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Sugar cookies are a Christmas season must. But they can be so omnipresent that they can end up feeling a little ho-hum. That’s why we’ve taken one other signature holiday ingredient to make these cookies extra special. Eggnog! See these sugar cookies have all that classic sugar cookie goodness, but they also have the festive bite of that beloved holiday beverage.
The method here is pretty similar to standard sugar cookies, though with this recipe you roll out the dough and cut your shapes and then pop them in the freezer until it’s time to bake. That helps ensure they keep a nice crisp shape and that the lines don’t become distorted as they bake.
While there is actual eggnog in the dough, the rum extract plays a large part in the final cookie having that festive eggnog flavor. These are great topped with your favorite buttercream or royal icing, but topping them with nothing but a quick dusting of cinnamon sugar really lets their eggnog essence come through. They’re crisp on the edges and soft in the center, and one of our favorite ways to ring in the season.
Eggnog Sugar Cookies
Yield(s): Serves 24
30 minutes active, 30 minutes inactive
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup egg nog
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Preparation
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add butter, sugar, and vanilla and rum extracts to a large bowl, and cream together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add egg and eggnog and continue mixing until evenly combined. Add half of the flour, the baking soda, salt, and nutmeg, and mix until combined. Add remaining flour and mix until dough can be formed into a ball.
- On a floured work surface, roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut cookies into shapes and transfer to baking sheet. Cover baking sheet and place in freezer until cookies are firm, about 25 minutes.
- Roll out scraps and remaining dough and repeat.
- Bake cookies in preheated oven until light golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, frost with your favorite icing or dust with cinnamon sugar and serve. Enjoy!
Adapted from Half Baked Harvest.