There are cookies… and then there are holiday cookies. These Eggnog Snickerdoodle Thumbprint Cookies are exactly the kind of cozy little treat that makes December feel magical!!

I wanted to reimagine the classic snickerdoodle into something festive, charming, and a little extra special for Christmas time. These cookies start with a soft, cream cheese–based dough with warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice and they bake up perfectly smooth and pillow-like!

Once baked, each cookie gets filled with the most incredible eggnog white chocolate ganache flavored with LorAnn’s Super-Strength Eggnog Flavor. It’s creamy, silky, and tastes like Christmas in a swirl.

Whether you add them to your holiday cookie boxes, bring them to a festive gathering, or enjoy them with a cup of cocoa under the lights, these cookies are guaranteed to bring joy!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Soft + chewy texture: These bake up smooth and plush with the perfect snickerdoodle chew.
Festive warm spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice give them that nostalgic holiday flavor.
Cream cheese cookie base : Cream cheese creates a rich, tender dough with a beautiful smooth top.
Eggnog ganache filling: Silky white chocolate + LorAnn Eggnog Flavor = holiday perfection.
Perfect for gifting: These cookies look so pretty with their piped rosettes. Ideal for cookie boxes.
Make-ahead friendly: The dough chills beautifully and the ganache can be made ahead too.

Equipment You’ll Need

Stand mixer or hand mixer
Mixing bowls
Baking sheets
Parchment paper
Piping bag + small star or French star tip
Small teaspoon for indenting

Your Shopping List

300 g all-purpose flour (2½ cups)
5 g baking powder (1¼ tsp)
3.5 g fine salt (heaping ½ tsp)
3.5 g ground cinnamon (1¼ tsp)
2 g ground nutmeg (¾ tsp)
1 g ground allspice (⅓ tsp)
142 g salted butter, softened (5 oz / 10 tbsp)
188 g granulated sugar (just under 1 cup)
50 g light brown sugar, packed (2½ tbsp)
142 g full-fat cream cheese, softened (5 oz / ½ cup)
2 large egg yolks
20 g vanilla bean paste (1 tablespoon)
Granulated sugar for rolling
Optional: pinch of red and green sanding sugar
170 g white chocolate, chopped (6 oz / about 1 cup)
120 g heavy cream (½ cup)
⅛ teaspoon LorAnn Super-Strength Eggnog Flavor

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Cookie Dough

Whisk the flour (300 g), baking powder (5 g), salt (3.5 g), cinnamon (3.5 g), nutmeg (2 g), and allspice (1 g). Set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter (142 g), granulated sugar (188 g), and brown sugar (50 g) for about 1 minute, until creamy.

Tip: Do not over-whip… too much air can cause the cookies to puff and crack.

Add the cream cheese (142 g) and mix until smooth.
Add the egg yolks (2 yolks) and vanilla bean paste (20 g). Mix for 1 minute until combined.
Add the flour mixture and mix on low until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.

Note: Sticky dough is GOOD! it creates smooth, pillowy cookies.

Cover and chill the dough for 45 minutes or until firm enough to roll.

2. Portion and Shape

Scoop 1.5–2 tablespoon portions and roll into smooth balls.
Roll each ball in granulated sugar (or granulated + holiday sanding sugar).
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill the shaped dough for 20 minutes.

Important: This step prevents spreading! DONT SKIP

3. Bake and Add the Thumbprint

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
Bake cookies for 14–16 minutes, or until edges look set and tops appear matte but soft. Do not let them brown.

using a small measuring spoon to make thumbprints in thumbprint cookies

Remove the cookies from the oven. Immediately press a small rounded teaspoon into the center of each one to create a well.

Tip: Press slowly to avoid cracking. If the wells puff as they cool, gently re-press while warm.

Cool completely on the baking sheet.

4. Make the Eggnog Ganache

Place the white chocolate (170 g) in a heatproof bowl.
Heat the heavy cream (120 g / ½ cup) until steaming and pour over the chocolate. Cover for 2 minutes.

Stir until smooth. Add LorAnn Eggnog Flavor (⅛ tsp).
Chill 20–30 minutes, then whip with a hand mixer until thick and pipeable.

Tip: Ganache should look like soft buttercream and hold a swirl.

5. Fill the Cookies

Transfer ganache to a piping bag fitted with a small star or French star tip.
Pipe a petite swirl into each thumbprint.
Dust lightly with cinnamon or sprinkles.

