Reindeer Pancakes

These adorable reindeer pancakes make Christmas morning extra festive! With bacon antlers, banana and blueberry eyes, whipped cream ears, and a raspberry nose, they’re fun, easy, and kid-approved.

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Reindeer pancake decorated with bacon antlers, banana and blueberry eyes, raspberry nose, and whipped cream ears on a festive table.

Fun holiday breakfast featuring a reindeer pancake made from two golden pancakes with bacon antlers and fruit decorations.

These Reindeer Pancakes are almost too cute to eat! Perfect for a Christmas morning breakfast or a fun holiday brunch, these festive pancakes come together with crispy bacon antlers, blueberry eyes, and a raspberry nose—just like Rudolph! They’re quick, easy, and guaranteed to make everyone at the table smile.

If you want to make a full Christmas breakfast spread, be sure to check out my Santa Pancakes too! They’re just as easy and festive — together, they make the perfect pair for a magical holiday morning.

You’ll love this recipe because:

They’re simple. These adorable reindeer pancakes look impressive but are surprisingly easy to make.
They’re festive. A reindeer breakfast is the perfect way to spread Christmas cheer!
They’re customizable. Swap blueberries for chocolate chips, or use strawberries for Rudolph’s nose—there’s no wrong way to decorate.

Here’s what you’ll need:

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Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

Pancake mix: Use your favorite recipe or a boxed mix. Each reindeer face uses about ½-3/4 cup of batter.
Bacon: Two strips form the reindeer antlers. For crisp antlers, bake or pan-fry until firm.
Raspberry: The perfect Rudolph nose!
Banana slices – Use banana slices for the whites of the eyes, then top each one with a blueberry to create the pupils. It’s an easy way to make the reindeer’s face extra cute and expressive!
Blueberries: Great for the eyes—chocolate chips work too.
Whipped cream: Adds cute ear and tail details if you want to dress them up further.

Make the bacon antlers and slice the fruit before you start cooking your pancakes. That way, everyone can decorate their own reindeer while the pancakes are still warm — it turns breakfast into a fun little Christmas activity for the whole family!

Step-by-step instructions

These Reindeer Pancakes come together in just a few simple steps! The photos below will help you see how to assemble each part — from the pancake base to the bacon antlers and fruit face. Don’t worry if every reindeer looks a little different — that’s part of the fun! This is such a great holiday breakfast idea for kids to help decorate, and it’s guaranteed to bring lots of Christmas morning smiles.

For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.

Two golden pancakes cooking on a griddle — one shaped like a reindeer head with rounded ears and one smaller circle for the snout, surrounded by bowls of berries and holiday decor. — *Pour one large circle of batter for the face, then add two smaller “ears” at the top so they touch. On another spot of the griddle, cook a medium circle for the snout.*

Four strips of cooked crispy bacon on a cutting board, ready to be used as antlers for reindeer pancakes. — *While the pancakes cook, bake or pan-fry the bacon until crispy. Then cut about one-quarter off each strip so you can use those shorter pieces as the “branches” for the antlers.*

Two pancakes arranged on a plate to form the reindeer face shape, with one smaller pancake overlapping for the snout. — *Place the large pancake on a plate, then tuck the smaller pancake slightly over the bottom edge to form the snout.* *I like to put a dollop of whipped cream between the pancakes so they stick together and to add extra flavor!*

A raspberry added to the center of the reindeer pancake snout to create the red nose. — *Use two banana slices and blueberries for big cartoon eyes, then press a raspberry in the center of the snout for the red nose.*

Two dollops of whipped cream piped onto each ear of the reindeer pancake to form fluffy details. — *Add small swirls of whipped cream on each ear.*

Finished reindeer pancake on a plate with bacon antlers, banana and blueberry eyes, raspberry nose, and whipped cream ears. — *Tuck two bacon strips into the top of the pancake for antlers, using the shorter pieces as branches if you’d like.*

Expert Tips

Use a squeeze bottle or measuring cup for evenly sized pancakes. You can see in the video that I use a cookie scoop to portion out my pancake batter!
For extra sparkle, sprinkle powdered sugar “snow” over the plate before serving.
Make the pancakes ahead of time and store them undecorated to save time on Christmas morning. Let everyone decorate their own reindeer for a bit of Christmas morning fun!

FAQs

What can I use instead of bacon for the antlers?

If you prefer a vegetarian option, try pretzel twists or breadsticks for the antlers. They’ll still look adorable and add a fun crunch!

How do I get perfectly round pancakes?

Use a ½ cup measuring cup or a portion scoop to pour the batter. This helps keep the pancake size consistent so each reindeer face looks even.

Can I make these without whipped cream?

Definitely! The whipped cream is optional — the pancakes look just as cute with just fruit and bacon if you’d like to keep it simple.

Festive reindeer-shaped pancakes with crispy bacon antlers and holiday decorations around the plate for a Christmas breakfast idea.

Storage Instructions

Store: Undecorated pancakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Reheat: Toast or microwave before decorating.

Freeze: Freeze up to 3 months with parchment between layers.

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