Creamy Eggnog Cookies Made With Real Eggnog

If you’re like me with a slight eggnog obsession, these eggnog cookies are the perfect sweet treat to make for this upcoming festive season. These cookies are incredibly soft, deliciously chewy, and loaded with that unmistakable eggnog flavor. Check out my Puerto Rican Eggnog recipe.

What makes these Christmas cookies even better is the creamy eggnog frosting I’ve added on top. These cookies truly capture the essence of the holiday spirit and will leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling after every bite!

If you are looking for more Christmas cookie recipes, I have many. You can also check out some other Christmas recipes, like my Mini Christmas Pancakes , molten chocolate lava cookies, or this Christmas Smoothie.

This recipe has two elements: the eggnog cookie dough and the eggnog frosting. Both of these are easily adjusted to meet any dietary needs.

Eggnog Cookies

I’m not going to list all of the ingredients here (see the recipe below), but some are essential for this recipe.

Butter

First, the butter. Arguably the question that I will be asked the most is whether they should use salted or unsalted butter.

Always use UNSALTED butter for a recipe, including for these eggnog cookies. Unless your cookie dough recipe specifically states otherwise, you should never use salted butter.

Why?

Salt plays an important role in baked goods. If you add fine salt, you control how much you are adding and ultimately, how big (or small) of an effect the salt will have on the final item.

Sugar

I utilize a blend of white granulated sugar and brown sugar.

If you only use brown sugar, the cookies will come out very chewy. That’s why you have to incorporate some white sugar, which will offset the effects of brown sugar to get soft eggnog cookies. It still adds a sweet flavor but without the sticky, caramel texture.

Do not substitute either of these with powdered sugar. It does not function in the same way as granulated sugar does.

Eggnog

Next, possibly the most important ingredient for this eggnog recipe, the creamy eggnog. You can also use spiked eggnog if you’d like.

Make sure that you buy high-quality eggnog or make your own at home. Most eggnog lovers have a recipe or two in their repertoire, and it’s usually more cost-effective too!

You can also use flavored eggnog or low-fat eggnog, depending on your preferences.

Flour Mixture

You should always use all-purpose flour or cake flour for all Christmas cookie recipes. They don’t contain a ton of gluten and, therefore, won’t make dense cookies.

You’ll also see that I’ve added cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda. All of these ingredients help the cookies rise and create the perfect texture.

If you cannot find baking soda, substitute it with 3/4 tsp extra baking powder. This is not ideal, but the baking powder will work in a pinch.

Some fine salt and ground cinnamon are also added for a more wintery flavor. This is also an opportunity to add extra rum extract.

Eggnog Frosting

Again, please do not use butter that has been salted for the frosting because it might offset the balance of flavors in the eggnog cookies recipe.

Because the frosting will have a pretty neutral flavor, it’s even more important to use a high-quality eggnog and vanilla extract here. If you don’t the cheap flavors will be extremely prominent.

And finally, you will also need powdered sugar. Make sure to sift your powdered sugar, even if it has been labeled as “sifted powdered sugar,” to ensure there are no lumps.

Ingredients for Eggnog Frosting

How To Make Those Delicious Cookies

1. Set the oven to 350°F and prepare baking trays with parchment paper. Then in a mixer, cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Add the egg and mix.

2. Mix in the eggnog and vanilla. Gradually sift in flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until uniform.

3. Use a tablespoon or small scoop to form dough balls on your prepared sheets. Bake for about 10 minutes.

4. Once out of the oven, gently flatten each cookie. Let them cool completely.

5. In a mixer bowl, beat butter, salt, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Slowly add eggnog until it achieves a fluffy consistency.

6. Fill a piping bag (with a large star tip) with your frosting. Once cookies are cool, begin at the cookie’s center and pipe frosting in a spiral pattern outward. Finish all cookies in this manner.

7. For an added touch, sprinkle a hint of nutmeg or cinnamon on top. Store in a tightly sealed container to keep freshness intact.

How To Make Vegan Eggnog Cookies

While it may be a challenge to turn eggnog cookies into vegan cookies, it is possible. The key is to ensure that all substitutes blend together well.

