Description
Delight in the festive flavors of Eggnog Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies, a perfect holiday treat combining warm spices with a creamy eggnog glaze. These soft, spiced cookies offer a wonderful thumbprint filled with a sweet, eggnog-infused glaze that complements the rich gingerbread taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup eggnog
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp eggnog
Optional
- Ground cinnamon or nutmeg for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, then gradually mix in the eggnog to blend well.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Shape Dough: Scoop the dough by tablespoonfuls and roll into 1-inch balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Create Thumbprints: Using your thumb or the back of a measuring teaspoon, press a deep indentation into the center of each dough ball to form the thumbprint.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare Glaze: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of eggnog until a thick glaze forms. Adjust with more eggnog or powdered sugar as necessary for consistency.
- Fill Thumbprints: Once cookies are fully cooled, fill each thumbprint with the eggnog glaze, smoothing it gently with the back of a spoon.
- Optional Garnish: Dust the filled cookies with a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon or nutmeg for added flavor and decorative appeal.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for easy creaming with sugars.
- Do not overmix when combining wet and dry ingredients to keep cookies tender.
- Adjust glaze consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more eggnog to thin.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute eggnog with a plant-based alternative.
