My incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth eggnog cookies will be the star of your Christmas cookie tray! NO chilling and just 2 ingredients for the glaze! Recipe includes a how-to video.
Eggnog Meltaway Cookies
Honestly, eggnog isn’t my typical holiday drink of choice (I’m more of a hot chocolate kind of girl). Zach is a fan, though, so when I invariably end up with half a jug of excess eggnog sitting in the house, I need to find something to do with it rather than pour it down the sink. These eggnog cookies are a fun (and cute, if I do say so) way to enjoy leftover eggnog.
The frosting is more like a glaze, similar to my vanilla glaze only made with eggnog instead of milk (groundbreaking, right 😉). It dries pretty firm after a few hours and can be stacked (though I do recommend using wax paper between layers just in case).
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavorful cookie base that’s accented with vanilla, brown sugar, and spices. The eggnog flavor shines through, and these just enhance it!
- Extremely tender texture–I like to think of them as the eggnog version of my lemon meltaway cookies. We lightly flatten the cookies which not only makes a smooth surface for frosting but also compresses the cookie and makes them denser, which is good! It makes them nice and chewy.
- Easy 2-ingredient glaze that is so flavorful and sets nicely. If you want to add festive sprinkles or an extra dash of nutmeg (so cute!), make sure you do so when the glaze is still wet.
- No chilling required. You can bake the dough right away–yay! I include several other no-chill Christmas cookie recipes at the bottom of this post, if you need more ideas.
Ingredients
There are a few important ingredients in this recipe I should mention before we get started. If you’re ready to bake though, keep scrolling!
- Eggnog. Use your favorite brand! Any kind will work (even alcoholic versions, if that’s what you prefer–just keep the cookies away from the kids if you do!).
- Cake flour. This gives our eggnog cookies that super tender “meltaway” texture. All-purpose flour can be substituted instead 3 cups or 375g), but the texture won’t be the same (just like when making my lofthouse cookies).
- Spices. Including cinnamon and nutmeg. If you have freshly grated nutmeg, even better!
- Brown sugar. Stick with light brown sugar here. This will add depth of flavor without overpowering the eggnog (which could happen with dark brown sugar).
- Egg. Ideally your egg should be at room temperature. If you forget to set yours out, use my trick to quickly bring eggs to room temperature.
SAM’S TIP: Technically your eggnog should be at room temperature too, but if you don’t remember to set yours out ahead of time, your cookies will still turn out okay!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Eggnog Cookies
Make the dough
Note: this is a pretty sticky, wet dough–almost like a batter. It does NOT need to chill though!
This recipe could be made using a stand mixer (with the paddle attachment), but I typically just use my handheld electric one (and while it could technically be made by hand, it would be quite an arm workout creaming the butter and sugar). You’ll cream the sugars and butter together until light and fluffy, then stir in the vanilla and egg, drizzle in the eggnog, then whisk together your dry ingredients before gradually folding them into the dough.
Make sure you stir well between each addition of flour and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl (especially if using a stand mixer!) to avoid any pockets of flour.
Bake and flatten
Scoop and drop the dough by level 1 ½ tablespoon scoops onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn a light golden color.
Remove and immediately press each cookie with the bottom of a clean measuring cup or glass. Don’t skip this step! This gives you a smooth surface for decorating, and it also compresses the cookie for a super tender crumb. Don’t smash the cookies, but press gently but firmly until the top is level.
Add the glaze
Once your cookies have cooled completely, prepare the glaze. After whisking it together, the glaze should be firm enough that it can ribbon off the whisk and hold its shape for a few seconds before dissolving back into the bowl.
Add a heaping teaspoon of glaze over each cooke and spread into an even layer. Some freshly grated nutmeg on top really sells that eggnog look and taste! This is optional, but I love it.
Let your glaze harden before enjoying–this usually takes an hour or so for me but will vary depending on exactly how thick you made your icing and even the temperature and humidity in your kitchen.
SAM’S TIP: These eggnog cookies will taste very sweet, like almost too sweet, before the frosting sets up. I promise they’ll taste MUCH better once it solidifies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Once the glaze has had time to solidify, it is nice and firm. I do recommend layering wax paper between your eggnog cookies though, just to be safe.
Unfortunately, no. This dough is far too soft to be rolled and cut with cookie cutters. If you’d like, you can make my easy sugar cookies or no-chill sugar cookies instead (or even my chocolate sugar cookies, that would be a fun combo!) and top them with the eggnog glaze used here. The eggnog flavor won’t be quite as strong, but they’ll still be amazing!
