Description
Delight in these festive Eggnog Snickerdoodle Thumbprint Cookies that combine the classic cinnamon sugar coating of snickerdoodles with a creamy, spiced white chocolate and eggnog filling. Perfect for holiday gatherings, these cookies offer a soft, buttery texture with a seasonal twist of nutmeg and optional rum flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar, gently packed
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 medium egg (about 50 grams), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 245 grams all purpose flour (about 2 cups if measured by volume – see notes)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅓ cup sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons cinnamon (for rolling)
Filling
- 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped or broken into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons eggnog
- 1 tablespoon dark rum or ¼ teaspoon rum extract (optional – see notes)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Cream butter and sugars: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl once to ensure even mixing.
- Add egg and vanilla: Add the room temperature egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture and beat again until fully incorporated and creamy, scraping down the sides once.
- Combine dry ingredients: Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and kosher salt to remove lumps. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until a thick dough forms.
- Form and shape cookies: Scoop out tablespoon-sized balls of dough (around 15 grams each), roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture, place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and gently press an indentation into the center of each cookie using a ½ teaspoon or your finger/thumb. Press any cracks back together.
- Bake cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 7 minutes. If the indentation fills in during baking, gently press it again while the cookies are still warm.
- Prepare the filling: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chopped white chocolate, eggnog, rum or rum extract if using, and grated nutmeg. Microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring between each until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth. Alternatively, melt using a double boiler.
- Fill the cookies: Once the cookies have cooled slightly, spoon about ½ teaspoon of the white chocolate and eggnog filling into each indentation. Sprinkle with additional freshly grated nutmeg. The filling will firm up after a few hours at room temperature or faster if refrigerated.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for best mixing results and texture.
- If measuring flour by volume, spoon and level to avoid packing and excess flour.
- The rum is optional but adds depth of flavor to the filling; rum extract is a convenient substitute.
- Filling can be made ahead and refrigerated; warm slightly before filling if too thick.
- Press the cookie indentations again immediately after baking if they puff up to maintain space for filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Eggnog Snickerdoodle Cookies, Thumbprint Cookies, Holiday Cookies, White Chocolate Filling, Cinnamon Sugar Cookies, Christmas Cookies
