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Eggnog isn’t just for drinking!
Eggnog is such a classic holiday drink. I think it’s fantastic in small quantities to drink, but when it’s in cookie form...all bets are off!
These eggnog shortbread cookies will be a hit during your cookie swap, at a holiday party, or even for just you and your family hanging this season.
The eggnog flavor comes in with the cinnamon and nutmeg added to the shortbread cookie dough and the eggnog liqueur icing. It’s a really nice balance of sweet icing and buttery cookie that people will ask you to make year after year!
The main ingredients
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and eggnog liqueur.
That’s it! It’s basically my standard slice and bake shortbread cookie recipe with a little holiday cheer. I do have some tips for you below when shopping for this recipe.
The spices
Cinnamon is the easy one. You can grab whichever cinnamon you normally get!
When it comes to nutmeg, make sure to use whole nutmeg that you grate yourself (you’ll need to get yourself a Microplane grater if you don’t have one).
Here’s the deal. Pre-ground nutmeg doesn’t hold it’s a flavor well. It easily tastest like nothing compared to the freshly grated stuff. So, splurge on some whole nutmeg, a Microplane grater if you don’t have one, and embrace the fresh nutmeg life.
Also...whole nutmeg lasts a very long time, so even though that first purchase might seem a bit pricey, it’s a small investment in your baking that you won’t regret!
Eggnog
There are so many options when it comes to eggnog. There are non-dairy options, liqueurs, and homemade versions.
For this recipe, I call for a boozy eggnog. I like the boozy bite that it adds to the eggnog icing.
I found a bottle during December at my Trader Joe’s, and there are a few other boozy brands in stores during the season if you don’t have a TJ’s near you.
Not a fan of the boozy version of eggnog? Or maybe your party guests don't partake. You’ll just need to pick up a non-boozy brand of eggnog and test it out in the icing recipe.
I haven’t tried making the icing with anything other than the boozy stuff, so keep that in mind. You’ll just need to try to get the icing to a consistency that works well for your decorating needs.
How to make them step-by-step
Here are some step-by-step pics to help you make the best eggnog shortbread cookies! Also, check out the video on YouTube for more tips.
Step 1: Use an electric mixer to cream the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla together.
Step 2: Slowly beat in the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon until the dough begins to come together.
Step 3: Form the dough into two logs, wrap in parchment paper, and chill for at least 2 hours.
Step 4: Slice that dough into ¼-inch thick slices.
Step 5: Bake the dough until the bottom edges begin to brown, about 14 minutes.
Step 6: Once the cookies are cool, make your icing and ice those cookies!
Extra tips
Looking for some extra tips to help you along your baking adventure? Here’s some info on how to make these cookies ahead of time and how to store them for the best outcome!
Make them ahead of time
If you’ve read the post on making slice and bake shortbread or cranberry white chocolate shortbread, you know that you can absolutely make these cookies in advance! Such a win, especially during the holiday season when schedules get crazy.
The cookie dough can be made ahead up to three days before you plan on baking them. Just follow the recipe instructions up to chilling the dough. Wrap it up tightly, and let it chill.
You can also freeze the well-wrapped dough up to three months before baking. Just chill the dough as you’d normally do, so it holds its shape, and pop it into an airtight container. It freezes very well.
When you’re ready to bake the shortbread, let it thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for about an hour or so. The dough should still be cold, but it needs to be thawed just enough to be sliceable.
The best way to store them
The most important thing to do before storing these cookies is to let the eggnog icing set completely.
If you don’t you may end up smashing the icing on top of some of the cookies and that’s not cute, especially if you plan on bringing them to a holiday cookie swap.
The icing takes about 8 hours to fully set. So I leave the cookies out overnight and then store them in an airtight container when the icing has hardened.
Recipe
Slice and Bake! Eggnog Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- baking sheet
- hand mixer
- dry measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 7 teaspoons eggnog liqueur or non-alcoholic eggnog
- luster dust or sprinkles optional
Instructions
To make the cookies
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until it just becomes light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Add flour, nutmeg and cinnamon. On low speed, beat until the dough just starts to come together, about 3 minutes.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press together to form a log. Divide the dough in half and form each piece of dough into a 6-inch log. Wrap in parchment paper and chill for at least 2 hours, up to two days.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice each log into ¼ to ¾ inch slices and evenly space on the baking sheets. You should have about 40 cookies.
- Bake until the bottom edges of the cookies just start to brown, 14-16 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before icing.
To make the icing
- Whisk the powdered sugar and eggnog liqueur together until smooth. If needed add additional liqueur or powdered sugar to get a consitency that is thick enough to ice the cookie with.
- Evenly spread the icing on the cookies, about ½ teaspoon per cookie, and if you want, add luster dust or other sprinkles and enjoy!
Watch the Video!
Notes
- This post may contain affiliate links.
- If you are planning on packing these cookies up, make sure the icing is fully set before doing so.
Akiko says
Looks amazing! Does the frosting harden if I were to use actual egg nog instead of liqueur? I want to gift them but need to know they won’t stick together when stacked.
Michelle Weiner says
Thank you and great q Akiko!
It should harden, just make sure that you leave them uncovered to dry fully and start with less liquid than the recipe calls for. The alcohol in the liqueur helps the icing dry quickly, so reducing the amount of liquid is my best advice to start!
Please report back, and happy holiday baking!