Description
Homemade eggnog cookies blend holiday cheer with classic cookie comfort. Rich spices and creamy notes celebrate seasonal warmth, inviting you to savor sweet memories of festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (120 ml) eggnog
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- ⅔ tbsps eggnog
- A pinch of nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Mixture: Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a mixing bowl, ensuring thorough blending of dry ingredients.
- Create Butter Base: Cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, achieving a pale, airy consistency that forms the cookie’s foundational texture.
- Combine Wet Components: Integrate egg, eggnog, and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, stirring until a smooth, homogeneous liquid develops with consistent texture.
- Form Dough: Gently incorporate dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing minimally to prevent toughening, stopping precisely when ingredients are just combined and a cohesive dough emerges.
- Chill Dough: Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes, allowing ingredients to settle and solidify, which enhances cookie structure and facilitates easier shaping.
- Preheat and Prepare: Warm oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper, creating a non-stick surface for optimal cookie release.
- Shape and Arrange: Scoop uniform dough portions onto prepared baking sheets, positioning with adequate spacing to accommodate modest spreading during baking.
- Bake and Monitor: Bake cookies until edges turn golden and centers appear set, approximately 10-12 minutes, watching carefully to prevent over-browning.
- Cool and Finish: Transfer cookies to wire rack for complete cooling, then optionally drizzle with eggnog glaze and dust with a light nutmeg sprinkle for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Prevent Dough Overworking: Mix ingredients just until combined to maintain a tender, soft cookie texture without developing tough gluten strands.
- Control Chilling Duration: Refrigerate dough between 30-60 minutes – too short won’t firm cookies, while excessive chilling can make dough crumbly and difficult to shape.
- Manage Baking Time Precisely: Watch cookies carefully during the 10-12 minute window; slight color variations can dramatically impact texture between soft and crisp results.
- Customize Dietary Alternatives: Substitute dairy eggnog with plant-based versions, use gluten-free flour blend, and select vegan butter to accommodate different dietary requirements without compromising flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 23
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg