Enjoy the delightful fusion of holiday flavors with these eggnog cookies, topped with a luscious eggnog cream cheese frosting. Perfect for festive gatherings or as a cozy treat on cold winter days, these cookies bring warmth and joy to any occasion.
Photos of Eggnog Cookies with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Some ingredients in this recipe might not be staples in your pantry. Cream of tartar is often used in baking to stabilize egg whites and add volume, while eggnog adds a unique holiday flavor. These can be found in the baking aisle and dairy section of most supermarkets, respectively.
Ingredients For Eggnog Cookies With Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting
All-purpose flour: The base for the cookie dough, providing structure.
Baking powder: Helps the cookies rise and become fluffy.
Nutmeg: Adds warm, nutty spice to the cookies and frosting.
Salt: Enhances the other flavors.
Cream of tartar: Stabilizes the dough and adds a slight tanginess.
Ground cinnamon: Provides warmth and spice.
Ground cloves: Adds a depth of flavor with its strong, aromatic quality.
Ground ginger: Offers a mild heat and complexity.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness and moisture.
Brown sugar: Sweetens and adds a hint of molasses flavor.
Granulated sugar: Provides additional sweetness and helps with the cookie's texture.
Cream cheese: Adds a creamy, tangy component to the dough and frosting.
Egg: Binds the ingredients together.
Egg yolks: Adds richness and color.
Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor.
Eggnog: Infuses the cookies and frosting with a festive flavor.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
One reader, Brose Singh says:
These eggnog cookies with eggnog cream cheese frosting are absolutely delightful! The cookies are perfectly spiced and the frosting adds a creamy, festive touch. They were a hit at my holiday party and disappeared quickly. Highly recommend for anyone looking to add a special treat to their holiday baking!
Techniques Required for Making Eggnog Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
How to cream butter and sugar: Creaming butter and sugar involves beating them together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This process incorporates air into the mixture, which helps to create a tender and light texture in the cookies.
How to separate egg yolks: Separating egg yolks from the whites can be done by cracking the egg and carefully transferring the yolk back and forth between the two shell halves, allowing the white to fall into a bowl while keeping the yolk intact.
How to measure flour correctly: To measure flour correctly, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. This prevents packing the flour too tightly, which can result in too much flour and a dense cookie.
How to use a stand mixer: Using a stand mixer involves attaching the appropriate mixing attachment, in this case, the paddle attachment, and setting the mixer to the correct speed for the task, such as medium-high for creaming butter and sugar.
How to bake cookies: Baking cookies involves preheating the oven to the specified temperature, placing the dough on a baking sheet, and baking for the recommended time until the cookies are set and lightly golden.
How to cool cookies: Cooling cookies involves letting them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes after baking to firm up, then transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
How to make frosting: Making frosting involves beating butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, then adding cream cheese and other flavorings, and beating until smooth and creamy.
How to frost cookies: Frosting cookies involves spreading the prepared frosting evenly over the cooled cookies using a knife or spatula.
How To Make Eggnog Cookies with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting
These eggnog cookies are baked until soft and chewy and topped with an eggnog-infused cream cheese frosting. It’s a new way to approach a holiday staple.
Serves:
Ingredients
For Eggnog Cookies:
- 2½cupsall-purpose flour
- 2½tspbaking powder
- ¾tspnutmeg
- ½tspsalt
- ½tspcream of tartar
- ½tspground cinnamon
- ¼tspground cloves
- ¼tspground ginger
- 16tbspunsalted butter,softened
- 1cupbrown sugar
- ½cupgranulated sugar
- 1ozcream cheese,softened
- 1egg
- 2large egg yolks,hard cooked and pressed through a fine mesh strainer
- 2tspvanilla extract
- ⅓cupeggnog
For Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4tbspunsalted butter,softened
- 2¼cupspowdered sugar,divided
- 4ozcream cheese,softened, cut into 8 pieces
- 1tspvanilla extract
- ¼tspground nutmeg
- ¼tspground cinnamon
- 1tbspeggnog
Instructions
Cookies:
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liner and set aside.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, cream of tartar, ground cinnamon, ground cloves and ground ginger. Set aside.
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Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugars and cream cheese for 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
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Beat in whole egg just until combined. Add egg yolks, vanilla extract and eggnog and beat just until combined.
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With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture and beat just until combined.
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Drop dough by the heaping tablespoon at least 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, about 6 pieces per sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops are set.
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Let cool for 3 minutes then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting:
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Beat butter and 1½ cups of powdered sugar with handled mixer at medium-high speed for about 2 to 3 minutes or until creamed together and light and fluffy. Add cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
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Add vanilla, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon and eggnog and beat to combine. Beat in remaining powdered sugar. Add additional eggnog, if needed, a teaspoon at a time to reach desired consistency.
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Evenly spread frosting on cooled cookies. Garnish cookies with crushed candy canes or ground nutmeg if desired.
