Frosted Eggnog Cookies

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Our Frosted Eggnog Cookies are made with a soft sugar cookie recipe that’s spiked with eggnog. These soft eggnog cookies have a gorgeous swirl of eggnog frosting on top. Don’t let the holiday pass you by without making this easy Christmas cookie recipe!

frosted eggnog cookies on a wire cooling rack

Frosted Eggnog Cookies

If you ask us, it’s just not Christmas without a bit of eggnog. Whether it’s enjoyed by the glass or used in a recipe like Soft Eggnog Cookies, the taste of eggnog just shouts, happy holidays! These frosted cookies are a variation of our Buttermilk Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe. That recipe is so popular and tastes just like those famous Lofthouse cookies! After all, who doesn’t love a soft sugar cookie?!

What does eggnog taste like?

Eggnog is a cold, creamy drink made using thickened milk, eggs, sugar and sometimes, nutmeg. It can be spiked with alcohol or enjoyed as a non-alcoholic drink. The taste of eggnog is very similar to custard.

Is eggnog safe to drink?

Due to the risk of Salmonella associated with consuming raw eggs, there is a long-lived debate about whether or not eggnog is safe to drink. The good news is, our recipe for eggnog cookies calls for store-bought eggnog, which has cooked eggs in it. If you plan to use homemade eggnog to make eggnog cookies, consider reading the FDA’s article on how to make eggnog safely.

Better yet, store-bought eggnog has no alcohol in it, so frosted eggnog cookies are kid-friendly!

soft frosted sugar cookies spiked with eggnog

How to Make Eggnog Cookies

The most important thing to remember when making these eggnog cookies is to plan ahead. This cookie dough has to refrigerate overnight. Mix up the cookies the day before you want to bake them for the best flavor and texture.

Hints for making cookies:

  • Mix together the buttermilk and baking soda before adding to the cookie dough. This will help your cookies be soft and light in texture.
  • Use real butter. We use salted butter because that is what we normally keep on hand.
  • Add extra spices if you’d like! We added 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of nutmeg for a mild flavor. You can add more of either spice if you prefer a stronger taste.
  • Wrap the dough in plastic wrap to seal and refrigerate overnight.

How to Roll Cookie Dough

Every time you roll out cookie dough it adds a touch more flour to the dough. For that reason, we divide the cookie dough into 2 or 3 different sections to roll out. Cut as many shapes as you can from the first roll outs, then take the scraps and roll again. I try not to roll the dough more than twice. The softest cookies come from that first rolling.

frosted eggnog cookies topped with eggnog frosting

Eggnog Frosting

We make this eggnog frosting from a twist of our original vanilla buttercream. Instead of heavy cream, add eggnog…and don’t forget the cinnamon and nutmeg for a touch of flavor. If you’d like, you can switch out the vanilla extract for rum extract for a fun flavor change.

Be sure to beat the butter first before adding the other ingredients for the best fluffy texture.

How do I keep cookies soft?

If you have unfrosted cookies, the best way to keep them soft is to store them in an airtight container with either an apple wedge or a slice of sandwich bread. If the cookies dry out, simply wrap them in damp paper toweling and microwave them on high power for 15-20 seconds. Not only will they soften up, but the cookies will also be warm!

How to Store Frosted Eggnog Cookies

Because this recipe uses dairy products, we recommend refrigerating the cookies in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag. It’s also best to keep them in a single layer so the frosting stays in a pretty swirl.

OTHER SUGAR COOKIE RECIPES

soft eggnog cookies topped with swirls of eggnog frosting
soft eggnog cookies topped with swirls of eggnog frosting

Frosted Eggnog Cookies

4.14 from 36 votes
Frosted Eggnog Cookies are made with a soft sugar cookie recipe that's spiked with eggnog. The soft eggnog cookies have a swirl of eggnog frosting on top.
Servings 48
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 8 hours
Total Time 40 minutes

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Ingredients
 

Ingredients

Frosting and sprinkles optional

Instructions
 

Plan Ahead! The cookie dough needs to chill overnight.