Tips for Perfect Thumbprints

Always chill the dough before rolling! This prevents spreading.
Bake at 325°F for smooth tops with no cracking.
Press the thumbprint indent gently while the cookies are still hot.
Use high-quality white chocolate for the best ganache texture.
LorAnn Eggnog Flavor is very concentrated — ⅛ teaspoon is plenty!

More Holiday Treats You’ll Love

Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies with Browned Butter Buttercream

Vanilla Bean Christmas Cookie Cake — Two-Layer Christmas Tree Cookie Cake with LorAnn Oils Vanilla Bean Powder

The Best Soft Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

(Note: Some of the links mentioned may be affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

Stay in touch!

If you give these Eggnog Snickerdoodle Thumbprint Cookies a try, I’d love to hear how they turned out for you. Tag me @almonds_and_apricots or send a photo-your holiday bakes always make my day. And if you put your own creative twist on them, like dusting the tops with cinnamon sugar or piping extra-tall rosettes, I’d love to see that too.
Enjoy baking (and sharing!) these cozy little cookies. They’re such a lovely addition to Christmas cookie boxes, festive gatherings, or a quiet night at home under the tree. Happy baking, and may your kitchen be filled with the warm scent of cinnamon and nutmeg all season long.
(P.S. Store any leftovers in an airtight container—though they rarely last more than a day or two!)

Snickerdoodle Thumbprint Cookies With Eggnog Ganache

Soft snickerdoodle-inspired thumbprint cookies spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, then filled with a smooth eggnog white chocolate ganache. A festive, cozy holiday cookie that’s perfect for gifting, entertaining, or adding to Christmas cookie boxes!

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Author: Kala Boulard

Ingredients

DRY INGREDIENTS

300 g all-purpose flour 2½ cups
5 g baking powder 1¼ tsp
3 g fine salt heaping ½ tsp
3 g ground cinnamon 1¼ tsp
2 g ground nutmeg ¾ tsp
1 g ground allspice ⅓ tsp

WET INGREDIENTS

142 g salted butter softened (10 tbsp)
142 g full-fat cream cheese softened (5 oz / ½ cup)
188 g granulated sugar just under 1 cup
50 g light brown sugar packed (2½ tbsp)
2 large egg yolks
20 g vanilla bean paste 1 tablespoon

FOR ROLLING THE COOKIE BALLS

Granulated sugar
Red and green sanding sugar

Eggnog White Chocolate Ganache

170 g white chocolate chopped (6 oz / about 1 cup)
120 g heavy cream 4.2 oz / ½ cup
⅛ teaspoon LorAnn Super-Strength Eggnog Flavor

Instructions

MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH

Whisk together the flour (300 g), baking powder (5 g), salt (3.5 g), cinnamon (3.5 g), nutmeg (2 g), and allspice (1 g). Set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter (142 g), granulated sugar (188 g), and brown sugar (50 g) for about 1 minute, until creamy.
Tip: Do not OVER WHIP
Add the cream cheese (142 g) and mix until smooth.
Add the egg yolks,, and vanilla bean paste (20 g). Mix until combined 1 minute.
Add the flour mixture and mix on low until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
Cover and chill the dough for 45 minutes, or until firm enough to roll.

SCOOP AND SHAPE

Scoop 1.5–2 tablespoon portions of dough and roll into smooth balls.
Roll each dough ball in granulated sugar (or granulated sugar mixed with holiday sanding sugar).
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill the shaped dough for 20 minutes.-This step prevents spreading DONT SKIP

BAKE & THUMBPRINT

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
Bake cookies for 14–16 minutes, or until edges look set and tops appear matte but still soft. Do not let them brown.
Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press a small rounded teaspoon into the center of each cookie to form the thumbprint well.
Tip: Press slowly to avoid cracking. Re-press gently if the wells puff as they cool.
Cool cookies completely on the baking sheet.

EGGNOG GANACHE

Place the chopped white chocolate (170 g) in a heatproof bowl.
Heat the heavy cream (120 g / ½ cup) until steaming, then pour over the chocolate. Cover for 2 minutes.
Stir until smooth. Add LorAnn Super-Strength Eggnog Flavor (⅛ tsp).
Let cool 20–30 minutes in the fridge.
Use a hand mixer to whip until thick enough to pipe.
Tip: Ganache should resemble soft buttercream and hold a swirl.

SWIRL AND FILL COOKIES

Transfer the ganache to a piping bag fitted with a small star or French star tip.
Pipe a petite swirl into each thumbprint.
Dust lightly with cinnamon or sprinkles before serving.