These Eggnog Cookies are everything you love about a snickerdoodle with a festive holiday twist! They're soft, super chewy and full of warm cinnamon and nutmeg flavor, topped with a creamy eggnog buttercream frosting that makes every bite extra delicious. The combination of the chewy cookie and sweet, fluffy frosting is hard to resist!
Why I Love This
- Eggnog Perfection: It took me several tries to get the flavors just right and now it is perfection! Truly eggnog in a cookie!
- Perfect Texture: Not only is the flavor perfection but the texture is spot on! Soft, chewy and tender - there's nothing about these cookies I don't love.
- Christmas Love: These taste like Christmas in every bite, bringing to mind cozy evenings by the fire with the Christmas tree glowing. They're the kind of cookie that makes the season feel extra special and is sure to become a Christmas classic in your home!
Need more seasonal bakes? Try our Currant Scones (excellent with cranberries), Cherry Scones or Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.
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Ingredients
- Flour - a simple all-purpose flour is perfect for this recipe. Although I have not tried it, I think a 1-to-1 gluten free substitute could successfully be used if needed with a minor change in texture.
- Butter - unsalted is my preferred type of butter to help control the flavor of the baking.
- Eggnog - naturally we need to have eggnog in these cookies! I like to use a classic flavored one.
- Spices - these have a good amount of cinnamon and nutmeg in them to help boost those eggnog flavors that we desire.
- Cream of Tartar - not a typical ingredient for cookies but helps to create that slightly chewy texture desired in a snickerdoodle.
- Egg and Egg Yolks - extra egg yolks are used to help create that rich, chewy texture as well.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Add the egg, yolks, eggnog and vanilla and mix until well combined.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and remaining dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until combined.
Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes.
Step 4: In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Step 5: Roll the chilled dough into cylinders with slightly domed tops (this helps create a rounder, thicker cookie than if just rolled into a ball). Roll each cookie in the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated.
Arrange the cookies on a lined cookie sheet, leaving room for them to spread. Refrigerate for another 10 minutes.
Step 6: Bake at 350°F for 9-11 minutes. The edges should be slightly firm and lightly golden, while the centers should still look quite soft and just barely hold their shape.
Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack. They will continue to set as they cool.
Step 7: Add all the frosting ingredients to a mixing bowl and beat until smooth, creamy, and well combined.
Step 6: Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread or pipe the eggnog buttercream frosting over the tops. Sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired, and enjoy!
Hint: Don't wait for the centers to look fully baked before removing the cookies from the oven. Pulling them while they're still quite soft is the secret to keeping that delicious chewy snickerdoodle texture.
Substitutions
- Gluten-Free - use a gluten-free 1-to-1 flour substitute that contains xanthan gum which will result in a slightly different texture but still a yummy cookie!
- Dairy-Free - try dairy-free baking, plant-based butter and diary-free eggnog.
- Eggless - I don't recommend this as the recipe calls for extra yolks which is hard to achieve with egg substitutes, but if you are determined, you can use egg replacer or flax eggs but know the texture will be denser. Also, check to make sure your eggnog is egg-free.
Variations
- Simple Snickerdoodle - you do not have to frost the cookies. They are delightful just rolled in sugar and baked.
- Sandwich - sandwich two cookies with a generous layer of buttercream frosting between them for a fun twist on the traditional cookie.
- Rum-Flavored - add a splash of rum (extract) to the batter and/or frosting to kick up the eggnog flavors!
Bring more flavors to your holidays with our Apple Pie with Crumb Topping or our Spiced Upside Down Plum Cake.
Storage
The first few days: These Eggnog Cookies are best stored in the refrigerator if they are frosted due to the eggnog in the frosting. Store in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days.
Freezing: These freeze very well both frosted or unfrosted in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Thaw frosted cookies in the refrigerator.
Serving: Let the cookies sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving for the best soft texture and creamy frosting.
Top Tip
There are a few key notes for helping these Eggnog Cookies turn out perfectly:
1. Don't overbake: The cookies should look slightly underdone in the middle when you pull them from the oven while the edges should be set and lightly golden. Let them rest on the baking sheet 5-10 minutes to finish setting before transferring them to a cooling rack.
2. Chill the dough: Don't skip the chilling steps, and if the dough still seems too soft, let it chill longer. There is no harm in cooler dough! This prevents them from spreading too much in the oven, allowing for that chewy center.
3. Shape for thicker cookies: Form the dough into domes or cylinders rather than balls to allow them to bake into rounder cookies instead of spreading out too thin.
4. Cool before frosting: Make sure the cookies are completely cool before adding the frosting so it doesn't melt or slide off.
FAQ
Yes! You can prepare the dough ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature briefly if it becomes too firm to scoop and shape.
Chilling helps firm up the butter, making the dough easier to handle and helping prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking. It also helps create a thicker, chewier cookie.
This can happen if the butter is too warm, the dough hasn't chilled long enough or you have used a warm pan that was already in the oven. Make sure to chill the dough for the recommended time and keep the shaped cookies cool before baking.
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Eggnog Cookies
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: ~2 dozen
Description
These Eggnog Cookies are everything you love about a snickerdoodle with a festive holiday twist! They're soft, super chewy and full of warm cinnamon and nutmeg flavor, topped with a creamy eggnog buttercream frosting that makes every bite extra delicious. The combination of the chewy cookie and sweet, fluffy frosting is hard to resist!
Ingredients
For the cookie batter:
- 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (145 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (120 grams) brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup (90 grams) eggnog
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) vanilla
- 3 ¼ cup (475 grams) flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt
For the sugar mixture:
- ¼ cup (55 grams) sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon (3 grams) cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
For the frosting:
- 4 cups (440 grams) icing/powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons (80 grams) eggnog
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, yolks, eggnog and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and remaining dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until combined.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Roll the chilled dough into cylinders with slightly domed tops (this helps create a rounder, thicker cookie than if just rolled into a ball). Roll each cookie in the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated.
- Arrange the cookies on a lined cookie sheet, leaving room for them to spread. Refrigerate for another 10 minutes.
- Bake at 350°F for 9-11 minutes. The edges should be slightly firm and lightly golden, while the centers should still look quite soft and just barely hold their shape.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack. They will continue to set as they cool.
- Add all the frosting ingredients to a mixing bowl and beat until smooth, creamy, and well combined.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread or pipe the eggnog buttercream frosting over the tops. Sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired, and enjoy!
*All nutritional information is an estimation only. Exact nutritional value depends on exact amounts and ingredients used.
Notes
Don't overbake: The cookies should look slightly underdone in the middle when you pull them from the oven while the edges should be set and lightly golden. Let them rest on the baking sheet 5-10 minutes to finish setting before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Chill the dough: Don't skip the chilling steps, and if the dough still seems too soft, let it chill longer. There is no harm in cooler dough! This prevents them from spreading too much in the oven, allowing for that chewy center.
Shape for thicker cookies: Form the dough into domes or cylinders rather than balls to allow them to bake into rounder cookies instead of spreading out too thin.
Cool before frosting: Make sure the cookies are completely cool before adding the frosting so it doesn't melt or slide off.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Jenice Wallace says
These are the essence of Christmas! They truly taste like eggnog in a cookie and are the perfect soft, chewy texture! They're sure to be a Christmas favorite for your family!