These eggnog cookies are puffy and chewy with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ¾ cup of eggnog! Spiced rum buttercream adds a fluffy festive touch. We've also included directions on how to make the recipe ahead of time so you can cookies directly from frozen when visitors arrive.
For some more easy and festive recipes, try our eggnog cupcakes, mincemeat tarts, and wintery chocolate peppermint crinkle cookies.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Rum extract: if you can't get or find rum extract, brandy extract is a good substitute. Worst case scenario just use vanilla.
- Buttercream: if you don't want to use the rum buttercream, try a basic vanilla buttercream instead. For less sweet cookies, use cream cheese frosting.
- Eggnog: we've only tested this recipe with regular full-fat eggnog and don't recommend trying to switch to a low-fat version as it will alter the structure of the cookies.
Method
Step 1: whisk the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
Step 2: beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, then beat in the egg and extract.
Step 3: mix in the eggnog. Don't worry if it looks a little split.
Step 4: stir in the dry ingredients with a spoon or spatula.
Step 5: scoop small cookies onto a lined baking sheet.
Step 6: freeze the unbaked cookie dough for later if you'd like (see below).
Step 7: bake the cookies for about 12 minutes.
Step 8: cool fully, then ice and decorate as desired.
Top Tips
- No need for stand mixer: if you don't own a stand mixer, use a hand mixer, or make the cookies by hand with a wooden spoon.
- Don't over-mix: stirring in the dry ingredients by hand is key to avoid tough cookies. If they're beaten in, the texture will be too hard due to over-working the gluten.
- Don't reduce: the cookies are meant to be a luxurious treat and don't hold up well to reducing the sugar or butter content. If you want a slightly less-sweet treat, simply omit the frosting.
Recipe Notes
We haven't provided an option to make these cookies dairy-free because vegan eggnog isn't comparable to standard eggnog and it would need to be a completely different recipe.
These are small, fluffy cookies and don't spread much during baking. They're almost cake-like.
How to Store
Storage: eggnog cookies are best served the day they're baked, but will keep for a few days at room temperature (not frosted) or in the fridge (frosted) in a sealed container.
Freezing: for the best storage, freeze the cookie dough scoops on a baking sheet and then transfer to an airtight container. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two onto the baking time. Freeze baked, not frosted cookies the day they're made.
FAQ
What are eggnog cookies made of?
Eggnog cookies are made with a brown and white sugar cookie base, eggnog, butter, eggs, some rum extract, and the same spices used in eggnog.
What makes eggnog different from milk?
Eggnog is a mix of milk and cream, with eggs and spices. Sometimes eggnog is served with rum or brandy.
Is eggnog alcoholic?
The store-bought versions of eggnog don't include alcohol. Many homemade recipes will include it, but you can always leave it out.
If you make this Eggnog Cookie recipe or any other cookie recipes on the Baked Collective, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more baking, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Eggnog Cookies
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Stand mixer
- Fine mesh sieve
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Cookie scoop
- Wire rack
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
Ingredients
For The Eggnog Cookies
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter room temperature
- â…” cup granulated sugar
- â…” cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons rum extract
- ¾ cup eggnog
- Spiced rum buttercream for frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Place the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, cream the ingredients together on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through mixing.
- Add the egg and rum extract. Mix until well combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the eggnog and mix again until combined. At this point the mixture may look a bit curdled. This is normal, especially if your eggnog is a bit cold from the fridge and has cooled the butter.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over the mixing bowl. Scoop the flour mixture into the sieve. Use the back of a spoon to press and sift the flour into the bowl of wet ingredients. Some of the ground nutmeg may be too large to pass through the sieve so just dump it into the bowl after all of the flour is sifted in.
- Switch to the paddle attachment. Mix the cookie dough on low until the flour is justcombined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to finish mixing the dough by hand. Be sure to stir underneath all of the dough to incorporate any loose flour.Â
- Use a small cookie scoop (about 2 teaspoons) to scoop 12 portions of dough onto each prepared baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart. Note that the dough is very soft! For best results, fill the scoop with dough then press it firmly along the inside of the bowl to level it off, removing any excess dough from the scoop.
- Place the cookies in the preheated oven. Bake them for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the bottoms are light gold. Cutting a cookie in half is the best way to be sure they are baked through. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
I love Eggnog and this recipe looks like a lot of fun, I'm going to try it and see how it turns out.