Sharing updated versions of classic Christmas cookie recipes brings me so much joy. Before Santa arrives, I have one more recipe to add to your list: Rum Snickerdoodles.
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These pillowy soft cookies are based on my Grandma Dorothy’s classic snickerdoodle recipe.
I lost her during the holidays three years ago. She was my biggest cheerleader and a fighter who never lost her sense of humor or empathy for others despite being sick for many years. She is still one of my greatest inspirations.
When I bake recipes like these rum snickerdoodles, it makes me feel close to her again.
From time to time, that closeness brings me sadness because I miss her. On the day I baked these sweet, cinnamon-sugar-rolled, spiced rum cookies, however, I was dancing around the kitchen.
It felt like she was there with me in the best way, cracking jokes at the cheesy Christmas movie I had playing in the background.
About the Rum Snickerdoodles
These spiced rum cookies do have a few departures from Grandma Dorothy’s original snickerdoodle recipe, but as a woman who was never afraid to pave her own way, I don’t think she’d mind.
I kept my favorite parts of her original snickerdoodle recipe—the ready-to-bite size, the soft, chewy interior, and the heavy-on-the-cinnamon coating—and added a few of my own touches.
In place of shortening, I swapped real butter, as its flavor is my absolute favorite in any cookie I make or eat.
For extra holiday flare, I added rum extract and nutmeg. Delicious!
The cookies have the familiar snickerdoodle flavor and texture I’ve long loved, with a little something special to make them stand out on the plate.
This is an ultra-easy butter rum cookie recipe—you don’t even need to chill the dough before you bake them.
You can embrace that ease and eat your snickerdoodles in a hurry *or* take the fancy route I did with a white and dark chocolate dip and shower of holiday sprinkles.
In addition to loving any excuse for chocolate, I wanted these cookies to sparkle because I was making them to take to a friend’s holiday party. At the end of the party, the only sign there had ever been rum snickerdoodles in attendance was a few stray crumbs on the plate.
The Ingredients
- Butter. Gives these cookies the best flavor!
- Rum Extract. For a rich and delicious touch that makes these cookies unique.
- You may be wondering, “Can you use rum instead of rum extract?”. Rum extract is different that regular rum in that the flavor is very concentrated, and it behaves differently in baking too. For the flavor to shine, rum extract is what you need here.
- Vanilla Extract. The perfect complement to the rum extract.
- Nutmeg. Warmth with a hint of spice.
- Cinnamon + Sugar. This coating adds the familiar snickerdoodle taste.
While the chocolate dip is optional, I think it makes these beautiful cookies even more festive and special!
The Directions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth, then add everything but the flour.
- Sprinkle flour over the top, and beat until it disappears.
- Make the coating: In a bag, add the sugar and cinnamon, and shake to combine.
- Scoop the dough into balls and add them to the bag. Toss to coat, then transfer to the baking sheets, flatting the balls.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 9 minutes. Remove, and let cool.
- For the chocolate dip: Place the chocolate in separate bowls, adding oil to each. Microwave in bursts until the chocolate is almost melted. Remove and stir until shiny and smooth.
- Dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate, then lay it on a lined baking sheet. Add any desired sprinkles, then repeat with the remaining cookies. Let rest until the chocolate sets. ENJOY!
What Does Rum Extract Taste Like?
Rum extract provides the rich yet sweet flavor of rum without any alcohol. The deep flavors add warmth and sweetness to recipes like these rum snickerdoodle cookies.
How to Store and Freeze Rum Snickerdoodles
- To Store. Store the cookies in an airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze. Place cookies in an airtight freezer-safe storage container or ziptop bag for up to 1 month.
Go ahead and leave Rum Snickerdoodles for Santa. Personally, I have my eye on a few new cookbooks, so I’m hoping that if I’m nice to him, he’ll be nice to me too!
Rum Snickerdoodles
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Ingredients
FOR THE RUM SNICKERDOODLES:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rum exact
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
FOR THE CINNAMON COATING:
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
FOR THE CHOCOLATE DIP: (optional)
- 2 ounces white chocolate chopped
- 2 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
- 3 teaspoons coconut oil divided
- Sparkling sugar and/or sprinkles
Instructions
- Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth, creamy, and combined, about 1 minute. Add the egg and beat again until it disappears. Beat in the rum extract, vanilla extract, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.
- Sprinkle the whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour over the top. Beat on low speed, mixing just until the flour completely disappears.
- Make the coating: In a large ziptop bag, place the sugar and cinnamon. Seal and shake to combine.
- Scoop the dough into 1-inch-diameter balls and drop them into the bag about 6 at a time. Gently roll/toss the balls in the cinnamon sugar until each is completely coated. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 1 1/2 inches apart. With the flat bottom of a drinking glass, gently flatten the cookies until they are 1/2 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches wide.
- Bake the cookies on the upper and lower racks of the oven for 8 to 9 minutes, switching the pans’ position once halfway through if your oven has hot spots. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on a wire rack. Let cool on the pan for 3 minutes, then gently transfer them to the wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- For the chocolate dip: Line a fresh baking sheet with clean parchment or wax paper. Place the white and semisweet chocolate in separate microwave-safe bowls. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut oil to each. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then return to the microwave and continue heating in 10- to 15-second bursts, until the chocolate is almost fully melted. Remove from the microwave and stir, allowing the residual heat to melt the chocolate completely, stirring until it is shiny and smooth.
- Dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate, then transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. While the chocolate is still wet, add any desired sprinkles. Repeat with the remaining cookies, alternating between white and semisweet chocolate. Let rest until the chocolate sets. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
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