Nutrition
- Calories: 149.29kcal
- Fat: 7.50g
- Saturated Fat: 4.54g
- Trans Fat: 0.23g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 1.98g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.36g
- Carbohydrates: 19.36g
- Fiber: 0.25g
- Sugar: 13.01g
- Protein: 1.47g
- Cholesterol: 33.87mg
- Sodium: 70.20mg
- Calcium: 36.33mg
- Potassium: 33.88mg
- Iron: 0.50mg
- Vitamin A: 67.99µg
- Vitamin C: 0.04mg
Technique Tip for Perfect Eggnog Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
When making the eggnog cream cheese frosting, ensure that both the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature. This will help them blend together more smoothly, resulting in a creamier and more consistent frosting.
Time-Saving Tips for Making Eggnog Cookies
Prepare ingredients in advance: Measure and mix all dry ingredients the night before to save time on baking day.
Use a cookie scoop: This ensures uniform cookie dough portions and speeds up the process of placing dough on the baking sheets.
Soften butter quickly: Cut butter into small pieces and let it sit at room temperature for faster softening.
Chill dough briefly: If the dough is too soft, chill it for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to handle and shape.
Make frosting ahead: Prepare the eggnog cream cheese frosting while the cookies bake and cool, then store it in the fridge until ready to use.
Substitute Ingredients For Eggnog Cookies with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
all-purpose flour - Substitute with whole wheat flour: Whole wheat flour adds a nutty flavor and more fiber, but it may make the cookies denser.
baking powder - Substitute with baking soda and cream of tartar: Use 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar for each tsp of baking powder.
nutmeg - Substitute with mace: Mace has a similar flavor profile to nutmeg but is slightly more intense.
salt - Substitute with sea salt: Sea salt can be used in the same quantity and may add a slightly different mineral flavor.
cream of tartar - Substitute with lemon juice: Use 1 tsp of lemon juice for every 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar to provide acidity.
ground cinnamon - Substitute with allspice: Allspice has a similar warm flavor but is more pungent, so use slightly less.
ground cloves - Substitute with allspice: Allspice can mimic the flavor of cloves but is less intense.
ground ginger - Substitute with fresh ginger: Use 1 tbsp of fresh grated ginger for every 1/4 tsp of ground ginger for a more vibrant flavor.
unsalted butter - Substitute with margarine: Margarine can be used in the same quantity but may alter the flavor slightly.
brown sugar - Substitute with coconut sugar: Coconut sugar has a similar sweetness and a slight caramel flavor.
granulated sugar - Substitute with honey: Use 3/4 cup of honey for every 1 cup of granulated sugar and reduce other liquids by 1/4 cup.
cream cheese - Substitute with Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt can provide a similar tangy flavor and creamy texture.
egg - Substitute with flax egg: Mix 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water for each egg to provide binding.
egg yolks - Substitute with additional egg whites: Use 2 egg whites for every 1 egg yolk to maintain moisture.
vanilla extract - Substitute with almond extract: Almond extract provides a different but complementary flavor.
eggnog - Substitute with heavy cream and nutmeg: Use 1/3 cup heavy cream with a pinch of nutmeg to mimic the richness and flavor of eggnog.
powdered sugar - Substitute with granulated sugar blended: Blend granulated sugar in a blender until it reaches a powdery consistency.
vanilla extract - Substitute with maple syrup: Maple syrup adds a different but rich flavor and can be used in the same quantity.
ground nutmeg - Substitute with cinnamon: Cinnamon provides a warm flavor, though different from nutmeg.
ground cinnamon - Substitute with nutmeg: Nutmeg can provide a warm flavor, though different from cinnamon.
eggnog - Substitute with milk and nutmeg: Use 1 tbsp milk with a pinch of nutmeg to mimic the flavor of eggnog.
Presentation Tips for Eggnog Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Use elegant plating: Arrange the eggnog cookies in a circular pattern on a large, white, porcelain plate. This creates a clean and sophisticated look, allowing the cookies to be the star of the presentation.
Add height and dimension: Stack a few cookies slightly off-center to add visual interest and dimension to the plate. This technique draws the eye and adds a professional touch.
Incorporate festive elements: Garnish the plate with a light dusting of ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon around the edges. This not only adds flavor but also enhances the visual appeal with a festive touch.
Highlight the frosting: Pipe the eggnog cream cheese frosting onto the cookies using a star tip to create elegant swirls. This adds texture and makes the frosting look more refined.
Add a pop of color: Sprinkle finely crushed candy canes or a few fresh cranberries around the plate. The red color contrasts beautifully with the cookies and adds a festive flair.
Use a complementary sauce: Drizzle a thin line of caramel sauce or spiced rum reduction around the plate. This adds an extra layer of flavor and sophistication to the dish.
Finish with a fresh element: Place a small sprig of fresh mint or a few edible flowers on top of the stacked cookies. This adds a touch of freshness and completes the presentation with a burst of color.
