Eggnog and Gingerbread cookies

Wow!!! We are now both in love with eggnog and neither of us were fans before.  The difference between store bought and homemade is like night and day - I almost want to call it something else it was just sooooooo good.  Worth the effort 110%!  This recipe is a merge from several recipes, I wanted to try and make it lower calorie but still be flavorful and this combo does just that! (though don't let it fool you there are still calories lurking there).

The gingerbread cookies were really good too though I had some issues transferring the cut dough to the pan.  We had a lot of armless and headless gingerbread men so the presentation was kind of morbid but they were still very tasty.

Emma helped me make the first ones and decorate them - it was really fun and very messy.  She even helped me wash some of the dishes which was again fun but messy :)

presenting the finished masterpieces

The Best Homemade Eggnog Ever

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 6 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups half & half
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup Rum (optional)

1. Combine milk, cloves, 1/4 tsp vanilla, and cinnamon in a saucepan or double boiler and heat over low heat. Slowly bring mixture to boil stirring occasionally (really important you do not heat too fast!  It took me like 20 minutes for this part). Remove from heat when it just starts to boil.

2. In a large bowl combine egg yolks and sugar.  Whisk together with beaters until fluffy.

3. Slowly, using a hand whisk, add the hot mixture to the egg mixture.  Pour back into saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring constantly 3 minutes until thickened.  Let cool completely to room temperature.

4. Stir in half & half, 1 tsp vanilla, nutmeg, and rum (if using).  Refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight.

**** when you go to serve make sure you whisk it all back together as it will separate in the fridge ****

Armless Gingerbread Men

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp molasses
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups flour

1. Cream butter & sugar together.  Mix in egg, then add molasses beating well.

2. Beat in baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. 

3. Using either a pastry blender or fork blend in the flour.  The mixture will seem all crumbly but if you get your hands in at the end you can form it into a ball easily.

4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease several cookie sheets.

6. For the rolling out and cutting of the gingerbread men you can either use a lightly floured work surface or use parchment paper.  The dough was really sticky so I put the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and rolled it out that way; way less messy and much easier.  Roll out to about 1/4 in thick; thinner makes crunchier cookies thicker makes softer cookies.

7. Bake for 8-12 minutes depending on thickness of cookies.  Remove from pan to a cooling rack immediately - the cookie will harden when cooled.