Eggnog Cookies pack all of the warm, sweet, spicy flavors of classic holiday eggnog into a delicious frosted cookie treat. Everyone will love this unique and tasty Christmas cookie recipe.
This eggnog cookies recipe is so good! The eggnog cookies are soft, light, and airy and they will just melt in your mouth. I love that these cookies are not overly sweet. They go so well with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and are an excellent addition to a holiday cookie tray.
Doing a cookie exchange for Christmas this year? Use this recipe for eggnog cookies. It’s a unique and different holiday cookie that you won’t see everywhere, and your friends will definitely be impressed.
Need more holiday baking inspiration? I’ve got you covered! After you’ve made eggnog cookies, try making classic Ricotta Cookies and fun, green Grinch Cookies.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unique Flavor: The main flavor of traditional eggnog is nutmeg, and that’s what we’re using here to give these cookies the full essence of eggnog. It’s delicious, but also uncommon, which makes these cookies really special.
- There’s Eggnog In It! Some eggnog cookie recipes don’t add actual eggnog, but I do, because it doesn’t feel right to leave it out. Eggnog itself adds flavor and helps give this cookie its soft texture.
- Creamy Frosting: A simple buttercream frosting flavored with rum extract really brings home the eggnog theme. It’s the perfect creamy topping for our eggnog cookie recipe. I love this type of frosting on cookies because it crusts on the outside, but stays soft underneath.
- Simple Drop Cookie Recipe: Drop cookies are one of the easiest types of cookies to make. You don’t need to roll dough or form it into any shapes, just drop pieces of dough on the pan and bake.
Key Ingredients
- Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt: All cookie recipes start with flour and leavening ingredients. This recipe uses both baking soda and baking powder to create the perfect light, fluffy cookie texture.
- Seasonings: Nutmeg, vanilla extract, and rum extract go into both the cookie dough and the frosting, giving these cookies the most excellent eggnog flavor. Not a fan of nutmeg? Use cinnamon instead, but know that it won’t be quite the same.
- Butter: Unsalted butter can be used for both the cookies and the frosting. We will add our own salt so we can be sure that the cookies aren’t too salty.
- Powdered Sugar: In the cookie dough, powdered sugar is used where normally you’d see granulated sugar. This switch is on purpose, as the powdered sugar mixes in more easily and creates a softer cookie. Powdered sugar is also the main ingredient in our eggnog cookie frosting.
- Light Brown Sugar: Brown sugar has more flavor than white sugar, and is perfect in this recipe.
- Egg: You need just 1 large egg for this recipe. Let your egg come to room temperature before mixing it in.
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
How To Make Eggnog Cookies
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. At this time you should also line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
- Mix the Cookie Dough: In the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and brown sugar, and mix until combined. Add the egg and mix it in until combined. Stir in the flour. Then add in the eggnog, rum extract, and vanilla extract, stirring until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Chill: Place 1.5 tablespoon-sized dollops on the sheet tray, close together but not touching. I like to use a medium-sized cookie scoop for this. You should be able to fit all of the scoops on one tray, but use a second one if needed. Cover the sheet with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least four hours, but ideally overnight.
- Prepare to Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Line your baking sheet trays with parchment paper.
- Roll: Using your hands, roll the chilled dough balls into smooth balls, and place them on the prepared sheet trays 2 inches apart. Gently press down on the top of each cookie using the heel of your hand.
- Bake: Bake for 8-9 minutes until the bottom edges are lightly browned and the tops do not appear glossy anymore. Let the cookies cool completely on the sheet tray.
- Make the Frosting: Place the butter in a large bowl and whip it with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time along with a pinch of salt until it is all mixed in. Add the eggnog and rum extract. Mix it in until combined. Turn up the speed to medium-high and whip the frosting for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Frost Cookies: Use a butter knife or a small spatula to frost the tops of the cookies, using about a teaspoon of frosting per cookie. Sprinkle ground nutmeg on top if desired.
Top Tips
Change it up! These cookies are loaded with peanut butter, oats, M&M’s, and chocolate chips. Want to add more good stuff? Why not! Add roasted peanuts, Reese’s pieces, raisins, butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips, or whatever your heart desires.
