Eggnog sugar cookies are one of the easiest holiday cookies you will make. They taste like you spent way more time making them than you actually did. One bowl, melted butter, no chilling the dough, no rolling, no cookie cutters. Just scoop, flatten, bake and top with a dreamy rum eggnog icing. Done and done! They look festive, taste special and don’t require a ton of effort. The eggnog and nutmeg give them that classic seasonal flavor and the icing sets up nicely. You’ll have 18 cookies ready in about one hour.
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I tested these cookies a few times because I wanted the eggnog flavor to actually come through. I’ve been making sugar cookies for years now and this eggnog version might be my new favorite for the holiday season. Using cornstarch in the cookie dough is the little trick that gives them that melt-in-your-mouth texture. And the brown sugar adds a warmth that gives them that cozy feel. With eggnog in the dough and the icing, you get the spiced flavor all the way through. My strawberry sugar cookies uses a similar base and was my jumping off place for this recipe.
If you want to go all out on the decorating, you can use a piping tip and swap in the rum frosting from my eggnog cupcakes instead of the icing. But spreading the icing on with a spoon or offset spatula is my go to for this frosted cookie.
🥛 ingredient notes
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
Eggnog ~ full fat eggnog will give you the best result. It adds flavor, moisture and richness that a low fat version just can’t match. Use it in the dough and icing for the most eggnog flavor.
Egg yolks ~ only the yolks are used, which gives the cookies a richer, chewier texture. Save the whites for meringue cookies!
Cornstarch ~ this is the ingredient that makes these cookies melt in your mouth. It also keeps them thick and soft.
Brown sugar ~ a little brown sugar adds warmth and depth. I use dark brown sugar, but light brown works just fine too.
Nutmeg ~ don’t skip this ingredient! And feel free to use fresh ground nutmeg for the most fragrant flavor. This spice is what makes these taste like eggnog and not just a vanilla sugar cookie.
Rum ~ just a touch of rum in the icing ties everything together and gives that classic eggnog cocktail flavor. If you’d rather skip the alcohol, rum extract works too. Start with ¼ teaspoon and go from there.
🥣 how to make in photos
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Melt the butter and let it cool for five minutes.
In a medium bowl, add the melted butter, granulated sugar, packed brown sugar, and kosher salt and stir until well combined. The butter may not fully combine, but do your best.
Now stir in the egg yolks and vanilla, making sure everything is very well combined.
Then add the eggnog and stir to fully combine. The mixture will seem thin at this point.
Next add the nutmeg, baking powder, and cornstarch, and mix to combine.
Finally stir in the flour until just combined.
Take roughly 2 tablespoons of dough (I use a size 30 scoop) and place on the prepared baking pans. Then lightly flatten each cookie with your clean hand to about ¼ inch (the dough is quite sticky, so a flat bottom glass does NOT work well here).
Bake for 9-11 minutes, the edges will be set and the centers may still look a little soft. Then use the bottom of a cup to lightly flatten the cookies. I find this gives you a nice area to place the icing.
Once the cookies have cooled, make the rum eggnog icing and frost the cookies. I use an offset spatula to spread the icing.
💬 frequently asked questions
do i need to chill the dough?
Nope! This is a no chill cookie dough. Just scoop, flatten and bake. The cornstarch and flour ratio help to keep the cookies from spreading.
can I decorate these with a different frosting?
Absolutely. For a pipe able frosting, the spiced buttercream from my cinnamon sugar cookies or eggnog cupcakes would both be delicious.
what if my icing is too thick?
Add a tiny splash of eggnog or rum, about ½ teaspoon at a time. You want a thick consistency that will stay put on the cookie, but will spread on with a spoon.
👩🏻🍳 expert tips for the best eggnog sugar cookies
These are some of my favorite cookie recipes on the blog and here’s what I learned from making them several times.
Use a kitchen scale. I know I say this every time, but measuring by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Too much flour is the number one reason cookies turn out dry or don’t spread correctly.
Don’t overbake. The cookies will look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them from the oven. They continue to set as they cook and that is what keeps them soft and chewy.
Flatten before baking. Lightly press the cookie dough to ¼ -½ inch in height before baking. Then use a flat bottom glass to flatten again once they come out of the oven. They don’t spread a lot of their own, so these steps help.
Frost with the icing when fully cool. The icing will melt on a warm cookie. Give them time to cool completely on the pan or a wire rack before icing.
🫙 how to store
Eggnog sugar cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
The sugar cookies can also be frozen in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. They defrost at room temperature in about 10-20 minutes, fresh tasting cookies on demand!
Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these No Chill Eggnog Sugar Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
No Chill Eggnog Sugar Cookies
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
eggnog sugar cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted 170g
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar 50g
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup full fat eggnog 118mL
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 8g
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch 40g
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 250g
rum eggnog icing
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar 120g
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted 28g
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons rum or ¼ teaspoon rum extract
- 1 tablespoon eggnog 15mL
Instructions
for the sugar cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or with silicone baking mats. Then melt the butter (¾ cup/170g) and let it cool for five mintues.
- In a medium bowl, add the melted butter, granulated sugar (½ cup/100g), packed brown sugar (¼ cup/50g), and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) and stir until well combined. The butter may not fully combine, but do your best.
- Now stir in the egg yolks (2 large yolks), vanilla (1 teaspoon), making sure everything is very well combined. Then add the eggnog (½ cup/118mL) and stir to fully combine. The mixture will seem thin at this point.
- Next add the nutmeg (½ teaspoon), baking powder (2 teaspoons), and cornstarch (5 tablespoons/40g), and mix to combine. Finally stir in the flour (2 cups/250g) until just combined.
- Take roughly 2 tablespoons of dough (I use a size 30 scoop) and place on the prepared baking pans, spacing about 2 inches apart. Then lightly flatten each cookie with your clean hand to about ¼ inch (the dough is quite sticky, so a flat bottom glass does NOT work well here).
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, the edges will be set and the centers may still look a little soft. My cookies bake keeping their round shape quite well, but “scoot” the cookies with a biscuit ring or cup when they are hot out of the oven, if desired. Then use the bottom of a cup to lightly flatten the cookies. I find this gives you a nice area to place the icing.
- Once the cookies are cool, make the icing.
for the rum eggnog icing
- Combine the confectioners' sugar (1 cup/120g) with the melted butter (2 tablespoons/28g), vanilla extract (½ teaspoon), rum (1 ½ teaspoons/or rum extract ¼ teaspoon) and eggnog (1 tablespoon) in a medium bowl with a spoon. Stir until it reaches a thick, smooth icing glaze. If the icing is too thick to spread, add another splash of eggnog or rum.
- Use about 1 teaspoon of icing for each cookie, spread it on the top and allow to set. If desired, dust with a little nutmeg and cinnamon while the icing is still wet.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
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