there is flour on my shoes & they are moccasins with feathers on them.
I have a weakness for eggnog, specifically the store bought kind. The moment it appears in with the milk, I must buy it. It goes into my coffee, I drink it at any opportunity, I even put it in tea. My father recently suggested that we buy it by the tanker truck.
The coffee thing comes from a long time ago. When I was in law school, I was first properly exposed to Starbucks as a viable coffee option. Until that time, I had lived in an area where only independent coffee shops were available. I still prefer them for a cup of coffee or even an espresso based beverage...but there is something absolutely addicting about knowing that no matter where you are, that craving you have is about to be satisfied. I was quickly craving the cinnamon dolce latte and rarely strayed form my favorite.
Then the holiday season rolled around. I firmly stuck to cinnamon until one day I succumbed. On of my friends was as passionate about eggnog as I, and he was so very excited about the eggnog latte then offered that I found myself trying it. It was delicious. It also reminded me that eggnog can go in anything.
One little secret I have is that when it is holiday season and there's eggnog in the fridge, I substitute eggnog for half of the milk in my pumpkin pie filling. Soon, I found myself trying to sneak eggnog into everything. The biggest hit amongst the law school crowd {upon whom I fobbed off all possible results of my stress baking} were these eggnog sugar cookies. They are a variation on my favorite cracked sugar cookie recipe, as are my dark chocolate chunk cookies, and a most delicious one at that.
This is a truly simple recipe, requiring only a bit of creaming, stirring, and nutmeg grating, a perfect throw together addition to Christmas cookie lists and accompaniment to the Thanksgiving dessert table.
Eggnog Sugar Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
vanilla
1/2 cup eggnog
1 tablespoon rum {or} 1 teaspoon rum extract
2 and 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
pinch of salt
1/4 cup white sugar & 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg for rolling
Cream together the shortening & sugar, then add the egg, then the vanilla and eggnog, and finally the rum or rum extract {bourbon is a good alternative, as is leaving out the alcohol or extract altogether if you desire}.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then add that mix to the wet mixture in several batches. You will want a soft dough that is dry enough to handle, but damp to the touch. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls into balls, then roll in sugar. Place on a cookie sheet with two inches between each ball, then bake in a preheated over at 350 degrees for 10-14 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges.
There should be a slight resistance when touched on the top to indicate doneness, but do not allow to become firm unless you prefer a crunchy cookie. I do not. Cool on paper towel covered cooling racks as long as you can keep from eating them.
This recipe makes about twenty large cookies, or nearly three dozen smaller cookies {if dough is measured in flat tablespoons before rolling}
"Be well. Do good work. Keep in touch." - Garrison Keillor
I have a weakness for eggnog, specifically the store bought kind. The moment it appears in with the milk, I must buy it. It goes into my coffee, I drink it at any opportunity, I even put it in tea. My father recently suggested that we buy it by the tanker truck.
The coffee thing comes from a long time ago. When I was in law school, I was first properly exposed to Starbucks as a viable coffee option. Until that time, I had lived in an area where only independent coffee shops were available. I still prefer them for a cup of coffee or even an espresso based beverage...but there is something absolutely addicting about knowing that no matter where you are, that craving you have is about to be satisfied. I was quickly craving the cinnamon dolce latte and rarely strayed form my favorite.
Then the holiday season rolled around. I firmly stuck to cinnamon until one day I succumbed. On of my friends was as passionate about eggnog as I, and he was so very excited about the eggnog latte then offered that I found myself trying it. It was delicious. It also reminded me that eggnog can go in anything.
One little secret I have is that when it is holiday season and there's eggnog in the fridge, I substitute eggnog for half of the milk in my pumpkin pie filling. Soon, I found myself trying to sneak eggnog into everything. The biggest hit amongst the law school crowd {upon whom I fobbed off all possible results of my stress baking} were these eggnog sugar cookies. They are a variation on my favorite cracked sugar cookie recipe, as are my dark chocolate chunk cookies, and a most delicious one at that.
This is a truly simple recipe, requiring only a bit of creaming, stirring, and nutmeg grating, a perfect throw together addition to Christmas cookie lists and accompaniment to the Thanksgiving dessert table.
Eggnog Sugar Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
vanilla
1/2 cup eggnog
1 tablespoon rum {or} 1 teaspoon rum extract
2 and 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
pinch of salt
1/4 cup white sugar & 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg for rolling
Cream together the shortening & sugar, then add the egg, then the vanilla and eggnog, and finally the rum or rum extract {bourbon is a good alternative, as is leaving out the alcohol or extract altogether if you desire}.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then add that mix to the wet mixture in several batches. You will want a soft dough that is dry enough to handle, but damp to the touch. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls into balls, then roll in sugar. Place on a cookie sheet with two inches between each ball, then bake in a preheated over at 350 degrees for 10-14 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges.
There should be a slight resistance when touched on the top to indicate doneness, but do not allow to become firm unless you prefer a crunchy cookie. I do not. Cool on paper towel covered cooling racks as long as you can keep from eating them.
This recipe makes about twenty large cookies, or nearly three dozen smaller cookies {if dough is measured in flat tablespoons before rolling}
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