Candy Caribou {Winter Reindeer}

I promise this is the last random-themed treat for awhile.   Promise!

We made these edible caribou (reindeer) for our Arctic unit.  I figured they can totally double as a Christmas treat.  The rough idea for these came from Spoonful, but I changed up some of the candies because circus peanuts are gross because we wanted to personalize ours with faces.  I used the frosted Little Debbie "Nutty Bars" and they were a bit messy, so use non-frosted plain chocolate wafers if you can find them.  These can be adult-intensive but would be a fun Christmas Eve day activity for older children.  (Younger kids can always just glue random cookies and candies together.  That's always a hit.)

Candy Caribou

Adapted from Spoonful

*For one Caribou:

-2 chocolate wafers  (If using frosted- freeze them overnight before using.)

-2 caramels (for face)

-4 Riesen candies (for feet)

-Pretzel twists (for tail & antlers)

-Red hot (for nose)

-2 White Sixlets (for eyes)  {I got mine from a Spring mix bag from Easter but you can substitute lots of other candies if you can't find them.}

-Brown or black CK candy writer or royal icing (tint brown with food coloring if desired.)

-Toothpicks

Melt candy writer in bowl of hot water according to directions on back and use as "glue" to attach two wafers on top of each other.  Unwrap 4 Riesens and insert toothpick into each.  Insert opposite end of toothpick to the wafer body so you have a body with 4 legs. 

Use candy writer to "glue" a square caramel about 3/4 of an inch back on the top of the wafer where the head will be.  Shape other caramel into a cylindrical snout shape.  (You may need to soften your caramel in the microwave for 10 or 15 seconds.)  Use candy writer to glue the snout in front of the caramel.

Glue on broken pretzels for tail and antlers, and red hot for nose.  (You will probably have to hold these in place for up to a minute.) Glue two white sixlets for eyes.  (Hold these as well.)

Add a dab of brown/black CK candy writer in the center of each eye for a pupil.

Allow to dry completely.

*Note- If your CK candywriter is not "gluing" things on quickly and easily it is probably too hot!  Allow it to cool a bit and this will save you from having to hold candies in place for hours at a time to dry ;)