Eggnog Cookies

For the next three weeks, I'll be posting holiday baking recipes Monday-Thursday. And since I am not much of a baker, most of these recipes will be easy to make and perfect for beginning bakers. They don't have a lot of obscure ingredients or fancy decorations; however, they are all extremely tasty and worthy of sharing.  Most recipes are ones that I have found over the years and some are those that I have experimented with on my own using a combination of several different recipes.

Holiday Baking Recipe #1 Eggnog Cookies

I first found this recipe for Eggnog Cookies back in 2007 while searching the internet for some new baking inspiration. That is when I found these cookies at Northpole.com created by Karen Hamlin and have since made them year after year.  I printed out the recipe and my paper is so stained and tattered,  I thought it was about time that I share them here on the blog so that I could finally have a clean copy.

These cookies are easy to make and are extremely moist with the wonderful flavors of eggnog, nutmeg and cinnamon. They make a lovely addition to your holiday baking and freeze beautifully until you're ready to add them to your cookie platters. 

Enjoy!

You can freeze most cookies for up to 6 months in an airtight container. I generally begin my holiday baking after Thanksgiving and store the well-cooled cookies in a Ziploc Freezer Bag. Then, when I'm ready to make a platter of cookies, I pull out only what I need at that time. 

Holiday Baking #1: Hazelnut Truffles

How is everyone doing today? I have been busy, busy. busy with some of my holiday baking. I still have a few more cookies to make but I'll be creating separate posts for each item that I've made so far so you too can get a jump on what you might need to get at the store today if baking was on your agenda this weekend. 

Many years ago I found a recipe for Bailey's Irish Cream Truffles from Chef Judy Contino from Ambria Restaurant in Chicago, IL. The paper is so tattered and barely readable at this point because I have to make these every year for my niece, who absolutely adores them. I love this basic recipe because the texture is wonderful no matter what you add to it. So this year, I will be making the Bailey's Irish Cream Truffles (and I also made some Homemade Bailey's Irish Cream!) but I also wanted to try a few different variations. I also decided to make them smaller, as they are so rich and found these cute petit four paper cups at my local party store but you can certainly make them larger. So here is my Holiday Baking Experiment #1. 

Hazelnut Truffles
Adapted from Chef Judy Contino, Ambria Restaurant
12oz. Dark Chocloate
1/2 c. Nutella (Hazelnut spread)
1/2 c. Heavy Cream
2 Egg Yolks
1 tbsp. Butter
4 oz. Finely Chopped Hazelnuts

Add the chocolate, Nutella and heavy cream to a medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until all of the chocolate has melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the egg yolks (I save the whites to use for my breakfast). Next, whisk in the butter until melted. Pour in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or until firm. Using a spoon, mold the mixture into 1/2" balls. (If it starts to soften, put it in the freezer for a few minutes to stiffen while you work). Roll the balls in chopped hazelnuts. Keep refrigerated. Makes 3 1/2 dz.-1oz. truffles.  

Enjoy!