Description
Delight in these festive Christmas Eggnog Cookies, soft and flavorful with warm spices and a luscious eggnog frosting. Perfect for holiday gatherings, these cookies combine classic seasonal spices with creamy eggnog in both the dough and frosting to celebrate the taste of Christmas in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup salted sweet cream butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- ¾ cup eggnog
Eggnog Frosting
- ½ cup salted sweet cream butter at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup eggnog
- Ground nutmeg optional garnish
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk together thoroughly to evenly blend the spices and leavening.
- Cream the butter: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter for 30-45 seconds until smooth and creamy.
- Add sugars: Add granulated and dark brown sugar to the beaten butter. Beat on medium-high for 1 to 1½ minutes until the mixture is well combined and fluffy.
- Mix in eggs: Lower the mixer speed to medium-low. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated and no yellow streaks remain.
- Add extracts: Stir in the vanilla and rum extracts just until combined to keep the flavors bright and fresh.
- Incorporate dry mixture and eggnog: Add the flour mixture in 1 cup increments, alternating with 1 cup increments of eggnog. Mix just until the dough comes together and is smooth.
- Chill dough: Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up and develop flavors.
- Preheat oven and prepare sheets: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Scoop and bake cookies: Remove dough from refrigerator. Using a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion dough onto baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
- Cool cookies: Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make frosting: Beat the softened butter on medium speed for 45 seconds to 1 minute until creamy. Lower to medium-low and gradually add powdered sugar alternated with eggnog, mixing until smooth and fluffy.
- Decorate cookies: Place frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star tip or into a ziplock bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe frosting onto the cooled cookies. Garnish each with a light dusting of ground nutmeg.
Notes
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- You can freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months; thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Use store-bought eggnog during the holiday season or substitute with homemade eggnog if unavailable for authentic flavor.
- The dough can be prepared a day in advance and chilled overnight to deepen eggnog flavors.
- Unbleached all-purpose flour can be substituted for bleached flour according to preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
