Step into a world of holiday cheer with this incredible Baileys and Eggnog cookies recipe! This delightful creation perfectly captures the magic of the festive season, blending the creamy richness of Baileys Irish Cream with the classic warmth of eggnog into a uniquely delicious, frosted cookie. Easy to make and bursting with flavor, these cookies are a true celebration. They are an ideal choice for a comforting dessert, a sweet snack, an impressive addition to any holiday cookie platter, or the star of your next holiday party, potluck, or cookie exchange.

While these cookies naturally shine during the holiday season, their unique and comforting flavor profile makes them a welcome treat any time of the year. This particular cookie recipe was lovingly inspired by my popular Mocha Eggnog Cheesecake Bars and my effortlessly decadent Easy No Bake Baileys Cheesecake. By combining the best elements of these festive desserts, we’ve created a cookie that truly stands out.

🥘 Essential Ingredients for Baileys & Eggnog Cookies

Crafting these delectable Baileys Eggnog cookies requires a thoughtful selection of ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving their unique flavor and perfect texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need:

For the Baileys and Eggnog Cookies:

• All-purpose flour: This forms the structural backbone of our cookies. Its moderate protein content is ideal for cookies, providing a tender yet stable crumb that holds its shape beautifully during baking.
• Baking powder: As our primary leavening agent, baking powder ensures these cookies rise to a soft, cake-like consistency, preventing them from becoming too dense.
• Salt: A small amount of salt is essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors present in the cookie dough, making the nutmeg and cinnamon truly pop.
• Ground nutmeg and Ground cinnamon: These classic holiday spices are non-negotiable! They perfectly complement the rich, creamy notes of eggnog and Baileys, infusing the cookies with that unmistakable festive aroma and taste.
• Unsalted butter: Butter is key for flavor and a wonderfully soft crumb. I always recommend using unsalted butter in baking to allow precise control over the overall saltiness of the recipe. Ensure it’s at room temperature for optimal creaming.
• Brown sugar: Unlike white sugar, brown sugar brings a deeper, richer sweetness and contributes to a moister, chewier cookie texture, adding complexity to the flavor profile.
• Eggs (you only need the yolks): The egg yolks are vital binders, providing structure and adding significant richness and moisture to the cookies, contributing to their tender, almost cakey interior. *Refer to our TOP TIP below for ideas on what to do with the leftover egg whites!
• Vanilla extract: A good quality vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors, adding a warm, aromatic depth that completes the cookie’s profile.
• Eggnog and Baileys Irish Cream liqueur: These are the signature ingredients! The combination creates an incredibly delicious and unique flavor that truly sets these cookies apart, offering a creamy, subtly alcoholic warmth that is purely festive.
• Toffee bits: I prefer using Skor toffee bits for their delightful crunch and rich, buttery caramel flavor. They add a wonderful texture contrast and an extra layer of sweetness to the cookies.

For the Frosting (see Variations and substitutions for alternatives):

• Frosting: To simplify your holiday baking, I often use store-bought whipped white frosting. It’s incredibly convenient and provides a smooth, creamy topping without the extra effort.
• Rum extract (optional): This optional addition is a game-changer for the frosting. It imparts a subtle yet distinct hint of rum, perfectly reminiscent of classic rum and eggnog. This flavor profile wonderfully complements the Baileys and eggnog in the cookies, tying all the flavors together for an ultimate festive treat.

In a medium-sized bowl, thoroughly whisk together all the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Whisking ensures these ingredients are evenly distributed, which is crucial for uniform leavening and flavor throughout your cookies. Once combined, set this bowl aside.

In a large, separate mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment) to cream together the room-temperature unsalted butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for several minutes until the mixture becomes visibly light, fluffy, and pale in color. This creaming process incorporates air, contributing to the cookies’ soft texture.

To the creamed butter and sugar mixture, gradually add the wet ingredients. First, pour in the Baileys Irish Cream, eggnog, and vanilla extract. Mix briefly to combine. Then, add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing on medium speed after each addition until fully incorporated. This ensures the liquids are well emulsified into the fatty mixture.

Now, it’s time to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Gradually add the reserved dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed. Mix only until the flour is mostly incorporated and you can no longer comfortably mix with the electric mixer. Avoid overmixing at this stage, as it can lead to tough cookies.

Once the mixer has done its job, switch to a sturdy wooden spoon or a spatula. Gently fold in the remaining flour mixture by hand until just combined. This ensures the dough is fully mixed without being overworked, maintaining its tender texture.

Finally, stir in the toffee bits. Distribute them evenly throughout the dough using your wooden spoon. These bits will melt slightly and provide a wonderful chewy texture and caramel notes in the finished cookies.

Roll the cookie dough into uniform balls, approximately 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. Place these dough balls onto your prepared baking sheet, ensuring you leave about 1.5 to 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading. Gently flatten each dough ball with the palm of your hand or the back of a spatula. Alternatively, for perfectly portioned cookies, you could use a cookie scoop.

Bake the cookies in your preheated oven for 11-13 minutes. Baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven, so keep a close eye on them during the final minutes. The goal is a perfectly cooked cookie.