Essential Tools for Making Eggnog Cookies
Oven: Used to bake the cookies at a consistent temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Parchment paper: Lining the baking sheets to prevent the cookies from sticking and to make cleanup easier.
Baking sheets: Flat sheets used to hold the cookie dough while baking.
Large bowl: Used for whisking together the dry ingredients.
Whisk: Helps in evenly mixing the dry ingredients like flour, baking powder, and spices.
Stand mixer: Essential for creaming the butter, sugars, and cream cheese together until light and fluffy.
Paddle attachment: An attachment for the stand mixer, ideal for mixing cookie dough.
Measuring cups: Used to measure out the flour, sugars, and eggnog accurately.
Measuring spoons: Used to measure smaller quantities of ingredients like baking powder, spices, and vanilla extract.
Spatula: Useful for scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.
Wire rack: Allows the cookies to cool completely and evenly after baking.
Handheld mixer: Used for making the eggnog cream cheese frosting, ensuring it becomes light and fluffy.
Small bowl: Useful for holding smaller quantities of ingredients or for mixing the frosting.
Tablespoon: For dropping heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto the baking sheets.
Cooling rack: Another term for a wire rack, used to cool the cookies after baking.
Sifter: Optional but useful for sifting powdered sugar to avoid lumps in the frosting.
Storing and Freezing Eggnog Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing or freezing.
- To store the cookies, place them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- If you want to freeze the cookies, follow these steps:
- Place the cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Put the baking sheet in the freezer for about 2 hours, or until the cookies are frozen solid.
- Transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Label the container or bag with the date and contents.
- Freeze the cookies for up to 3 months.
- To thaw the frozen cookies, remove them from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
- If you want to store or freeze the cream cheese frosting, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To use frozen cream cheese frosting, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then let it come to room temperature before spreading it on the cookies.
- For best results, frost the cookies just before serving to maintain their texture and appearance.
Random Fact about Eggnog Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
A random fact about this eggnog cookies with eggnog cream cheese frosting recipe is that the inclusion of cream of tartar helps to stabilize the egg whites, giving the cookies a light and airy texture.
Is Making Eggnog Cookies at Home Cost-Effective?
When analyzing the cost-effectiveness of eggnog cookies with eggnog cream cheese frosting, we find that the ingredients are relatively affordable and commonly found in most households. The use of all-purpose flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and spices like nutmeg and cinnamon keeps costs low. The addition of eggnog and cream cheese adds a slight premium but remains reasonable. For a household of 4, the approximate cost is around $10-$12. Overall Verdict: 8/10.
Are Eggnog Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Healthy?
This eggnog cookie recipe, while undeniably delicious, is not particularly healthy. The cookies are high in calories, fat, and sugar, with ingredients like butter, cream cheese, and sugars featured prominently. The frosting alone contains a significant amount of butter, powdered sugar, and cream cheese, which can contribute to weight gain and other health issues if consumed in excess.
However, there are ways to make this recipe healthier without sacrificing taste:
- Reduce the amount of butter and sugar in both the cookies and frosting, or substitute with healthier alternatives like coconut oil and natural sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup
- Use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour to increase fiber content
- Replace some of the butter with Greek yogurt or applesauce to lower the fat content while maintaining moisture
- Decrease the amount of frosting used on each cookie, or opt for a lighter glaze instead
- Incorporate more spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, which have anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce the need for excessive sugar
- Use low-fat cream cheese or a plant-based alternative in the frosting to cut down on saturated fat
- Add in some finely chopped nuts or seeds for an extra boost of healthy fats and protein
By making these adjustments, you can create a healthier version of these eggnog cookies that still satisfies your holiday cravings. Remember, moderation is key, and it's okay to indulge in a treat now and then, especially during the festive season.
Editor's Thoughts on This Festive Cookie Recipe
This eggnog cookie recipe is a delightful holiday treat, combining warm spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger with the rich, creamy flavors of eggnog and cream cheese. The balance of textures, from the soft, chewy cookies to the smooth, luscious frosting, is spot on. The addition of cream cheese in both the dough and frosting adds a tangy depth that complements the sweetness perfectly. Garnishing with crushed candy canes or extra nutmeg adds a festive touch. Overall, it's a well-rounded, flavorful recipe that's sure to impress at any holiday gathering.
Enhance Your Eggnog Cookies with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe with These Unique Side Dishes:
Alternative Recipes Similar to Eggnog Cookies
Appetizers and Main Courses to Complement Eggnog Cookies
Why trust this Eggnog Cookies with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:
This recipe combines the festive flavors of eggnog and spices to create delightful cookies that are perfect for the holiday season. The addition of cream cheese in both the cookie dough and frosting ensures a rich, creamy texture. With detailed instructions and carefully selected ingredients, this recipe has been crafted to deliver consistent, delicious results every time. Trust in the balance of sweetness and spice to bring a touch of holiday magic to your baking.
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