Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Series

It's almost here! The grand finale of 12 days of Christmas Cookies is just around the corner. Thank God! I do like baking and I love you all to death, but I have other shit to do. And I really want to still fit in my jeans come New Year's.

You know- without holding my breath until I pass out.

Today's vision of baking loveliness is another log cookie, but of an entirely different variety. This is a smooth, almost cakey dough laced with nutmeg. Lots and lots of nutmeg.

If you are one of those unfortunate souls that bear some strange aversion to the warm, fragrance of spices like nutmeg, I'm sorry. These cookies are not for you.

But if nutmeg is your jam, you'll be hard pressed to find anything that pulls it off so well as this cookie. Even eggnog fails to deliver the kind of nutmeg punch you'll get from one of these little morsels.

Also, did I mention there was rum? Yum.

Both the dough and the frosting contain quite a bit of that spiked eggnog flavor without the nog. The frosting on this log cookie is pilled high in swirls of sweetness, like a puffy cloud edged with sugar. To finish off the vision, we sprinkle a very generous dusting of fresh nutmeg on the tops. Tada!

I actually ran into this recipe years ago in an issue of Better Homes and Gardens, but I've published it here via Love & Confection, a blog run by a pastry chef. She suggests she derived this recipe from Pillsbury but I refuse to believe it. I'm pretty sure the dough boy never pulled anything this tasty out of his oven. A few notes on this recipe:

1. I baked these for only about 10 minutes. Baking time really varies depending on the size of the logs, so pay attention to the first batch. They should be just barely brown on the bottom so they stay soft when they cool.

2. I'm going to say it again. I'm like that Grandma who keeps telling you the same story every damn time you come to visit. Just smile and nod. Use real nutmeg. REAL nutmeg, people. It's important.

3. I substituted eggnog for the heavy cream in the frosting and it turned out fantastic. If you have some, go for it.

4. You can use real Rum instead of the fake extract stuff, but you'll have to adjust your dry ingredients a bit to account for the extra liquid. It takes lots more rum to get rum flavor than you would think.

Push up your sleeves and let's get rolling. These logs don't make themselves.

Out of this snowy landscape emerges a thick, soft dough that's impossible not to eat. It's okay. We made plenty. For precisely this reason.

I like to make these pretty square, so rather than rolling, I compact them and turn them and press. Compact, turn press. You'll get the hang of it.

And if not, you get roundish logs. Boohoo. Still delicious.

Cut these into even lengths and sprinkle with nutmeg. Look- pretty!

Bake these and let them cool before you begin slathering them with that rum flavored frosting. Rum flavored frosting?! Yep.

So what goes into this delightful stuff called rum flavored frosting? Funny you should ask.

Be prepared for a thick frosting. The heavy cream makes this a slab of decadent icing you won't want to miss.

Frost and enjoy this snowy wonderland of a cookie, so nutmegy it puts eggnog to shame.

Enjoy, friends and stick around tomorrow as we finish off the baking season with one final, incredible cookie. This next recipe is a fairy tale of a cookie that's worthy of a happy holiday ending.

Nutmeg Logs

Ingredients: (recipe courtesy of Love & Confection)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons rum flavoring

1 large egg, room temperature

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, fresh if available

1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon rum flavoring

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

3-5 tablespoons heavy cream

ground nutmeg for garnish, fresh if available

Directions:

Heat oven to 350F

Combine butter, sugar, vanilla extract and rum flavoring in the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Once combined, add in the egg. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed together. Add in the flour, nutmeg and salt. Mix to combine.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out batter and roll dough, with your hands, into 3 inch logs

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes. Cool on wire rack completely, then frost.

Frosting:

Combine the butter, vanilla extract and rum flavoring in the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a medium bowl with a hand blender. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Add the heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until desired spreadable consistency.

Spread a small amount on cookie, working with only a few at a time so it doesn't dry too fast, then sprinkle on nutmeg.

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