    For the Cookies:

    • Combine ¼ cup buttermilk and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside until step 5.
    • In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.
    • Add eggs, salt, vanilla and eggnog. Mix well.
    • Add 3 cups of flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder. Blend until combined.
    • Add the buttermilk/baking soda mixture and the last 3 cups of flour. Mix until the flour is completely incorporated.
    • Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and gently press it into a disc. Be sure it is wrapped tightly and refrigerate the dough overnight.
    • When you're ready to roll out the dough, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • Sprinkle a pastry mat with flour. Divide the dough in half and roll out one-half of the dough, sprinkling flour on top of the dough as needed.
    • Cut out the dough in the shapes you'd like. Place the cookies on a nonstick baking mat.
    • Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes, removing them before they are browned.
    • Repeat with remaining dough, rerolling as needed.
    • Allow the cookies to cool, then frost them with eggnog frosting and sprinkles, if desired.
    • Store in an airtight container.

    For the Frosting:

    • In a stand mixer bowl, with the mixer on medium speed, whip the butter for 2 minutes until it is almost white in color. 
    • Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and 3 tablespoons of eggnog.
    •  Beat on low speed for 3-5 minutes, adding in the last 1-2 tablespoons of eggnog if the buttercream needs to be thinner.

    To Decorate the Cookies:

    • Use a knife to spread frosting on the cooled cookies, or use a large Wilton cake decorating tip (1M or 2D work great!) to make a pretty swirl.
    • To decorate, sprinkle nutmeg on the top of the cookies.
    • Store in a single layer in an airtight container.

    Notes

    *Measure the flour carefully. Do not pack the flour into the measuring cup. Spoon it into the cup lightly, then level it off with a knife. It should be about 780 grams.
    The calories shown are based on the recipe making 48 cookies and using all of the frosting, with 1 serving being 1 frosted cookie. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
    *The exact amount of cookies you get will depend on the size of the cookie cutter you use.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 56mg | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 0.8mg
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Calories 193
    Keyword christmas cookies, easy sugar cookie recipe, frosted eggnog cookies

    titled photo (and shown) Eggnog Sugar Cookies

    About JulieJulie Clark

    About Julie Clark

    I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

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    Mary Ott
    3 months ago

    5 stars
    Just made this recipe for this holiday weekend. It’s a hit! I love them. I saw some comments about the amount of flour, and I had thought the same thing about six cups being a lot. So, I added three cups initially and then eye balled it. I think I ended with about five cups of flour. I kept adding until it was thick but still slightly sticky. Then for the frosting I swapped the measurements of cinnamon and nutmeg and it tastes amazing!

    Christmas Cookies
    2 years ago

    I’m not sure I’ve ever made cookie cutter cookies… what size/diameter cutter did you use? I’m uncertain how large these bake.

    Presli
    2 years ago

    Do you use liquid buttermilk or dry?

    Erin
    2 years ago

    Is six hours enough time for dough to refrigerate

    Christina
    2 years ago

    1 star
    There is way too much flour in this recipe, 6 cups? The flavors are delicious but I am not sure why you have so much flour listed, it makes an incredibly tough/dry cookie.

    Vickie
    3 years ago

    Could the recipe be used as a bar cookie?

    DNana broadly
    3 years ago

    What consistancy should the dough be. Mine seems like areallyink batter

    David E Fairbanks
    3 years ago

    Can you turn these into a drop cookie?

    Trinik
    3 years ago

    Hi does the frosting dry hard? Will i be able to stack them? Can i use this recipe to make cookie sandwiches and have the frosting in the centre?

    Kim
    4 years ago

    Forgive me if I missed this…but what thickness is expected when rolling out the dough?

    Ginny
    4 years ago

    Jus found your website today. Nice. Very nice. I will definitely be making your recipes. Do you have any videos on YouTube? Thanks for your response