| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 3 hr 30 min |
| Prep: | 3 hr 15 min |
| Cook: | 15 min |
| Yield: | about 36 cookies |
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter,at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon brandy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- White nonpareils, for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- Sift the flour, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and the salt into a large bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a separate large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the whole egg, egg yolk, the brandy and vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just incorporated. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust each piece of dough with flour and roll out between pieces of parchment to 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Cut into shapes and transfer to the baking sheets. Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm; reroll once to cut out more cookies. Chill the cutouts 30 minutes.
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake the cookies, switching the pans halfway through, until just golden, 11 to 13 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
- Make the icing: Beat the confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg, and 3 to 4 tablespoons water with a mixer on high speed until smooth and thick. Transfer to a resealable bag and snip a small corner; pipe onto the cookies and decorate with nonpareils. Let set 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 36 servings |
| Calories | 142 |
| Total Fat | 7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 19 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 12 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Cholesterol | 26 mg |
| Sodium | 36 mg |
Reviews
This excellent recipe but if you want more eggnog flavor you can add a little eggnog oil to both the cookie and the royal icing. I also increased brandy by a teaspoon. That kicks the flavor up.