How to make festive eggnog cookies for the holidays!

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When it comes to winter and the Christmas season, one of my absolute favorite flavors to work with is eggnog! Just thinking about that delicious eggnog makes me think of being snuggled up in my favorite sweater, taking in all the twinkling Christmas lights, and baking up some scrumptious holiday snacks. 

While a lot of people just think about eggnog as a classic Christmas drink, it turns out that eggnog is wonderous when used in baked sweets, like my irresistible Eggnog Cookies! The thick, seasoned, flavorful beverage is perfect for mixing in with pastry recipes for added moisture and undeniable Christmas flavor. 

These Christmas cookies are made with all the favorite holiday seasonings -like nutmeg, cinnamon, and eggnog, of course- and then topped with homemade white chocolate gingerbread men! They are literally everything you could want in a treat to encompass that cozy and comforting Christmas feeling!

Whether you have a big holiday party coming up or you want to make something special for your holiday family gatherings, these adorable eggnog cookies are sure to bring in all the holiday cheer! Here’s how I make Eggnog Cookies.

Cookie Equipment

First, let me go over my Christmas cookie equipment. There’s nothing too special or fancy to expect here. You just need some common baking tools and utensils, along with a few other helpful tools. Here’s what I use to make these scrumptious eggnog cookies:

• Measuring Cup
• Measuring spoons
• Blending whisk
• Hand mixer
• Dough scoop, 2 tbsp
• Christmas Silicone Fondant Mold
• Cake Spatula
• Wilton candy melts pot
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper sheets
• Food brushes
• Small baking sheet

Egg-cellent Cookie Ingredients

Now let me break down my egg-cellent Christmas cookie ingredients! If you already like to bake with common Christmas seasonings then you should actually already have most of what you need for this holiday recipe. Here are the ingredients I use in my eggnog cookies:

For the Eggnog Cookies:

• 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
• ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 egg yolks
• ½ cup eggnog
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp eggnog extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar

For the Chocolate Gingerbread Men:

• 1 cup Bright white Wilton Candy Melts
• ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
• Pink luster

How to Make Festive Eggnog Cookies

Now let’s make some Christmas magic happen in the kitchen! There are quite a few steps but overall this process is simple and really easy to follow along with, even for beginners. Let’s get right to it! Here’s how to make irresistible eggnog cookies with white chocolate gingerbread men:

Making the Eggnog Cookies:

1. First, use the measuring cup and spoons to measure out all of the cookie ingredients.  Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Next, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Mix the ingredients with a blending whisk.
4. Next, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into separate small bowls.
5. Keep the bowl with the egg yolks.
6. Then, add in the eggnog, vanilla extract, and eggnog extract.
7. Combine the ingredients with a clean blending whisk.
8. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
9. Beat the ingredients together with a hand mixer. 
10. Next, pour the egg mixture into the large bowl of butter and sugar.
11. Beat the ingredients together again with the hand mixer. 
12. Then, add ½ the dry ingredients into the wet.
13. Mix on low to keep the flour from flying out everywhere.
14. Add the remainder of the flour mixture.
15. Mix the dough one more time to completely incorporate all the ingredients.
16. Then, line a baking sheet or 2 with sheets of parchment paper.
17. Use a dough scoop to scoop rounded cookie dough balls, spread out, over the lined baking sheet. 
18. Bake the eggnog cookies for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool completely before decorating.

Making the Gingerbread Men:

1. First, measure out the cookie topper ingredients.
2. Then, add the white candy melts and the nutmeg to the candy melt pot.
3. Melt them together while continuously stirring with a silicone spatula.
4. Then, place the Christmas silicone molds on a small baking sheet to keep them completely flat.
5. Spoon the melted white chocolate into the molds. Tap the tray to remove any air bubbles and scrape away the excess chocolate with a cake spatula.
6. Then, freeze the Christmas chocolates, completely flat, for 10 minutes.
7. Gently remove the hardened chocolates from the molds. I like to use disposable gloves to keep the chocolates from melting from the heat from my hands.
8. Next, use a food brush to apply the pink glitter dust to each of the chocolate gingerbread men.
9. Place a dot of melted chocolate in the middle of each cooled cookie. Then, immediately stick the gingerbread men to the cookies while the chocolate dots are still wet.
10. Finally, serve and enjoy!

Alternative Chocolate-Melting Method

If you don’t have a nifty candy melting pot in your kitchen collection, here is a simple microwave melting method that will work for anyone!

How to Melt Candy Melts in the Microwave:

1. First, pour the candy melts into a heat-safe bowl or silicone measuring cup. 
2. Then, heat the candy melts in the microwave at 50% power, or on a defrost setting, for 1 minute. 
3. Next, stir the candies thoroughly. 
   1. Use a towel or an oven mitt to protect your hand from the heat when handling the bowl or cup.
4. Then, continue to microwave the candies at the same low setting in 15-30 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the candy is almost melted.
5. Finally, let the candy sit for about 1 minute to let the residual heat take care of any small unmelted pieces of candy leftover.
   1. If you try another interval of cooking at this point, the candy could overcook and burn so it’s better to let the candy sit and take care of itself.

For more chocolate-melting methods and tips, check out my simple guide on How to Melt Candy Melts.

How to Store Eggnog Cookies

To store eggnog cookies: transfer them to an airtight container lined with paper towels. Stack the cookies in between layers of wax paper. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. To freeze eggnog cookies: wrap the cookies in plastic wrap, then again with kitchen foil and transfer them to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before serving. Always label the date on the outside of the container.

More Christmas Recipes

This the Season for Sweet Treats

Want to keep the taste of holiday cheer around all season long? Then you’ve come to the right baker! Here are some more of my favorite Christmas and holiday recipes to keep those Christmas spirits up!

• Eggnog Scones
• Peppermint Cupcakes
• Peppermint White Chocolate Cookies
• Christmas Hot Chocolate Bombs
• Marshmallow Snowmen
• Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary
• Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint Chips
• Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
• Gingerbread Cupcakes