These eggnog cookies are pillowy soft and melt in your mouth. With real eggnog in the dough and icing, and sprinkles with warming spices, you’ll watch these cookies disappear quickly and wish you made a double batch!
Love eggnog treats? Our eggnog fudge recipe is a hit during the holidays! Of course you’ll love our eggnog cheesecake too, made in the Instant Pot!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
Almost as easy as sugar cookies, these eggnog cookies have way more spice and flavor with rich eggnog icing on top. They’re perfect for holiday gatherings, or even mailing as a holiday care package for distant family and friends.
- Quick and easy to make, these eggnog cookies can be in and out of the oven in under 30 minutes!
- Real eggnog and egg yolk make for a super rich, tender cookie.
- Warming spices bring all the sweet holiday goodness you’re craving.
- A simple eggnog icing drizzle makes these cookies extra indulgent.
I guarantee you’ll love these soft little flavor bombs! And they’ll go perfectly with a hot cup of coffee after a big holiday dinner.
Ingredient Notes
- Eggnog – This holiday classic brings moisture and deliciousness to these cookies, plus a little extra binding power from the eggs.Use our homemade eggnog for best flavor!
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves – A warming spice medley enhances the eggnog flavor and adds spicy sweetness.
- Egg yolk – Egg yolk adds richness and golden color to these cookies.
- Baking soda – This helps the cookies get a nice rise, so they’re fluffy and soft.
- Granulated sugar – Rolling the cookies in sugar before baking makes for a crisper outside and a sparkly appearance.
- Powdered sugar – Combined with a little eggnog, powdered sugar makes a nice finishing glaze to drizzle on the cookies.
PRO TIP- We love making our own homemade vanilla extract, but if using store bought, be sure it’s pure extract, not imitation (for best flavor).
Easy Instructions
- Make cookie dough. Combine wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to your mixture. Mix just until everything is combined.
- Roll dough balls. Scoop dough into balls about the size of a tablespoon. Roll each ball in granulated sugar.
- Bake. Flatten the cookies to ½-inch thick discs, using either the palm of your hand or the flat bottom of a measuring cup. Bake in your preheated oven on the center rack for 9-11 minutes until the edges are just set.
- Garnish. While the cookies are cooling, make your eggnog icing. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies, and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t have all of the spices on the recipe list? You can swap out the nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for ½ teaspoon of allspice. You can also use our homemade chai spice mix too!
- Once your cookies are removed from the oven, it’s important to leave them on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes as they cool. This is because the bottoms will continue to solidify and cook a little more on the hot pan as they sit.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cool before icing, or the icing will melt into them.
- To store these cookies, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Serving Suggestions
Looking to make a holiday cookie spread? I’ve got you covered. Classic cream cheese sugar cookies are a win-win and can be made in any shape you like.
For a classy cookie with a fruity flavor, linzer cookies are a delicious choice. And if you’re looking for a cookie with even more spice than eggnog cookies, my gingerdoodle cookies have what you’re looking for.
Finally, let’s make the holidays even more indulgent with Christmas crack, a festive white chocolate saltine toffee, and decadent chocolate-covered Oreos for die-hard chocolate lovers.
Recipe FAQs
To freeze eggnog cookies, store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure the icing is fully set before freezing them, and you may want to put wax paper between them to prevent them from sticking together.
While a cooling rack is helpful in avoiding excess moisture, it’s not essential. Try using an extra rack from inside your oven or toaster oven if you have one available. Otherwise, cooling cookies on a paper towel or parchment will also work.
Eggnog cookies can be made in advance by preparing, portioning, then freezing the cookie dough. Freeze the dough balls not touching on a parchment-lined sheet tray, then place them in an airtight freezer bag or another airtight container. Keep in mind that your baking time will be a little longer when you bake them from frozen.
If you don’t have vanilla extract, using half the amount of almond extract will also make a scrumptious eggnog cookie.
More Cookie Recipes
These eggnog cookies are pillowy soft and melt in your mouth. With real eggnog in the dough and icing, and sprinkles with warming spices, you’ll watch these cookies disappear quickly and wish you made a double batch.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup eggnog
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, for rolling
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons eggnog
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla, and eggnog until fully incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Once dry ingredients are fully incorporated, scoop out tablespoon-sized balls, rolling each in granulated sugar.
- Place on baking sheet with 2-inches of space between each cookie.
- Press down with palm of hand, or flat bottomed measuring cup to about ½-inch thick discs.
- Bake in center of oven for 9-11 minutes, until just set on the edges.
- Remove from oven and let cool on pan for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack.
- While cookies cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and eggnog. Drizzle icing over cooled cookies.
Notes
- Store cookies in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Swap out the nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for ½ teaspoon allspice.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18
Serving Size:
1 cookie
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 123Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 57mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 1g
*Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.