If one of your favorite holiday treats is eggnog, then you’re going to fall head over heels for these Eggnog Cookies! Flavored with eggnog and warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, Eggnog Cookies are thick and tender with a soft bite and a sweet frosting on top. They are so much fun to make during the holiday season, and you can enjoy them with a big glass of milk, eggnog, or your favorite hot cocoa!
Looking for more Christmas Cookies? Try these adorable Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies, Delicious Crescent Cookies, or our delicious White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies.
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Baking cookies is one of my family’s favorite holiday traditions! We’re always looking for fun new twists and flavors to try, so I was intrigued when someone suggested adding eggnog to flavor a cookie. What a good idea! We experimented a little, and these delicious Eggnog Cookies are the superb results. I hope you have fun with them too!
These cookies are perfect to go on your cookie platter with your other favorites or are delicious enough to stand alone. Think of serving them after a skating party, while tree decorating, or gift-wrapping. No one is going to pass up a gorgeous holiday cookie like this one.
What is in Eggnog Cookies?
Though they taste truly decadent, these eggnog cookies are really quite simple to make. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
Ingredients
Eggnog – This is the most important ingredient! You can use eggnog with or without alcohol, but keep in mind that the alcohol won’t cook out of the frosting if you want it to be family-friendly. Choose your favorite eggnog brand, or you can even try making your own. The better the eggnog tastes, the better these cookies will taste.
Brown Sugar – In addition to adding sweetness, brown sugar also helps the cookies stay dense and moist.
White Sugar – When creamed with the butter, white sugar ensures you’ll end up with thick, puffy cookies that are soft to bite into.
Butter – This adds structure, tenderness, and richness to the cookies. I like to use salted butter for a little extra zing, but unsalted works, too. Make sure it has softened to room temperature before you begin baking.
Egg Yolks – Adding just yolks, and not the whole egg, means you’ll have a richer, chewier cookie. Save your egg whites for tomorrow morning’s omelets.
Rum Extract – If you’re using eggnog with rum, you can leave this ingredient out. If you’re not using rum-flavored eggnog, this gives the cookies a little more pizzazz while still keeping them family-friendly.
Vanilla Extract – This enhances all of the other flavors in the cookies.
All-Purpose Flour – I used unbleached all-purpose flour, but whatever you have on hand is fine.
Baking Powder – Use this to help the cookies rise.
Salt – Not only does this enhance the flavors, but it also adds to the tenderness of the cookies.
Ground Nutmeg and Cinnamon – Warming spices to add to the eggnog flavor. These cookies taste like Christmas!
How to Make Eggnog Cookies
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.
Add the eggnog, egg yolks, vanilla, and rum extract if using. Mix at medium speed until the mixture is smooth.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. The cookie dough will be sticky. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Using the refrigerated dough, scoop dough out in heaping tablespoonfuls (or use a medium cookie scoop), and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden.
I like my eggnog cookies a little flatter on top for ease of frosting them, so when they come out of the oven, I gently press their domes down with a flat spatula. This is a matter of preference, and if you like the dome, you can leave them alone.
Let them cool on the pan for 1 or 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire baking rack to cool completely.
When the cookies have cooled, combine powdered sugar, eggnog, and butter in a medium bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until completely smooth. Frost the cooled cookies and sprinkle with coarse sugar and a pinch of nutmeg. Enjoy!
Recipe Pro Tips!
These frosted Eggnog Cookies are a melt-in-your-mouth dream. A frosted cookie is a special one that everyone will love. The cookies aren’t hard to make, and the frosting goes on just like spreading butter.
Do Eggnog Cookies Need to be Refrigerated?
Since these cookies have eggnog in the frosting, I suggest that they are refrigerated. They will last longer stored in an air-tight container and will last 3-5 days.
Can I Freeze Eggnog Cookies?
I find cookies like this are best frozen without the frosting. Freeze them in an air-tight container. Thaw and ice before serving for the best results. They will freeze well and will keep up to 3 months.
WANT MORE HOLIDAY COOKIES?
We love baking cookies for the holiday and have all sorts of wonderful recipes. Here are a few more of the ones we love. I also added in our adorable snowman cake pops, too.
Eggnog Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon rum extract see note
- 3/4 cup eggnog
For the Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon rum extract
- 1/4 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 to 5 tablespoons eggnog
- Coarse sugar and nutmeg to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggnog, egg yolks, vanilla, and rum extract to the standing mixer bowl. Mix at medium speed until smooth.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. The dough will be sticky. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.
- Using the refrigerated dough, scoop the dough out in heaping tablespoonfuls (or use a medium cookie scoop), placing them 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden.
- Let them cool on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire baking rack to cool completely.
- Make the frosting: In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, softened butter, rum extract, and 3 tablespoons of eggnog. Mix until smooth, adding one or two additional tablespoons of eggnog to achieve the desired consistency.
- Frost the cooled cookies and sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg and coarse sugar, like turbinado.
Comments & Reviews
Happy Valley Chow says
You had me at rum! Those sound and look delicious, hope you had a terrific holiday 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow