Frosted Eggnog Cookies (Melt in Your Mouth)

Name: Soft Eggnog Cookies (Melt in Your Mouth)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened to room temperature); 1 cup granulated sugar; 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3/4 teaspoon rum extract; 1/2 cup full fat eggnog; 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour ((can sub 1:1 gluten free flour)); 1/3 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature); 4 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature); 2 tablespoons eggnog; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3/4 teaspoon rum extract; 3 cups powdered sugar (sifted); 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (plus more for dusting)

Jump to Recipe

Eggnog is a creamy, wintery nog made from eggs, sugar, cream, and warm spices. Learn how to make eggnog cookies with these step by step photos.

frosted eggnog cookies stacked on a white plate with a bite taken out of one to see the soft center

Confession: eggnog didn't used to be my favorite drink. I never understood why people drank it until I got a little older and realized that smooth creamy texture mixed with rum and fresh nutmeg is the holidays in a cup.

I love the flavor combinations and had to make eggnog cookies part of cookie week 2021.

Unsalted butter: I always recommend using a quality butter as the base of cookies because it affects the flavor so much. You can also use a vegan butter (we like Myokos).
Granulated sugar: a staple in cookies and helps give these soft cookies and light and tender crumb.
Leavens:baking soda and bakingpowder help these cookies rise. Make sure your leavens aren't over 6 months old or it could affect the eggnog cookies.
Salt: it helps balance out the sweetness in the cookies. I like to bake with a kosher or sea salt.
Ground nutmeg: this is a staple in eggnog and is an iconic flavor people identify with eggnog. A little goes a long way! You could also add a little bit of cinnamon if you want!
Egg: try your best to use a room temperature egg because it helps emulsify and mix into the batter better.
Flavors: we're using vanilla extract and rum extract in these cookies. Eggnog is often mixed with rum, so the extract gives that flavor without the alcohol!
Full fat eggnog: You can use a store bought eggnog to keep it simple, but I also have a dairy free eggnog recipe that you could use to keep these dairy free.
All purpose flour: we tested these cookies a few times and added a little more flour at the end to give them the best structure. You could swap this for a 1:1 gluten free flour.
Cream cheese: we're using this in the frosting and it's so good. Kite Hill makes a great vegan cream cheese to keep them dairy free.
Confectioners' sugar: this is also part of the frosting and makes it sweet and creamy!

ingredients for eggnog cookies measured out on a white table

How to Make Eggnog Cookies

Mix the wet ingredients

In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
Beat in the egg, vanilla and rum extract until the yellow streaks are gone.
Mix in the eggnog until smooth and incorporated.

butter and sugar creamed together in a mixing bowl — cream the butter and sugar

eggnog cookie dough wet ingredients with eggnog poured on top — cream the butter and sugar

Add the dry ingredients

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a separate medium bowl. With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients, then turn the speed up to medium to incorporate it fully. Repeat the process with the second half of the dry ingredients. The cookie dough will be wet.

eggnog cookie dry ingredients in a glass bowl — mix the dry ingredients

eggnog cookie batter in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment — mix the dry ingredients

Scoop and Bake

Use a heaping tablespoon or medium cookie scoop to drop the dough a few inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheat oven for 10 to 12 minutes. The tops should look set and should no longer look wet. The cookies will spread out first then start to rise.
Allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

eggnog cookie dough dropped on a large baking sheet with a silpat mat — drop the dough by a heaping tablespoon

eggnog christmas cookies cooling on a wire rack — drop the dough by a heaping tablespoon

Make the frosting

Use a large mix bowl fitted with the paddle attachment or hand mixer to beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and all of the lumps are gone.
Add 1 cup of the confectioner's sugar and beat on medium speed to incorporate. Add the eggnog, vanilla and rum extract and beat until combined and the mixture is smooth.
Finish by adding the last 2 cups of confectioners' sugar and beat well until smooth.
Frost the cooled cookies with a tablespoon or two of the frosting. I like to make a swirling motion on the top. Sprinkle with more ground nutmeg before serving.

eggnog cream cheese frosting in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment — whip the cream cheese frosting

a knife spreading cream cheese frosting on top of an eggnog cookoie — whip the cream cheese frosting

Storage Instructions

Store at room temp: the cookies will be good at room temperature for up to 2 days because the sugar in the frosting helps preserve it. However, if it's hot in your home I recommend storing them in the fridge.
Store in the fridge: Store the cooled and frosted eggnog cookies in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days.
Store in the freezer: allow the cookies to cool completely then store them in an air tight container, without frosting, for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight then make the frosting and frost them before sharing.

