Holiday EggNog Cookies

Holiday EggNog Cookies Recipe

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup Egg Nog
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• EggNog Icing (optional)

1. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add EggNog, baking soda and nutmeg and mix well.
3. Gradually add in flour and mix until well combined.
4. Divide dough into fourths (individually wrapped in plastic wrap) and chill overnight in refrigerator or for 2 hours in freezer.
5. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
6. On well-floured surface, roll out cookie dough (one-fourth at a time), to 1/8-inch thickness and cut with floured cookie cutters.
7. Reroll as necessary to use all dough.
8. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
10. Remove and place cookies on wire racks to cool completely.
11. Ice and decorate with EggNog Icing if desired.
12. Prepare EggNog Icing:
    Using an electric mixer, beat 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1/4 cup softened butter until well mixed. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup EggNog until icing is smooth.

This recipe makes about 8 dozen EggNog Cookies (depending on size and shape of the cookie cutter used).

Drop EggNog Cookies Recipe

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 4/3 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more to sprinkle on top
• 8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup prepared eggnog
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon rum

Frosting

• 4 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rum
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Dash of salt
• Fresh nutmeg for grating, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition.
5. Add eggnog, vanilla and rum and beat until combined (mixture may look a little lumpy but that's ok).
6. Gradually add in sifted flour mixture, beating on low until just combined.
7. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart, onto parchment-lined (or silpat-lined) cookie sheets.
8. Bake until bottoms are lightly golden, about 10 to 12 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
10. Meanwhile, prepare the icing:
    Beat butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and beat slowly until incorporated. Add rum, lemon juice and dash of salt and continue beating on medium-high until icing becomes fluffy and spreadable.
11. Frost top of each cookie with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of icing.
12. If desired, grate fresh nutmeg over icing.

This recipe makes about 4 1/2 dozen Drop Eggnog Cookies.