There's always eggnog in the house for Christmas so why not bake up these deliciously soft and chewy Eggnog Cookies drizzled with eggnog icing. All the rich flavor of traditional eggnog combined with nutmeg, cinnamon, and, of course, a touch of rum.
Table of contents
The Holiday Season is For Eggnog Lovers
Christmas season is the one time of year that there is eggnog in my house. It's been a tradition in my family to have a glass of eggnog on Christmas Eve with a little rum (of course), a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a pinch of nutmeg on top.
The rest of the time, the eggnog sits in the refrigerator and eventually gets thrown out when the season is over. Well, not in my house, not this year! I found some fantastic and flavorful uses for it.
Eggnog makes the most incredible eggnog waffles, as well as an awesome Eggnog Martini, and it's even better when baked into these delicious eggnog cookies. Believe me, even if you're not a fan of eggnog, you'll love these eggnog recipes!
Why You'll Love These Easy Eggnog Cookies
A flavorful soft cookie that is perfect for the holiday season.
No chilling the dough or cutting out shapes.
All your favorite flavors of eggnog come together in these cookies.
Plus there's plenty of eggnog flavor in the icing too!
These take just 30 minutes from mixing bowl to your mouth.
Ingredients
For the exact quantities check the printable recipe card below. You'll need the following ingredients for this eggnog cookie recipe.
- All-purpose flour - is the base of the cookies
- Sugars - I use both granulated and light brown sugar for more depth of flavor. Needless to say, these lend sweetness to the cookies
- Spices - cinnamon and nutmeg bring home the classic eggnog flavor and give off a snickerdoodle edge
- Butter - quality butter, either unsalted or salted, will provide the best flavor and texture. Make sure to bring it to room temperature which takes about 1 hour
- Egg yolks - adds moisture while thickening and smoothing the batter making the cookies super tender and chewy
- Eggnog - use full-fat store-bought eggnog for the best consistency. Low-fat eggnog and homemade eggnog tend to spread too much
- Baking powder - is the leavening agent
- Vanilla and rum extract - vanilla extract enhances all the flavors while rum extract brings the classic eggnog taste to the whole
- Salt - enhances all the flavors
For the eggnog frosting:
- Eggnog - for flavor and moisture
- Powdered sugar - for sweetness and consistency
How to make eggnog cookies
For the eggnog cookie dough:
- Place both sugars and butter in the large bowl of an electric mixer.
- Cream butter mixture until creamy. Slowly add in egg yolks and vanilla and continue to beat until incorporated.
- Pour in eggnog and mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, spices, baking powder, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
- Mix until smooth.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
For the eggnog icing:
While the cookies are baking and cooling, make the eggnog icing.
- There are only two ingredients - powdered sugar and eggnog.
- Add eggnog to powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
- Whisk them together.
- Add as much eggnog as you need to reach the desired consistency. It should be slightly thick but not spreadable.
- Place the icing in a small plastic resealable bag and snip corner. Drizzle over cooled cookies.
- Sprinkle a little extra nutmeg on top and let set before storing.
These incredible holiday cookies bake up soft and chewy with a rich eggnog flavor and the perfect amount of spice that makes them irresistible. And the eggnog icing adds just the right amount of sweet. You won't believe how popular they are. In fact, I would say they disappeared faster than Santa on Christmas Eve.
I like to make several batches and include them in my cookie tins for gifting to family and friends. They are also perfect for my annual holiday cookie exchange and holiday parties.
How to store and freeze
Store these iced eggnog cookies in an airtight container. They will keep soft and delicious for up to a week on the counter.
These cookies can be frozen prior to adding the icing. Package with wax paper in between layers and seal in freezer bags or plastic containers. Let thaw to room temperature then glaze.
Recipe Tips for making the best eggnog cookies
- Use store-bought full-fat eggnog for the best outcome - cookies will be flatter if using a low-fat eggnog.
- Measure flour accurately by scooping it into a measuring cup.
- Make the cookies small, using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. This will keep them from spreading too much.
- Cool the cookies for at least 5 minutes before moving them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Make the icing while the cookies are cooling to save time.
- Be aware that these cookies will puff up as they bake then, as they cool, they will fall and the top will crack. This is what makes them soft and chewy.
Flavor variations
Chai Eggnog Cookies - stir in the tea leaves from one teabag of chai tea
Cranberry Eggnog Cookies - add 1 cup of dried cranberries to batter
Peppermint eggnog cookies - make as directed up to icing and instead dip each cookie into melted white chocolate then sprinkle with crushed candy cane pieces
White Chocolate Eggnog Cookies - add 1 cup white chocolate chips to batter
Eggnog cookies with rum - add 1 teaspoon rum in lieu of ½ teaspoon rum extract
Eggnog cookies with bourbon - add 1 teaspoon bourbon in place of rum extract (you can also add a teaspoon to eggnog icing and increase the amount of powdered sugar slightly
Eggnog Thumbprint Cookies - put a small indent with the back of a teaspoon into the cookies prior to baking. After baking, press the back of a teaspoon into the indents that have puffed up. Fill with rum frosting, a combination of ¼ cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon rum.
Icing variations
Rum butter icing - add ¼ teaspoon rum extract to the eggnog icing
Eggnog glaze - just add a touch more eggnog for a thinner consistency and brush the glaze over the entire cookie
Eggnog frosting - mix ½ cup soft butter with 3-5 tablespoons eggnog, ½ teaspoon rum extract, and 3 cups powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth then frost cooled cookies.
More Christmas Cookies
White Chocolate Cranberry Nut Cookies are ultra-chunky buttery cookies stuffed with macadamia nuts, white chocolate chunks & chewy cranberries.
Salted Chocolate Caramel Cookies are rich chocolate cookies wrapped around a chocolate-coated caramel then rolled in sugared nuts.
Peanut Brittle Cookies are like peanut brittle in cookie form. Crunchy, buttery, cinnamon cookies full of peanuts inside and out.
Cookie Butter Cookies - are rich, soft, thick cookies with a gooey center filled with the spicy gingerbread flavors of Biscoff cookie butter.
Cookies with Chocolate Filling - almond shortbread cookies sandwiching a rich chocolate filling.
Find lots of Christmas cookie recipes here on 2CM!
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Eggnog Cookies with Eggnog Icing
Ingredients
Cookie
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon rum extract
- ½ cup eggnog
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Eggnog Icing
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoons eggnog (or enough for desired consistency)
- Garnish: nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cookies sheets by lining with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugars together in a large bowl.
- Slowly add egg yolks and extracts then beat until creamy.
- Add eggnog and continue mixing until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Add to creamed mixture and mix until well combined.
- Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and mix until well combined.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons (I like to use my small cookie scoop) onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are just slightly browned. Leave on cookie sheets for 3-5 minutes then remove to wire racks and let cool completely.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are just slightly browned. Leave on cookie sheets for 3-5 minutes then remove to wire racks and let cool completely.
- Leave on cookie sheets for 5 minutes then remove to wire racks and let cool completely.
- While cookies are cooling, whisk powdered sugar and eggnog together. Place mixture in a small plastic resealable bag and snip corner. Drizzle icing back and forth across cookies then sprinkle with nutmeg.
- Place mixture in a small plastic resealable bag and snip corner. Drizzle icing back and forth across cookies then sprinkle with nutmeg.
- Store in airtight cookie tin.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated with more helpful tips and easy step-by-step directions. It was first published on December 24, 2013.