So, if you are using a vegan store-bought eggnog with almond butter, make sure all the substitutes have a similar almond flavor or flavor that complements almonds.

First, replace the butter with a vegan alternative like margarine or almond butter.

Also, check whether or not the granulated sugar (even the brown sugar) is vegan.

The eggnog as well as the egg, obviously also needs to be replaced. This is where making homemade eggnog is beneficial.

Traditional eggnog is made with egg yolks, sugar, milk, and alcohol. For a vegan alternative, you can use chia seed eggs, almond milk, and almond cream. There are MANY recipes out there.

To still add that signature eggnog flavor, add eggnog extract and more vanilla extract to the cookie dough.

And, in place of the egg, use chia seed eggs or flax seed eggs. You can also use a banana, but the flavor is quite strong.

Tips To Make the Best Eggnog Cookies From Scratch

  • Creating the cookie dough is very easy. A large bowl in a stand mixer helps make it even easier! The key to success when making holiday cookies is to scrape down the bowl often and avoid over-mixing the dough. Always mix until the ingredients are combined.

  • Some optional variations for your eggnog cookies include adding fresh nutmeg or rum extract with your ground cinnamon. Nutmeg and cinnamon are especially great together!

  • Always bake your cookies on baking sheets with parchment paper. You can also use a prepared baking sheet with silicone mats or paper. Either way, your cookies WILL stick if you don’t use them.

  • Allow your eggnog cookies to cool completely before decorating or storing them. You can leave them on a wire rack at room temperature.

  • Store your eggnog cookies and eggnog frosting icing separately. Both can be placed in an airtight container in the fridge.

FAQs On Eggnog Cookies

What’s the best way to store eggnog cookies?

You can store your delicious eggnog cookies right by placing them in an airtight container in the fridge, where they’ll stay perfect for up to 3 days.

Can you make alcohol-free eggnog cookies?

Certainly! Just ensure you use alcohol-free eggnog. These cookies and their frosting will be delightful for all ages.

Eggnog Cookies Made With Real Eggnog

Eggnog Cookie Recipe with Frosting

Keesha
These soft, spiced Eggnog Cookies are a festive delight. Topped with a creamy eggnog frosting, they offer a sweet and seasonal treat that's perfect for celebrating the holidays.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine International
Servings 15
Calories 195 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Cookies

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup eggnog
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 ¼ Tbsp corn starch
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pvanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp eggnog
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions
 

Cookie Preparation

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and well combined.
  • Incorporate the egg, vanilla extract, and eggnog, ensuring a thorough blend.
  • Gradually add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend briefly to ensure uniformity.
  • Using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, portion out dough balls approximately the size of a ping-pong ball and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
  • Place in the oven you've preheated and let it bake for around 10 minutes.
  • Upon removing from the oven, gently flatten each cookie using a flat-bottomed cup. Let them fully cool before adding the frosting

Frosting Preparation

  • For the frosting: In a clean stand mixer bowl, blend together the butter, salt, vanilla extract, and confectioners' sugar on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and mix for an additional minute.
  • Gradually add the eggnog, one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Continue to mix on medium-high speed for an additional minute until the frosting achieves a fluffy consistency.
  • Transfer the frosting to a piping bag equipped with a large star nozzle.

Assembling the Cookies

  • Once the cookies are completely cooled, pipe a spiral of frosting on each cookie, starting from the center and moving outwards. Repeat for all cookies.
  • Optionally, garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon.

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 2gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 121mgPotassium: 37mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 406IUVitamin C: 0.05mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Nice – it really tastes like eggnog! I never realized you could capture this flavor in a cookie – great recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    Foodie art right here. Perfect for Christmas time. Going to save this recipe for the holidays ๐ŸŽ„

  3. Jacqueline Debono says:

    5 stars
    We love these eggnog cookies. I would never have thought to use eggnog as a cookie ingredient but it is such a delish idea!

  4. 5 stars
    I love eggnog cookies, perfect dessert for any day. Yours came out delicious.

  5. 5 stars
    Perfect cookie for the season. The flavor of the cookie was awesome and we all loved it.