You can keep your decorated, stained glass, death-by-chocolate, triple-dunked biscotti bombs, or whatever this holiday season’s must-bake cookie will be.
Any time of year — and especially this time of year — I’ll take the delicious simplicity and vanilla-ness (no, probably not a real word) of a chewy, soft and sweet snickerdoodle over just about any fancy, overwrought confection. Even better is to pair that simple, underappreciated cookie with the most perfect of holiday beverages — eggnog.
So this year, I wondered what would happen if I blended these two classic treats. That’s right… An eggnog snickerdoodle. It totally makes sense. Though overtly rich and creamy, at heart eggnog is about clean vanilla creaminess with just a hint of holiday spice. You could easily say the same of snickerdoodles, which are a rich, buttery cookie with a clean vanilla taste and a light dusting of cinnamon-sugar on the outside.
EGGNOG SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES
Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours (1/2 hour active)
Makes 36 cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
2 cups sugar, divided
1/4 cup plain eggnog
1 tablespoon dark rum or brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, the cinnamon and nutmeg.
Nutrition information per serving: 110 calories; 40 calories from fat (36 percent of total calories); 4.5 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 20 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 2 g protein; 75 mg sodium.
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