Rudolf Reindeer AKA Eggnog Cookies

    Even though I never make the same meal for Christmas dinner, there are some standbys that must be served. These cookies are one of them. I started making these eggnog cookies when the girls were very little. We use to add pretzels on the top for antlers. To be honest half the time the pretzels fell out or broke and basically made this mama very frustrated. So we started leaving off the antler but the girls were happy with the big red nose. These are basically a freezer cook and you could change up the flavor or roll it into a tub and slice off as wanted. Feel free to play with cookies but do think of me when you have one. After all Clarice is Rudolf’s girlfriend ;-)

Rudolf Reindeer AKA Eggnog Cookies

Make 2 dozen

 

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 ³⁄₄ cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
½ tsp. baking powder
1 large egg

¼ tsp vanilla paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract
⅟₄ tsp. salt
1 TBL. rum or rum extract
¼ tsp. fresh ground nutmeg

Candied cherries, halved

Pre-heat oven 350◦F (or a ½ hour before baking.)

In an mixer cream butter with sugars, until fluffy (2-3 minutes). Then add rum, nutmeg, egg, vanilla and salt. Mix well. In a separate bowl sift together flour and baking powder, add to butter and mix well. You want a soft dough, you can roll.

Shape into 1 inch balls and set on a cookie sheet covered in a piece of parchment paper. Add half of a cherry to center of the ball, push down to make a nose. Set pan in freezer for an 1 hour. At that point to can bake them or transfer them to a container for the freezer. Bake for 10-13 minutes, until edges are starting to get golden. Cool on wire rack.

Tips

1. If your dough is too dry, try adding a bit of milk or rum. If your dough is too wet to hold a shape slowly mix in a ¼ cup of flour.

2. Yes fresh grated nutmeg is so much better.

3. These freeze beautifully for about 3 months if well wrapped. Just bake them off frozen. They will only take a minute or two longer to cook.

Comments

[Edda Soffia]

Hey,
I made these yesterday and they are delicious, and look so good to. ;-)
Thank you for shearing the recipe.
Hugs from Iceland

[Marilyn]

Sounds good!

[Louise]

Family traditions are always the best, Clarice especially when it comes to cookies. Adorable:) Thank you so much for sharing...

[Sharon D.]

Thank you Clarice for sharing this recipe. I love that it is a tradition with your daughters despite being 'antler-less' :) I can't wait to try these.

Have a blessed evening!
Sharon

[Account Deleted]

Oh boy, these look really good. I'm going to try making them. I'm not sure where to find vanilla paste though, so I'll have to find that firs

I love Rudolf the red nosed reindeer, and I do indeed remember his sweetheart, Clarice. When I was a child, the cartoon specials were something I looked so forward to. Rudolf and Frosty the Snowman, narrated by Burl Ives. What a wonderful voice he had.

Thank you Clarice.
xo

[Dana]

Where did ole come from???? Ha ha. That was supposed to be LOVE

[Dana]

I love how cute they look and plan on making them for our family Christmas Eve gathering! The little ones will olé the story!!!