Nov. 17--Holiday cookie baking is most often a family affair. So it is was with Rich Ptack and his daughter Sarah of Elwood Park, who visited the Chicago Tribune test kitchen in 2012 for Good Eating's cookie making class.
When the father-and-daughter bakers described their favorite recipe, an eggnog cookie they had developed, everyone in the class was intrigued. The Ptacks entered their recipe in the cookie contest the next fall, and earned an honorable mention.
This year, the Tribune is offering a cookie class again, but focused on children. Just Kidding is sponsoring a two-hour hands-on cookie decorating workshop at 10 a.m. on Dec. 6 led by chef instructors from Kendall College ($20 per child; parents attend free). Decorating stations will be stocked with cookies, frosting and decorations. The event is designed for children ages 4 to 12. For information, go to tribnation.com/events.
We're featuring the Ptacks' eggnog cookie this week as a celebration of the new book "Holiday Cookies: Prize-Winning Family Recipes from the Chicago Tribune" ($24.95).
The book, published by the Chicago Tribune with Surrey Books, an imprint of Agate Publishing, contains more than 100 recipes of winning cookies and honorable mentions. (Look for it wherever books are sold.) We are publishing one recipe each week from the book, leading up to the announcement of this year's contest winners on Dec. 1 . (For previous weeks, go to chicagotribune.com/cookiebook).
jxgray@tribpub.com
Twitter @joegraygoodeats
Eggnog cookie
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 20-23 minutes
Makes: About 30 cookies
Rich Ptack and his daughter Sarah, of Elmwood Park, earned an honorable mention in the Tribune's Holiday Cookie Contest in 2013 with this cookie that mimics the flavors of the traditional holiday drink. These cookies bake at a lower temperature than most, so that they don't dry out, Rich explained.
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup store-bought eggnog
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Combine the flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon nutmeg and cinnamon in a bowl.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a separate bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggnog, egg yolks and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed until just combined. You don't want to overmix.
3. Scoop up dough by heaping spoonfuls; roll into balls. Place the balls on parchment-lined cookie sheets 1 inch apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake until bottoms turn light brown, 20-23 minutes.
Nutrition information per cookie: 116 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 27 mg cholesterol, 16 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 22 mg sodium, 0 g fiber
