These eggnog snickerdoodles are soft and chewy with a warm eggnog flavor. Pillowy in the center with a crisp edge, they resemble classic snickerdoodles but capture the holiday spices of eggnog. There’s no need to chill the dough, so they are an easy Christmas cookie that truly tastes like the season. 
If you want a simple, cozy Christmas cookie that doesn’t require decorating and offers something a little different, try these eggnog snickerdoodles. They have a subtle creamy flavor with warm nutmeg and a hint of rum from rum extract. They aren’t as rich as a glass of eggnog, but the combination of egg yolks, nutmeg and rum extract gives a clear eggnog impression. The texture is soft and chewy inside with a pleasant sugar-and-spice crunch on the outside.
These differ from a cakier eggnog cookie topped with frosting: those are soft and cake-like with thick frosting, while these snickerdoodles are chewy, tender and finished with a nutmeg-sugar coating. Both are excellent—choose based on the texture you prefer. 
Developing the Perfect Eggnog Snickerdoodle Recipe
Classic snickerdoodles rely on two key elements: a slight tang from cream of tartar in the dough and a cinnamon-sugar coating. For these eggnog snickerdoodles, cream of tartar is used to retain that characteristic tang. While substitutions are noted in the recipe card, cream of tartar yields the best authentic snickerdoodle flavor. Instead of cinnamon sugar, these cookies are rolled in sugar and nutmeg to highlight the spice central to eggnog.
Surprisingly, this recipe does not use actual eggnog in the dough. Adding liquid like eggnog tends to create a cakier cookie, which isn’t the goal here. Instead, the eggnog profile comes from its core flavor components: egg yolks, nutmeg and rum extract. These ingredients provide a pale yellow color and a genuine eggnog taste. Rum extract is usually found in the baking aisle near the vanilla extract.
Making the Cookies
These cookies are quick and straightforward to prepare. The numbered steps below explain the process and include photos to guide you.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent over-browning on the bottoms.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, ground nutmeg, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. If you don’t have cream of tartar, substitute 2 teaspoons baking powder in place of the cream of tartar and baking soda. Measure flour carefully—whisk, spoon into a dry measuring cup and level off. A kitchen scale and grams will give the most consistent results.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Beat in 1 large egg plus 2 additional egg yolks, the rum extract and vanilla extract until the mixture looks creamy and homogenous. Use only one whole egg and just the yolks from the second and third eggs—the extra yolks add richness and mimic eggnog’s texture.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, about half at a time, mixing on low speed to fully combine. The dough should be firm enough that it doesn’t stick to your fingers; if it does, beat in 1–2 tablespoons more flour.
- For the coating, whisk together 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and pour onto a small plate.
- Scoop the dough into balls of about 1.5 tablespoons each (a medium cookie scoop works well). Roll each ball into a smooth round, then coat in the sugar-nutmeg mixture.
- Place dough balls about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the lined baking sheets.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 9–12 minutes. The tops should appear set and may show a few small cracks. Bake longer for a slightly cakier cookie or shorter for softer, chewier results.
Make Ahead Tips for Snickerdoodles
Planning ahead makes holiday baking easier. The dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 48 hours; when ready, shape into balls, roll in the coating and bake as directed.
For longer storage, freeze the sugar-coated dough balls in a single layer inside a freezer bag with excess air removed. Freeze up to 2 months and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time as needed.
Below are the recipe details and notes for best results.
Eggnog Snickerdoodles
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Equipment
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Cookie Sheets
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375 grams), use up to 3 1/4 cups for thicker cookies
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams), softened but still slightly firm
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks, in addition to the 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons rum extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sugar Coating
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
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Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
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In a large bowl, beat the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until creamed. Scrape the bowl.
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Beat in 1 whole egg, the 2 egg yolks, rum extract and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
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Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low. The dough should be firm and not sticky; add flour a tablespoon at a time if needed.
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Whisk 1/3 cup sugar with 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg for the coating and pour onto a plate.
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Scoop dough into 1.5-tablespoon balls, roll into smooth rounds and coat with the sugar mixture.
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Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
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Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 9–12 minutes, until the tops are set.
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Cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a rack.
Notes
- Flour: Measure carefully—whisk, spoon and level or use a kitchen scale. Use up to 3 1/4 cups for thicker cookies.
- Cream of Tartar: If unavailable, substitute 2 teaspoons baking powder and omit the baking soda. The result will be slightly different but still good.
- Eggs: Use 1 whole large egg plus the yolks from two additional large eggs.
- Rum Extract: Find it in the baking aisle. To substitute with rum, use 1 tablespoon, though the flavor will be milder.
- Make Ahead: Refrigerate dough up to 48 hours before shaping and baking. Freeze coated dough balls up to 2 months and bake from frozen, adding a minute or two if needed. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months.
- Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Nutrition: Nutrition values are estimates per cookie, based on 32 cookies total.
Nutrition
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