Eggnog Snickerdoodles

More holiday baking!  In searching for a way to use up the rest of my half gallon of eggnog, I came across this.  I actually made this recipe about 3 years ago for Christmas 2007.  And they were pretty good.  That was before I learned how to customize recipes and I had used the evaporated milk and french vanilla coffee creamer as specified.  However, this time I substituted all of that with eggnog.  I also put eggnog in the glaze (as I did with the sugar cookies I made yesterday).  I don't know if anyone actually drinks the stuff, but it has 310 calories PER cup.  But it has amazing flavor when you bake with it.  Scott also loved these (he is a sugar cookie person, whereas I am a chocolate/peanut butter person) and I've been searching high and low for a great sugar cookie recipe.  These, he said, are better than sugar cookies.

 

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups plus 5 tablespoons sugar, divided 

1 egg

1 cup eggnog

5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Icing:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2-3 T. eggnog

1 T. softened butter

food coloring and sprinkles, optional

In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Gradually add to the creamed mixture alternately with the eggnog, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, combine nutmeg and remaining sugar. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; roll in nutmeg mixture. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets; flatten slightly with a glass.

Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. 

To make the icing:  Beat together all ingredients with an electric mixer.  The eggnog gives it a lot more flavor than milk, and the butter makes it rich and helps it set.   Wait until the cookies cool before you ice them.  I piped the icing out of a Ziploc bag, as my pastry bag and tips are still in PA.