A perfectly baked cookie will have a lightly golden-brown bottom, while the center should feel set and have a pleasingly cakey texture. They shouldn’t be overly browned on top. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies cool on the hot baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. This allows them to firm up slightly before you attempt to move them. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to continue cooling completely for at least another 5 minutes, or until they reach room temperature.

While your cookies are baking and cooling, prepare your frosting. If using store-bought whipped frosting, simply open the container and add the rum extract (if desired). Mix it in thoroughly with a spoon or spatula until well combined. This infuses the frosting with a lovely, subtle rum flavor that beautifully complements the cookies.

📖 Delicious Variations & Substitutions for Your Eggnog Baileys Cookies

These Baileys and Eggnog cookies are fantastic as is, but don’t hesitate to get creative with these variations and substitutions to tailor them to your taste or occasion:

• Frosting options: While store-bought whipped white frosting is convenient, you have many choices! For a homemade touch, consider my Whipped Cream Buttercream Frosting (with shortening), which offers a light texture and doesn’t require refrigeration. A classic vanilla buttercream or a tangy cream cheese frosting would also be delicious, just remember cream cheese frosting usually needs to be refrigerated.
• Butter adjustments: If you only have salted butter on hand, you can absolutely use it! Just be sure to omit the ¼ teaspoon of added salt from the cookie recipe to maintain the flavor balance.
• St. Patrick’s Day celebration cookies: Transform these festive treats into a St. Patrick’s Day delight! Simply omit the eggnog from the recipe, double the amount of Baileys Irish Cream for an extra boozy kick, and decorate with vibrant green sprinkles or a Baileys-infused green frosting.
• Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies: For chocolate lovers, swap out the toffee bits for an equal amount of your favorite chocolate chips. White chocolate chips would be particularly complementary, but semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips also work wonderfully. You could also add a mix of both!
• Homemade Irish Cream: If you’re feeling ambitious and want to customize the flavor even further, you can use your own homemade Irish Cream liqueur instead of store-bought Baileys Original Irish Cream.
• Homemade Eggnog: Similarly, if you have a cherished family recipe for homemade eggnog, feel free to use it in place of store-bought eggnog for an even more authentic flavor.
• Add a nutty crunch: Stir in ½ cup of finely chopped pecans or walnuts with the toffee bits for an added layer of texture and flavor.
• Spice it up: Experiment with a pinch of allspice or a tiny dash of clove along with the nutmeg and cinnamon for a more complex spice profile.
• Orange zest brightness: For a zesty twist, add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the cookie dough along with the wet ingredients. Orange pairs wonderfully with both Baileys and traditional holiday spices.
• Different liqueur: While Baileys is key, you could experiment with other creamy liqueurs like Kahlua for a mocha twist, or a caramel liqueur. However, for the true “Baileys and Eggnog” experience, stick to the original!

👪 Serving Size & Adjustments

This delightful Eggnog cookie recipe is designed to yield approximately 30 individual cookies, making it perfect for sharing at gatherings or having enough for a special treat throughout the week. Should you need more or fewer cookies, you can easily adjust the recipe. Simply click on the serving number in the recipe card below and select your desired quantity. The ingredient measurements will automatically adjust, taking the guesswork out of scaling the recipe. Always remember to check your adjusted measurements for accuracy.

🌡️ How to Store Frosted Baileys & Eggnog Cookies for Freshness

Proper storage is key to keeping your frosted Baileys & Eggnog cookies fresh and delicious. Here’s how to best preserve their quality:

• Frosted Cookies (with perishable frosting): If you’ve used a perishable frosting, such as a store-bought whipped frosting like Betty Crocker’s or a homemade cream cheese frosting, it is crucial to store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will remain fresh and delightful for up to 2 weeks.
• Unfrosted Cookies (room temperature storage): Cookies that have not yet been frosted can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. This is a great option if you prefer to frost them just before serving.
• Short-term room temperature storage for frosted cookies (non-perishable frosting): If your frosting is stable at room temperature (like a traditional buttercream made without dairy or an icing sugar glaze), you can leave frosted cookies on a tray covered securely with plastic wrap for up to 24 hours. This is convenient for immediate serving at parties.
• Freezing Frosted Cookies: These cookies freeze beautifully! For best results, arrange frosted cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid (this prevents the frosting from sticking). Once frozen, you can carefully stack them in an airtight freezer-safe container, placing a sheet of parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. They can be stored this way for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
• Freezing Unfrosted Cookies: If you’re freezing cookies to frost at a later date, you can simply stack the unfrosted cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag before freezing. This saves space and makes them easy to thaw and decorate when you’re ready.

Top Tip: Don’t Waste Those Egg Whites!

Since this recipe only calls for egg yolks, you’ll have some leftover egg whites. Don’t let them go to waste! Egg whites can be easily frozen for later use. Simply transfer them to a Ziploc bag or portion them out into ice cube trays for convenient individual servings. Once fully frozen in the ice cube trays, remove the egg white cubes and transfer them to a freezer bag or container before returning them to the freezer. Frozen egg whites can be stored for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to use them, thaw the frozen egg whites in the refrigerator overnight or by submerging the bag in cool water. They should be used within 24 hours of thawing. These thawed egg whites are perfect for making meringues, pavlovas, angel food cake, or adding protein to omelets and frittatas. It’s a fantastic way to minimize food waste!

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