A cookie that tastes like Christmas
An update to the original post
It’s 11 days until Christmas, and this year three of our four will be traveling to spend the holiday with us in Kentucky. Although home is Florida, we spend a good amount of time in Kentucky as well, and I’m excited to show this new, second home to them. On December 24, we will spend part of the day baking cookies. Together, we will choose our list. Who knows? These could make it on the list!
To learn more about this recipe, originally published in December 2018, keep reading.
A few thoughts on these cookies
To me, the food that tastes most like and reminds me the most of Christmas is eggnog. Others may think of gingerbread, fruit cake, pork pie, or something else, but for me it’s this beverage. The funny thing is that I don’t even drink eggnog on its own anymore. Sure, I like to use some in my coffee, but I don’t sit down with a glass of eggnog. Regardless, eggnog is quintessential Christmas to me.
Maybe I feel this way partially due to its availability. Currently you can find it in the grocery store starting in late October, but in my youth (in the dark ages) it showed up around Thanksgiving. Keeping with that tradition, I buy it around that time, as I usually have at least one of my kids coming home. And I know they look forward to eggnog.
Even though I’m not a drinker of eggnog, I do love its flavor. I’ve made eggnog ice cream. I also have made eggnog bread pudding, as I shared on Tuesday. It’s a flavor that many seem to enjoy. So, this year I decided to try my hand at a new eggnog treat. I debated both cupcakes and cookies. Handheld treats- what’s not to like?
Cookies won out for purely greedy reasons: it’s acceptable to eat a few cookies whereas you should eat only one cupcake. As I do with many of my dessert recipes, I brought a batch to my husband’s office on a Friday afternoon. Once again I was able to bring cheer as the workweek wound down. People gladly hurried to the office kitchen to grab a cookie before the plate was emptied.
These eggnog cookies would be a wonderful addition to your regularly scheduled seasonal baking. Whether you distribute baked goods to friends and family, will be joining a potluck celebration, or are hosting your own event, these cookies will put your crowd in the holiday spirit.
One note- don’t take a shortcut and skip the frosting. Sure, it makes these cookies fairly sweet and a bit caloric, but it’s the season of indulgence. Plus, the frosting really delivers the eggnog flavor. You’ll be glad you took the time.
If you want eggnog in your breakfast baked good, give these eggnog scones a try.
Frosted Eggnog Cookies
Ingredients
- Cookies
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup eggnog
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup eggnog
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
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Cookies
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Preheat oven to 350°F
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In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached, beat together butter and both sugars until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
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Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined.
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Mix in vanilla extract.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
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Alternately add flour mixture and eggnog to batter, mixing after each addition until just combined.
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Scoop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing cookies 2-inches apart.
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Bake for 11-13 minutes.
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Rest on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a baking rack to cool.
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Cool completely then top with frosting.
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Frosting
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attached, beat butter until fluffy.
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Add eggnog, nutmeg, and 1 cup powdered sugar, mixing until combined.
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Add additional sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, to reach desired consistency and sweetness.
