There are some things you can count on at the offices of Southern Living: good food is always nearby, the creativity is abundant, and it is practically Christmas year-round. When it came time for our office cookie swap party, everyone hit the cookbooks, family recipe boxes, and the Southern Living archives in search for the one that would taste delicious and impress. While I would have loved to make Mrs. Dunn’s famous chocolate chip cookies, I haven’t gotten my hands on that recipe yet. Instead, I decided to go for something completely different and bake Eggnog Whoopie Pies. I know, extremely different. However, Eggnog flavored desserts seem to be everywhere this season, so I thought I would jump in on the trend.
I usually stick to cupcakes when I bake, so I made sure I had all the tools needed at home before getting started. One essential that I had to invest in for making these sandwich cookies was a cookie scoop, which helped keep the size uniform. When I took two cookies and added the filling, they actually matched up in size for an impressive look. You will also need parchment paper. What you don’t need? A piping bag. I ended up getting crafty with a plastic bag and snipping off one corner. While a little messy (the filling kept oozing out), it was pretty easy to use and one less thing I needed to invest in.
Once baked, piped, and dusted with powdered sugar, I needed these cookies to last until the next day. I ended up putting them in the fridge overnight to make sure the filling remained firm. Best. Decision. Ever. I think this might have been the luckiest thing that could have happened. They were chilled and firm the next day. What did everyone think? They loved that they were cold! I think it accentuated the eggnog flavor. Something else I learned: dust everything in powdered sugar; it will immediately look 10 times fancier.
