Egg Nog Creams

One of my favorite Christmas cookies to make are Egg Nog Creams. They are a basic butter cookie with a tasty egg noggy middle. I had a cookie exchange this year with local family members and some good friends and these are the cookies I brought.

For the cookie:

2 sticks of butter, softened
1 egg
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
vanilla (approximately 1 tsp)
pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups flour (may need more if the dough is sticky)

For the egg nog cream:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 TBSP rum (or in my case, 1/2 tsp imitation rum extract - hee, hee)
nutmeg and powdered sugar for garnish

::NOTE::
I usually double this, because I like a lot of cream in each cookie and one batch isn't quite enough.

1. Mix first six ingredients. together until well blended.
2. Add in flour until a soft dough forms. Dough will be soft, but should not stick to your fingers.
3. Roll dough into 1" balls. Gently flatten in the palms of your hands. Place at least 1" apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.
4. Using your thumb, gently press an indentation in the center of each cookie.
5. Bake at 350 for about 8 minutes. Remove and gently (using the back of a rounded teaspoon so you don't burn yourself!) re-indent the thumbprints (you'll notice they've risen a bit) and put them back in the over for another 3-4 minutes. Cookies will be light in color, but firm when you touch the top.
6. Cool on wire racks.
7. After cooled, fill with homemade eggnog cream. Sprinkle nutmeg and powdered sugar on top.