pieces together. Stick two pretzels at the top of each side of the heart for antlers.
- Add two chocolate chips for eyes and a M&M style candy for the nose. Use a little bit of peanut butter to "secure" the eyes and nose to the sandwich. Instead of regular M&Ms which have artificial colors, I recommend using these M&M style candies from Trader Joes or from UNREAL. The candies can be red for Rudolph or brown.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this reindeer holiday sandwich recipe is to slice the fruit very thin. This prevents the sandwich from slipping apart and makes it easier to eat.
- Right cutter: I use a large enough cutter so the sandwich is still substantial enough.
- Keep off cuts: I keep all the off-cuts of bread. I like toasting them and blending them. These store really well and can be used whenever I need breadcrumbs.
- Gentle press: I press the sandwich together gently to keep the layers together, without squeezing out the filling.
- Add pretzels last: Pretzels can become soggy the longer they sit in the sandwich. If I have made these ahead of time, I add the pretzels right before serving or before packing up for lunch. This keeps them fresher for longer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 39.2g | Protein: 12.6g | Fat: 10.1g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 259.6mg | Potassium: 303.8mg | Fiber: 7.8g | Sugar: 6.4g
These are adorable!! So perfect for when my nephew is over this weekend.
Thanks so much! 🙂 I can’t wait for your nephew to try these sandwiches!!
This is such a cute idea and a fun way to serve lunch 🙂
Thanks Amy! These are perfect for a holiday themed lunch!
Oh dear how cute are these little fellows! Love that you can make these without having to get a bunch of ingredients you will never use again!Thanks for sharing!
Totally!! I made these with everything I already had in my pantry!
How adorable are these? I don’t have any kids myself but we’ll have our friends kiddos over for the holidays and they would LOVE LOVE these!
Awww thank you!! Yes I’m sure your friends kids will gobble these up! 🙂
This is the cutest thing I have seen all day!! I made something similar but with muffins. I gotta give it a go with sandwiches now. Thanks for the idea!!
Hehe yay!! What a great idea to try this with muffins too!