A little twist on the traditional holiday cookies, these Eggnog Cut Out Cookies are my new favorite roll out cookie. So simple to make, and if you make the eggnog from scratch, you’ll have plenty leftover to sip, bake and decorate!
For the eggnog within the recipe, I made it from scratch and used my BlendTec blender, so it really was quick and easy. The BlendTec heats up the eggnog due to the speed it’s mixed at, so you may want to use your own or a different recipe if you don’t have access to a high powered mixer. Generally making eggnog involves tempering eggs for safety considerations. You can of course buy eggnog already made at the grocery store as well. Note that it may only be available during Christmas holiday season.
If you’re interested in the blender eggnog recipe I used, it’s by The Chunky Chef and you can find it here.
Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed, using the paddle attachment. Mix until incorporated – for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula and mix again for a few seconds more. Over mixing the butter and sugar in this step will cause too much air to be incorporated into the dough. If you'd like a light and fluffy cookie, that's ideal, however the dough will spread more during baking; not ideal if you'd like the cookie to hold its shape.
Add eggs, vanilla, extract and eggnog slowly and mix. Scrape down the bowl with your spatula if needed and mix again.
Whisk the flour, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a separate bowl. Add all of the flour mixture to the mixer bowl. Place a large tea towel between the edge of the bowl and the electric mixer so that the flour won't escape. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Remove the tea towel and observe the dough mixing; the dough should peel away from the sides of the mixer and clump around the paddle attachment. You can also test the dough by pinching it between your thumb and index finger. If it’s soft but not sticky, it’s just right. If it’s too sticky when you pinch it between your fingers, add flour, ¼ cup at a time, and mix until you’re happy with the texture. There are various reasons why a dough can be too dry or too sticky, ranging from humidity in the environment, to what kind of flour you use, the fat content of the butter etc., however, there are ways to fix the issues if you run into them. Already mentioned, add flour if your dough is too sticky, and if it’s too dry, make sure you’ve mixed it as best as you can first, and if it’s still too dry, add a little water or milk until your dough comes together.
Roll the dough out between 2 large pieces of parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and into the fridge or freezer for a minimum of 1 hour.
Cut out cookie shapes. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Re-roll scraps and repeat. If your dough gets too soft to work with, place in the fridge or freezer periodically to firm up again.
Once all cut out, put cookie dough shapes back into the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes to 1 hour to chill again. They will then hold their shape better when baked.
Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C.
Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes or until the edges become golden brown. The baking time will depend on the size of your cookie.
Let cookies cool to room temperature and decorate if you like! If you’re new to decorating cookies,here is a cookie decorating tutorialwith everything you’ll need to know to begin!
Pull off the top sheet of parchment, then slide the sheet of dough onto a baking sheet, then pop it in the freezer. (You can stack as many sheets of dough onto one baking sheet as you'd like.) Sandwich your dough between two sheets of parchment, roll, then freeze; it makes cut-out cookies a breeze!
You can make a similar heavy cream alternative using regular milk and butter. Whole milk has a fat percentage of around 3.5% and is preferable to lower-fat varieties, but you'll still want to use more melted butter than you would with half-and-half. For best results, try mixing ⅔ cup of whole milk with ⅓ cup butter.
I can't wait to read through all of the great ideas posted there! To help cookies keep their shape, freeze them! I freeze each batch of cut-out cookies for 5 to 10 minutes before baking.
Too much flour will make your cookies dry and crumbly. Too much sugar and butter can make sugar cookies spread and lose their shape when baked. This one requires a little patience because once you roll out your dough, you are ready to bake. Be patient and bake your cookies when the dough is really cold.
Refrigerating the dough allows the flour to fully hydrate and helps to make the cookie dough firmer. Firm dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much, which is why chilling the dough is a crucial step for cut-out and rolled cookies.
Q: Why are my cookies so puffy and cakey? Whipping too much air into the dough. That fluffy texture you want in a cake results from beating a lot of air into the room temperature butter and sugar, and it does the same for cookies. So don't overdo it when you're creaming together the butter and sugar.
Room temperature butter is just the right consistency to incorporate air when it's creamed with sugar. These trapped air pockets result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise.
At its core, eggnog is an emulsion of milk and/or cream, sugar, and, yes, eggs. Unlike in an egg cream—a similar old-timey drink that actually gets its name from the foamy, whipped egg white-like texture achieved by mixing seltzer and dairy fat—the “egg” in eggnog is very, very real.
The distinct flavors of egg, cream, and liquor meld together even after just a day or two in the fridge, making a smoother, more balanced cup of nog. The proteins in the eggs also start to thicken, giving eggnog its signature spoon-coating thickness.
Bake with it: Just like you can add eggnog to any breakfast dish or beverage that originally called for milk or cream, the same goes for your baked goods. Try making this loaf cake from The Kitchn or baking some cupcakes for your upcoming New Year's Eve shindig.
You can whisk 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons of water and 2 teaspoons of baking powder together to replace each egg in baked goods like cookies, brownies or quick breads. This substitution won't impact a recipes' flavor profile the way egg substitutions like mashed banana or flaxseed might.
Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.
Applesauce is a good choice when you don't want a strong flavor. If you're using mashed banana, you'll get a similar result with a more noticeable flavor. How to use it in place of eggs: For each egg you want to substitute use 1/4 cup of applesauce or banana.
To prevent this make sure the baking sheets are always at least on room temperature. Ideally you want to cut your cookies and then chill them with the baking sheet. that way the tray is still cool when it goes in the oven and the cookies have no time to spread before they are baked through.
Should I Use A Cookie Cutter Before Or After Baking? Forming cookies before putting them in the oven is the most common practice. Many shape their cookies before baking to ensure cookies come out properly shaped and to make the most of their dough.
Introduction: My name is Horacio Brakus JD, I am a lively, splendid, jolly, vivacious, vast, cheerful, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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