I feel comfortable leaving mine in an airtight container at room temperature for three days. The eggnog icing doesn’t worry me because of the ratio of eggnog:sugar (lots of sugar here acting as a preservative). If you aren’t comfortable with leaving them out (due to the eggnog in the frosting), you can refrigerate.
Looking for more no-chill Christmas cookies? Try my Grinch cookies, whipped shortbread, chocolate snickerdoodles, Italian cookies, or any of the four cookies listed below the recipe.
Enjoy!
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Eggnog Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (66 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 large egg room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 ml) eggnog
- 3 ⅓ cups (375 g) cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
Frosting
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar (if sifting, sift after measuring)
- 6 Tablespoons eggnog
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment), use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugars until well creamed (about 2-3 minutes on high speed).1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ⅓ cup (66 g) light brown sugar
- Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in eggnog until well incorporated into the dough.¼ cup (60 ml) eggnog
- In a separate, medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.3 ⅓ cups (375 g) cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¾ teaspoon table salt
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet (I do this in 3-4 parts), stirring well between each addition. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Scoop dough by level 1 ½ Tablespoon-sized scoop and drop onto prepared baking sheet.
- Transfer to center rack of 350F (175C) preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are just begin turning a very light brown.
- Within a minute of the cookies coming out of the oven, use the bottom of a measuring cup (or similar) to very gently flatten the surface of each cookie. Allow to cool completely on baking sheet before covering frosting.
Frosting
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and eggnog until smooth. Mixture will be thin like a glaze.3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar, 6 Tablespoons eggnog
- Spread 1 heaping teaspoon of frosting evenly over the surface of each cookie (I use an offset spatula to spread the frosting, but a butter knife would work). Allow frosting to harden before enjoying.
Notes
Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Cookies may also be frozen (wrap tightly in plastic) for up to 2 months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Susan
Excellent. Everyone loves them.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for giving them a try, Susan! Enjoy 😊
Harmony
These cookies are perfect as is. They have the right amount of sweetness and the eggnog really comes through.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for giving them a try, Harmony! We’re so happy you enjoyed them 😊
Bruce
I’m very disappointed because my scale acted up (battery dying, I guess, and I don’t have a spare), so I got too much flour in them. Fortunately, the only thing it affected was the texture. I was really looking forward to something along the lines of my beloved whipped shortbread. What I got (and it’s still excellent) was a chewy sugar cookie texture with a wonderful little crust on it. Hey if that’s Plan B, then life is worth living!
So, first the taste of the cookies. I often say that Sam has an amazing sense of seasoning, and these cookies prove that. They taste like a faintly-flavored spice cookie, and an excellent one at that. The vanilla brings out the little bit of cinnamon and nutmeg (I only use fresh). Any more flavor, and there would be competition with the frosting.
Yes, the frosting. That stuff is a home run. Then the cookie with the frosting is a real Christmas winner. This recipe was well worth waiting for.
Sam
Thank you so much, Bruce! Bummer about your scale though! I’m glad you were still able to enjoy the cookies. 🙂
Catherine Acton
How important is it to use “cake flour” as opposed to all-purpose flour? Do you have a recommendation? Also… would using salted butter be a huge mistake?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Catherine! We actually discuss the importance of using cake flour within the post. It is critical to the tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture here. You could use all purpose flour (substitution instructions are in the post too!), but we really recommend cake flour for best results. For the butter, you can use salted but you will need to reduce the salt in the dough to ¼ teaspoon. We hope you love them! 😊
Kathleen A Ewert
I always use salted butter I think the cookies or anything you bake would be very bland if you didn’t there’s not that much salt in butter I don’t know why those recipes always say that it kind of annoys me. And I also still add the half a teaspoon or teaspoon of salt whatever the recipe says and they turn out wonderful
Sam
Hi Kathleen! You can control the salt level in the baked goods much better with unsalted butter. I do have an article on using salted or unsalted butter that may be interesting. 🙂
Taryn Clark
So I have not stopped making your recipes! I’ve just gotten lazy about rating 😫 but since these haven’t been rated yet, I thought I’d be the first! First off…the cookie dough of these bad boys 🤤. I’m not condoning eating raw cookie dough obviously, but also like…if I die, I die. Worth it. The texture once baked is to die for, I highly recommend using the cake flour instead of substituting AP flour. If you don’t have cake flour, go to the store and grab some. And THANK YOU for linking the items you use for each recipe. I now have a cookie scooper thingy on the way 😁. I highly recommend using one of those too because the dough is sticky and they don’t come out as pretty without a scoop, but who cares because they’re delicious! 10/5, per usual. You’re the best! Merry Christmas Sam!
Sam
I’m so glad to hear they were such a hit, Taryn! Merry Christmas! 🙂