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

  • Carrie

    We love these cookies!
    My husband wished that he could have them anytime of the year but since egg nog is seasonal he’ll fill up on them now ;)

  • Tammy

    These are absolutely amazing, however I have to admit that I made them the lazy way. The old mix & pour. They turned out just perfect. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

  • Jin

    Hi Jaclyn,

    Thank You for responding and I will be trying this recipe out and will just make these for my husband and I. And let our kids make sugar cookies and make different shapes. That way I get to try this recipe out lol. It looks soooo good. I will let you know how they turn out.

    Jin.

  • Jin

    Hi,
    I am excited to try this recipe out; can I use cookie cutters to make different shapes for christmas with my kids? Or will they spread too much?

    Thanks and Happy Holidays.

    Jin

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      This dough is probably much to sticky to be able to roll and cut, sorry :). Happy Holidays to you!

      • Rachel

        Was wondering how they would do if you refrigerated the dough for a couple hours before baking? Any thoughts?

  • Deb

    Are they supposed to spread so much? Mine spread out and are paper thin? Don’t look anything like the picture.

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      They shouldn’t be super thin. My first batch I made while I lived in D.C. was a bit thicker than the second batch I made in UT. I don’t know if it’s because of various brands of eggnog (and how they have different levels of fat, egg yolks, sugar, corn syrup and so forth) possibly. Did you use light eggnog by chance? Also, I use the scoop and level method for measuring flour (rather than spoon and level). If you do make them again I’d just reduce the amount of eggnog. So sorry that happened though!

  • Nicolle Tafoya

    Is the Rum extract nessecary? I don’t have any plus I’m not a fan of rum but I love eggnog. Do you think they will be just as good without it?

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      You could probably leave it out. I personally love the flavor it adds but maybe you might not :).

  • Jodi

    I made these today and they are so yummy! I made them as mini sandwich cookies and put the frosting in the middle…easier to stack and transport that way.

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Good idea, then you get two cookies at once. I always love that :). I’m happy to hear you like them Jodi!

  • Erika

    This recipe is UH-MAY-ZING! Made them on a whim last night. Not only did the house smell fantastic, these cookies were so delightful to savour. They were so warm and moist, we needed a fork to eat them. I woke up this morning still thinking about them. Can’t wait to make another batch for Christmas! :) Thanks for sharing/posting!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      I’m so glad you liked these cookies Erika! Thanks so much for leaving a comment! I’m excited to make them again for Christmas too :).