Description
Celebrate the holiday season with these festive Christmas Eggnog Cookies, featuring a spiced cookie dough infused with nutmeg, cinnamon, and eggnog, topped with a creamy eggnog frosting and a dusting of ground nutmeg. Perfectly soft and flavorful, these cookies make a delightful treat for gatherings or gift-giving.
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 and whisk thoroughly to combine the dry ingredients evenly.
- Cream Butter: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter for 30 to 45 seconds until lightly fluffy.
- Add Sugars: Add the granulated sugar and dark brown sugar to the butter and beat for 1 to 1½ minutes until the mixture is well combined and creamy.
- Incorporate Eggs: Lower the mixer speed to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing each until fully incorporated with no yellow streaks remaining.
- Add Extracts: Mix in the vanilla extract and rum extract just until combined.
- Mix Flour and Eggnog: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in 1 cup increments, alternating with the eggnog. Mix each addition just until smooth and well incorporated. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Prepare to Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup and even baking.
- Shape Cookies: Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator and use a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion dough onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: Beat the softened butter in a mixing bowl on medium speed for 45 seconds to 1 minute until creamy. Then lower the speed to medium-low and alternately add powdered sugar and eggnog, continuing to mix until smooth and spreadable.
- Frost Cookies: Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star tip or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the frosting over the cooled cookies with gentle, steady pressure.
- Garnish: Lightly sprinkle ground nutmeg over the frosted cookies as an optional festive garnish.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- You can freeze the cookies for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Store-bought eggnog is readily available during the holiday season; substitute with homemade eggnog if preferred.
- For a stronger eggnog flavor, chill dough overnight or longer before baking.
- Unbleached all-purpose flour can be used instead of bleached, depending on your preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
