Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Reindeer Food

This popular Christmas recipe is inspired by Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Reindeer Food, available only during the holiday season.

Is there anything more magical than Disney during the holidays? Even if you’re not a kid anymore, the festive cheer at Walt Disney World Resort is sure to put a smile on your face.

This year, why not try making some of your own holiday magic at home with these fun recipes straight from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge resort?

Reindeer food has such a festive flair the pretzels salty and sweet combo is just addictive. Rich, spiced gingerbread smothered in dark chocolate. It all gets tied together in a sweet and nutty granola.

It’s currently only available to purchase at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge resort during the holiday season. With this recipe though, you can enjoy it any time you like, and from home!

What are Candy Melts?

Candy melts are a confectionery coating that can be melted and used to dip treats, then sets hard with a smooth and shiny finish. Candy melts requires no tempering which makes them easy to use. They also hold their shape well at room temperature. They taste like and have a texture similar to chocolate.

How to Make Candy Melts Candy Thinner

In a microwave safe bowl, heat the candy melts in 30 second increments let sit for 1 minute between each time. Stir the melted candy with a rubber spatula until smooth and creamy.

If your candy melts remain a little too thick, you can thin them by adding 1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening to the still warm melted candy then stir well. Do not use liquid vegetable oil, butter, milk, water or any other liquid to thin your candy. Using shortening your candy will still set and still have a nice sheen.

Equipment Needed to Make Reindeer Food

Baking sheet – You will need a sheet pan for both the granola and the cookies.

Parchment paper – For lining the baking sheets, silicone liners work great too.

Stand mixer – You can also use a large mixing bowl and a whisk and/or pastry cutter.

Cookie cutter – You will need a 3.5″ x 2.5″ rectangular cookie cutter.

Spatula, plastic wrap, rolling pin, and a wire rack.

About the Ingredients for Reindeer Food

Honey – You can substitute with real maple syrup.

Brown sugar – Light brown sugar is best, but dark brown sugar will work too.

Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract is best but artificial vanilla extract will work too.

Spices – We use warming spices throughout. Allspice, ginger, and cinnamon.

Oil – Any neutral flavoured oil will work.

Oats – Roll oats or instant works.

Pecans – You can substitute with walnuts or any other type of nut that you prefer. Omit entirely too!

Cranberries – Dried cranberries.

Flour – If you don’t have any cake flour on hand you can use all-purpose flour with cornstarch to achieve the fluffiness that cake flour gives this cake. To make your own cake flour substitute, measure out your flour, then remove 2 Tablespoons. Add back in 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch. Then sift your flour twice over so it is nice and fluffy like cake flour. Ready to use! Spoon and level both of the flours when measuring it, otherwise you’ll wind up with dense cookies.

Baking Soda – To leaven your cookies, so they are nice and fluffy. Make sure it is still active for best results!

Butter – Using unsalted butter and then adding salt gives you the best control over the amount of salt in the recipe. You can use salted butter if you prefer but you will want to halve the additional salt.

Molasses – Use fancy molasses only.

Eggs – It is best if you use room temperature eggs.

Milk – Use whole milk for the best flavour, but you can use virtually any milk you like, including non-dairy.

Chocolate – You can substitute with chocolate chips or chocolate bars.

Sprinkles – You will want to use red, green, and white nonpareils.

Pretzels – I you can’t find these ready-made, you can make your own by melting some white chocolate and dipping the pretzels into the melted chocolate.

Melting chocolate – You will need both Red melting chocolate and green melting chocolate.

Looking for More Festive Christmas Recipes?

Check out more of my favourite holiday treats!

Make delicious homemade gingerbread cupcakes with a fluffy gingerbread buttercream frosting topped with fresh ginger bread cookies.

A fun recipe for kids and adults alike, these Oreo penguin cookies are a perfect addition to your holiday cookie platter.

These Santa Sugar Cookies are deceptively easy to put together and look fabulous on your Christmas Cookie Plate!

How to Make Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Reindeer Food

Yields: 12 Servings | Prep time: 30 Minutes | Cook time: 32 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the Granola:

• ⅓ cup honey
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 5 cups oats
• 2 cups crushed pecans
• 1 cup dried cranberries

For the Gingerbread Cookies:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temp
• ¾ cup molasses
• 1 egg, room temp
• 2 tablespoons whole milk

Chocolate coating for cookies:

• Dark chocolate melting wafers
• Christmas sprinkles

For the White Chocolate Pretzels:

• 2 cups of white chocolate coated pretzels
• 1 cup Red candy melts
• 1 cup Green candy melts

Extras:

• M&ms, red and white

Directions:

For the Granola:

Preheat the oven 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

In a large bowl add the honey, oil, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon. Mix to combine.

Stir in the oats, cranberries, and pecans.

Pour the oat mixture on the prepared baking pan.

Spread the mixture out on the baking pan in an even layer.

Bake for 16 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Gingerbread cookie:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, all spice, ginger, and salt. Mix to combine using the paddle attachment.

Add the butter to the flour mixture, and blend the mixture on low speed until just combined.

Gradually add the molasses, egg, and milk, and mix on medium speed until just combined.

Scrape down the sides and mix again until a dough ball starts to form.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, divide it in half and work each half into a flat disc shape.

Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper.

Roll out the dough to ½ inch thick.

Using a 3.5″ x 2.5 rectangle cookie cutter, cut your cookies and place on your prepared sheet pan.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a cookie rack to cool to room temperature.

for the Chocolate Coating:

In a medium sized microwaveable bowl add your dark chocolate melting wafers. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Stir the chocolate. The chocolate isn’t melted, heat again for 30 seconds until melted and smooth.

Once the chocolate is melted, dip one side of the cookie into the chocolate and place back on the cooling rack.

Sprinkle each cookie with Christmas sprinkles immediately after coating it in chocolate.

Set to the side to harden.

For the Pretzels:

Place the pretzels on a parchment lined baking sheet.

In a small bowl add the red chocolate wafers. Microwave the chocolate for 30 seconds, stir. Repeat until the chocolate is fully melted.

Stir the chocolate again.

Using a spoon, drizzle the red chocolate over the pretzels.

Repeat the same process with the green chocolate as the red chocolate.

Set the pretzels to the side to dry.

Putting it together:

Break the granola up into large chunks and add to a large bowl with the pretzels, and M&M’s.

Toss gently to combine.

Add the cookies when serving