Eggnog Cookies {Melt-in-Your-Mouth}

Published December 5, 2019. Updated February 27, 2024

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These Eggnog Cookies are a staple holiday recipe! Once you try them you’ll want to make them at least once every Christmas season. They’re a soft and fluffy, cake-like cookie with a deliciously tender texture, the perfect amount of spice, and a rich eggnog frosting.

Image of plate full of frosted eggnog cookies.

The Best Soft Eggnog Cookies!

These eggnog cookies are a ready holiday favorite (and family favorite too)! They’re deliciously soft and completely divine cookies that do just as their titled – they melt away in your mouth!

With their delicate texture and generous coating of eggnog frosting they are likely to become a cookie you’re not going to forget about. They really do taste just like eggnog in cookie form, so really they are one of the ultimate Christmas cookies!

You wouldn’t believe how quickly we finished these off. I think they definitely need to be a new Christmas tradition for my family, and yours too.

If you love eggnog I can pretty much guarantee you’ll love these cookies! Yes eggnog is great but it doesn’t quite curb those dessert cravings but these however definitely do the trick.

We all love the classic cookie recipes during the holidays but it’s always so fun to add a new flavor to the mix like these! People will love them!

Watch the Video!

 

Eggnog Cookies sitting on a Christmas plaid tablecloth.

Eggnog Cookie Ingredients

To make these you’ll need:

  • All-purpose flour – I like to use unbleached all purpose flour but standard bleached flour works too.
  • Granulated sugar, brown sugar and powdered sugar – that’s a lot of sugars. We’re making cookies!
  • Ground cinnamon and nutmeg – these spices help give the cookie a classic eggnog flavor.
  • Baking powder – this helps the cookies rise, don’t forget it.
  • Salt – this brings out the flavors of the cookie.
  • Unsalted butter – don’t use margarine or shortening, stick with butter for best flavor and texture.
  • Egg yolks – egg yolks are used in eggnog so that’s what we go with here too.
  • Eggnog – I’ve made these with both traditional eggnog and low-fat, the low fat spread more so I recommend sticking with the full fat stuff.
  • Vanilla extract and rum extract – the vanilla offers that classic background flavor while the rum flavor mimics that in eggnog.

Ingredients needed for eggnog cookies

How to Make Eggnog Cookies

These cookies are a breeze to make, and no chilling dough or cutting shapes here! Here’s what you’ll do to make them:

  • Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F, line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon for 30 seconds, set aside.
  • Cream butter with sugar: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.
  • Mix in wet ingredients: Mix in egg yolks one at a time, blending just until combined after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract, rum extract and egg nog.
  • Blend in dry ingredients: With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
  • Drop spoonfuls of batter onto cookie sheets: Scoop dough out by the heaping tablespoonfuls and drop onto prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies 2-inches apart.

Eggnog Cookies

How to Bake and Frost Cookies:

  • Bake then cool: Bake in preheated oven 11 – 13 minutes. Allow to rest on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
  • Make the frosting and spread over cooled cookies: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter until very pale and fluffy. Add in rum extract and 3 Tbsp eggnog and mix in powdered sugar. Add additional eggnog to reach desired consistency.

Eggnog Cookies shown here before and after baking on parchment paper lined baking sheet.

How to Store Eggnog Cookies:

  • Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.
  • They keep well for about 4 days.
  • For longer shelf life cookies can be frozen.
  • Bring to room temperature before serving.

Red plate full of 14 frosted eggnog cookies.

More Christmas Cookie Recipes You’ll Love!

Close up image of eggnog cookies

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

4.79 from 110 votes

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Eggnog Cookies

With their tender cake-like texture and generous coating of eggnog frosting they are likely to become a new favorite holiday cookie!
Servings: 32 cookies
Prep30 minutes
Cook12 minutes
Ready in: 42 minutes

Ingredients

Frosting

  • 1/2 cup (113g) butter, at room temperature (I used 1/4 cup salted and 1/4 cup unsalted butter)
  • 3 - 5 Tbsp eggnog
  • 1/2 tsp rum extract
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon for 30 seconds, set aside. 
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. 
  • Mix in egg yolks one at a time, blending just until combined after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract, rum extract and egg nog. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined. 
  • Scoop dough out by the heaping tablespoonfuls and drop onto Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets, spacing cookies 2-inches apart. 
  • Bake in preheated oven 11 - 13 minutes. Allow to rest on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely then frost with Eggnog Frosting and sprinkle tops lightly with nutmeg.

For the Eggnog Frosting:

  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter until very pale and fluffy. Add in rum extract and 3 Tbsp eggnog and mix in powdered sugar. Add additional eggnog to reach desired consistency.

Notes

  • Cookies previously listed 2 1/4 cups flour (spooned and leveled method) when using the easier scoop and level method this is only 2 cups to equal the same amount. If you'd like cookies to be a little thicker you can add 2 extra tablespoons of flour.
Nutrition Facts
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Eggnog Cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 172 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 33mg11%
Sodium 66mg3%
Potassium 54mg2%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 245IU5%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 27mg3%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
Recipe originally shared Nov. 2013, photos and text have been updated.

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422 Comments

  • Mrs Fields Eggnog Cookies – Heart Love Weddings

    […] exactly. They were so, so, so good!!  I made the second batch and changed a few things based on another eggnog cookie recipe I found on Cooking Classy. What I changed, I loved!! Everything you need to know is […]

  • Erin @ Edenn Valley Soap Co.

    I just made these for a dessert potluck and they were a huge hit! I didn’t bring ANY home and was asked for the recipe 8 times. I will definitely be keeping this recipe in my box. Thanks for sharing!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      I’m so happy to hear they were a hit Erin! Thanks so much for your comment!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      You may have packed in the flour a bit while measuring so that would make them spread less. If you don’t feel you did you could always add another tbsp or two of butter and that should help (or a little more egg nog would probably help too).

      • Cara

        Mine didn’t spread out at all either. I definitely didn’t pack the flour, just used a knife to level off. After the first batch I used the back of a spoon to flatten them before putting in the oven. I guess next time I’ll have to try adding extra butter/egg nog and see if it makes a difference. The flour has been in the pantry awhile, so that may have contributed too.

  • Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet

    These sounds as good as they look! Gorgeous! Pinning!

  • jessica @ Portuguese Girl Cooks

    These look awesome, Jaclyn! I’m kind of obsessed with all things egg nog right now!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Nearly two dozen if I’m remembering right. Sorry I hate when I forget to add that!

  • Esther

    Hi Jaclyn, I’m inspired by these cookies. Thanks for sharing! Can you please tell me how many cookies 1 batch yields? I’d like to make these for a cookie exchange party and wanted to know how much I need to prepare. Thanks!

  • Sarah

    I am living in the Middle East right now and Rum Extract is nearly impossible to find…probably impossible. Is there a substitute you would suggest?

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      The only thing would probably be to omit it or replace it with a little bit of real rum.