Description
Delight in these Eggnog Snickerdoodle Thumbprint Cookies, featuring a classic cinnamon sugar-coated dough with a luscious eggnog white chocolate ganache filling. Perfectly soft cookies with a festive twist, ideal for holiday celebrations or cozy gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 4 ounces 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)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
For Rolling Dough Balls
- ⅓ cup sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Eggnog Ganache Filling
- 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped or broken into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons eggnog
- 1 tablespoon dark rum or ¼ teaspoon rum extract (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides once for even mixing.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the medium egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is creamy and fully combined, scraping down the sides again to ensure uniform blending.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together the all purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and kosher salt if needed to remove lumps, then add to the wet ingredients and mix until a thick dough forms.
- Shape Cookie Dough: Scoop the dough into 1 tablespoon sized balls (approximately 15 grams each), roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture, and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Press down the centers using a ½ teaspoon or your thumb to create an indentation; if cracks appear, gently press the dough back together.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 7 minutes. If the indentations fill in during baking, carefully press them down again while the cookies are still warm.
- Prepare Ganache Filling: Combine chopped white chocolate, eggnog, and dark rum or rum extract (if using) in a bowl and melt in the microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring between each until smooth and fully melted. Stir in freshly grated nutmeg.
- Fill Cookies: Once the cookies have cooled slightly, fill each indentation with about ½ teaspoon of the eggnog white chocolate ganache, topping with a little freshly grated nutmeg. Allow the filling to set at room temperature for a few hours or refrigerate to set more quickly.
Notes
- Use a medium egg as called for; larger eggs will alter the texture of the cookies.
- Use standard unsalted butter like store brands or Land O’Lakes to avoid excessive spreading; European-style high-fat butters can change the cookie texture.
- Butter should be at room temperature but not overly soft or greasy to prevent excessive spreading.
- Chilling the dough is not necessary but can help the cookies keep their shape if made ahead.
- Omit the rum or rum extract if desired without substitution.
- Weigh flour for best results; about 245 grams or 2 cups spooned and leveled is ideal to ensure correct dough consistency and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 65 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
