Let’s talk Christmas Cookies, Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies to be exact. Rich chewy gingerbread rolled in sugar, then filled with eggnog and white chocolate. I can’t tell you exactly how many I ate. All I will say is they were thoroughly taste tested for your future enjoyment.
Eggnog is one of those holiday cocktails you either have a fondness for or you don’t. It just so happens that I LOVE EGGNOG! Boozey or not, I look forward to cold nog all year long. Sprinkle a glass with cinnamon to pair with warm cookies and we’ve got a holiday party:)
5 Reasons to make Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies:
- After eating a couple, you will never be able to go a Christmas without them!
- They bake in 7 minutes!
- Filled thumbprint cookies give your taste buds double texture satisfaction.
- You will be the cookie queen/king at your next holiday party.
- Santa will be so impressed you left him something other than chocolate chip, that you may find an extra present under the tree.
Tips for making Thumbprint Cookies:
- Use softened butter, not melted.
- Beat your butter and dark brown sugar together first until creamy.
- Chill your cookie dough for 30-45 minutes before rolling into balls. This will help the cookies keep their shape and spread less in the oven.
- Use a rounded teaspoon measuring spoon to press a perfect ‘thumbprint’ into your cookie dough.
- Don’t bake cookies until they are hard. Bring them out of the oven while still slightly soft. They will firm as they cool.
- Once out of the oven, take your teaspoon and gently press down your ‘thumbprint’ again. Don’t go lower than halfway through cookie.
- Let cookies cool completely before filling with eggnog white chocolate.
- Warm you eggnog and combine with white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1.5 minutes in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. (You can also use a double boiler if preferred.)
- Transfer eggnog white chocolate to a piping bag. Pipe into thumbprint of cooled cookies. ( A spoon work too!)
- Set cookies in the fridge for chocolate to set.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon!
- Store cookies in an air tight container at room temp or in the fridge.
Try this Recipe for Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies!
Servings: 28 cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 3 Cups (375 g) All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 2 tsp Ground Ginger
- 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 10 Tbsp Unsalted Butter softened
- ½ Cup (100 g) Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 Egg
- ½ Cup (125 ml) Molasses
- 3 Tbsp Maple Syrup
Topping
- ¼ Cup ( 50 g) Granulated Sugar for rolling dough balls
Eggnog White Chocolate
- 2 Cups (350 g) White Chocolate Chips
- ¼ Cup (60 ml) Eggnog
Instructions
Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl sift your flour and hand whisk in baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.
- In bowl of stand mixer, (or large bowl with hand mixer) beat together softened butter with brown sugar until creamy.
- Add egg, molasses, and maple syrup to the butter mixture. Mix together on medium until combined. (Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with spatula to incorporate all ingredients.)
- Add flour mixture a third at a time, making sure its well mixed before adding the next third.
- Once smooth cookie dough is formed, place bowl in fridge and chill your cookie dough for 30-45 minutes before rolling into balls. (This will help the cookies keep their shape and spread less in the oven.)
- Preheat Oven to 350 F (176 C)and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. (I had to bake two sets of cookie sheets for a total of 28 cookies.)
- Measure 1 Tbsp or 1.5 Tbsp of cookie dough, using a spoon or small ice cream scoop.
- Roll cookie dough into small balls with your hands. Place each cookie dough ball into a bowl with the granulated sugar, roll around for a light coating.
- Next, place dough balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
- Use a rounded ‘tsp’ measuring spoon to press a perfect ‘thumbprint’ into your cookie dough. (only press halfway down)
- Bake cookies for 6-7 minutes until almost cooked. These were perfect at exactly 7 minutes for me.
- Don’t bake cookies until they are hard. Bring them out of the oven while still slightly soft. They will firm as they cool.
- Once out of the oven, take your teaspoon and gently press down your ‘thumbprint’ again. Don’t go lower than halfway through cookie.
- Let cookies cool completely before filling with eggnog white chocolate.
Eggnog White Chocolate Filling
- Warm the eggnog and combine with white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1.5 minutes in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.(You can also use a double boiler if preferred.)
- Transfer eggnog white chocolate to a piping bag. Pipe into thumbprint of cooled cookies.
- Set cookies in the fridge for chocolate to set.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon!
- Store cookies in an air tight container at room temperature or in the fridge.
Allison C
These look amazing! Since I’d like to make them ahead for a cookie exchange, can they be refrigerated or frozen? How long will they keep at room temperature?
Jenn
I would refrigerate in an air-tight container for about 7 days or freeze for up to 30 days.
Kimberly
Does it matter what kind of white chocolate chips you use??? As in, does it need to be real white chocolate or are the ones made w palm oil okay??
Jenn
Hi Kimberly, Any brand white chocolate chips for baking will work 🙂
Jordan M
These cookies were so good and simple! Took them in for a work cookie exchange, and people were already sneaking them away before the exchange. Plus my husband was disappointed we couldn’t keep them all and asked for me to make another batch. This recipe was super moist, the tweaks were super helpful and the gingerbread flavor is perfect! I did tweak the recipe slightly to make them gluten free. Using the recommended 375 grams of flour, I used Cup4Cup. Then to ensure they got some height and maintained elasticity, I added 3/4 tsp xantham gum and increased the baking soda to 2 & 3/4 tsp baking soda. Otherwise, kept everything exactly the same.
I can’t wait to make these again – probably within a week! Thanks for the great recipe Jenn!
Jenn
Thank you so much Jordan!!! Happy you like them:)
Nichelle
Lovely recipe! Came out great. I would have loved more eggnog flavor. If I double the eggnog will that prevent the chocolate from setting?
Steph
Just made these tonight and they are FANTASTIC! I kept stealing them before I packed them up (you know, just the ugly ones that the topping leaked over on)—new favorite Christmas cookie!
Jenn
Hey Steph! so glad you like them!! haha! Merry Christmas!!
Christine
We love these! I must have made very small cookies, as I got 56 out of one batch, but everyone loved them. They were the perfect bite!
Jenn
Wow Christine that’s awesome!!! I’m so glad you liked them!
Jan
These cookies are amazing!! My husband was snitching them as fast as I added the white chocolate eggnog topping. He turned around with four in his hand and said, ” Bet you can’t eat just one!” They were a big hit at Thanksgiving too!! They are now one of our favorites!
Brenna
Can I freeze the cookie dough balls then bake later? Have you tried this?
Isabelle
Just made these cookies after finding on pinterest. They are fabulous!! super moist and flavour is delicious. I may have been making ugly ones just to snack on 😉 thanks for the recipe!