FAQs

Can you freeze eggnog cookies?

Yes you can freeze eggnog cookies before they're frosted. Store them in an air tight container for up to 3 months and thaw them in the fridge overnight.

Can I substitute heavy cream with eggnog?

Heavy cream is a good substitute for eggnog in this recipe is that's all you have, but you will miss some of the eggnog flavor.

What is store bought egg nog made of?

Most store bought eggnog is made of a mix of eggs, cream, sugar and spices. There are often unwanted extras in certain brands, like corn syrup, so be sure to check the ingredients if that's important! I also have an easy homemade dairy free eggnog recipe you could use.

a plate of eggnog cookies surrounded by cups of eggnog and evergreen sprigs

Dietary Modifications

Gluten free: swap the all purpose flour for 1:1 gluten free flour. We like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour or King Arthur's Measure for Measure Flour.
Dairy free: use a vegan butter (like Myokos) for the cookie and frosting and use a dairy free eggnog like a store bought one made with almond or oat milk. Or use this dairy free eggnog recipe.

Expert Tips

Cream the butter and sugar: don't skip this step because the sugar cuts into the butter to create air pockets and help the cookies rise.
Sift the powdered sugar into your frosting for extra smooth and creamy frosting.

a bite taken out of the top cookie of a stack of eggnog cookies

a plate of soft eggnog cookies frosted with cream cheese frosting

Soft Eggnog Cookies (Melt in Your Mouth)

Eggnog is a creamy, wintery nog made from eggs, sugar, cream, and warm spices. Learn how to make eggnog cookies with these step by step photos.

5 from 3 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Cool and Frost: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: cookies

Calories: 335kcal

Author: Molly Thompson

Ingredients

For the eggnog cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon rum extract
½ cup full fat eggnog
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (can sub 1:1 gluten free flour)

For the eggnog cream cheese frosting

⅓ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
4 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon rum extract
3 cups powdered sugar sifted
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg plus more for dusting

Instructions

Make the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
Add the egg, vanilla and rum extract then beat well, until the yellow streaks are gone.
Add the eggnog and beat again until it's incorporated.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a separate medium bowl. With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients, then turn the speed up to medium to incorporate it fully. Repeat the process with the second half of the dry ingredients. The cookie dough will be wet, this is what you want!
Use a heaping tablespoon or medium cookie scoop to drop the dough a few inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops are set and no longer look wet. The cookies will spread out first then start to rise.
Allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Make the cream cheese frosting

Beat together the softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and all of the lumps are gone.
Add 1 cup of the confectioner's sugar and beat on medium speed to incorporate. Add the eggnog, vanilla and rum extract and beat until combined and the mixture is smooth.
Finish by adding the last 2 cups of confectioners' sugar and beat well until smooth.
Frost the cooled cookies with a tablespoon or two of the frosting. I like to make a swirling motion on the top. Sprinkle with more ground nutmeg before serving.

Notes

*See the full recipe post above for step by step images

Dairy free option: use a vegan butter (like Myokos) for the cookie and frosting and use a dairy free eggnog like a store bought one made with almond or oat milk. Or use this dairy free eggnog recipe.

Store in the fridge: Store the cooled and frosted eggnog cookies in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days.

Store in the freezer: allow the cookies to cool completely then store them in an air tight container, without frosting, for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight then make the frosting and frost them before sharing.

Nutrition

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Frosted Eggnog Cookies (Melt in Your Mouth)