• Brown the butter. Place the butter in a pan on the stove, over medium heat. Let the butter melt, and when it starts sizzling, start stirring with a spatula. Keep the heat at medium, and stir gently with a rubber spatula, keeping the butter moving in the pan. After about 8-10 minutes, you should see some brown bits starting to form on the bottom. When you see this, stir for a few seconds longer and then remove the pan from the heat. Pour the butter immediately into a bowl. You’ll see the brown specks in the butter. Let the butter cool slightly.

  1 cup unsalted butter
• Combine wet ingredients. To a medium bowl, combine the slightly cooled browned butter and both sugars. Use a hand mixer to cream together. Then add the eggs and vanilla and mix again.

  3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Add dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl – the flour, salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda. Mix until just combined.

  2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Form cookie dough balls. Use a cookie scoop to form balls and place on a parchment lined pan.
• Chill dough. Place the cookie balls in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight.
• Bake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies (about 6 at a time) on large baking sheets prepared with pieces of parchment paper or silicone mats for about 12 minutes.
• Cool. Let the cookies sit on the pan for about 5 minutes after baking. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate cookies:

• Make icing. In a medium bowl, melt the butter. Add vanilla extract, half & half, and powdered sugar - and use a hand mixer to mix well. Adjust consistency as needed.

  2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 Tablespoons half and half, 2 cups powdered sugar
• Add icing. Spread a thin layer of icing to each cooled sugar cookie.
• Draw antlers. Place melting chocolate in a glass dish. Melt in microwave at 50% power until creamy. Add the chocolate to a small bag. Clip off the tip of the bag and carefully draw the reindeer antlers.

  3 oz. melting chocolate
• Add eyes and nose. Add the mini chocolate chips for the eyes and a red hot candy for the nose.

  1 Tablespoon mini chocolate chips, 2 Tablespoons red hot candies
• Let cookies sit on wire racks so the frosting sets up completely.