Size. I use a medium cookie scoop to make 20 cookies in total, if you use a small cookie scoop you will get 32 small cookies. Or use a large cookie scoop to make monster size cookies!
Don’t Overbake. These monster cookies are meant to be soft and chewy at the same time. If you overbake them, they can turn crispy and hard and that’s not what we’re looking for. So keep an eye on the cookies as they bake, they are ready when they are barely set in the center.
How to Store Eggnog Cookies
These cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. Allow the frosting to crust before trying to stack them, and place parchment or wax paper in between layers. You can freeze eggnog cookies frosted or unfrosted for 4-5 months.
More Holiday Cookies to Bake
Eggnog cookies are just the beginning of a long list of delicious Christmas cookies here! Try some or all of these:
- Christmas Meringue Pops
- Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
- Christmas Tree Brownie Bites
- Pizzelle Cookies
FAQs
The origins of eggnog can be traced back to early medieval Britain. Hot drinks called “posset” were common and were a milky sort of ale. Eventually, someone added eggs to the mixture, and eggnog was created. Nobody is really sure why it’s called “nog”, but it certainly is a fun word to say!
You may notice that you can’t typically buy eggnog in the summer, but it’s everywhere in December. This is again due to the history of the drink. In medieval times, items like milk, eggs, and sweeteners were expensive and often saved for celebrations. Rum, which was another eggnog ingredient, was also expensive and hard to come by. Add this to the fact that eggnog was typically enjoyed hot, and it just made sense for it to be only enjoyed during Christmas celebrations.
What should you do with leftover eggnog? If you don’t want to drink it, you can use it to make other baked goods. Try it in place of milk in recipes for pancakes or waffles, quick breads, or frostings. You can also froth it up and use it to make homemade eggnog lattes.
Eggnog is like a thick, custardy, creamy drink that is thicker than milk but thinner than yogurt. It is quite rich and sweet, with hints of spice from cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.
Make sure to Pin this recipe so you can make it every year! I know this will be a new holiday tradition for you and your family.
Eggnog Cookies
Ingredients
For Eggnog Cookies
- 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup eggnog
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons eggnog
- ½ teaspoon rum extract
- ground nutmeg for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Line a sheet tray with parchment paper, set aside. In a medium-sized bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoons salt, set aside.
- In the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the 1 cup butter until smooth. Add the 1 cup powdered sugar and brown sugar, mix until combined. Add the egg and mix it in until combined. Add the flour and stir it in. Add the eggnog, rum extract, and vanilla extract, stir it in until combined, scrape the sides as needed.
- Place 1.5 tablespoon-sized dollops of the dough on the sheet tray close, but not touching. I like to use a 1.5 tablespoon (medium) cookie scoop for this. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, best overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Line sheet trays with parchment paper, set aside.
- Roll the dough balls into smooth balls and place them on the prepared sheet trays 2 inches apart. Gently press down on the tops with the heel of your hand. Bake for 8-9 minutes until the bottom edges are lightly browned and the tops do not appear glossy.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet tray completely.
- While the cookies cool, make the frosting. Place the ½ cup butter in a large bowl and whip it with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Add 2 cups powdered sugar a little at a time along with the pinch of salt until it’s mixed in. Add the 2 tablespoons eggnog and ½ teaspoon rum extract. Mix it in until combined, turn up the speed to medium-high and whip the frosting for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Use a butter knife to frost the tops of the cookies, using about a teaspoon of frosting per cookie. Add a garnish of more ground nutmeg on top if desired.
Notes
- To Store: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Cookies can be frozen either frosted or unfrosted for 4-5 months.
- Can’t find Eggnog? No worries. Replace the eggnog with either half and half or buttermilk in the cookie dough recipe, and use milk or cream in the icing. Add a pinch more nutmeg to replace the lost flavor.
- Be Patient: This recipe has a couple of steps in it that might be challenging if you’re an inpatient baker. Yes, the dough needs to chill overnight before you bake it. And yes, the cookies need to be left on the sheet trays to cool completely. Skipping either of these steps will likely result in crumbled cookies
- Instead of Nutmeg: You can use cinnamon in place of nutmeg in these cookies if you don’t really enjoy the flavor of nutmeg. They won’t be quite as eggnog-y, but they will still be delicious.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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